Roped In (Armed & Dangerous, #2)(21)

“What are you writing about?” he asked.

We came upon a bridge overlooking a rapidly flowing stream; it sounded almost like a waterfall. I snapped a few pictures and smiled. “I just started it. Basically, it’s about a guy and girl who fall in love. He’s a cowboy who changes his bad boy ways.”

His lips pulled back in a smirk. “You’re not writing it about me are you?”

“Please.” I snorted. “I don’t see you changing your ways. Besides, players don’t fall in love. It would ruin their game.”

He shrugged. “Maybe you’re right. I’m not the kind of guy who can be tamed.”

That was for damn sure.

The trail disappeared into the forest, hiding the sun with its blanket of treetops. I shivered as the temperature turned colder. “You never know, Blake. One day, you might find the right woman. She’s out there somewhere.”

“What about you?” he countered. “If Nick is just your friend, where does that leave you? You’re not planning on keeping up the charade with him forever are you?” He glanced over his shoulder.

“No, but he’s the only one who’s been able to put up with the press. Before him, I was dating a guy I went to high school with and once my career took off, he couldn’t handle it. My only solution was to date someone who knew the business. Then every guy I tried to date ended up being a douchebag. Thankfully, I met Nick and everything fell into place.”

“Will you go back to him when you go home?” He climbed over a fallen tree and reached for my hand to help me over. When he didn’t let go, I smiled and kept hold. The trail started to disappear under a blanket of snow and I figured that was why Blake held onto me. It didn’t matter, I liked being close to him.

“Not in the way you think,” I answered honestly. “When I go back home, I’m hoping that means the killer’s been found. I won’t need to pretend with Nick anymore after that.” The thought of hurting Nick’s feelings made me sick to my stomach, especially after everything he’d been through.

“Are you sure he’s going to be okay letting you go?” he asked.

“He knows how I feel. We had a discussion about it right before he was shot. He’s always tried to take things further, but I don’t want to ruin the friendship we have. Plus, he’s my agent’s brother. If things didn’t work out, it’d make things very awkward.”

The lake was up ahead and I gasped when it came into view. It was perfect, almost as if it was a fake background. Blake pulled me up on a huge rock and let my hand go. “Not something you see every day, is it?”

“It’s amazing,” I breathed out in awe. I looked down at the water and it was so clear, I could see the details of the rocks below. We sat in silence and I took a gazillion pictures. When I turned the camera to Blake, he looked at it and gave me that smirk of his I loved. He had stubble on his cheeks, making it even sexier. “Will you take one with me?” I asked him.

“Why? So you can burn it when you get home?” he teased.

I rolled my eyes. “Oh whatever, it’ll be something to remember you by.”

Grabbing me by the hips, he pulled me onto his lap and took the camera. “You better not tell anyone I took a f*cking selfie.”

“Your secret is safe with me.” I laughed. He held up the camera and I snuggled against him. After the picture clicked, I stayed on his lap and turned to face him. “Thank you.”

We shared a brief moment, feeling something was changing between us. My heart pounded and I cleared my throat.

Blake handed me the camera. “No problem.” I slid off his lap and he stood. “You ready to hike some more?” He took my hand, helping me off the rock.

I could tell he was waiting for me to complain. Instead, I held my head high. “Lead the way.” Once we ventured away from the lake, the snow got really deep. I slipped a few times, but caught myself before falling face first into the snow.

Blake was a little ways ahead, but stopped and turned around. “You okay back there, princess?”

I waved him on. “Don’t worry about me!” I shouted. Picking up my pace, I reached down and grabbed a handful of snow. Each step he took, I did double to catch up to him. My fingers were numb from the snow, but I was almost there. Just a few more steps . . .

Blake sidestepped and tackled me out of nowhere, making me scream. His feet slipped and we both fell to the ground, laughing as we rolled around in the snow. He ended up pinning me to the ground, his legs straddling my waist and his body flush with mine. I shivered and it wasn’t because of the snow.

“You should know better than to sneak up on someone like me,” he said. His eyes strayed to my lips.

“I didn’t think you’d hear me,” I whispered breathlessly.

“You’d be surprised what I notice, princess.” He trailed a finger down my cheek to my rapidly beating heart. “Like how your heart is racing right now. I didn’t know I had that effect on you.” I blew out a nervous breath and he smiled, his lips getting closer to mine. “Tell me what you want,” he murmured.

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

“Because once I say the words, I can’t take them back.”

He brought his hands to my face, his thumbs tracing my cheeks. “Maybe this will help.” His lips closed over mine and I melted against him, willingly giving in. I’d never been kissed like that and I didn’t want it to stop. I wanted more. He pushed his tongue inside and I moaned as the heat rose between my legs. Holy hell, I wanted him. Rocking my hips up into him, I dug my nails in his back and he growled, pulling away.