Rushed (Adventures in Love) Read online

“No, thank you.”

  “A drink then,” he says, and I turn, coming face to face with him. Damn, up close, he’s seriously difficult to look at he’s so perfect. “One drink.” He holds his hands together like he’s praying.

  “You can pay for my lemonade,” I say, giving in, and he grins, showing off straight white teeth and a dimple in his scruff-covered cheek.

  “You ready to order?” Mason comes back, and I’m more than a little thankful for the distraction.

  “I’ll have a lemonade, the vegetable quesadilla, and a bowl of pumpkin soup.”

  “You got it, babe.” He goes to the computer on the counter to type something in, then pours my drink from the machine on the back wall.

  “I’m covering her drink and my beer.” Tanner hands him the ten he’s still holding while Mason gives me my drink along with a straw. Ignoring the straw, I start to take a sip but end up looking at Tanner over the rim of the glass. I raise a brow when I find him still watching me.

  “You’re not from around here.”

  “I’m not,” I agree, and he smiles again, which he needs to stop doing, because it’s making me find him even more attractive.

  “Tanner, your food!” someone shouts from across the room, and he looks that way briefly before turning his attention back to me.

  “Well, it was nice meeting you, sunshine. Maybe I’ll see you around.”

  “Probably not.” I shrug, and that dimple of his gets a little deeper before he stands to his full height and saunters to his table. I wish I could say I don’t watch him go, but I do, and when he’s seated, he turns to look at me over his shoulder, a smug smile tilting up the corners of his mouth. I roll my eyes and turn back to face the bar, trying to figure out what the strange feeling in the pit of my stomach is.

  Chapter 3

  CYBIL

  “Are you nervous?” Jade asks, her voice echoing through my phone’s speaker as I pull onto a dirt road that should lead me to the Live Life Adventures Lodge, where I’m meeting my guide this morning.

  “Yes, I’m also sure that I’m going to end up toppling over under the weight of my backpack, which should be fun.” I smile when she laughs.

  “Didn’t they send you a list of stuff to pack?”

  “They did, but they told me that I should add anything else I might need, so I might have gone overboard with books, granola bars, and extra clothes.”

  “Why am I not surprised?”

  “Because you know me,” I say, then breathe “No” when the lodge comes into view and I see none other than Tanner standing out front. There are two other men dressed just like him in a uniform of cargo pants, T-shirts with the Live Life Adventures logo on the chest, and boots on their feet, the three of them tall, broad, and good looking. One with dirty-blond hair, a sun-kissed tan, and tattoos traveling up one of his arms, the other with short jet-black hair and obvious native ancestry that makes him look fierce yet regal, which is a beautiful combination.

  “What?” Jade asks as all eyes turn to watch me drive by.

  “Nothing. I’m here.” I park my Bronco as my stomach dances with a new type of nervousness.

  “Oh, okay. Well, I love you.”

  “Love you too. I’ll call when I can.”

  “Be safe.”

  “I will.” I hang up while I shut down the engine, then take a breath and open the door to get out. When my seat belt stops me, I grimace, then quickly release the lock and hop out of my seat.

  “Hey, sunshine,” Tanner calls out as I walk toward the trunk.

  I rub my hands down the front of my black leggings as I lock eyes with him. “Umm.” I glance from him to the other two men, feeling my cheeks warm when I find them studying me. “I’m here for the couples retreat.”

  “The couples retreat?” He looks over my shoulder, his eyes narrowing before they come back to me. “Where’s your partner?”

  “I’m alone.” I shrug while making an eek! face. “I guess I should have booked this retreat for a few months ago.”

  “Shit,” the blond guy at his side mutters.

  “You’re Cybil?” the other man asks, and I nod. “I’m Maverick. We spoke a couple of times. Sorry about your breakup.”

  “It happens,” I say awkwardly as the blond mutters another curse.

  “You can leave your bag in your trunk for now and go on inside the lodge, where everyone else is. Tanner, Blake, and I will be there in just a couple of minutes to go over the plans for the next week.”

  “Everyone else?” I frown.

