Chapter Five
Titan
I wake up after only two hours of sleep. That kiss with Harper last night set my entire body and soul on fire. I couldn’t stop thinking about it—and my dick couldn’t either. At two a.m., I threw the covers off and hopped into the shower, where I jerked off thinking about filling her up, kissing her breasts, and making her come over and over… Fuck, why did I walk away after that kiss? Sure, the light in her house went on, and I thought her parents were going to bust us, but does that matter? We’re not in high school anymore. We’re consenting adults who can do whatever the fuck they want to do, right?
I shouldn’t have let fear get between us. I’m going to make it right. Today. On the mountain.
After drinking a cup of coffee, I fill my hiking backpack with everything we might need on the trail. Then I lace my hiking boots and head over to Harper. It’s only six thirty when I arrive, but I couldn’t wait a second longer to see her.
To my surprise and delight, she’s already outside, waiting for me. She’s wearing a pair of hiking sneakers instead of boots, tight leggings that show off her curvy hips, and a hoodie to keep her warm. Fuck, she’s gorgeous. I could easily let my tongue roam her body, right here, right now, and never get enough of it.
“Good morning,” she says with a blush.
Is she also thinking about that hot kiss we shared yesterday?
“Good morning, gorgeous,” I say and plant a soft kiss on her lips. “Is this okay? Me kissing you?”
A huge smile spreads over her face. “More than okay.”
I kiss her once more before pulling away and opening my truck door for her. We drive to the trailhead parking lot, which will take us to the spot where Isabella’s backpack was found years ago. It’s going to be quite the hike, but we’ve got more than enough time to get there, investigate, and return.
“Oh, shit,” Harper says when I cut the engine.
“What’s wrong?”
She points to the bench at the trailhead where a figure is hunched over, lacing up his boots. “That’s Clive. The guy Mrs. Jenkins described as creepy, remember?”
My eyes narrow as I take in his appearance. “You think he had the same idea as us?”
“Fuck. We can’t let him get the scoop. I mean, everyone deserves success, but all Clive ever does is ride on other people’s leads and conclusions. He’s never comes up with his own theories, never does any of the grunt work himself. He’s a leech.”
I shoot Harper a determined look, my jaw set. “Leave it to me. I know these woods like the back of my hand. We’ll shake him off.”
“Thank you, Titan,” she says in a relieved voice. “Not just for doing this for me, but for everything.”
“Everything?”
She fiddles with the seam of her shirt. “For kissing me. For making me feel alive again.”
“I love kissing you. And if you let me, I won’t ever stop.”
Her eyes meet mine with a mix of surprise and excitement in them. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that I’ve always been in love with you, Harper. Seeing you again brought all these unrequited feelings back. I can’t live without you. I want us to be together.” I run a hand through my hair and level her with a look that I hope says I mean what I’m telling her. “I love you.”
A small gasp leaves her mouth as she processes my words. “You love me.”
“I do.”
She licks her lips and grins. “I’ve been in love with you, too, Titan. When I came back here, I was hoping I’d run into you because I also can’t imagine spending my life without you.”
“You don’t know how much those words mean to me, Harper.”
I pull her closer and kiss her, but it’s kind of hard to do in the confined space of the truck. The gear shift pokes in my thigh. I don’t give a shit, though. Harper loves me, too, and I get to kiss her. I get to call her mine from now on. That’s worth more than a little comfort.
A knock on the window makes us both jump. I angrily turn to see who has the audacity to interrupt this magical moment. It’s Clive. Jesus fucking Christ.
Harper smooths her clothes before getting out. I’m about to say something, but she’s fierce and determined. No one messes with my girl, that’s for sure.
“What do you want, Clive?”
“Are you guys heading to Cliff Point, where Isabella’s backpack was found? I thought we could go together,” the guy says.
“Sorry, buddy, we’re going into the woods for a steamy make-out session. The last thing we want is a peeping tom. If you want to go to Cliff Point, I suggest you take another trail there. This one is only for experienced hikers, which you clearly are not,” I tell him as I cross my arms over my chest.
His gaze flicks to the muscles in my upper arms, and he swallows. “Okay. So where should I go?”
“Figure it out for yourself, Clive. My boyfriend and I are not your tour guides,” Harper says.
He walks away with slumped shoulders. We wait until he’s out of sight before starting the trail.
“Are we really going to make out on the mountain?” Harper asks with a twinkle in her eye.
My dick twitches at the mere thought. “I hope so, but first things first. We’ve got your scoop to think about.”
She laughs. “I know. Too bad, huh? But I’ll try to keep my hands to myself until we have what we came here for.”
As we make our way to Cliff Point, I breathe in the fresh air filled with pine trees and wildflowers. There’s no place in the world where I’d rather spend my life than here. The mountains are what make me whole. They keep me sane and grounded.
After a quick water and snack break at mile marker three, we continue for another hour until we arrive at our destination. Harper and I exchange a glance. Even though Isabella’s backpack was found here years ago, the air still holds a chill. I’d love nothing more than to help Harper get her scoop, but we both dread what we might find.
We get to work without speaking a word. Harper knows the spots the police have investigated already, so we decide to search beyond the boundaries of that area.
“Titan, over here!” Harper’s voice cuts through the quiet hum of the forest.
She’s on her belly, near the cliff's edge, her eyes fixed on something below. I hurry over to her and let my gaze roam the area she’s pointing to.
“Look. Is that what I think it is?”
I nod. “I’ll go down and retrieve it.”
I attach a rope around a big, sharp rock with practiced movements. After securing my lines and myself, I rappel down. The rugged terrain below seems to stretch endlessly, a dangerous labyrinth of jagged rocks and tangled vegetation. But I keep my focus, my gaze fixed on the object that Harper spotted from above.
Once I get there, I gently disentangle the red fabric my girl saw. It’s tiny, torn, and weather-worn, but it might lead to a breakthrough. A faint shimmer, barely visible in the sunlight, makes me suspect that there’s some sort of chemical residue on it. I carefully put the fabric into a protective bag before starting the ascent.
“You’ve got it,” Harper says when I’m safe and sound back at the top of the cliff again.
“I did. I think we’d better head down and hand this over to the police right away.”