I sighed. “Let’s just get him through Nepal alive, shall we?”
“You’re here. I’m the least worried I’ve ever been about him. Well, not for his safety, since I’m pretty sure he should hide sharp objects around you, but he’s more himself. Plus, I haven’t seen any girls—”
“You’re blushing,” I said, laughing. There was something about a six-foot-five, three-hundred-pound guy turning red like a schoolgirl that had me in stitches.
“Yeah, yeah. Shut up.”
Landon turned as I approached, a soft smile playing across his face. “Good morning. Did you get enough to eat?”
“I’m good, thank you for asking.”
His eyes narrowed slightly. “Feeling okay?”
I almost laughed again at his skepticism. Maybe burying the anger hatchet would be more fun than I initially thought. “Just peachy. We ready for a little hike?”
He nodded slowly. “Do you have everything you need? This is the last place to pick anything up.”
I tugged on the straps of my framed pack, thankful Mom had suggested I take it, and the sturdy hiking boots, and my thick Patagonia cold gear. Okay, I was just grateful my mother was a ten on the worrywart scale.
Damn, I was going to have to admit that to her at some point.
I’d purchased the rest of my gear in Kathmandu.
“I’m good to go. It’s a six-hour hike today, right?”
“Yes, miss,” one of the Sherpas answered. “We will take you to Namche Bazaar.”
“Rachel, this is Tashi, one of our guides,” Landon introduced us, stepping closer to my side.
I met the others in turn, instantly enchanted by their easy smiles. We said our good-byes to Penna, Little John, and Bobby, who took a helicopter to our next destination. Wilder asked Leah if she wanted to go with them, but she insisted she could make the hike.
What a hike it was—six miles of some of the most gorgeous scenery I’d ever been privileged to capture. My camera clicked so often that I high-fived myself for remembering two extra batteries and data cards. I knew we were doing it for the exercise and acclimation to altitude, but I loved it all the same.
We passed through valleys where we crossed flag-adorned rope bridges over rushing rivers, the blue of the water standing out like a beacon through the greenery.
“Want to wiggle?” Landon asked, moving his eyebrows as both his hands closed around the ropes.
“Don’t even think about it,” I told him sternly but couldn’t hide my smile.
He laughed, threatening to rock the bridge as I walked toward him. For every step I took, he backed up one.
“Seriously? You know I can take you, right?” I asked.
“I can handle a little thing like you,” he countered.
“Knock your shit off. If anything happens to Leah on this thing because you’re goofing off, I’ll destroy you,” Wilder threatened from behind me.
“Joy killer!” Landon called back. One more grin and he turned around to follow our guides, leaving me laughing and staring at his incredible ass. What was it about those cargo pants that showcased him perfectly?
Look all you want now—soon he’ll be covered up in snow gear.
The trail was worn but still rugged, and when I struggled over a boulder, my lack of height getting in the way, Landon lifted me, his touch lingering for the smallest second after. Some areas were like hiking through any other forest, but the higher we climbed, the more the vegetation spread out and the landscape was revealed. The trail switched back half a dozen times, and when we crossed the highest bridge, it was empowering to look down a thousand feet at the one we’d crossed this morning.
As we stopped for lunch, Landon made sure we were under shade to get me out of the sun. I shared one of my very rationed strawberry Pop-Tarts with him.
“Really?” he asked, taking the overpreserved pastry from my hand. “You love these things.”
“Yeah, I do,” I answered with a smile.
“In that case…” He leaned over me, reaching for the other Pop-Tart, and knocked me backward onto the leaf-covered ground.
“Hell no!” I said, laughing as I rolled away.
He sat up and took a bite of the Pop-Tart as I brushed the dirt off my shirt. “See if I share with you again.”
“I just wanted to make sure you were still Rachel and hadn’t been taken by body snatchers.”
Then he winked.
No, no, no… That sweetness that had invaded my chest all day slipped farther down, igniting an ache that I knew only Landon could fully sate. Trying to shake it off, I half smiled and then devoured my Pop-Tart.
The problem with burying the anger hatchet with Landon was it only left the insane attraction I had toward him. There was a reason we’d always collided, a force that had drawn us together stronger than sex or love…it was something intangible that I could never describe—or find in another person.
Only Landon.
Anger was safe. It kept me protected. Dropping that weapon from my arsenal left me vulnerable, and I knew that warmth rushing through me wasn’t from the sun shining overhead.
We made it to Namche Bazaar in time for dinner. The small village was high in the mountains but beneath the tree line and populated enough to have several lodges along the wide, winding dirt streets. The buildings were all stone, most of the color supplied by the flags that draped across streets and the tourists there to stock up before pushing the rest of the way to Everest. The air had turned sharp; I’d have to get my winter gear out tonight for the trip tomorrow.
“We have to leave first thing in the morning if you want to see the Everest base camp,” Landon said after dinner, walking me along the outside of the inn to the room I shared with Penna.
“Sounds good,” I responded as we approached my door. My hand lingered on the rustic handle, and for the first time since I’d found out he was on board, I wasn’t using every possible excuse to get away from him—because I didn’t want to.
“Rachel…” he said softly, putting his hand just above mine.
I turned my head but didn’t speak, afraid of what I would say. Afraid that I would tell him how hurt I still was over what he’d done, but terrified I’d tell him that I wanted him anyway.
Stupid girl.
“I’m really glad you came. I never dreamed I’d get the chance to have you here for this, but now that you are, I can’t imagine doing this without you.”
I did what I did best when it came to Landon—forced a smile, tucked, and ran.
…
Using Everest base camp as our launching point, we took helicopters the rest of the way up to advanced camp the next day. I wished we’d had the extra day to acclimatize and hike the rest of the way, but it just wasn’t in the schedule. Landon was shoving a monthlong trip into just shy of ten days.
This place had been called the throne room of the gods, and now, being here, I understood it perfectly. No mortal was meant to survive here for long. Jagged peaks rose above us, Everest being the most daunting of all.