  “The other couples,” Tanner states, and I blink.

  “Other couples?”

  “It’s a couples retreat.”

  “Yeah, I know, but I thought . . .” I shake my head. “I didn’t know there would be other couples. I thought my ex and I were the couple.”

  Maverick’s lips twitch. “There are three couples on this retreat with you.”

  “Oh.” I fiddle with the knot of the checkered red flannel I tied around my waist.

  “Tanner’s leading the retreat, so you’ll be partnering up with him for all planned activities,” he says, and my stomach drops to my toes. “You’ll be in good hands.”

  “Sure.” I quickly glance at Tanner, my chest beating oddly when I find him smiling. “I guess I’ll just go inside.”

  “There’s coffee and doughnuts. Help yourself.”

  “Okay, thanks.” I walk past them and start up the wide steps that lead to the porch, stumbling over my stupid chunky hiking boots. Thankfully, I catch myself before I fall on my face, but I’m seriously wondering if I’m going to survive the next week between my pack, books, and now Tanner.

  “You okay?”

  Knowing it’s Tanner who’s asked, I don’t even bother looking behind me. I raise my chin and wave a hand out as I clear the last step and walk toward the door. “Yep, never been better.”

  “You know the rules,” I hear one of the guys say as I enter the lodge, but I don’t hear more, because the sound of people chatting and laughing rings in my ears as I walk down a short hall. When I enter the great room, I realize the photos online didn’t do it justice. It’s beautiful, with high ceilings, exposed wood, and large picture windows that look out over the forest of tall ponderosa pines and gorgeous Douglas firs. The chatting of the couples seated on the two couches comes to a standstill as everyone turns to look at me, and I feel more awkward than I did before.

  “Hi.” I wave, glancing through everyone. “I’m Cybil.”

  “Nice to meet you, Cybil.” A slim older gentleman with thinning hair and a kind smile stands, and the much younger, very pretty blonde woman he was sitting next to follows close behind. “I’m Dr. Oliver Price.”

  “And I’m his girlfriend.” The blonde now plastered to his side flops out her hand toward me. “Lauren.”

  “Nice to meet you both.” I smile at the two of them, then turn my attention to an attractive man with dark hair and thick black-rimmed glasses, and he grins at me.

  “I’m Jacob,” he greets, then nods to the equally attractive man at his side, who is smiling.

  “I’m his husband, Parker. Come sit down.” Parker motions to a chair that’s kitty-corner to the couches that are facing each other. I step deeper into the room as everyone takes their seats, and I notice a third couple on the couch, holding up a phone and talking to a kid, judging by the way they’re speaking.

  “That’s Grant and Avery. They’re talking to their son,” Parker tells me as I sit, and the man who must be Grant waves, then nudges his wife’s shoulder and motions in my direction when she looks at him.

  As she looks around the phone she’s still holding up, her eyes meet mine. “Sorry, I’m Avery.”

  “Cybil,” I greet, and she smiles.

  “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “You too,” I reply as the child on the phone shouts “Mom!” making her sigh and focus on the phone once more.

  “Where’s your partner?” Lauren asks while she does that annoying thin
g some women do, where you know they are judging and dissecting each and every little detail about you.

  “She’s with me,” Tanner says, walking into the room carrying a handful of papers, which he begins to pass out, while Maverick flips on the TV hanging on the wall, and Blake takes a seat in the chair next to mine. Taking one when he holds it out to me, I startle slightly when he sits on the arm of my chair. “The sheet of paper you’re now holding has a breakdown of our daily itinerary. As you can see, every day, you’ll be required to complete one task with your partner’s help and—”

  “Um, is that fair?” Lauren cuts in, holding up her paper. “If you’re her partner, she’s going to always win, because this is your job.”

  “I don’t think this is a competition,” Parker says, sounding annoyed, and Jacob presses his lips together like he’s trying not to laugh.

  “You’re right; this is not a competition,” Blake says as he stands. “The point of this retreat is to build trust between you and your partner. No relationship works unless you are able to work together, and—”

  “Sorry,” Lauren interrupts again, and everyone focuses on her. “I’m just wondering why she’s here, if this is supposed to be a retreat for couples.”

