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  Now, that sounded like the Cora he’d cared for these past years—strong, confident, and determined. With her in his presence, everything was good. He needed this, more than he thought he ought to. “You had no plans?” he asked.

  She smiled, giving him a playful grin. “Cleaning the house, grocery shopping, and being lazy.”

  “Nothing important, then?” She shook her head and he added, “Great. Go put on some tight clothes and sneakers.”

  Her face beamed with the waggle of her eyebrows. “Tight clothes, you say?”

  Taking the couple steps toward her, he erased the distance, pulled by the electricity so powerful between them. The sun beamed through the windows at the door, and he was transfixed by her natural beauty. Her soul shined in her eyes, and that didn’t need makeup to accentuate it. “Tight, comfortable clothes for rock climbing.”

  “Oh, no fun.” She smirked up at him, her gaze lit with an inner glow. “That sounded like interesting rock climbing.”

  “Remember …” He stared at her pouty mouth. “I don’t plan to let you fall to your death.”

  She gave a crisp nod. “Okay, tight clothes it is.”

  “Smart thinking.” He searched her face, licking his lips. Somehow sexy Cora in the dungeon didn’t match the simplicity of her now. And he rather enjoyed seeing what she looked like in the morning—a little bit messy looked good on her. “Don’t worry, I’ll bring the rope.”

  When he leaned away, her lips parted. “Speechless.”

  “Good.” He grinned, giving her a swat on the ass. She squeaked and lurched forward, and he added, “I like you that way.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  An hour passed as Cora pressed against Aidan’s back. His bike tore through the Las Vegas streets and entered the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area. She had wished the ride had been longer; being there with him made her live in the moment, not acknowledging the past or the future.

  Cora didn’t know what Aidan’s intention was by bringing her out here today, but she didn’t care. She wanted to stay just like this for as long as possible. The last hour had been the closest she’d ever been to being held by him.

  Sex or aftercare in the club didn’t count.

  This had been easy companionship, a prime male’s body against hers, with no expectation other than warmth and easiness. Besides, she smiled at how Aidan handled the motorcycle with efficiency and determination, exactly as he handled her body.

  By the time he stopped the motorcycle in a small gravel parking lot she had no desire to be anywhere else. Surrounded by forest and inhaling the clean air, her back ached from the backpack filled with climbing gear.

  With a weightless gaze, he took the backpack from her and settled it onto his shoulders. After he gave a catlike stretch, he winked at her. “Come, luv. It’s time to hike.”

  “Giddy up.” She grinned.

  He chuckled and approached the path through the forest with an easy, unhurried stride. She closed her eyes and tipped her head back, reveling in the hot sun. As his foot crunched against a branch, she hurried after him.

  Silence fell between them and she allowed it, not filling the quiet with small talk. As the smoldering air brushed across her, a hawk soared high in the sky above, almost guiding their route. A floating sensation overwhelmed her with each step, like all her burdens had been removed.

  “Ah, we’re here.”

  Cora blinked out of her thoughts, nearly banging into Aidan’s back. She followed his gaze and looked up the large cliff, and up … and up … She turned to him. “You’re kidding, right?”

  He took off the backpack and his eyes squinted with a twinkle of mischief. “You did agree to go rock climbing.”

  “Yeah,” Cora said with a firm nod. “I said climb a rock.” She pointed to the cliff. “That’s more than a rock. It’s a damn mountain.”

  He laughed. “Believe me, it’s not.”

  Cora scanned over the mountain. “Sorry to break it to you, but if I can’t see the top, then it’s a mountain.”

  Aidan grinned and shook his head at her. He opened the backpack and pulled out ropes and harnesses. The gear that seemed appropriate for a dungeon had heaviness weighing her lower half. And she gulped down breaths at the size of that damned mountain.

  Looking weak?

  Nah, that wasn’t Cora.

  Stuffing away her reservations, she held her shoulders high. She tilted her head back and scanned up the rock, noticing a long rope dangling from the top of the rock right to the bottom.

  “Where are the bolt thingies?”

