East of Redemption (Love on the Edge #2) by Molly E. Lee

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    Then I remembered last night, how close I’d been to doing just that, and she’d shut the charged moment down. Neither one of us could afford to get caught up in emotions like that right now. As she’d pointed out moments ago, we already had too much against us.
    “This isn’t my fault,” I said, once I’d locked my dick down.
    “You’re the one who clearly has horrible taste in women.”
    I cocked an eyebrow at her. “Really?”
    “In the last decade at least.”
    “Trust me, when I hooked up with Corrine, her sabotaging my future endeavors was the last thing I expected.”
    “Obviously.” Rain pursed her beautiful pink lips, and again I saw the hint of jealousy I’d seen last night. So it hadn’t been the wishes of an alcohol-induced brain. She had some residual feelings somewhere in there, and it was enough to peek through her hardened eyes.
    I took a step closer to her, sliding my hand along her right hip, not giving a damn that the cameras rolled. Looking down at her, I breathed her scent in deep. “Every woman since you has been a mistake, Raindrop. Just a pathetic attempt to fill the void you left in my heart.”
    A sigh slipped from her lips, which trembled as she held my gaze. She placed her hand on my chest, and my heart raced harder for reasons entirely separate from the strenuous climb we’d undergone for the past hour. Her blue eyes turned to ice, and she pushed me away. “You can’t say things like that. You bailed. Not me.” She motioned with her hand for me to step in front of her on the small ledge where we stood. “Lead the way.”
    Right. The mission. Get your shit together. Rain was tempting on the best of days, but seeing her battle as hard as I was myself? It gave me hope that something would work out between us in the future. Hope that after I told her the truth about everything I’d lied to her about she’d forgive me. But that hope was more dangerous than the mountains, Corrine’s team, or the military on both sides of the border we danced so close to. Because it had the power to strip away everything I’d come to depend on in my life—the show, my expeditions, my need to survive when I hadn’t been strong enough to save.
    Hope was a whisper in the dark, tempting me to the edge.

    “This mountain seems to have gotten steeper since the last time I was here,” I said, looking directly at the camera on Rain’s hat as we climbed yet another drastic incline. My breath was short from the strain. I flashed the camera a smile. “Or maybe I’m just getting older.”
    Rain chuckled despite the intense focus she had on me while she climbed. She, just like my crew, had it way worse than me. They had to constantly worry about camera angles and keeping me in the camera’s sights, all while making the same climbs, jumps, or treks I did. I didn’t envy them in their task, but I damn sure was impressed at their strength every time we completed a shoot, and while I missed the boys from my crew, Rain was proving to be one of the smartest, strongest, and, for sure, sexiest partners I had ever had. That last bit set my focus back more than I’d like, especially when she climbed ahead of me, giving me an eyeful of that perfect ass before turning around so she could film my approach.
    As we settled near some trees for a quick breather, I scanned the area before speaking to the camera again. “This entire mountainside is teeming with trees, which is a real blessing since we’ll lose the daylight soon and be forced to make camp. I can make use of the fallen branches for shelter, and usually there are a wide variety of edibles living in and around trees—insects for sure, woodland creatures if we’re super lucky.” I shifted from my crouched position, smacking the nearest tree. “I’ll show you how to quickly put together a makeshift shelter, something strong enough to withstand the cold winds that blow brutally through the mountains at night. And, hopefully I’ll be able to