Chapter Seven

Rory

As I walked away from the edge of Beinn Edra, I glanced back over my shoulder to see Amelia brushing her fingers under her eyes. Why had she been crying? She’d insisted she was fine after her stumble—and if she wasn’t, she should have told me—so what was it? Did it have something to do with that phone call I’d overheard part of last night? And why do you care?

It was my job to care. I had to guide these people safely through the Skye Trail, and to do that, I needed to monitor their emotional state, to make sure they weren’t endangering themselves or anyone else. I’d seen her lose her balance, and I’d grabbed her before she’d fallen. Like any guide would have done.

I thought back to that moment. She’d been hunched into herself, clearly cold and miserable, and then she’d suddenly stopped in her tracks, tipped her face up, closed her eyes, and parted her lips as if she were about to be kissed.

A jolt of desire had gone through me. I’d frozen in place, staring at the long line of her throat, the raindrops on her eyelashes, the curve of her mouth as she’d smiled. She’d looked so damn beautiful.

And then her feet had gone out from under her, and I’d caught her against my chest, our bodies so close I could smell her scent. She smelled like springtime and sunshine, and I’d had to force myself not to press my face into her neck and inhale her.

I grinned to myself, imagining the look on her face if I’d actually done that. She probably would have whacked me in the head with one of her damned trekking poles. It would have been worth it.

We started off again. There were four quick peaks to go over before we’d break for lunch.

The group was moving at a good clip. I was walking with the two brothers from Maine, who were sharing stories of hiking in the mountains of New Hampshire. At one point, I glanced behind me to check on everyone. I didn’t see Amelia’s bright purple rain gear. Had she taken it off? It had stopped for now, but the sky was still threatening. She should probably put it back on.

“You guys go on ahead,” I said to the lads, and then I turned on my heel and walked back the way we came. The ladies were all in a group, and Tommy was walking with Gordon. But there was no Amelia.

Shit, where was she? My heart pounding, I kept walking, and when I reached the top of a small hillock, I saw her, a purple shape against the green, moving slowly up the hill. I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding and strode down to her.

She looked up as I approached. Her cheeks were flushed and she looked—well, not very happy to see me. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. Just pacing myself.”

I watched her walk for a minute, checking for signs of injury. She didn’t seem to be limping, so maybe she was just tired. I fell into step with her, slowing my pace to match hers. When we reached the top of the hillock, she swore under her breath. I looked over to see her staring at the steep trail ahead of us.

“You okay?”

The glare she threw at me was cold enough to freeze the sea.