Unleashed (The Elliott Brothers #2)

Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

I woke just before dawn, the space beside me cold and empty. Slade wasn’t in the tent, and the chill in the air quickly reminded me of our remote surroundings. "Slade?" I called, my voice rough from sleep.

The rustling outside grew louder, and a moment later, Slade pulled back the tent flap, silhouetted against the soft glow of the fire. “I started some coffee,” he said, his face shadowed but undeniably proud of himself. A small pot of water sat on the flames, steam rising slowly.

I blinked, still groggy. “What the hell are you doing?”

Slade chuckled, crouching to stir the water. “I can’t function without coffee. Even the terrible instant stuff.” He winced, as though the memory of its taste pained him.

I shook my head, half-amused by his persistence. “Is there enough for me?”

He grinned, his teeth gleaming in the firelight. “Maybe. Get up, and I’ll share.”

I crawled out of the sleeping bag, stretching muscles that protested from yesterday’s hike. The humidity clung to my skin like a second layer, making me feel sticky and uncomfortable. The tent’s roof had a faint sheen of condensation from our combined body heat. Lovely.

Outside, Slade was focused, carefully measuring out the instant coffee as if it were a sacred ritual. I began breaking down the tent, rolling up the sleeping bags with practiced efficiency. When I finished, the smell of coffee greeted me, though there was only enough for one cup.

I arched a brow, glancing at him. “Where’s mine?”

Slade held up the cup, the dark liquid swirling inside. “We can share. I made it just the way you like it.” He sipped cautiously, and I smirked as his face twisted in discomfort. Black coffee. No sugar, no cream—exactly how I liked it, but definitely not his style.

He handed it over, shaking his head. “Not Coffee Beanery, but I’ll survive. You need to eat.”

“I had a protein bar earlier,” he said, retrieving one from his pack. He waved it in front of me like it was the prize of his haul. “Want one? I bought loads at Hiker’s Paradise.”

I groaned. “They saw you coming, didn’t they?”

His brow furrowed. “Huh?”

“They probably sold you a bunch of overpriced stuff you didn’t need. Those bars, for example.”

Slade frowned, looking down at the peanut butter chocolate chip bar in his hand. “What’s wrong with them?”

“They’re loaded with sugar. You’ll crash after a short burst of energy.” I reached into my own pack and pulled out a dehydrated meal pack, holding it up. “This is what you should’ve gone for. It’s lightweight and more nutritious.”

Slade took the package from me, studying it. “Should I heat more water for it?”

“Nah, I’ll stick with a protein bar for now.” I rummaged in my bag for my REI bars, pulling one out and tossing it to him. “Compare the labels.”

He did, his expression shifting. “Wow. Yours have way more protein and way less sugar.”

“Exactly. Hiker’s Paradise rips off newbies like you.”

Slade sighed, stuffing the sugary bar back in his pack. “I guess they did see me coming.”

I glanced down at his boots. “Speaking of, how’s that blister?”

“Much better,” he said, but I noticed the hesitation.

“Take off your boots,” I ordered.

“What? I need them to hike,” he protested.

I leveled him with a look. “Take them off. Now.”

Confused, Slade slowly removed his boots and handed them over. I dug into my first aid kit, pulling out two large bandages. I placed them inside his boots, right where the blister had formed.

“This’ll help, but you’ll still feel some pain.”

Slade gave me a small smile. “I can deal with it. Thanks.”

As he had the night before, his hand brushed my arm. The innocent touch sent a rush of warmth through me, reigniting the desire I’d tried to suppress. My breath hitched, and I pulled away quickly, hoping he hadn’t noticed.

His expression faltered, but he didn’t push. Instead, he bent down and grabbed the wrapper from his protein bar.

“Don’t leave litter on the trail,” I instructed, trying to shift focus.

“What do we do with it?” he asked, looking genuinely perplexed.

I sighed, exasperated but amused. “Stow it in your pack until we find a garbage bin. You want to keep the woods clean for the next hikers.”

He nodded, stuffing the wrapper into his bag. “You’re lucky you’re experienced at this.”

