Page 36 of Come to Me

He laughed. “I meant helping me see beyond my pity. Although thank you for the kiss too.”

“Like I said, happy to do it.”

“Helping me see beyond my pity or kissing?”

Micki was happy to see the humor back in him. “Both.”

A rumble and distance flash distracted Micki. She turned toward the east to see dark clouds moving toward them. “Ut oh. That storm is moving faster than I anticipated. We should go.”

Patrick watched it for a moment. “Sydney once told me about watching a southern summer storm. She said it was intense and powerful.”

“Yes, well, she was likely on a covered porch, not on unsheltered mountain. We should go unless you want to be one of the one in ten thousand people who get struck by lightning.” She hurried off the top of the ridge.

“Really. That many?” Patrick followed.

“That’s the odds of being struck in a lifetime.” She didn’t slow down once they reached the tree line.

“Are we safer in the woods?”

“Not enough.” The first rain drops landed on her face. “We should pick up the pace.”

They made it halfway down when the wind and rain picked up. But it was the lightening that most concerned Micki. She chastised herself for not checking the weather again before embarking on the hike.

A clap of thunder cracked, sending a shockwave through the area. Micki startled and let out a yelp.

“We need shelter. Come on. This way.” She hurried to a fork in the path and veered in the opposite direction from the resort.

“Is that the right way?”

“Right now, it is.” It was another quarter mile before the hunting cabin appeared. “Come on. Hurry.” The rain was pelting. Her wet clothes clung to her body. But that wasn’t a problem. A thunderstorm swirling above them was the issue.

She reached the door and did the combo for the lock. She pushed the door open and then grabbed Patrick, tugging him in. Outside, a flash of white lit up the darkened sky.

Micki shut the door and leaned against it, taking in deep breaths as her adrenaline continued to course through her body.

“You okay?” Patrick studied her.

“You do realize getting struck by lightning is fatal, right?”

“I didn’t think it was that close. To be honest, I was more worried about bears and snakes.”

She shook her head as she laughed at him. “I suppose getting electrocuted would be better than eaten by a bear.”

She watched him, glad he hadn’t realized how much danger they could have been in. As she studied him, she took in how his shirt molded to his chest. A chest she’d really wanted to touch earlier in the lake.

His eye shone with life, something she hadn’t ever seen in him. Something about their near death by electrocution invigorated him. It made him even more handsome…sexy.

“If I started taking off my wet clothes, would that be a problem?” she asked.

“Not for me.” He stepped closer to her, his arm wrapping around her waist. “I could help, if you wanted me to.” He tugged her close enough to feel that he wasn’t just invigorated, he was hard.

“Thunder storms turn you on, Dr. Andres?”

He shook his head. “No. You do, Michaela Kincaid.”

“Well then…” She didn’t know what to say so she just acted. She jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist, as she fused her lips to his.

CHAPTER 10

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