PART 24 - "The Mountain Test"
Scene: Friday Afternoon - The Getaway Begins
Two weeks after the book signing, I got a text.
Elias: "Pack light. Bring something warm. I'll pick you up at 3."
I stared at the screen, heart thumping. He wasn't asking. He was leading. And for once, I didn't feel the need to resist.
At 3:01 PM, he pulled up in a sleek black Range Rover, soft jazz playing through the speakers. He stepped out wearing a cream sweater, dark jeans, and those boots men wear when they chop wood and break hearts.
"Ready?" he asked, reaching for my overnight bag.
I smirked. "I don't know you like that."
He opened the door. "By Sunday, you will."
Scene: The Cabin in the Clouds
The ride to the Blue Ridge Mountains was quiet but intimate - warm glances, shared playlists, and the kind of soft tension that crackles like a fire before it's lit.
When we arrived, the view took my breath away. A glass cabin nestled between tall trees, the sky painted in dusky lavender. Inside was open-concept perfection - fur throws, a fireplace, a giant bed, and yes... only one.
I raised a brow.
"One bed?"
He shrugged with a crooked grin. "We'll see how the weekend goes."
Scene: Dinner, Wine, & Questions
He cooked. Steak, roasted garlic potatoes, and asparagus. I watched from the island, sipping red wine, legs crossed in my knit dress, one shoulder exposed.
"You always take women to the mountains?" I teased.
"Only the ones I don't want to lose in the city."
We talked about childhoods, dreams, failed loves, and quiet fears. He didn't interrupt. Didn't perform. Just listened.
Then he asked, "What are you most afraid of?"
I paused.
"Letting someone in… and them not knowing how to stay."
Scene: Firelight & First Touches
Later that night, we sat near the fireplace - just the crackle of logs and our synced breathing.
Elias moved closer. His fingers grazed my thigh, slow and intentional.
"Can I kiss you?"
I nodded.
His lips met mine gently, reverently - like he was asking my soul for permission before touching my skin.
Hands explored shoulders, curves, backs of necks. His cologne mixed with cedarwood and something deeper - comfort.
He never rushed.
Never demanded.
He devoured… with patience.
We didn't go all the way that night. But it felt more intimate than any night I'd spent wrapped up in lust.
It felt… safe.
Scene: Morning Clarity
I woke wrapped in his arms. No awkwardness. No regret. Just his heartbeat and sunlight on my cheek.
"You sleep like a woman who finally stopped fighting herself," he whispered against my temple.
I smiled.
"Maybe I did."