Secrets at the Loch (Loch Lannick #5) - Hannah Ellis Page 0,54
of this bloody cloud without dropping off the edge of the mountain.”
“I’m not going to tease you.” She winced as the icy wind pummelled her face. “Just don’t leave me again.”
“I didn’t leave you,” he snapped. “You stopped without telling me.”
“I shouted. But you obviously didn’t hear me.”
“Well it’s a good job I found you again. What the hell would you have done?”
She chewed on the inside of her cheek. “I was going to wait by the cairn. I knew I was on the path if I stayed here. And I figured if I waited, the cloud would blow over. It was only patchy clouds I could see when we were at the top.”
Nick blew out a breath that fogged in front of his face. Then his features relaxed a little and he kicked some of the snow away before dropping his backpack on the cleared patch of ground and sitting on it. “We’ll go with your plan,” he said.
She smiled proudly. “So it wasn’t a terrible plan?”
“No.”
“I’m not a complete idiot?”
“Of course you’re not an idiot.”
“Sometimes you look at me like I am.” She went to sit on her backpack, but Nick reached for it and set it in front of him, then patted it in invitation.
“No I don’t,” he said as she sat nestled between his legs. He rubbed at her upper arms. “You’re freezing.”
Nodding, she pulled his arms around her and leaned back into his chest for warmth. “Are we going to freeze to death up here?”
“No,” he said gently.
“Are you sure it’s not better to keep moving?”
“No. You’re right – there should be a break in the clouds soon. It’s better to wait it out.”
As her teeth began to chatter, Nick pulled away slightly. She heard the gentle whir of his zip before he pulled her to him again. Without his coat between them, she got more of his body heat. He wrapped the coat around the both of them.
“Thanks,” she said, feeling pathetic. Her feet tingled with numbness but at least she didn’t notice the pain where her shoes had been rubbing.
“It’s starting to clear already,” he said, his breath tickling her ear. “A couple more minutes and we’ll move.”
“Really?” She could hardly see any difference.
“The next cairn should be in that direction.” He pointed, then pulled the compass from his pocket to check. “As soon as we can see it we’ll head that way.”
“Okay.” She pulled his arms back around her and turned her cheek to his neck.
Chapter Twenty-Five
As Lexie sat cuddled up to Nick, tiredness swept over her. She considered herself reasonably fit, but the steep gradient of the mountain had taken its toll. Every time she blinked, it was more of an effort to open her eyes again.
“Come on.” Nick gave her a nudge and she realised the next cairn was visible further along the snow-covered path. “You go ahead,” he instructed as he helped her put her backpack on. “That way I can keep an eye on you.”
She was too tired to comment and set off down the mountainside. Movement got her blood flowing again and the drowsiness gradually decreased. She stumbled a couple of times, and each time Nick appeared by her side to take her arm.
“I’m fine,” she said the second time. “My legs are just tired.”
“Do you want to stop for a rest?”
“I just want to get off this mountain. I’m dying to get these boots off and sink into a lovely warm bath.”
“Well, I need a rest,” he said, stopping and leaning against a large rock.
The clouds had dispersed as quickly as they’d moved in. It was hard to believe how quickly the conditions changed. Nick gulped at a bottle of water, then handed it to Lexie. It was ice cold but she took a long drink, only then realising how thirsty she was.
“Chocolate?” he asked, handing her a bar of Dairy Milk. She groaned as she put a square in her mouth. Then she sat on her backpack, stretching her poor aching legs in front of her.
She shook her head as she stared down to the glen below. “It’s so clear again.”
There were patches of clouds above them but down towards Fort William and Loch Linnhe the skies were a crisp blue.
“That’s the problem with mountains,” Nick said, his tone full of irritation. “I did try to tell you it was dangerous.”
“I didn’t force you to come up here today. You invited yourself along, remember?”