“It’s common sense, Slade. You’re too city.”

He grinned. “Born and bred.”

I smirked. “That wasn’t a compliment.” I grabbed a clean white t-shirt from my pack, the words Webster University emblazoned in red across the front. Pulling my dark hair into a ponytail, I wiped my face with a cleansing wipe, glancing over at Slade.

“Want one?”

He hesitated, then shrugged. “I guess.”

Rolling my eyes, I tossed him a wipe. He used it on his face, neck, and hands, mimicking my movements. While he cleaned up, I brushed my teeth with a small dab of toothpaste, using as little water as possible. Slade followed suit, trying to conserve as I’d shown him.

We packed up camp, ensuring the fire was fully extinguished before starting our hike. Today, unlike the silent trek of the day before, we talked. I had a feeling Slade was testing the waters, trying to figure out if I was going to send him packing at the next checkpoint.

What I didn’t tell him was that I liked having him here. I wasn’t lying when I said I could handle hiking alone, but the truth was—I didn’t want to.

“Are you nervous about your new job?” Slade asked, his voice casual but laced with curiosity.

I glanced over at him, taking in the early morning light that cast a golden hue over the landscape. “A little,” I admitted. “But I’ve been to the Elliot offices already. It’s a whole different world from Abbott. The desks are arranged in this open floorplan, even the executives. It’s more of a collaborative environment—less cutthroat.”

Slade raised an eyebrow. “Are you saying Abbott is too competitive?”

I shrugged, the thought weighing heavily on my mind. “It’s not so much about competition as it is about egos. There are too many of them at Abbott.”

“Comes with the territory, doesn’t it?” Slade’s lips curved into a grin, teasing me.

I shot him a look. “What territory? The testosterone territory? It’s like if you have testicles, you get a free pass to be an asshole.”

“Doesn’t that come with the territory?” Slade’s grin widened, clearly enjoying our back-and-forth.

“You know what I mean,” I said, shaking my head.

He nodded, his expression turning serious. “I do. And yes, sometimes Abbott’s atmosphere can be a bit tense.”

“It was more than tense—it was downright hostile,” I corrected. “Especially with someone like Thomas Marsden in charge. It only makes things worse. They really need more women in there.”

“That’s easier said than done,” Slade said, his voice lowering.

“Elliot has several women, and the men don’t behave like they do at Abbott. I don’t expect to be harassed there.”

Slade let out a heavy sigh. “You should have spoken up sooner. We’ve had harassment training, and everyone signed off on it.”

“A lot of good that did,” I said with a hint of bitterness. “Excuse me for being good-looking.”

“You’re beautiful,” Slade said, his gaze softening. “And you’re out of their league.”

“It doesn’t matter now,” I said, trying to move past the conversation. “I’m sure I’ll be more comfortable at Elliot.”

I took a step forward, and my boot caught on a protruding rock. I pitched forward, but before I could hit the ground, Slade’s arms shot out, catching me effortlessly. He pulled me against his chest, the warmth of his body contrasting sharply with the cool morning air. I felt his muscles through his sweat-dampened t-shirt, my body reacting in a way that made my heart race. Why was I feeling this way? I’d had a crush on him before, but this was different.

“Slade?” I said, my voice trembling slightly.

He looked down at me, his expression tender. “I like having you in my arms.”

I heard the distant murmur of other hikers approaching and felt a rush of panic. I gently pushed away from him, feeling the lingering warmth of his touch. “Can we talk about this later?”

Slade’s eyes held mine, a mix of confusion and longing. “We have two weeks to talk. Why not get it out of the way now?”

I didn’t want to delve into this with others potentially closing in on us. We resumed our hike, the sun climbing higher and slicing through the trees, making it hard to see. I reached into the side pocket of my backpack, fumbled for my sunglasses, and slipped them on, hoping they’d shield me from the sun and Slade’s penetrating gaze. I didn’t want him to read too much into my eyes.

“Because I want to focus on hiking right now,” I said firmly. “We can talk tonight or whenever.”

Slade’s gaze lingered on me, searching. “Which is it?”

