Falling for the Groomsman (Wedding Dare, #1)(22)

She opened her mouth and closed it; her cheeks flushing, she snatched the paper out of his hand. “There’s nothing more you need to know about me besides the fact that I’m not a big outdoors person. I hate bugs, especially spiders, and am terrified of being eaten by a bear.”

“I thought investigative journalists weren’t scared of anything,” he said, eyeing her. “Isn’t that a job requirement?”

“I’m not…except that stuff.” She shrugged and squinted down at the list. “Anything else? I’ll face it with nothing more than my fists.”

“Why did you decide to become a journalist anyway?” He seized the slip of paper back out of her hands and headed for the woods. “Last time we talked, you wanted to be a doctor.”

She pressed her lips together. “After my parents were killed by a drunk driver who was never caught, I decided I couldn’t live with other people going through that uncertainty. That pain. So I decided to do something about it.”

His chest tightened at how helpless she must have felt. “I’m sorry. I can’t even imagine how shitty that must have been for you.”

“It was very shitty.” Her lips twitched into a small smile, but she quickly dipped her head to hide it. But why? He loved her smile. She should stop hiding it from him all the damn time. “So I decided to become a journalist to help solve mysteries. I briefly toyed with being a cop, but it wasn’t for me.”

Fuck no. He didn’t like the idea of her being shot at. “That’s quite the life change from a sorority girl.”

“I never wanted to be one in the first place.” She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “I only joined because my mom wanted me to. After she died…well, there was no getting out of it without feeling as if I’d let her down. Plus, I had the girls.”

That was probably why she didn’t talk about it much. All the other girls had brought up their sisterhood numerous times, but he hadn’t heard Christine mention it even once. “So you’re not proud of your sorority sister status?”

“I’m not ashamed of it or anything. Nothing so drastic as that.” She bit her lip. “It was a piece of that part of my life, and that’s it.”

“I get that,” he said, thinking about the time he’d let her down by running away from his feelings for her. He wished he could go back to that night. React differently. Not leave her. He reached out and squeezed her hand before forcing himself to let go. “We all have those moments in life.”

She didn’t pull away from him at contact. It was ridiculous how f*cking happy that made him. She fell into step beside him, and he stole a glance at her. Her cheeks were flushed, and she studied the ground as she walked. Her toned legs took small yet steady steps, and he remembered all too well what it felt like when he’d been in between them. Now, he just needed to figure out how to get back there…and if he was lucky?

A way to get to her heart, too.

…

Christine tucked her hair behind her ear, her heart racing. Last night had been a surprise, to say the least. It had also changed her plans a teeny-tiny bit. She no longer wanted to keep her hands or tongue to herself. No, she wanted him.

Rekindle an old flame might not have been on her list, but it was time to face the facts. She wasn’t over Tyler, and wouldn’t be over him until she got her fill of him. That had to be what this whole obsession thing was all about. In order to get over him, she needed to be under him several times. She might have thought it was too risky before, but not anymore. She could keep her heart safe and her body naked…or whatever.

She swallowed the hysterical laugh threatening to escape. This morning, she’d even written it on her list: Rekindle an old flame. It was official. Make out in an elevator had been crossed off her list, and so had Get payback on Tyler. She conveniently ignored how much her list revolved around him ever since they’d kissed in the elevator. As if that hadn’t been enough, he’d blown her mind in his room, too. Funny how a life-shattering orgasm could change a girl’s perspective.

She peeked at him. He stared straight ahead, looking all hot and broody. He wore a pair of shorts that fell below the knee, and a formfitting shirt that hugged all his hard planes. She couldn’t wait to rip it off of him. “So, what’s in the bag?”

“Water, flashlights, a knife, sleeping bag, some—”

She snorted. “Let me guess. You were an Eagle Scout.”

“Why guess?” His hands tightened on the shoulder straps. “I’m sure Kady told you all about it.”

“Maybe,” she admitted. “I just didn’t believe her until now.”

“I was the leader, too.” He watched her out of the corner of his eye. “Go ahead and laugh. You know you want to.”

Actually, she found it endearing, damn it. “No, I don’t,” she said. “I think it’s…cute.”

He looked at her, surprise clear in his eyes, and shook his head. “I didn’t realize you had a thing for nerds. I wore glasses, too. Oh, and I had braces for three years. Does that gain me points with you? I seem to be sorely lacking in that area lately.”

She tsked. “Nope. It’s not like you’re that boy anymore.”

“I grew up.” He lifted a shoulder. “People do that.”