Page 34 of Final Temptation (Alpine Peak #2)

Why did I enjoy torturing myself? Keeping my almost slip-up inside for so long did nothing for me but stress me the fuck out.

Everyone in my life these days, they were all connected to Declan. I didn’t have that one person I could confide in, or so I thought, until Sophie came along. Part of me knew I could trust her, but the other half was terrified she would choose Paige and be more loyal to her.

I didn’t want people in my business, having an opinion on my life and all my wrongdoings. My fuck ups were mine to fix when the time was right. Declan was a fixer, and sometimes it was overbearing. He always came from a place of love, but it wasn’t what I needed.

A year ago, I had a ton of friends I could talk to and dump all my problems on. Then I got sober, realizing they weren’t really my friends . Their advice to fix my problems was always more of a problem than a solution.

“Smoke this blunt, it will help you relax.”

“Let’s get fucked up, Myles.”

“Come to this house party.”

The people I chose to keep in my life consisted of my parents, Declan and Paige, Chase, and Sophie. My circle was small and for now, I needed to keep it that way.

Talking to Sophie was a big relief. She had no idea how much she comforted me, how easy she made life feel on the hardest days.

Her sweet smell was intoxicating. I didn’t crave the burn of alcohol flowing down my throat when I was surrounded by the smell of her floral perfume.

Her taste was even sweeter. A taste so addicting, I could drink it in with every meal. Her lips no longer tasted of alcohol. She gave it up for me, and that should have been my first sign that she’d do anything for me when it came to my recovery.

Her touch lit up every nerve ending in my body. Sophie had the ability to ease my mind, and make it race with thoughts of her, all at the same time.

She was a drug, and I was hooked.

I was falling for her.

I had no idea what it meant or felt like to fall for someone. This was brand new territory for me, but if I had to guess what falling for someone felt like, this was it. Being so goddamn scared to tell them you messed up, because the thought of losing them was worse than harboring a secret.

Sophie was taking up real estate in my mind that used to belong to every evil life had tempted me with. She so easily pushed those thoughts out of my head, replacing them with love .

I’m terrified to know what life would be like without her.

Hand in hand, we walked up the trailhead, the rustic wooden sign ahead reading, Emerald Lake .

“What are we doing at Emerald Lake ?” We continued down the small gravel path. It wasn’t as strenuous a hike as it was a leisurely walk.

“I wanted to escape with you. I know it doesn’t compare to the bright lights of Las Vegas, but we can be alone here, just a short drive away from home, outside of town.” I’d done this walk a million times over. It was a quiet place for fresh air that helped me escape.

“It doesn’t matter where we go, I’ll escape with you anytime, anywhere.” She winked teasingly, but I took every one of her words to heart.

“Good. Because there’s a reason I brought you here, specifically.” My hand slipped out of hers, playfully pinching her ass through her cut-off jean shorts.

“Hey!” Her laughter was contagious. “Why did you bring me to this gorgeous nook in the mountains? I’m dying to know already.”

“You’ll see. About a quarter of a mile down the way, your question will be answered.”

“You’re so mysterious, Myles Cooper, now you have me even more intrigued.

” Her pace started to increase, creating space where we walked side by side.

“Last one there has to do whatever the winner wants!” She took off in a sprint, her short blonde hair whipping around her in the breeziness of the cool mountain air.

“You forget that I go to the gym every day. I could run laps around you, Princess!” I called ahead. I was torn between letting her win, just to see her face light up, or leaving her in the dust so I could be the one to challenge her to a dare of my choice.

I chose the latter. Odds were that I could make her smile regardless.

My speed kicked up, and as I gained on her, my hand reached out, giving her ass a light slap as I passed.

“Oh, you’re so dead!” she called, her voice a whisper in the wind.

The real reason I ran ahead of her? To see her reaction when she arrived.

Of course, it was everything I hoped it would be.

Her laughter dissipated, trading her smile for a wide-open mouth. Her jaw popped open—her eyes just as wide.

“Myles…” she said in awe.

“The flowers… They’re beautiful. It’s like our apartment, but on steroids.

” I didn’t miss the way she said, our apartment.

Let’s be real. I was just a visitor crashing in her guest room to help her pay the bills and get on my own feet.

It has always been her place, but assuming it wasn’t a slip-up, I loved that she saw it as ours .

