A Cowboy for the CEO

Chapter 20: Holding Out for a Hero

As she jogged down the lodge's private access road the following day, Ali's stomach did the sort of flips she only ever had at the beginning of a relationship. Given her track record of choosing convenience over commitment, this didn't happen very often, and she wasn't sure how she really felt about opening herself up to them. Her pragmatic side warned her to keep things with Hank casual; she certainly wasn't sticking around for long. But the romantic in her squashed those worries. She was here to get back her old mojo, and if seizing the opportunity with him was part of that process, then so be it.

The familiar black truck was already parked at the intersection when she arrived, and she enthusiastically climbed in. "Have you been here long?"

"Nope." Hank shook his head, but instead of putting the still-running car into gear, he hesitated. "I hope you don't mind, but I brought some driving music." Turning the stereo on, he skipped a few tracks until he found what he was looking for. After a few beats, Ali's jaw dropped as "Brown Eyed Girl" began to play.

"You big, fat jerk!" She playfully punched him in the shoulder.

He grinned, bobbing his head with the music while turning up the volume. "I thought you'd enjoy the nostalgia."

"Oh, no you don't." She swatted his hand away from the controls. "And who owns CDs anymore, anyway?"

He sang a few words of the chorus before responding. "I borrowed it from Dave."

Ali couldn't help giggling, but things became more interesting when Hank reached over to kiss her. Although she had a few instances now of comparing it to, it still didn't fall short of her daydreams. Better yet, as his mouth left hers, she was already craving for more.

"Thank you for the flowers," she said once they started driving as she touched his hand resting on the gearshift.

"No problem." He glanced at her with a smile. "Sorry I couldn't see you again last night, but something came up."

"That's okay. I had today to look forward to," she admitted. "A hike, huh?"

"I hope you're up for it. There's a perfect place just next door." He turned the corner and stepped on the accelerator.

True to his word, within a few minutes they were turning into another hidden entrance leading farther into the wilderness. Coming to a lowered—and padlocked—gate blocking the packed dirt road, Hank stopped the truck and switched off the engine. "We'll need to walk the rest of the way."

"Are you sure?" Ali pointed to a sign on the horizontal bar that read no access.

"Tourists have to go around to the main entrance, but since Pebble Creek's property borders this public park, we can take this shortcut," he said, squashing her concerns.

Trusting his judgment, Ali got out and took Hank's hand. They walked on a forest path for a few hundred feet before the trees disappeared and the landscape opened up to one of the most amazing views she'd ever seen. The large rocks, jutting cliffs, and deep crevices, all composed of the same red sediment, reminded her of a mini Grand Canyon, and Ali tried to stop to take in the breathtaking scenery.

Hank wasn't so ready for a break. "Come on." He pulled her along, not wasting time in starting their trek. For the next hour or so, they didn't talk much, but this didn't mean there was a lack of communication. Instead, they spent a lot of time touching as they helped each other—which was almost exclusively him helping her—climb up, across, and down the various obstacles along the way.

She appreciated his eager assistance but urged him to go ahead whenever possible for purely selfish reasons. Ali shouldn't have been surprised at how good Hank looked in cargo shorts. His legs perfectly matched the rest of his lean, muscular body. Still, it was nice to slowly get to know more of him, even if it wasn't through talking.