  Aidan zipped up the bag, glancing to her. “That’s sports climbing, and you need experience to belay.”

  Cora folded her arms. “To what?”

  His mouth arched slightly as he approached her. Normally, she didn’t have his full attention unless they were in the dungeon. And when Aidan walked to her with a harness in hand her body zinged to life. She shivered and glanced away. It made the moment at once simple and not simple at all.

  When the heat of his body engulfed her, she turned to him. He stared at her with those shadowy eyes that held such power and she damn near went boneless. He cocked his head, eyes zeroing in on her mouth. “Clipping the rope into the bolt is tricky. This is easier, believe me.” He held the harness up. “Let’s get you into this.”

  Cora closed the distance, and Aidan got right to work. Her body hummed with each move and with every brush of his fingers against her skin. In Club Sin, his touches were always sexual, with intent to arouse, and now was no exception.

  She studied his skilled fingers working her harness, and a slow, delectable burn engulfed her. When he cleared his throat, Cora’s gaze flew to his eyes. A small smile broke over his face, and she grabbed for her thoughts through the filament of hazy arousal. “It’s easier to climb, says the man whose body is packed with muscle.”

  His fingers froze on the harness and his eyes flared, smoldering with intoxicating dominance. “Compliments are nice, but you’re still getting up there. Besides, it’s only a five-point-six grade.”

  Swallowing hard, Cora rolled her eyes. “Which means in English that a nonclimber can understand?”

  His mouth twitched. “It’s not difficult.”

  Aidan continued to move Cora this way and that, getting her into the harness, and she stole looks at him. His assistance was sensual, seeping fire into her loins. The harness fit very much like the ones they used on a sex swing, hugging her lower half like a pair of shorts with missing pieces in all the important areas.

  Match that with the ropes hanging down from the top of the cliff, and she understood why Aidan leaned toward this sort of sport. The gear, from the harness to the ropes, were items also found in the dungeon. Perhaps this is where Aidan’s love for kink developed. Maybe using the items in the sport gave him his fantasies.

  Ideas she was quite fond of.

  He finished with the final clip on her harness and added, “It looks hard, but trust me, you’ll be all right.” He straightened, holding her stare. “Wait until you see a five-point-twelve grade. You’d think this was a baby rock face in comparison.”

  She glanced up the mountain. It didn’t look babyish to her. In fact, it might as well have been Everest. Though her hands trembled, his beaming face left her breathless. Rock climbing and the outdoors warmed his gaze in a way she’d never seen. Her smile couldn’t be contained. “How do you know about grades and such?”

  He shrugged, giving the straps on her harness a tug. “I have a book.”

  Stepping back, he gave her a once-over. With a firm nod, he added, “You’re good to go.”

  “Um …” Her heart hammered as she turned to the cliff. It still looked huge, and she heaved a sigh. “Don’t you think it’d be better to—I don’t know—start with a climbing wall in a gym?”

  Aidan gave a half shrug. “You’ve got this. Cliffs in Nevada have more sandstone than anything else. It has texture and is easier to climb.” He approached the backpack, a
nd Cora’s gaze zeroed in on his tight ass.

  She licked her lips. Damn.

  He reached into the backpack and took out a small black bag. “You’ll need this, too.” With fingers far steadier than hers, he wrapped the strap around her waist and fastened it. His features softened, implying calm, as he added, “Before you start your climb, dip your fingers into the chalk. It’ll keep them dry.”

  Cora glanced to the white chalk and snorted. “Which is a good thing, since my palms”—and panties—“are already soaked.”

  His unforced laugh warmed her; regardless, her insides jumped around with the desire to flee. With a deep, satisfied breath, Aidan leaned away and regarded her. She’d never noticed the light brown highlights in his hair. It was normally so dark in the dungeon she’d never experienced those softer shades.

  Her palms itched to feel the strands through her fingers.

  She nibbled her lip and looked to his face, and discovered Aidan’s smirk. His gaze darkened, catching Cora’s breath as he reached for his shirt. She froze, pinned to the spot, as he removed his shirt and dropped it onto the ground.

