Page 62 of Valley Girls
Her stomach flipped, pulse climbing—god, his voice in the morning was quite possibly one of the sexiest things—but she made a face, and smothered the cream cheese over the blueberry bagel as if all her hormones hadn’t flicked on high alert. “Back off the cream cheese.”
“Oh yeah?” He reached across her for a bagel. “Excuse me,” he said, purposely shoving his arm into her face.
“Git, you big lug,” she said, shoving her elbow into his side, still clutching the plastic knife.
He stepped into the hit, sending her stumbling toward the coffee. “Oh, pardon me.” His boot came down on her sneaker just enough to pinch. “My bad.”
“Ugh, you toad,” Rilla said, wholly delighted, as she pushed back against his solid weight and tried to yank her foot out from under his.
“Children,” Thea snapped behind them.
Guiltily, they straightened.
“He started it,” Rilla muttered.
“Did not,” Walker said.
“Oh, my god,” Thea said with a glare for them both. She refilled her mug of coffee and turned her back. “I claim neither of you.”
“Good going, West Virginia,” Walker said.
She growled and felt very pleased.
Walker grinned and demolished half his bagel in one bite.
“So, what do you have to do for this?” Rilla asked.
“Nothing very interesting ... I mean, I was like—” his voice deepened, “rescuing babies and kittens all night.”
“All night?” She put her hand to her chest and prepared to swoon.
“In the wind and rain, uphill both ways.” He stuffed the rest of the bagel into his mouth, talking over it. “Nah, I was at a trailhead most of the night, telling people the park was closing. Mostly, it’ll just be a long, wet day with annoyed tourists.”
A woman about Thea’s age walked up to the bagels, with a confused side-eye to Rilla.
Thinking she was blocking the woman’s way to the table, Rilla slid out of the way.
“You rested up, Walker?” the woman said, with a soft accent that made Rilla’s heart jump. The South.Home.Now she understood why people talked about the South with nostalgia.
“Absolutely. Adrienne, this is Martinez’s sister, Rilla,” Walker said. “Rilla, this is my team leader, Adrienne.”
Understanding crossed Adrienne’s face. “Oh, hey, Rilla.”
“Rilla is a new climber,” Walker said.
Adrienne nodded politely.
“And, Adrienne holds the speed record on Age of Gemini,” Walker said.
“Now you’re just buttering me up,” Adrienne said.
“Oh, wow,” Rilla said, hating herself for ever wanting to be a climber.Goddamn, what a stupid fucking idea. “That’s awesome.”
“I’m hoping you give me something interesting today,” Walker said.
Adrienne rolled her eyes. “We’ll see what we get. Be prepared for misery.”
Walker pumped his fist. “The NPS Way.”
