When Olivia woke the next morning, still groggy from her late night at Sofia’s, she regretted her decision to return to camp. Why hadn’t she slept over at her sister’s place? Then she could have spent her day swimming and sunbathing. Instead, she was dragging her sorry butt on a group outing led by Rick, who was still freezing her out.
Though she needed to find the courage to confess her feelings, she couldn’t do it with the others around. Maybe tonight, she could catch him alone. For now, she’d endure his silence.
The drive to the mountains took them an hour inland along winding roads, past steep hills and small villages that looked lost in time. At TJ’s urging, they stopped at Lofou to indulge in Greek coffee and delicious pastries. The cobblestone streets and open-air shops gave the village a more traditional feel than a touristy harbor town like Paphos. They took another break at Monagri, where they visited a twelfth-century church decorated with vibrantly colored frescoes. After five weeks in Cyprus, Olivia appreciated seeing something other than ruins and beaches.
When they got to the town of Platres, near the base of the Troodos Mountains, Rick parked the car in a public lot. The group clambered out and gathered by the trailhead.
TJ glanced up from his phone. “Our best bet is the hike to the Caledonian Falls. It’s not too steep and should give us some sweet photo ops.”
“Sounds good to me,” Stuart said.
Olivia was about to agree with him, but Rick spoke up first. “I’m going to take the Madari Trail up to Mount Adelphi. It’s challenging, but the views are supposed to be spectacular.”
“Surprisingly enough, the term ‘challenging’ isn’t doing it for me,” Dusty said. “Not on my day off. I’ll do the falls hike, too.”
“How about you, Olivia?” Rick asked. “You up for a real hike in the mountains?”
His question caught her off guard. She assumed he’d chosen the arduous hike as a way of avoiding her. Was he trying to get her alone? She tried not to read too much into his question for fear of getting her hopes up.
“Are you sure?” she asked. “I might slow you down.”
He fixed a steady gaze on her, like she was the only person there. “You haven’t yet.”
Goose bumps pebbled her arms. Maybe he did want her to himself. “Okay, I’ll go with you.”
At this point, what did she have to lose?
TJ grinned. “A tough hike might be fun. I don’t want to wuss out. Ow!” He rubbed his side and glared at Dusty. “Why’d you hit me?”
She grabbed his arm. “You’re going with me and Stu. Got it?”
Her expression was so ferocious that TJ nodded. “Sure. Whatever you say.”
As their group split up, Dusty smiled at Olivia and mouthed the words “good luck.”
She was going to need it.
At the outset, Rick kept quiet. He led her along a rough dirt trail, past pine and cedar trees. The scent reminded her of hiking in the High Sierras, during a trip with some friends from grad school. Unlike her hiking buddies, Rick’s strides were ridiculously long. Though he occasionally stopped to let her catch up, she was forced to bring out her inhaler after twenty minutes.
When his brow constricted, she shook her head. “I’ll be fine.”
He waited patiently until her breathing resumed an even cadence. But once they started up again, the steep incline made her legs scream for mercy. Though the air was cooler, the sun was as fierce as ever, making the back of her shirt dampen with sweat. Maybe she’d misjudged Rick. Instead of wanting to get her alone, he’d planned this hike as a way to torture her.
At the first viewpoint, she leaned over, braced her hands on her knees, and took a few deep breaths.
“Do you need to stop for a while?” Rick said. “We’re not in a hurry.”
“I’m good. No problem.” The words came out as more of a gasp.
She would have been happy to stay where she was, looking over the hilly terrain and enjoying the gorgeous blue-sky day, but Rick only nodded and resumed climbing.
What was his game? Why had he invited her if he planned to stay silent the whole way?
Maybe he wasn’t ready to open up to her yet. Or he wanted her to make the first move.
Dusty’s words came back to her. You need to put yourself out there.
The second overlook was outfitted with a bench. Giving a sigh of relief, Olivia plopped down on it and drained half her water bottle. Rick went to the edge, brought out his phone, and took photos of the valley below.
This is it. If she didn’t speak now, she’d be too winded to say anything by the time they got to the top of the mountain.
When she stood, her legs wobbled. She inched closer to Rick, but he didn’t turn toward her, which was just as well. She’d have an easier time confessing her feelings if she wasn’t looking him in the eye.
“Rick?” Her voice hitched, but she willed herself not to cry. “I’m sorry about the other day. I had no right to question you for helping Marisol. And I shouldn’t have gotten so upset about Turkey. I was just hurt you hadn’t told me about it earlier. I’m also sorry that I implied you’re wasting your life. You’re not—you’re following a path that’s right for you. I should have respected that.”
When he didn’t speak, she swallowed, her throat too dry to continue. Taking another swig from her water bottle, she found the strength to keep going.
“I also should have been honest with you. The real reason I was so mad about Turkey was because I wanted you to come back to California, but it was for selfish reasons.” She forced herself to push the words out. “I wanted you to come back because of me. I told you I’d be happy with three weeks together, but I started wanting more. I was too scared to admit it.”
“So you broke up with me instead?” His ragged voice hinted at the depth of his pain. “What kind of messed-up logic is that?”