  The sun beaming down on his tanned, smooth shoulders had her fighting off a way-too-obvious shudder. An impossible feat, since he had suntan lotion making his skin glisten. At her soft sigh, his hands clenched briefly before they released.

  His jaw clenched and he took a step forward. Then he stopped a foot away, seemingly fighting the same desires. He shut his eyes for a moment. Once they opened, his smoldering expression had vanished.

  Cora’s heart panged. All the same, it reminded her of his cold distance in the dungeon, controlling her arousal. She shook her head and concentrated on the task. First thing first, climbing the damn rock and not dying in the process. “Okay, details to keep me alive.”

  “I would not let you get hurt.” The muscle in his jaw flexed. “That being said, the trick is to keep your body close to the rock and climb with you feet. You’ll wear yourself out if you use your arms too much.”

  Her gaze wandered, taking in the natural beauty around her, and she looked up Everest before she turned to him with a nod. “Okay, gotcha.”

  With little heat in his gaze, he closed the distance between them and placed his hands on her shoulders. His touch burned into her from head to toe. He leaned down, making eye contact with her. “I’ll pull the rope to keep it snug in case you slip. If you’re about to fall, yell ‘take.’ I’ll tighten the rope to take up the slack.” He winked, giving her shoulder a playful pinch. “If that happens, lean back and relax.”

  She shivered at the slight bite of pain, held his gaze, and said in a serious voice, “If I think I’m going to fall, I’ll probably yell ‘holy shit.’ And you’ll know—Everest tossed me off its mountain.”

  He moved closer into her personal space and dipped his head, gazing into her eyes. “I’m there to hold and support you.”

  If that wasn’t a double entendre, she didn’t know what was. The outright show of her trusting him was maybe something he needed—maybe something he felt was lacking. Perhaps with Porter’s return he needed it even more. Through all that had happened recently, she realized she needed it, too.

  She needed to depend on him. She needed him to catch her if she fell. Her chest tightened, removing all traces of heat. Apparently, when Aidan went to Porter it had caused more damage than only crushing his manhood.

  Cora looked away, unable to accept that she had broken the sense of trust between them that he’d have to go to these extremes. That he needed this moment to correct his feelings. She absently rubbed her arms as she asked, “All right, what else?”

  His firm finger pressed under her chin, forcing her to meet his stare. “Once you’re at the top and done, give me two thumbs up.” His voice became flat with his emotionless expression. “Don’t hold the rope, walk backwards down the rock and I’ll let you down.”

  She heaved a sigh, wishing he’d show a deeper part of himself. Not only arousal, but the real him. When would he finally let her in? With a long, slow breath through her nose, she looked to the dirt below her running shoes. She pulled on the strength she used in scenes when her nerves started to get the best of her.

  “All right?” he asked, dragging his fingers down her arm.

  He doesn’t share because he’s reminding you he’s only your Dom. Don’t make it personal. She blew out her breath and slid into comfortable distance, and then she lifted her head. “Yep, I’m ready to climb this bitch!”

  To avoid his searching gaze, she glanced to the half-full backpack. While she knew Aidan would think of her safety, for her own sanity, she needed to ask, “What else is in the bag?”

  Aidan gazed at her with focus before he looked to the backpack. With a voice containing wonder, he turned to her. “A tent and blankets.”

  She scrunched her nose. “A tent?”

  “We’re camping tonight.” He arched a brow. “Did I forget to mention that?”

  Camping? “Together?”

  “No, I plan to sleep in the tent and you have to stay outside.” At the drop of her mouth, he chuckled. “Of course together.” With a dark gaze and clever smirk, he grabbed the front of her harness and tugged her forward toward the rock. “Don’t look so scared. The only things that bite out here are the deadly snakes.”

  Cora exhaled slowly, contemplating what unsettled her more: the climb, the snakes, or spending the night with Aidan. “Oh, fudge.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Trust.

  Not everyone understood its value.