I gave him a small, enigmatic smile. “Soon.”

Five hours into the hike, we stopped by a small stream to refill our water bladders. I had just pulled out my water purifier when I noticed Slade crouching at the edge of the stream, ready to dunk his CamelBak right into the water.

“What the hell are you doing?!” I shouted, my voice sharp enough to make him flinch.

Slade jerked back, eyes wide. “What? What did I do wrong?”

“You can’t drink straight from the stream!” I marched over, grabbing his water bladder out of his hand. “It could have bacteria or worse.”

He stared at the water, bewildered. “But it’s running… It looks fresh.”

I huffed, shaking my head. “Looks can be deceiving. If you drink this, you could end up with diarrhea or some nasty parasite. It needs to be purified first.”

Slade’s face flushed with embarrassment as he scratched the back of his neck. “They didn’t mention that at Hiker’s Paradise.”

I ground my teeth. “I swear, I’m going in there and giving them a piece of my mind when we’re back in Manhattan. You’ve got questions? Ask me. I’ve been doing this for years.”

His shoulders slumped as he muttered, “Maybe I should just go home. I’m ruining your trip.”

I felt like crap. I didn’t mean to push him away but Slade was doing things he shouldn’t and I had to watch him like he was a little kid.

I softened, letting out a small laugh. “I sort of like having you around, actually.”

He shot me a wide grin, his face lighting up like the sun had just broken through the trees. “You do?”

I shrugged with a smirk. “I think so. Just… don’t drink the water.” I glanced at his boots. “How’s your heel?”

“It’s fine,” Slade said, shrugging as he flexed his foot. “I think the band-aids are doing their job.”

“Good. Last thing I want is you limping the whole way.”

Slade gave me another grin, this one filled with playful mischief. “Well, I’m starving. You’ve got something better than those energy bars I’ve been eating?”

I rolled my eyes, watching as he paused yet again to pull out a snack. “See? I told you those bars aren’t real food. They give you a quick burst of energy, and then you crash.”

Slade dropped his pack to the ground. “Okay, Chef Morgan, what’s on the menu?”

I smiled, setting down my own pack and getting to work purifying the water. “Give it a minute for the tablets to work. In the meantime, I’ve got tuna and crackers. How’s that?”

“Better than beef jerky?” he asked, holding up a strip of the dried meat.

I shook my head, laughing. “Wrong again. Beef jerky’s packed with salt. You’ll drink a gallon of water just to counteract it.”

Slade sighed, looking defeated. “I really screwed up, didn’t I?”

I rummaged in my bag and pulled out another packet of tuna along with some red licorice, my personal favorite. “Here, take this. You’ll thank me later.”

He eyed the licorice. “Not much for licorice.”

I raised an eyebrow. “It’s not for you. It’s for me.”

Slade chuckled. “How come I never knew you liked licorice?”

I shrugged. “Used to chew on the nibs back at Abbott. They’re less obnoxious than the long ones. But, yeah, I’ve got a thing for the laces.”

Slade shook his head, smiling. “You learn something new every day.”

As I was about to reply, we heard voices. A group of three hikers emerged from the trees, all tall, blond, and practically clones of each other. They waved to us.

“Hey there,” the tallest one greeted, flashing us a friendly smile. “Mind if we join you? I’m Gale, and these are my brothers, Timmy and Teddy.”

Slade was still chewing on crackers, so I answered for us. “I’m Morgan, and this is Slade.”

The brothers all shook our hands, then set to work filling their filtration system from the stream. Once they finished, they joined us for a quick snack. Their packs spilled out trail mix, protein bars, and chocolate, and soon, we were all talking easily.

“How far are you two going?” Gale asked, popping some trail mix into his mouth.

“Two weeks, as far as we can,” I replied. “We just started yesterday.”

“Where from?”

“Bear Mountain,” Slade chimed in. “And you guys?”

“Pennsylvania,” Gale said. “We’re from Pittsburgh. Took off before college starts back up—trying to make it to Maine before the summer ends.”

I raised my eyebrows. “When did you start?”

