Page 74 of The Illicit Play

Don’t fuckin’ do it!

I turn to stare at her for a quick beat, then suddenly blurt, “Wanna come?”

You did it.

Yoooou idiot!

“Her?” Wily points at his sister, then cracks up laughing. “Hiking? With you guys? Are you kidding?” He’s laughing so hard, he can barely get the words out.

“What is your problem?” Blake scowls at him, throwing a slice of bell pepper at his face.

He catches it, popping it into his mouth and munching loudly with this stupid grin on his face. “Blake. Come on. You in nature? That’s not a thing.”

“Why can’t it be a thing?” she snaps.

“Because look at you.” He waves a hand at her. “You’re like a little bird, basically skin and bone. There’s nothing to ya. You’d get blown off the trail by a stiff breeze.”

I can feel a frown forming as I look between the siblings. “I’m sure she’s not that fragile.”

“Thank you, Grady.” She gives her brother a pointed look, and I can practically see the steam coming out of her ears.

Wily rolls his eyes and looks at me. “Why do you even want her to come? I thought it was a guy’s trip.”

Oh shit. It’s not like I can tell him that Blake needs to get away for a minute, to find herself, and what better way to do that than in nature. The outdoors speaks to the soul in ways nothing else can. I could plan a perfect hike on barely used trails that go deep into the forest. We’d be the only people on the planet for a little while, and it’d be so peaceful for her. So relaxing. Maybe if she could just get away from all this pressure and shit, her brain would have a minute to think. To come up with a way forward.

She needs this.

That’s why I’m inviting her.

Clearing my throat, I try to play it cool. “It is a guys’ trip, but Blake could be one of the guys for a few days, right?” I glance at her, knowing that I willneverbe able to think of her that way. Not after seeing her naked body in the bathroom. Not after the brief kiss we shared. Dartingmy gaze away, I force myself to look Wily in the eye. “She doesn’t have to come. I just thought I’d throw it out there in case she was interested. I’m sure the others won’t mind, and it’d give you an empty house, right? You and Satch could have some time together.”

Wily’s eyebrows perk up at that, and I start to question myself. Why the fuck am I trying to sell this?

Taking Blake on a hiking trip is a really dangerous idea.

The others will be around to check you. And besides, it’s about her and what she needs, right?

The war continues to rage in my brain as I scramble eggs, then make up three separate omelets. It’s not until I’ve placed them on the table and we’ve started eating that Blake finally says, “I’ll come. Hiking sounds fun.”

Wily snorts. “Lil’ sis, you don’t know what you’re in for.” Then his gaze hits me like a laser beam. “Choose a trail she can handle.”

“I will, man.” I force myself to look at him, nodding and raising my eyebrows so he knows I won’t push her too hard. I even throw in a “we’ll look after her” for good measure. Thank God I can say “we’ll” and not “I’ll,” because I have to remember that. It’s not just me and Blake on this trip. And that’s exactly the way I need it to be.

“Maybe you should invite Nylah too. A little girl company for Blake?” Wily suggests.

I like that idea, but… “You sure her knee can handle it?”

“If you choose an easy trail.” Wily scoops a forkful of eggs and veggies into his mouth, then talks around his food. “They could walk into a camping area, you couldset them up, and they could chill there while you guys do some more challenging day hikes or something.”

I nod, not minding that suggestion, but kind of hating the way he’s demeaning Blake’s ability. It’s walking in the forest. Yeah, it can be tiring, but she’s not some delicate petal on the verge of disintegrating. If he had any clue what she’d been up to in Chicago, he probably wouldn’t be saying any of this shit.

Blake’s got spirit… guts. She wouldn’t have gotten into all that trouble in Chicago if she didn’t.

I’m pretty sure if we threw her into the wild, she’d somehow come out on top.

And the more I think about it, the more I believe that’s exactly what she needs.

Nature is gonna have all the answers, I just know it.