  Though Aidan experienced the weight of Cora’s trust in the dungeon, he hadn’t realized how tight the bonds of trust had woven between them. In the moments before her climb, he’d spotted Cora’s fear. He’d noticed her trembling hands and the shortness of her breath. Under his stare, he’d watched those fears wash away.

  Her feet bounced against the rock face on her way down, and as he held the rope tight, her trust splintered something cold inside him. Yet it confused him all the same. If she held that level of trust, what caused this distance between them?

  After her feet hit the ground, she turned to him and rocked on her heels, throwing her hands in the air. With bright red cheeks from exertion, her chest heaved and eyes sparkled. “Holy shit, I freaking did it!”

  He smiled, as the desire to investigate her consumed him. What lay beneath the woman’s shields? “I never doubted you would.”

  “I’m glad you didn’t,” she retorted with a slight curve to her mouth. “Because I sure as shit thought that once I got to the top, I was going to refuse to come down.”

  He chuckled, and with a click, the rope dropped free from harness. “I’m proud of you.”

  She gave a satisfied smile. “Thanks.” Standing tall, she looked to the rope in his hand and shifted her feet. Her gaze roamed over his bare chest, and the examination was nothing less than pure desire.

  Under the promise of her heated look, his cock twitched. More so that he caused her reaction. With a lingering glance, she lifted her eyes to him and her pupils were enlarged. He slid the rope through his fingers, greedy to experience more, and the coarse rope burned across his hand.

  Her gaze zeroed in on his hands and she brushed her fingers over her mouth. He fought a grunt as blood rushed swiftly to his groin. Leaning in and inhaling Cora’s spicy scent, he winked. “Best you stop looking at me like that. I do need to concentrate.”

  “Right. We’re serious. All business.” She folded her arms, even if her eyes gleamed, sassily. “Admire later. Gotcha.”

  That moment kept his cock hard for a good half hour, but the day went by with a picnic by the natural spring and a long hike into the Hilltop campgrounds. By the time Aidan set up the tent in a remote part of the campground, far away from anyone else and private, dusk had settled in.

  He placed a blanket out on the ground near the fire pit and Cora dropped down on it, sitting cross-legged. With languid movements, he turned to the branches and logs he’d gathered on the
ir hike. He placed the thinner pieces he’d cut with his small ax in a tepee shape within the fire pit he’d made with stones from the forest. As he grabbed his lighter from his pocket, he said, “Ask me any question you want.”

  “Pardon?”

  Her sharp voice lifted his head, and he smiled. “You heard me.” His only intention tonight: changing the dynamics of their relationship. From what he’d seen of her and Porter, she could share her thoughts—she just hadn’t with Aidan. “I asked you to open yourself up to me and you pointed out that I don’t share myself with you. That has to change. Ask away.” He allowed her the time to process and placed the fire stick in the middle of the wood, then he flicked the lighter and the flames rose.

  She giggled.

  With the burning wood crackling and a comforting aroma engulfing him, he looked to her with raised his brows. “Something funny?”

  “I’m surprised you didn’t start the fire by rubbing two sticks together.” Her mouth twitched, as if fighting her smile. “You know, ‘I am Dom. Me caveman, build fire.’ ”

  Aidan barked a laugh. “Common sense leads me to a lighter.”

  He joined her on the blanket and his face ached from their laughter throughout the day. He enjoyed spending time with Cora. In fact, he liked hearing her talk, watching her smile, and learning about all the random thoughts she had in her mind. As he settled next to her, his thigh pressed against hers, causing his groin to tighten. “All right, stop stalling.”

  She looked to the fire and nibbled on her lip. Then she brought her legs up and rested her cheek on her knee. Her pretty eyes held his, as if she read right into his soul. “Are you happy?”

  He hesitated. “Happy?”

  The light from the fire cast an orange hue along her face, detailing the gentle lines. “I mean, do you wake up every day glad to be alive?”

  “Of course,” he replied without hesitation.

  Her stare remained fixated on him; her attention was focused, intent, and almost stern. “Liar.”