Page 4 of Claiming My Cocky Boss

He gave a half-smile, replied, “No problem,” shifted the truck into gear, and pulled away like he hadn’t just disrupted the quiet routine of my day.

I stared after him for a moment, mentally shaking myself. “Don’t get distracted, Mia,” I muttered under my breath, focusing on the approaching minivan. But I couldn’t help the tiny flicker of interest that sparked in my chest.

“Nope. Not doing this,” I reminded myself firmly. I wasn’t about to let some smooth-talking city boy throw me off. I’d seen his type too many times before, and it never ended well. Besides, I was perfectly content with my no-strings-attached, drama-free life. Men like him? They only came with complications.

As the rest of the day trickled by, I kept busy logging visitor passes and fielding the usual questions about trail lengths and campgrounds. My mind, however, kept wandering back to that brief exchange. I hated to admit it, but there was something about those blue eyes that lingered in the back of my mind.

It was almost quitting time when the radio crackled to life.

“Emergency alert—injured hiker on the west ridge, possible broken ankle. Dispatch EMS helicopter to the location.”

I straightened in my seat, adrenaline kicking in. This wasn’t my first rescue mission, but the urgency always made my heart race. I grabbed the radio and quickly dispatched the helicopter,calling in backup. I was already halfway out of the gatehouse before I even realized I was moving.

A few minutes later, I was suited up and in the air with the team, scanning the ground below for any signs of the injured hiker. The wind whipped through the chopper’s open door, and my stomach tightened with anticipation. We circled over the west ridge, and that’s when I saw him.

The guy from the truck.

Liam, or whatever his name was, lay on the ground, clutching his leg with a pained expression. His truck was parked not far from the trailhead, and it looked like he’d made it pretty far before his luck ran out.

“Got him,” I called into my radio, signaling the team to lower the helicopter.

I stepped into the rescue basket, gripping the sides as the crew carefully lowered me toward the ground. The wind whipped through my hair as I descended, keeping my eyes locked on Liam’s prone form below. He was clutching his leg, his face tight with pain, but still trying to maintain some semblance of control.

The basket touched down with a soft thud, and I quickly climbed out, making my way to his side. “Hang in there,” I said, kneeling beside him to assess the damage. His ankle was already swollen, the break clear as day, but he was holding it together—no panic just gritted teeth and a forced calm.

“Guess I pushed myself a little too hard,” he muttered, managing a tight smile despite the obvious pain.

“It happens,” I replied, unwrapping a support bandage from my kit. “When you're feeling good, it's easy to push past your limits.” I glanced up at him with a reassuring nod. “But don’t worry, we’ll get you out of here.”

“By the way, I’m Liam,” he said, his voice slightly strained.

“Nice to meet you again, Liam. I’m Mia,” I responded, keeping my tone light as I worked.

Again, his physique had caught my attention despite myself—the way his muscles tensed beneath his shirt, the strong lines of his jaw, and the resilience in his blue eyes, even as he fought through the pain. But that was none of my business. He was just another guy passing through Cedar Cove Park, and I had a job to do.

Once Liam was secured in the basket and lifted into the helicopter, I stepped back and took a deep breath, watching as the blades spun faster and faster until the chopper gained altitude. I felt a strange sense of relief knowing he was in good hands now, but something about the whole encounter left me rattled in a way I hadn’t expected.

Focus, Mia. He’s just another hiker.I reminded myself, trying to shake off the nagging thought that he was anything but ordinary.

With the helicopter gone and Liam on his way to the hospital, I gathered my gear and glanced around the now-empty trailhead. The adrenaline was fading, leaving only the quiet. I sighed, knowing there was no way I could hike back to the gatehouse before dark. Pulling out my phone, I called Tessa.

“Hey, can you swing by the trailhead and pick me up? The chopper left me stranded.”

Tessa laughed. “Stranded, huh? I’ll be your knight in shining... Jeep. Be there soon.”

I grinned. “Thanks. Hurry, though, or I’ll be talking to the raccoons in the dark.”

A few minutes later, her Jeep pulled up. “Thanks for the rescue,” I said, climbing in.

Back at the gatehouse, just as I settled in, the two-way radio crackled to life, cutting through the quiet.

“Mia, we need you to head to the hospital. EMS is requesting additional details from the scene,” the voice buzzed through the static.

My reliable volunteer touched my arm. “Mia, I’ve got this. Go ahead. I’ll lock the gate at closing.”

I patted her hand, then spoke into the radio. “Copy that. On my way.”

The familiar sense of responsibility kicked in as I quickly jumped into the park’s Jeep and sped toward the hospital.

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