She was screwing this up again. Be honest, you coward.
“I knew the longer we were together, the more it would hurt when you left,” she said. “Because this ended up being more than just a fling. I’m in love with you. But it was too hard to stay with you, knowing you didn’t feel the same way.”
She crept forward, one step at a time, until she was standing right behind him. She placed her arms around his waist and rested her head against his shoulders, finding comfort in the warmth of his body. “I’ve probably ruined any chance of us being together, but if you ever wanted more, I’d be willing to wait for you.”
His body shuddered as he drew in a breath. “Olivia…”
“I was hoping we could still enjoy our last week in Cyprus together. One final trip to Aphrodite’s temple? I promise not to ask for any more than that.”
“What if I want more?”
Her breath caught. The sting of tears prickled her eyes. “Do you?’
He turned to face her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Yes. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Turkey sooner, but I was still trying to figure things out. I wanted to discuss it together, but when you got upset, I…pushed you away and acted like a jerk. It didn’t help that you treated me like I wasn’t good enough. That hurt like hell.”
Anguish cut into her, burning a painful trail to her heart. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean any of it.”
“I get it. We both said things we didn’t mean. But that doesn’t resolve the bigger issue. I’m not planning to go to grad school, which means I might not belong in your world.”
Her voice trembled. “You belong more than anyone I’ve ever met. I love that you’re so passionate about what you do and that you’re so good at sharing your passion with students. That’s what counts, not some degree. You’re an incredible guy, and don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. Not Grant, not your father, and certainly not me. You’re more than enough.”
“So are you.” With a gentle touch, he brushed his hand across her cheek. “I love you, Olivia.”
Her heart swelled with affection. “I love you, too. Even if you did force me to climb a giant mountain.”
He gave a wry chuckle. “That’s why I wanted you to come on this trail—so I could get you alone and tell you how I felt. TJ told me to go for a grand gesture, but I wasn’t sure if I could do it. I was trying to work up the courage, but you beat me to it. You’re braver than I am.”
“Maybe a little more desperate. But I love that you considered making a grand gesture.” She put her arms around his neck and pressed up against him, but the movement sent him stumbling backward. As his feet scrabbled against the edge, she pulled him back with a rush of panic. “Sorry. I don’t want to send you tumbling over a cliff.”
“Let’s take this somewhere safer.” He led her to the bench and drew her onto his lap so she was facing him.
She brushed a strand of tawny brown hair from his forehead. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I wanted to go back and undo all the hurtful things I said.”
His hazel eyes fixed on hers. “Same here. I shouldn’t have hidden so much from you.”
“We can do better. I want to make this work.”
“It will.” His lips traced a path down her throat, lingering on her collarbone. When he slid his hand under her shirt and cupped her breast, she whimpered with desire. She leaned closer, nuzzling his neck with her lips. As his thumb found its way under her bra and rubbed at her nipple, she gasped in pleasure. She squirmed against him, delighting in the feel of his hard length pressing into her. She claimed his lips, going for a soul-searing kiss, oblivious to everything but the taste and feel of him.
Until a clipped British voice broke the stillness. “Excuse me.”
Olivia startled. Standing beside them were two elderly British women dressed in athletic gear. The taller of the two carried a walking stick. She nailed them with a withering glare. “That sort of display is highly inappropriate for a public walking trail. Please take it elsewhere.”
She sounded so formal that Olivia stifled the urge to giggle. She rolled off Rick’s lap, then immediately regretted it when she saw the bulge in his shorts. “Sorry, ma’am,” she said.
“We’re very sorry,” Rick agreed.
The woman gave a loud harrumph, then walked with her companion to the edge of the ridge, where they began taking photos.
Rick stood and tugged on Olivia’s hand. “We should get going.”
“Do we have to keep climbing? We’re good, right?”
He squeezed her hand. “We’re better than good, but the hike will be worth it. The view is supposed to be stunning. I know you can do it.”
She loved that he had so much faith in her. “Okay. But can you slow down a little?”
By the time they reached the summit, she was shaky and sweaty. Her water bottle was nearly empty. But the view was magnificent. Spread out below them were valleys and dense pine forests. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue. For a long time, she stood beside Rick, taking in the scenery, her heart light with joy.
After taking pictures, they found a secluded area under a thick grove of pine trees. Rick pinned her up against a tree and kissed her until she was breathless. Though she wanted to keep going, she was afraid the scary British women would catch up to them. There would be time for real intimacy later.
On the walk down, they slowed their pace, teasing each other and taking a ridiculous number of photos together. Olivia sent one to Sofia and got a series of heart-eye emojis in return. They’d almost made it back to the car when Rick’s phone buzzed.
He peeked at the screen. “TJ said they’re done hiking and ready to go. I’ll tell him we’ll be there in about fifteen minutes.” Grinning, he plucked a pine needle out of her curls. “Sorry about your hair. I don’t think it’s salvageable.”
She didn’t care if everyone knew what they’d been doing. She was done with secrets. Now that she and Rick were together, she had nothing to hide.