Rushed (Adventures in Love #1)(17)

“Oh.” I lick my lips, liking that he wants me as much as I want him, that I’m not the only one who’s been fighting all these feelings. “I’ve wanted to kiss you too.” I smile while adding, “Though when we first met, I really wanted to kick you.”

Laughing, he leans back, taking the mug of cocoa from my grasp. “I guessed that when you brushed me off.”

“You deserved it.”

“Yeah,” he says softly, putting the lid on the thermos and wrapping his arm around my shoulders to pull me into his side. I lean into him with a smile on my face, then jump a mile when a loud bang echoes through the quiet morning air, causing the birds in the nearby trees to take flight.

“What was that?” I ask as he bolts to his feet and looks around.

“Gunshot. My guess, a twelve gauge.” He spins in a full circle, scanning the tree line before facing me. “Come on.” He reaches for my hand, and as he pulls me up off the log, there’s another shot, this one sounding closer. “Let’s get back to camp.”

Without another word, he tucks me into his side and leads me quickly back through the forest. As soon as we make it to camp, we find that everyone is up and standing outside their tents, looking sleepy but concerned.

“Where have you two been?” Lauren asks accusingly when she spots us, and I force Tanner to release my hand, wanting badly to tell her it’s none of her business. But I know this is his job, and I don’t want to jeopardize his or his friends’ reputation.

“There were gunshots,” Parker says, sending a scolding look in Lauren’s direction before he looks between Tanner and me. “One of them was really close.”

“We heard them too,” I tell him.

“What’s in season in terms of hunting?” Oliver asks, looking around.

“Nothing,” Tanner tells him while dipping into the tent and coming out a moment later with the satellite phone.

As he walks off, putting the phone to his ear, I scan the area. I’m sure the sound of gunshots is normal in the mountains, but that doesn’t put me at ease. All it would take is someone shooting in our direction, not knowing we are here, to seriously injure one of us.

“I’d still like to know what you were doing in the woods with Tanner,” Lauren says, and I inwardly groan. I knew her giving up on Tanner and me was too much to ask for.

“You know, Lauren, I’m starting to think you have a thing for Tanner,” Oliver says, and her expression hardens.

“Well, it seems to me that you have a thing for Cybil,” she snaps. “You’re always looking at her and standing up for her.”

“Here we go again,” he says, cutting her off. “Like I’ve told you before, it’s called being a good person. I’m not interested in Cybil.” Then he turns his back on her and slips inside their tent, with her quickly diving in after him. The two of them start to argue like they’re in a room with four walls rather than a fabric tent. I look around and see Jacob and Parker both staring at Oliver and Lauren’s tent with wide eyes as they shout about me, while Grant is nudging Avery, attempting to get her to look away.

“Maverick is going to ride up with Blake,” Tanner says as he steps out of the woods. “Since we’re staying here tonight, they’re going to do a sweep of the area to see if they can find who fired the shots and let them know people are camping here. But since we haven’t heard another shot, my guess is they already left the area.”

“Have you heard shots fired out here before when you’ve been on a guided trip?” I ask, wrapping my arms around my waist, and his gaze comes to me, his jaw hardening as he takes me in.

“It’s not abnormal . . .” His words trail off when Lauren emerges from the tent and screams at him.

“Tanner, I want to go home!”

“Lauren.” Oliver scampers out behind her. “If you leave, we’re over. I’m not doing this anymore.”

Spinning to face him, she shakes her head. “That’s not fair.”

“What’s not fair is you continuing to try to start drama, then getting mad when I point it out.”

“I’m not starting drama. I’m asking questions.” She throws her hands into the air. “We paid for this trip to grow closer as a couple. We didn’t pay for this trip so Cybil and Tanner could spend a week sneaking off and hooking up.”

“Tanner and I are not sneaking off and hooking up,” I say in my defense, unsure if that’s a lie or not, because we did share a kiss this morning after sneaking off, but I don’t think either of us planned on that kiss. At least I know I didn’t.

“Right, your lips are totally swollen.” Lauren rolls her eyes, and I instantly touch my fingers to my mouth and notice that my lips do feel tender.

“I don’t mind if Tanner and Cybil are hooking up,” Avery says, winking at me, and my cheeks instantly warm.

“We don’t care either,” Jacob inserts, and I find him and Parker both sharing the same smug look.

“I don’t mind, either, Cybil,” Oliver says softly while Lauren huffs, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Though I appreciate all your approval, whatever happens between Cybil and me is not up for discussion, as it has no effect on me doing my job or you getting what you need from this trip,” Tanner says, then locks eyes with Lauren. “If you want to leave, Maverick and Blake will take you back to the lodge when they leave. That said, I think you need to think about why you agreed to come on this trip and consider Oliver’s feelings. He obviously wants you here, so maybe you should put all your energy into working through things with him.”