  “Lauren,” Oliver hisses, turning to glare at her.

  “What? It’s just a question.” She frowns back.

  “I’m here because I booked this trip for my fiancé and me, and since he’s now my ex, he obviously didn’t come,” I say, figuring I might as well get it over with.

  “Oh,” Lauren whispers, while everyone else around the room shifts uncomfortably. “Sorry.”

  “No problem.” I look up when a heavy hand rests on my shoulder and lock eyes with Tanner. He doesn’t say anything, but then again, he doesn’t have to. His expression tells me that he feels bad for me, which flipping sucks. I’m tired of people feeling sorry for me, tired of the pity-filled looks and awkwardness. I wanted to come on this trip to forget about the last couple of months, not to relive them.

  “Now that that’s out of the way, let’s go over the schedule for the week, talk about the safety guidelines, and then load up in the bus. There’s about an hour drive to the first drop-off location,” Maverick says, holding the remote toward the TV, and the schedule on the paper I’m holding comes up on the screen.

  For the next hour and a half, I listen to Tanner, Blake, and Maverick speak, and as I watch the three of them interact, I realize they are more than just men who work together. There’s something seamless about the way they work together. They’re completely in sync, like they know each other inside and out, which makes me curious about their relationship.

  “Are there any questions?” Blake asks when the safety video comes to an end, his attention directed at Lauren, who’s asked a million questions and interrupted a dozen times.

  “I don’t think so,” she says, and Oliver sighs, probably relieved that we can all finally move along.

  “Then let’s go through your packs to make sure you have everything you need and that you aren’t taking anything unnecessary before we get on the bus.”

  “Umm, you have to go through our packs?” Avery asks, looking horrified.

  “Yes.” Maverick plants his fists on his hips. “Like it was stated in the email you received, you are allowed to bring anything you think you might want or need except drugs or alcohol.”

  “Okay,” she agrees quietly.

  “Let’s go.” Maverick moves first, and the rest of us follow.

  When I get outside, I head for my Bronco to grab my pack from the trunk. As I start to pull it out, a hand lands on it, and I follow the arm that hand is attached to and find Tanner standing next to me.

  “You don’t need to drag it out. We can go through it here,” he says as he starts to unzip the main zipper, making me panic.

  “You can’t go through my bag.” I pull it from his grasp, and he tugs it back.

  “Sunshine, I promise you I’ve seen it all, so there’s nothing in your pack that’s going to surprise me.”

  “That might be.” I yank it back toward me. “But I have things in here that I don’t want you to see.”

  “I get that, but I need to make sure you only have the necessities, because as your partner, if you can’t carry your pack, I’m going to be the one lugging it around, and I’d rather not have to carry shit you can’t or won’t ever use.”

  “Fine.” I let it go and stand back, crossing my arms over my chest, and he gives me a look that makes my stomach feel funny before he starts to pull everything out. “Do I get to go through your pack?” I ask, tapping my foot.

  “If you want.” His dimple pops out, and I quickly grab the waterproof bag with my bras and underwear in it before he can open it. “Have you tried walking around with this on your back since you packed it?”

  “Yes.”

  “How did it feel?”

  “Heavy,” I admit as he stacks all my granola bars in a pile.

  “It’s going to feel heavier. After about twenty minutes of hiking, ten pounds will start to feel like a hundred.” His eyes meet mine. “Do you need everything here?” He motions to the piles he’s made.

  “Probably not.” I eye my granola bars, not sure I can bear to leave them.

  “We got your meal request and know you’re a vegetarian. We have food and snacks for you, so you won’t go hungry. If I were you, I would leave the granola bars behind, along with the extra clothes and the camera.”

  “I can’t leave my camera.”

  “Okay, bring the camera; leave everything else.” He hands me my bag so I can start to repack it, and I leave out all the extra clothes I packed, and I keep one of the three books and a couple of my granola bars. “Don’t judge me,” I tell him as I shove them in one of the side pockets. “They’re my favorite.”

