Page 68 of One Last Chance

“Descending,” London said and lowered him down on the hoist. Not a windy day so he caught the rock easily, waved to London to stop, and braced himself in front of the kid.

“Hey! My name is Axel. I’m with the rescue team. What’s your name?”

“Laramie.”

“Nice to meet you, Laramie. How’s the view?”

The kid smiled a little. “Big.”

“Yep. Okay, let’s get you off this rock.” Axel put the sling over Laramie’s shoulders, then under his arms, and stretched it out so it also encompassed his backside. “I got you, so just sit back and hold on to me.” He patted his harness and the kid grabbed the straps. He motioned to London and pushed away from the rock.

Laramie grunted and Axel put his arm around him, mostly to protect him from the rotor wash, but it never felt great to dangle in midair. At least, not the first time.

Now, Axel drank it in, despite the tremor that scurried through him every time he stepped away from terra firma. He put his hand over Laramie’s head as they came to the chopper bed. London raised them up and pulled them in and onto a stretcher.

Axel climbed right in over the kid, then reached up to hook them into the safety line before London unhooked them from the winch and closed the door.

“You okay?” Axel asked, his voice raised as he climbed away and sat on the deck.

Laramie lay there, looking at the ceiling, breathing out.

Axel patted his chest. Leaned over to talk to him. “You’ll be fine. It’s just the adrenaline drop.”

He took a deep breath. Looked at Flynn. She was grinning.

“Breathing?” she said into the mouthpiece.

Yes. A full breath.

She wore something bright and sweet in her eyes.

Okay, yeah, he didn’t hate that she was here to see that.

They touched down on the riverbed, Moose finding a clear area. Sully, Bowie, and a number of other men stayed back until the rotors stopped spinning.

Then London opened the door.

Laramie’s father, a muscled guy, lean and built, was the first in, grabbing up his son. He looked strangely familiar, but Axel couldn’t place him. Maybe he’d seen him in town.

Axel glanced over at Moose, who was grinning, watching the father and son embrace. He’d endure some crazy celebrity to be able to have this moment.

London got out as Axel worked off his helmet and followed.

Sully came up. “Love watching you guys in action.” He met Axel’s hand. Then he looked past Axel and jerked.

Flynn had gotten out of the chopper, also taken off her helmet, shaking down her copper hair, then looking up at him and grinning.

Until, that is, Sully said, “Kennedy? What the heck? What are you doing here?”

Then he stepped up to her, put his hand around her neck, and kissed her.

CHAPTER8

Flynn didn’t mind a good kiss from a handsome guy, buthello—wrong guy, wrong girl. And sure, she felt the desperation behind it, but—“Hey!” She slammed her hand into his chest, pushed hard.

She’d count him as handsome, with long golden-brown hair, a bit of scruff on his tanned face, pale blue eyes, and built like any of the Alaskan men that suddenly crowded her life.

But yeah, this might be too crowded. “What do you think you’re doing?”

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