Smash_ A Stepbrother MMA Romance(95)

“Nice day,” I grunted.

“Yeah. Pretty mild.”

“So, are you nervous for college?” I blurted out.

She laughed. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“I’m a little jealous.”

“Of what?”

“Going to college.”

“You could if you wanted to. You’re Climber.”

I laughed at that. “I may be able to climb up mountains, but my grades are shit.”

“Grades aren’t all that matter.”

“Maybe not.”

I caught her looking at me and she smiled. We crested a short hill together and suddenly were looking out over a small valley, trees stretching out as far as we could see.

“This is why I’m nervous to leave,” Becca said softly.

“Hiking?”

“No. This.” She gestured out at the view.

“Good view.”

“Not just that. I mean, the view is good. But there’s something about this place. It’s home to me, you now? I can’t imagine Dartmouth is going to have anything like this.”

“It won’t.”

She looked at me. “Aren’t you supposed to be more reassuring?”

“Sorry, but it’s the truth. Dartmouth won’t be anything like this.”

“Gee, thanks. I feel better already.”

I laughed. “But that’s the point, isn’t it? You don’t want to be like everyone else here, trapped by this stupid town.”

“But it’s home.”

“Anywhere can be home. You have an opportunity most kids in Ridgewood would kill for.”

She was silent for a second. “What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Would you kill to get out of here?”

“I don’t know. I mean, I guess I already plan on leaving. After I win a few more regional contests, I’ll start competing all over the country.”

“So you’re getting out too, then.”

“Yeah. Eventually.”

“Ridgewood can’t contain us.”

“No, it definitely can’t.”

I set off down the hill, heading into the valley. “Wait up!” Becca called, coming after me.

“Don’t be so slow,” I said, grinning at her.

As she moved down to walk next to me, she tripped and stumbled slightly on a root. I grabbed her before she could topple down the hill.

“Shit, you okay?” I said.

“Yeah. Fine. Just didn’t see it,” she mumbled.

I could feel her warmth against mine. I was acutely aware of how sweaty I was from the climb, but I also didn’t want to let her go.

“This feels familiar,” I said softly.

“Don’t bring that up.”

“Can’t pretend like it didn’t happen.”

“Yeah, but you promised we’d move past it.”

“I guess I did.”

But the truth was, even back then I didn’t want to move past it. Even back then I wanted to drop down into the dirt with her and slide my tongue between her legs. I wanted to make her back arch until she came in big rolling waves.

But I let her go, and eventually we headed back to the car.

As I came back to the present, I realized that memory stuck with me for two reasons.

First, it was one of only a few times her and I had ever gotten that close. There were a million moments when I’d wanted to reach out and grab her, but only a few when it ever happened. Our stepsibling relationship kept all of that at bay, no matter what I may have felt.

The second was more important, though. It hit me all at once: she had gotten out, but I hadn’t. I planned on touring the country, seeing what there was outside of Ridgewood. Instead, my mom got sick and I got involved with a bunch of fucking gangsters.

I still climbed. I still entered and won competitions. But I hadn’t left.

And I was a little disappointed in myself. If I had to go back, I would do it all over again. I’d sacrifice anything for my family. But there was still that tiny ambitious voice in the back of my mind that wanted to climb with the best.

I watched as Becca disappeared into the early morning mist. The memory hadn’t lasted more than a few seconds, but suddenly I felt tired.

There was only one way I knew how to combat that. I finished my coffee, walked into the garage, and grabbed my climbing gear.





Chapter Seven: Rebecca


I climbed out of the shower, steam curling around the ceiling, and wiped the mirror off. I had spent most of the afternoon walking around the property, reacquainting myself with the woods.

It felt weird at first being alone out there, but I got used to it pretty fast. I had spent most of my life in those woods, and it was really only the last four years that I was away from it.

Still, they felt smaller somehow. More crowded. Almost as if the trees had gotten smaller and denser and the underbrush had been allowed to grow out more.