The softness in her tone dragged at him, like slender fingers gripping at his heart. He didn’t want to be down here when she was up there. It was wrong, and not because she couldn’t handle it. Because he couldn’t handle it.

“So, River, huh?” Ben gave him a knowing look.

Easton sat and stared at the ground between his feet, saying nothing. Apparently so.

• • •

He never slept. There was no question that he wouldn’t sleep, but Easton did lie still and silent on his side of the tent. And the exact minute four hours had passed—the amount of time Easton had decided he would have forced another guide to wait before ascending—Easton rolled to his feet.

“Radio her that I’m starting up there. And radio me when Ash picks you up.”

Bumping a fist to Easton’s, Ben yawned and nodded. “Will do, boss.”

For the first time all season, Easton was alone. Nothing stood in his way, nothing affected his decisions, no one slowed him down. By the time he passed through the Veil, Easton was still going strong.

He should have timed it, because he might have made it back up there in record time. All Easton could focus on was putting one foot in front of the other and getting back to her.

River was waiting for him outside her tent, watching the path she knew he’d take to get there. And because she was who she was, River was standing one extra step away from the tent, just to tease him. A stunningly beautiful smile spread on her face as she flapped her hand, showing him the dramatic dangerousness of being a couple of inches away from where he’d asked her to stay.

“Don’t worry,” River joked as Easton strode over to her. “I didn’t pee once when you were gone. Safety first.”

It took every bit of self-control he had to not crush her painfully tight against his chest.

“I’m never leaving you again.”

She wrapped her arm around his neck, drawing his face down to hers, giggling as she said, “You are so much better than a vampire.”

Yeah, he’d never understand her. That was fine. She was in his arms, which was all that mattered. When he kissed her, the fiery redhead who’d carved her way into his heart, Easton knew summiting with River would be worth every ounce of effort it had taken them to get that far.

They would do this together.

Chapter 16

“Good morning,” River whispered against Easton’s shoulder.

Warm brown eyes blinked open, his voice husky with sleep. “I half expected to wake up with the handheld on me.”

She couldn’t resist teasing him even as she snuggled in. “Once we’re outside the tent, all bets are off.”