It was exactly what I wanted to work toward, one day.

She walked toward me, her eyes looking anywhere but mine.

“I knew you’d love it. You mentioned the blue and purple flowers were your favorite.” Her eyes glossed over, finally locking with mine.

“I did say that. But I told you that after you said you wanted to take me somewhere.”

“Correct. You confirmed what I already knew. With every batch of flowers I brought you, you always spent more time smelling the deep purple and blues. I’ve wanted to bring you here for a while now.”

“Fuck, Myles. If you keep saying stuff like that, I’m going to become obsessed with you.” She sniffled and swatted at my chest.

“Over the last couple of months, you’ve turned me into a man obsessed. It’s only right that you feel the same way.” She pursed her lips, a look of doubt written on her face.

I pulled her by the belt loop, her chest flush with mine as I slipped my hands into her back pockets. “What’s that look about?”

“If you’re as obsessed as you say you are, then why are we still in the friends with benefits zone?” Her question hit me; the answer didn’t seem so obvious anymore.

“I’ve never been a fan of labels. Being friends with benefits with you was the first label I’d ever given any kind of relationship,” I admitted.

“So, what’s stopping you from taking it a step further? Claiming me as your girlfriend instead?” she asked bluntly.

What am I so afraid of?

I spilled my secret. I’d committed to only sleeping with her for a while now. Other women hadn’t even crossed my mind. Fuck, I even deleted every dating app from my phone that used to be my kryptonite on a lonely night. What was it that had me holding back?

That small sliver of doubt that I’m not good enough for her. That I’ll break her heart.

My mind was playing tricks on me, letting the doubt creep in.

But my heart was telling me to go for it. To dive into the deep end. To fucking lead with my heart for once.

Fuck it.

I tugged her belt loop harder, threatening to rip it right off her flimsy jean shorts, pulling her so she stood only centimeters from me. “I dare you to be my girlfriend, Sophie Turner.”

“W-what kind of dare is that?” She stomped her foot in the most adorably stubborn way. “You realize I’d say yes in a heartbeat, right? So, don’t you dare ask me to do something like that if you don’t mean it.” Her gaze drifted back and forth from my eyes and lips.

“Last one down here has to do whatever the winner wants,” I mimicked her words. “I’m the winner, and I want you to be my girlfriend.” The words slipped out, low and sultry.

“You really want that? The former playboy who despises titles—you want to put that big of a title on us ?” Her hand crept up my chest before pointing to herself, then back to me.

“I’m a changed man, Soph. Maybe being sober has changed me, but you’ve transformed me.

I’m not the piece of shit guy I used to be—partying all the time, getting fucked up, and not having a care in the world how my decisions affected others.

I don’t care to fuck around with other women; they don’t even cross my mind.

I’m captivated by you. Absolutely obsessed .

I’ve never thought about what love felt like until I met you, and when I couldn’t get you out of my head, it wasn’t hard to realize I was falling so fucking hard for you. ”

My chest deflated, my lungs breathing out every pent-up breath, waiting for her answer. Sophie’s grip tightened around my shirt, bringing her lips up to mine.

“Be mine,” I whispered against her lips with one last plea.

“I’m yours.” She didn’t wait another second before sealing it with an earth-shattering kiss.

A kiss that reminded me of the first time our lips ever touched.

The kiss that rocked my world so hard, I knew it wasn’t the end for us at the time.

I knew somehow, we’d make our way back to each other when the timing was right.

Maybe it took time without each other, letting our first kiss be simply what it was—a kiss.

Maybe it took a ridiculous friends with benefits agreement—that, let’s be real, was always a cop out until I figured my shit out.

All I knew was, in order for me not to break her heart, I needed time to work on myself.

I needed to get my head in the right spot.

I needed to know I couldn’t spend another day without making her mine.

Reaching down, I grabbed onto her ass, lifting her tiny frame so her legs wrapped around my waist. Call me a fucking romantic, but my girl wrapped in my arms, surrounded by the end of summer wildflowers and crisp blue water of the lake, it was pretty damn magical.

Our kiss grew deeper, her tongue tangled up in mine. A sweet moan slipping off her lips, vibrating against mine. With every whimper, I returned it with a moan of my own.

“Fuck, Myles. I need you,” she whispered, her lips ripping away from mine, our foreheads resting against one another’s, both panting to catch our breath.