High Country Christmas

Chapter Four- The Cairn

The walk up to the cairn was just as I remembered it. Steep and unrelenting, the path twisted and turned through low scrub at first, before climbing high enough that the only plant able to survive year round was the tussock grass clumped all around. I felt the muscles in my legs groan at the pace that I set, but I wanted to feel that burn and the resulting buzz in my system when I reached the top after the hour long grind up. I was aware of Ali being behind me. 

He hadn't  said a word since I met him on the porch and asked where his gear was, he showed me each thing I asked for without comment. I tried not to let my eyes linger on his broad shoulders, and bronzed legs, telling myself that he was not worth it.

His attitude earlier showed me that although we seemed to have a strong physical chemistry, as soon as he opened his mouth he was nothing but insulting and rude, so him choosing not to say anything was no burden. As I climbed I felt the year that had been fall away, inconsiderate, and at times abusive flatmates, unpleasant and over bearing boss, disappointment that my parents weren't more interested in my life and my heartaches. I seemed to leave it all on the track.

At the top I headed straight to the far side of the small viewing platform there was 'The Cairn" a rocky platform of schist rock. The rock had been laid one on top of the other as a kind of maker but the reason had been lost in time. The bottom stone was around a metre across, so it would have taken alot of man-power. Although the reason for it bring here was unknown, it still provided a focal point for the Station. With my hands on my hips breathing hard, I wiped the away the perspiration that was running down my face, I could feel it running in other places that I couldn't do anything about without causing Ali more reasons to make smart comments, and I didn't feel that brave right now.

Just at that moment Ali came into view, damn, how did he look so fresh? We had just climbed a track, near vertical at times, scrambling and he looked as if he had barely broken a sweat. Right now, I wouldn't let having him here be a dampener on how I felt. Leah had made me so welcome again, and I had the freedom of the whole of summer ahead of me. I knew that I would work hard, but being here, it never felt like hard work at all.

Jumping up on the top rock in the Cairn, I stood and surveyed the view, grinning at the world. Holding my arms wide I tipped my head back and felt like I was embracing the lake, truly on top of the world. I heard a noise behind me, turning I realised that Ali had climbed the rock. There was something lighter around his eyes, he seemed almost relaxed. His shaggy blonde hair against his tanned skin, and his unshaven look, was just about enough to make me groan aloud, but holding it down, I was just left to deal with the flip in my stomach as his eyes looked at me, and not at the view. He smirked, giving me a look that questioned my sanity. I huffed with my hands on my hips, "Well you try," I turned back to the lake to show him, "If you lift your arms like this it seems as if the lake could fit between my hands."

Oh dear, I was in trouble now, he had lifted his arms, throwing them wide, but because he had decided to stand directly behind me, his arms mirrored mine. 'Too close', my brain warned but all too late. He was right in my ear, "Like this?" I knew what he was after but I seemed powerless to stop it happening, if the way I was responding to him continued through the summer, there was only one way for this to end. His words from the boat, about something casual, being of mutual benefit came back to me, and there was no way in hell I was going to be someones 'benefit'.

I had to get some distance, just as I decided to break away from the pull between us, his hands dropped to my hips. He had eased a little closer, now looking at the view while shamelessly pushing his nose down through my hair. I slow blinked my eyes in pleasure, pleased he couldn't see the affect he was having on me, because somehow that would seem like admitting defeat.