It should have started soft, sweet. A first kiss, to see what this was between them. But the moment their lips met, it was like fire and cinnamon, sweet and hot and burning him up from the inside out. Just like she was…perfect.

Absolutely perfect.

Chapter 12

   Naps were almost as good as kisses above twelve thousand feet.

Both Easton and Ben were tired from their much longer day. Being used to the altitude didn’t mean exertion in lower oxygen didn’t get to them. After a quick hot meal, both crashed out in their tents. And if River ended up snuggled next to Easton’s side, sleeping beneath the heavy, reassuring weight of his muscled arm, that was purely for logistical reasons. He was warm. She was cold. See? It made total sense.

The marmot threw an absolute fit at being left out in the cold, but River knew there was a perfectly warm dining tent where the marmot was more than welcome. She felt bad about the ousting, but the marmot was getting aggressive in its determination to win Easton as its mate. River refused to get bitten out of jealousy, especially when the fluffy adorable thing had started getting a murderous look in its eyes every time Easton stepped anywhere close to River.

“This is the first time I’ve woken up in days without a marmot butt in my face,” Easton told her when he woke up a few hours later. It was early morning, and River could have stayed asleep a few more hours easily. Well, if the marmot wasn’t still crying its heart out at being ousted from the tent.

She yawned. “By the looks I was getting when I zipped up the tent, I may have started a war.”

His low rumble was even better with his arms around her. Easton could have started the whole kissing thing again. River was totally on board for that. Instead, he wanted to look at her feet.

It was River’s fault, really. Mentioning to Easton about Jessie’s feet had triggered a desire in him to poke and prod at all her extremities, which was far less sexy than it could have been, given different circumstances. It was hard to flirt, so they talked instead. Easton was much better at kissing than small talk, but River appreciated his strong hands massaging her feet so pleasantly.

“So you’ve never seen one of my movies.”

Easton pulled River’s foot into his lap. “You sound relieved.”

“Well, let’s say it’s nice meeting someone who doesn’t connect me to my roles.”

“I’m not a big movie guy,” Easton admitted, rolling down her sock. “All your toes look good. Can you feel my fingers?”

He squeezed each of her toes one by one. Nodding, River yelped when he ran a fingernail playfully along the underside of her arch, tickling her. “Hey.”

“You’re ticklish.”

“I’m too ticklish. As in don’t do it, or risk the consequences. I’m not responsible for any flailing that may or may not occur. I once accidentally tossed a boyfriend who thought it was funny to tickle me headfirst through a desk drawer.”

“Ouch.”

“I flail,” River reminded him because she could see his thumb twitch. “Don’t do it.”

“You realize it only makes it more tempting, right?”

“You’re kind of an adrenaline junkie, aren’t you?”

As he turned his attention to her other foot, Easton pulled her other sock off. “I like to think of it as taking well-considered and appropriate risks. If I ever end up going to climb Everest, I’m not going barefoot with my crampons between my teeth.”

“Are you actually going to go to Nepal?”

He was quiet for a moment. “I want to. But I’m not sure if it’s fair.”

“How so?”

“My dad wanted to summit so badly. My mom used to say that Everest was the other woman in his life. All he could do was think of her.”

“What did your dad say?”

“He said that when he was with Everest, all he could do was think about my mom.”

River sighed playfully. “That sounds like a man. Never knowing what he wants.”

“I think he wanted them both.” Easton focused on her foot. “Your pinky toe is cold. Can you feel this?” He squeezed her toe.

“Yeah, but not quite as much as the other ones. Am I getting frostbite?”

“Not necessarily, but we’ll need to keep an eye on it.”

“Are you going to check everyone’s feet?” she asked, unable to keep the flirtation out of her voice. “Or only mine?”

“I’m checking everyone but Ben,” Easton murmured. “But I probably won’t like theirs as much as yours.”

“You said probably.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“I heard a probably.”

Wrapping his hand around her toes, Easton began to rub her feet in a brisk motion to warm them. “Anyhow, I’ve been dreaming about Everest since before I was old enough to understand what I was dreaming of,” he admitted.

“What does your dad say?”

“I’ve never brought it up. Didn’t seem right to remind him, knowing he can’t go with me.”

Leaning forward, River gave Easton an impulsive hug. His hug in return was strong and warm and very easy to get lost in. Eventually, he pulled away, if only to tap a finger to her foot.

“How’s the toe feel?”

“Nice and toasty. You should charge for your services.”

“I thought I already was.” Rolling her sock back up her foot, Easton gave her a heated look that she was starting to recognize.

River nudged his forearm with her sock-covered toes, then playfully pressed against his stomach with her heel. Wrapping his hands around her calves, Easton gently tugged her closer until her knees were hooked over his own and their faces were only a few inches apart.

“If you’re charging for extra,” River said, “I should warn you that this excursion is on a very tight budget.”

Sliding his fingers through her hair, Easton shook his head. “Trust me, you couldn’t afford this even if you were a big budget film.”

“Oh, really? Someone has a high opinion of themselves.” River enjoyed it immensely when he drew her in for a long, slow kiss.

“I have a very strong sense of my own self-worth.”

There was something about kissing someone on top of a mountain that made it more fun than normal. And since it was Easton she was kissing, by the time she pulled away, River could barely catch her breath.

“Your beard is frosty.” She touched a miniature piece of ice clinging beneath his chin. “You have icicles.”