Page 5 of Driven Wild By The Grizzly

“I’m sorry to tell you that this bus isn’t going anywhere today.” He clenches his jaw. “You have anyone who can come pick you up?” He spits the words out like a mouthful of dirt.

I sigh. “Usually I’d ask Ricky, but—”

“Ricky? He’s your boyfriend?”

I swallow hard. He looks all mad and… possessive? My heart gives a big jolt. He hates the thought of me having a boyfriend. Is that because helikesme?

“No, he’s my brother,” I say. “But he’s out of town on a job today. And I don’t know anyone else.” I look down the sloping mountain road dubiously. “Guess I could hitch a ride?”

“No!” he roars.

Whuh?My head snaps toward him.

“It’s not safe, Jessica. Promise me you’ll never ever hitch a ride with a stranger.” He looks so serious it scares me. But then he breaks into a smile, and it’s like the sun coming out from behind a cloud. I get it. He’s looking out for me. The thought twines around my heart.

“I promise,” I say.

“Where do you live?”

“In Twin Falls.”

He frowns thoughtfully. “There’s a trail through the forest, which starts fifty yards away. It will lead you right to Twin Falls. That’s the best way for you to get home.”

I stare into the densely-packed pine trees. “Really?” I’ve lived close to forests and areas of wilderness all my life, but I’ve never been one for hiking through them. I prefer to admire their intimidating beauty from a distance. “But is it safe?”

“Of course.” He sounds surprised that I’m questioning it.

“Aren’t there, like, bears and stuff?”

“Jessica, listen to me.” His voice is a soft rumble.

Instinctively I turn, so I’m facing him.

“Nothing is going to hurt you in the forest.” He lays one of his massive hands on his chest. “I promise you.”

I blink, and… I believe him.

Suddenly, I stop questioning, and I just trust this big mountain man.

“You’d better get going. Before the weather changes.” He looks up at the sky. It’s still blue, but clouds are chasing across it.

“Okay,” I say, reluctantly. Because I don’t want to walk away from Ethan. I want to stay, right here with him. I open my mouth to tell him I’ll just hang out with him until the tow truck, or whatever, arrives. But that would be deeply weird. “Which way is the trail?” I ask instead.

“I’ll show you.”

He leads me along the blacktop for a minute or so, then he points out a trail that disappears into the trees. It’s narrow, not signposted.

I frown. “How did you know it was here?”

“I know these woods like the backs of my hands.” He holds out one of those big, capable-looking hands. “Give me your phone.”

My heart beats faster. He’s going to tap his number into it.

No, doofus.He’s opening my maps app.

“This is the route.” His thick index finger traces the blue line that connects our current location to my tiny hometown. “You can follow it all the way, see?”

I nod. It looks straightforward, I note with a dash of relief.

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