Chapter 1

Sarah's POV

I had just changed out of my wedding reception dress when Zane Hayes burst into the dressing room. "Babe, why are you mad at me?"

The handsome man looked anxious as he hurried over and grabbed my hand, eager to explain himself. "Didn't we agree we'd still give each other space after we got married? Hiking is my only hobby. You know that."

I held back the tears stinging my eyes. "But you never told me your hobby involved sleeping in the same tent as other women."

Zane wiped a tear from the corner of my eye with his thumb and gave me a bitter smile. "What are you thinking, baby? When you're outdoors, there's no difference between men and women.

"If you're on a long-distance hike or climbing a snow-covered mountain, you're so exhausted that you practically pass out the second you lie down.

"Everyone's separated by sleeping bags, so there's really nothing to worry about. If you're going to be that particular about it, you might as well not go at all."

I pressed my lips together and said nothing. His explanation seemed to make perfect sense.

But even knowing they were separated by sleeping bags, the thought of him lying in the same tent as another woman still made me uncomfortable.

He took my hand again and coaxed me in a low voice. "Babe, do you know how high the mountains we climb are?

"Thousands of feet above sea level. If you're still thinking about that kind of thing at that altitude, the blood rushing to your head alone could kill you."

My tangled thoughts came to an abrupt halt. I knew nothing about hiking, and I'd never heard anything like that before.

Could it be that I'd really been overthinking things?

"Is that really true?" I asked hesitantly.

He lifted my hand and kissed the back of it, just above my diamond ring. "Truer than anything in the world. Good girl.

"I booked a karaoke bar's private room for this afternoon. I'll introduce you to everyone in my hiking group so you can meet them yourself. Then maybe that little head of yours will stop imagining things all day."