Page 8 of Driven Wild By The Grizzly

The tall pines all look the same. Freaking terrifying. They feel hostile, superior, like they’re just hanging out, laughing at the little old humans who come and get lost in them.

Is it better to wait for my GPS to start working, or try to get back to the trail?

What if my phone’s gotten too wet and it never starts working again? I swallow down a burst of panic.

The wind is picking up now, lashing the trees back and forth. It feels dangerous here.

I know I’ve got to stay calm, but my heart’s beating hard and I’m kinda hyperventilating—

Okay. I can do this. If I keep the shelter behind me, I just need to head away from it. I start picking my way through the undergrowth, back to where I hope the trail is. But the howling wind is scaring the bejeezus out of me. I go faster and faster, twigs whipping across my face, creepers catching at my ankles. I think that’s the trail, ten feet ahead. I can just make out a stretch of bare earth.

Creeeakkk…!What is that? There’s a rushing sensation overhead. I look up, and—

“Oh, my god!” I shriek asa massive, dark shape hurtles right at me. A falling tree. My heart leaps into my throat. There’s no time to move. All I can do is squeeze my eyes shut, waiting for the end to come.

Bumpphh.Something hits me from the side. And then I’m flying through the air. All the breath whooshes out of me, and I hit the ground. But not hard. There’s an earsplitting crash right beside me, and the earth shakes.

* * *

My eyes flutter open.

What happened? Am I dead?

The rain is still falling; the pine trees are still towering overhead. But I’m lying someplace real comfy, and…Ethan?

Either I’m unconscious and having some real trippy dream, or my stupidly sexy bus driver is staring down at me, his features drawn with concern.

“You’re safe now,” he says in that delicious rumbling voice of his.

“Am I still alive?” I croak out.

A smile tugs at the corners of his lips. “Very much so.”

“A tree—”

“Just came down over there.”

I turn my head where he’s indicating and,argh. There it is, all massive and horizontal, smaller trees flattened all around it. “It almost hit me. I thought—” I choke back a sob.

“It’s okay, I got to you in time.”

“You saved me.”

He shrugs like it was nothing.

“I was lost,” I blurt out. “I couldn’t figure out how to get back to the trail. And then the tree—” My voice turns high and tight, betraying the fear I’ve been trying to tamp down.

“Shush, I’ve got you.” His voice is soothing, and I realize he’sliterallygot me. The reason why I feel so luxuriously comfortable right now is because his arms are around me, protecting me from the forest floor.

I have an urge to press my face to his big muscly chest and sob in relief.

Wow, that would be embarrassing.

“Does anything hurt?” He looks worried.

“Uh, I dunno.” I shake out my limbs one at a time. “So far, so good.”

“Let’s get you up.” He lifts up from me, and I shiver as my man-sized heating pad disappears. He springs to his feet and reaches for me. I only met him a couple of hours ago, but somehow it doesn’t feel that way, as I cling to him.

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