Page 42 of Mountain Trial

“I’m not too heavy?” she whispered.

“Not too heavy,” he confirmed. Her trust was a gift. He didn’t bother to remind her he couldn’t feel her weight on his legs―but that didn’t mean he couldn’t feel her presence and warmth.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “It’s all just … a bit much.”

“Take your time,” he said. “Scott, Jong Su and Chan-mi have gone to get drinks. It’s just us two here now.”

She nodded and buried her face deeper against his shoulder. He could still smell his shampoo on her hair.

A couple minutes later, he felt her body stiffen. He released her immediately, and she stood up.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You’re not going to hurt me.” She could hurt him, of course, if she stayed hours on his lap, but not a few minutes.

“Would you take me home, please?”

Luc nodded quickly. “Of course.”

Out on the street, once they’d bundled up into their coats, scarves and hats, Luc stopped. “Where to?”

She pointed to the East. “I live just a few minutes away.”

“Do you know why I suggested my place that first night?” he asked. She shook her head. “I figured you lived in a fourth-floor walkup, thought I’d spend half the night trying to climb up to your flat.”

She bit her lip, smiling. “You could have asked. My apartment’s on the second floor, but it has an elevator. I measured it the other day, it’ll be fine.”

Pleasure spread through his chest. “You measured the elevator?” he asked.

She nodded, letting out a soft breath. “You know. Just in case. There are three steps to get into the building, but―”

“Three steps I can do,” he assured her.

Kat

She’d never spent any amount of time thinking about the three steps in front of her building, but she looked at them now, wondering how Luc was going to navigate them.

She licked her lips, wondering if there was something she could do to help him.

“At least there’s a railing,” Luc said, smiling. He turned his back on the steps, pushing his chair against the step, then reached behind him, grabbing on to the railing with his left hand. Tilting the chair backwards, he pulled with one hand on the railing and another hand on the wheel to lift himself onto the first step―then reached back for the next one.

Moments later, he was up the steps, looking at her.

“You coming up?” he teased.

She let him into her apartment, wondering what he would think about her place. It wasn’t much more homey than his, though she’d lived here for the last five years.

“I’m not big on home décor,” she apologized.

“At least you don’t have a carpet,” he said, wheeling himself inside. “I like the view.”

“I like it too. It’s why I rented the place. The mountains always make me feel … at home.” She took off her boots, standing in front of him in mismatched black and green socks. “Can I get you something to drink?”

He shook his head. “Is it okay if we sit on your couch for a minute?”

His thick arms and shoulders corded as he transferred himself to her couch. He positioned his legs carefully, then looked up as she sat down next to him.

“I need to ask you something, Kat. You don’t have to answer, but I need to ask.”