Page 6 of Two Times the Mountain Men
Chapter 3
Genevieve
We stared each other down. I was a grown ass-woman that could handle a revolver better than most men. Shooting was one of my favorite ways to blow off stress and I was damn good at it. God help anyone that came and tried to break into the cabin. I would make sure that I kept the gun close to hand from here on in.
Those footprints weren’t nothing after all, a voice in the back of my head chimed in. I angrily pushed it back.
I will admit there was a very slight apprehension that went through me. Two on one was a lot, and what if they had guns? The rangers did say that the men were armed. And what if they broke in and I was forced to kill them both? I could potentially be stuck in this cabin, by myself, with two dead guys for days…. Weeks…. Or I’d have to drag their dead bodies into the snow and see them each time I looked out the window. An even nastier idea was dragging them out and having to see wolves tear the dead bodies to shreds. I cringed at the thought.
“You are coming with us, Miss.” The other ranger came to stand beside the one I was eyeballing. The second wasn’t as tall as the first but was slightly stockier. His hair was short-cut and he had the most intriguing ice-blue eyes.
They were both hot, I’d give them that. They embodied the kind of men who were the heroes in the novels I wrote. Both over 6′ with strong jawlines and piercing eyes. They came off as having demanding personalities that would keep a quick-witted and feisty heroine on her toes.
But this wasn’t one of my books. This was my life and my contract with the publisher depended on me delivering the most incredible book of my life and I only had two months to do it. I didn’t have time for this nonsense or for them distracting me.
“As I said. I cannot leave. I have a deadline and I have no intention of leaving this cabin and ruining my career.”
“Your life is the most important thing. Besides, you can write anywhere. That’s why you’re here, right?” the one with the coat, Chambers, according to his name badge, replied.
“That’s not the point.”
“It’s simply not smart to be here with the weather conditions and no way to communicate with the outside world if the worst were to happen.” The shorter one with Kendal embroidered on his jacket said. “For all we know those footprints are from the very men who the authorities are after. We’ll be calling it in when we get back to home camp.”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I looked at both of the men. “Where exactly do you expect me to go if I were to leave anyhow? And have a radio. Channel sixteen.”
“Channel sixteen would be us. As for where you would go, back to town…” Kendal groaned looking over my shoulder and out the door. “Oh shit.”
A strong gust of wind hit me and sent a chill through my body, followed by a flurry of snowflakes appearing over my head and shoulders. I looked over my shoulder and my mouth dropped open. It had gone from a heavy snowfall to nearly a white-out in minutes! Wow! I’d never seen anything like it before in my life.
“You’ll coming back to camp with us,” Chambers stated in a no-nonsense tone.
“I will?” My eyes widened as I looked at him.
“She will?” Kendal parroted.
“She can’t go back to town and she can’t stay here. She’ll be safe with us,” the taller one, Chambers, said to his partner and then turned back to me. “Where’s your gun? You can’t leave it here, just in case.”
“It’s in the bedroom, but—”
Chambers didn’t wait for me to continue my protest, brushing past me and into the bedroom. “Where?” He called out from the other room.
“What do you need?” Kendal asked.
I frowned. If they thought I was going to their camp, then they had another thing coming. I didn’t even know them! “Nothing. I’m not going.”
“Never mind, I found it.” Chambers called from the bedroom a moment before reappearing, my revolver in hand.
This was all going so quickly, my mind was having a hard time keeping up and processing the information.
“Look,” Kendal said to me, drawing my attention back to him. “Either you leave of your own free will, or I make you leave. Your choice.”
Fisting my hands and planting them on my hips I shook my head, giving him the sternest look, I could muster. “Not going to happen.”
“Last chance. Your choice.” He met my gaze with a challenge of his own.
We stared at each other for a long moment. His eyes were a piercing blue and they shook me to my core, but I refused to allow him to sway me. I couldn’t back down. I’d be fine.
He broke our heated stare and I gave a sigh of relief. I’d won.