  “In that case, I’ll carry a couple of them in my pack for you, and the rest, I’ll put in the kitchen inside the lodge. You don’t want to come back to find your car’s been broken into by a bear.”

  “Yeah, that would suck.” I zip up my bag and then flip it around to my back. Once it’s settled, I realize how much more comfortable it feels without the extra weight. Startling me, he grabs the clips hanging at my sides and pulls them around in front of me, hooking them together around my waist.

  “How does that feel now?” He tightens the straps, and my breath lodges in my throat while my stomach dances.

  “Good.” I tip my head back, the energy between us seeming to take on a life of its own when our eyes meet.

  “Good.” His eyes drop to my mouth, and I lick my lips, watching his pupils dilate, then jump when a horn sounds. Clearing his throat, he steps back and grabs the rest of my granola bars before slamming my trunk. “You can go ahead and get on the bus.”

  “Thanks.” I duck my head and rush away. As the bus drives us to our drop-off location, I try to figure out what the hell is going on with me and why Tanner is able to make me feel things I’ve never felt before.

  Chapter 4

  TANNER

  Hearing Cybil laugh, I look to where she’s standing with Jacob and Parker and curse under my breath. When I met her at the bar yesterday, I was stunned stupid by her beauty and wit and caught off guard by the instant attraction that bounced between us—or I hoped it was mutual. I didn’t know I had just gone over her profile for the trip, which is something I do with every client because it gives me a chance to get to know them before I take them out on a retreat. I had no idea I would be spending the next week with her.

  “Fuck, I’m so fucked,” I grumble under my breath when I watch her bend over to retie her boots. I didn’t think she could look more gorgeous than she did yesterday. But today, when she got out of her SUV dressed in hiking boots, slouchy socks, leggings, a white tee with a flannel tied around her waist, making her curves even more pronounced, I knew I was in trouble. She even had a handkerchief that matched her flannel tied around her head, her blonde hair in a messy bun.

  Bl
ake saw my reaction, too, judging by his constant cursing and the talk he gave me about fraternizing with clients when she went inside the lodge. A reminder I didn’t need. I would never jeopardize my relationship with Blake or Maverick, the only family I’ve ever really had, and I sure as fuck wouldn’t put our business at risk. That said, there has never been a woman to snag my attention the way Cybil has, so when this week is over, if this intense heat between us is still there, all bets are off. I just hope I can use this time to get to know her and keep my hands and my mouth to myself for the next six days and twelve hours.

  “Everyone has their lunch, and Blake will be at the campsite around five with dinner,” Maverick says as I sling my pack onto my back. “Are you good?”

  “Yep.”

  “You’re full of shit.” He smirks, glancing over at Cybil.

  “Don’t you start with me too,” I mutter and he laughs. Blake and Mav couldn’t be more different. Ever since I met Blake on our first tour overseas, he’s been a high-strung stickler for following the rules, while Mav has always just kinda gone with the flow and let the cards fall where they might. That’s why the three of us have always worked so well together. I’m a little bit of both, depending on the circumstances.

  “Just gonna say good luck with that.” He pulls the satellite phone out of his back pocket, placing it in my open palm. “Call if you run into trouble.”

  “Will do.” I lift my chin, then head over to the group.

  “It’s not common to see bears on the trail,” Blake says as he hands a can of bear spray to each person. “But they are around, and so are cougars. Like we went over this morning, it’s important for you to be aware of your surroundings and to watch out for your partner. Now, please do not use the bear spray unless there’s a bear.” He gives Lauren a look, and she quickly closes the safety latch. “Enjoy your hike, and I’ll see you all tonight at the campsite for dinner.” He walks past me, palming my shoulder. “They’re all yours.”

  I walk to the front of the group and look to each person. “Jacob, Parker, you two are going to lead us up the trail, and Cybil and I will follow at the back of the group. Like Blake said, everyone needs to stay alert and aware, and if anyone needs a break, say something, and we’ll all stop.” I glance to everyone once more. “Make sure you’re utilizing your hydration pack. You don’t want to get dehydrated out here. Any questions?”