“Right after school ended in May,” Gale said with a grin. “But we took a detour to the Jersey Shore for a week. Worth it. I love the ocean. Want some trail mix?”

“No thanks,” Slade answered, smirking at me. “Beef jerky?”

Gale wrinkled his nose. “Nah, that stuff’s too salty.”

I stifled a laugh, turning to Slade with a triumphant smile. “Told you.”

Slade scowled but didn’t argue as we continued chatting with the brothers. After about forty-five minutes, I decided it was time to get moving.

“We’ll probably see you two on the trail again,” Gale said as we packed up. “Maybe we can camp out together later.”

“Sounds good to me,” I replied with a wave.

By the time we filled our water bladders and got back on the trail, dark clouds had started rolling in. I pulled out my phone, frowning at the single bar of service and the 68% battery left. A quick check of the forecast confirmed what I suspected—rain was on the way.

“Looks like we’ll be hiking through a storm,” I muttered, glancing at Slade.

He smiled wryly. “Guess I’ll finally get to see what all this preparation is for.”

“Did you bring rain gear?” I asked.

“That I did. I have a pullover. The hood even has a bill.”

“Good. It looks like we’re in for a good storm.

The rain started as a soft patter, but quickly turned into a steady downpour, drops slicing through the leafy canopy above us. I cursed under my breath and shrugged off my pack to dig out my yellow pullover, yanking the hood over my head. Next to me, Slade mirrored my movements, pulling out his own rain jacket. We looked like twins in our matching bright yellow shells, but the humor of it didn’t quite land as the trail turned muddy and rocks became dangerously slick.

"Great," I muttered, adjusting the straps of my pack. I didn't mind the rain in theory, but it made everything more difficult. Mud sucked at our boots, and despite being waterproof, my boots were already beginning to feel damp inside.

I glanced over at Slade. His face was a mask of misery. His shoulders slumped, his hood clinging wetly to his face, and the occasional grunt told me his mood matched the weather. He wasn’t complaining, but I could see the way his mouth was set in a thin, tight line.

"You okay?" I asked, though I knew the answer.

"Just peachy," Slade muttered, trudging forward.

An hour in, my boots were soaked through, squishing with each step. My teeth chattered as a chill set in. Shorts had been a terrible idea. The rain jacket only came down to mid-thigh, leaving my legs to bear the brunt of the cold. Every muscle ached as I navigated the increasingly treacherous path, dodging slick rocks and avoiding slipping into the mud.

Slade was quiet beside me, too quiet. If one of us was going to crack, it would be me. I loved hiking, but the thought of setting up camp in this storm, huddling under a tarp for the night, was losing its appeal fast.

I halted and pulled out the small map from my jacket pocket, shielding it from the rain as best as I could.

“What are you looking for?” Slade asked, his voice tight with discomfort.

I squinted at the map. “Newtonville.”

“Are we close?” His tone betrayed a hint of hope.

“A couple of miles,” I said, pointing down the trail. “There’s a motel in town. With this weather, it might be full, but…” I trailed off, glancing up at him. “I could really use a hot shower and dry clothes.”

Slade exhaled, almost too quickly, as if he’d been holding his breath. “Yeah… I wouldn’t argue with that.”

I shoved the map back into my jacket, fighting the smirk tugging at the corners of my lips. His relief was palpable, and it made me feel a little less guilty about wanting to call it a day. We continued along the trail, the rain showing no sign of letting up. When we finally reached the road, I spotted the sign for the Backpack Motel about a mile up.

Slade winced as we stepped onto the asphalt, and I noticed the way he limped.

“What’s the matter?” I asked, eyeing his soaked boots.

“My heel,” he admitted with a grimace. “It’s killing me now. It was fine before, but these boots… once they got wet…”

I frowned. “The band-aids might’ve slipped off.” I nodded up the road. “It’s just a mile. Think you can make it?”

He gave me a weary smile. “I don’t have much of a choice, do I?”

I grinned back. “Nope. But think of the warm shower at the end of it. We’ll pray they have a room.”

Slade chuckled despite the pain, and we continued, boots squelching with every step.