Batter of Wits (Green Valley Chronicles #22) - Smartypants Romance Page 0,23

sank my boot into three inches of mud and practically yanked my knee out of joint."

Grady peered down the sun-dappled trail thoughtfully. "And you've lived here your whole life, haven't you?"

"Born and raised," Tucker answered. "I'm on these trails every weekend I possibly can be."

My brother smiled wide, and if his thick skull had a window in it, I would've seen the wheels spinning.

Oh great. I could see it rolling out in front of me like a map. The edges weren't firmed up, but the general shape was there. I knew exactly what my brother was thinking. He was looking at Tucker like he just found his new business partner.

It was a full-fledged miracle that a groan didn't escape my mouth.

"It's a great hike, but not much in the way of views." Tucker stopped to make sure I was clear of the tree. My brother, of course, was too busy fawning over his new best friend, to pay any attention to me.

"Well that's something I'm used to," Grady said. "We had hikes in LA, but there's so much smog, you can't see for shit depending on the day."

As much as I wanted to defend our previous home, I couldn't. Even in one day, I felt like life was clearer than it had been last week, like my entire body could take a deep breath and relax without all the buildings rising up over me.

Tucker nodded, looking around the quiet forest surrounding us. "I can't imagine living someplace that has more concrete and glass than trees. I think my brain would shut down being crowded in by all that chaos."

At his words, so similar to what I'd just thought, I glanced sharply at Tucker.

I didn't look where I set my foot down, and I felt the hard edge of a rock underneath my boot just as it slid across the surface of the dirt. My hand shot out, but there was nothing there to stop me. My ankle rolled to the side and I hissed when bright pain burst through the joint.

Tucker looked at me. "You okay?"

"What happened?" Grady asked, pausing just ahead of him.

Looking at my brother, and the man that was apparently not disappearing from my life anytime soon, I pasted on a fake-ass smile as I tried to straighten back to my full height. "Nothing. Just … thought I saw something."

Grady narrowed his eyes, because if anyone could see through my bullshit, it was my twin brother.

I waved my hand. "You know, I underestimated my physical fitness. I'll wait for you guys in the parking lot. You go on ahead." Cautiously, I set some weight on my foot and stifled a whimper when it felt like someone stabbed me in the side of the ankle.

Tucker glanced at my boots. "What'd you do? Roll it?"

"Seriously, you guys go ahead. I'll wait here. It'll be fine if I rest it for a couple of minutes."

Grady rolled his eyes. "We're not leaving you here if you hurt yourself."

"I'll be fine." I pointed to a tree stump at the edge of the trail. "See, there's a nice little chair for me. I'll rest for about ten minutes and go back to the parking lot, you guys can finish your wilderness bonding."

Tucker took a long-legged stride back to where I perched on the tree, then knelt in front of me. The width of his shoulders was even more apparent when he lowered himself like that, and the stark white cotton of the undershirt stretched when he took a deep inhale. His hands, big and capable, picked up my foot despite the muttered curse that I threw in his direction.

"This one?" he asked, lifting his head to watch me as he turned it carefully.

I fought the urge to wince, but judging by the look on his face, he caught it. As I slicked my tongue over my teeth, I nodded grudgingly.

"You're lucky you're wearing these big ol’ boots," he said. "You'd be in a world of trouble without them."

"She never takes off those boots," Grady chimed in, peering at me when I swatted at Tucker's hands when he tried to untie the laces.

"That's not true … hey, do you mind?" I huffed. "I can untie my own shoes, thank you."

Tucker sat back on his haunches while I yanked the laces out. Pulling it off as carefully as I could, the tug on my ankle still wrenched a hiss of pain. As much as I didn't want to, I set my heel on the top