Page 27 of Burning for Him

They’d decided to go last, allowing the frightened villagers to join their loved ones first. After that, the few remaining soldiers would trek up the mountain again with their equipment and supplies.

Hurrying over to the rustic home, Jenn disappeared through the door. Doug watched until she was no longer in sight, then returned his attention to the rescue in progress. It was a few minutes before the middle-aged man in the harness reached the other side. He was in the process of being unhooked from the pulley system when the ground began to shake violently. The aftershock was more substantial than the previous ones, and Doug spun around and raced toward the cabin, stumbling and trying to stay on his feet, desperate to get Jenn out of there in case it collapsed. He ignored the shouts and yelps behind him, focusing only on one person—Jenn.

As he neared the cabin, he glanced up the mountain, relieved that the quake hadn’t triggered another landslide—at least not yet. The tremors eased, but then his heart nearly stopped when he heard Jenn scream. He rushed inside, finding her on the ground with part of the roof collapsed on top of her. He quickly pushed aside a metal sheet to reach her. “Jenn! Are you okay?”

She was covered in dust, dirt, and fragments of building material, but alive and conscious. Her eyes were filled with a combination of pain and relief at seeing him. “Help! I’m stuck!”

It was then he noticed her lower left arm was pinned under a support beam that had fallen. With massive doses of adrenaline coursing through his veins, he lifted the beam off her just as two soldiers appeared in the doorway. One was the officer in charge, the other was a medic. As the quake ceased, they helped clear the area around Jenn as Doug gently assessed her arm, which was at an odd angle just above her wrist—definitely broken.

“Can you wiggle your fingers?” he asked.

She moved them just enough to reassure him, but winced and cried out in pain. “Ow! Yeah, but it hurts like hell.” Panting, she glanced at her arm. “It’s broken, right?”

“Yeah, but the good thing is the bones didn’t break the skin, so it’s not a compound fracture.”

“Damn it! If Uncle Ian says, ‘I told you so,’ I’m going to smack him silly. I tried to run outside when it started, but I tripped, and then the blasted roof came crashing down. Is anyone else hurt?”

He didn’t know and, honestly, didn’t care at the moment. She was his main priority. Thankfully, the officer responded, “Everyone else is okay, senorita. Let’s put your arm in a splint and then get you out of here.”

They worked quickly but carefully, applying an inflatable splint to immobilize her arm, wrist, and hand. Doug cringed every time she moaned or gasped in pain. The medic had given her a shot of morphine before doing anything else, but it didn’t kick in until they were ready to move her. Then her eyes glazed over, and she began to giggle. Lord, the woman was cute when she was stoned out of her mind, and it helped ease Doug’s mind just a bit. He’d feel much better when they could get her somewhere more civilized with an X-ray machine and people with M.D. after their names.

The three men helped her stand and held on until she was steady on her feet. Doug moved to her right side, wrapping his arm around her waist in support. “Lean on me. I’ve got you.”

She gave him a lopsided smile as she swayed into him. “You most certainly do.” Another giggle escaped her. “Wow, that stuff packs a punch!”

“I know.”

“When did you have some?” Her eyes widened in horror. “Oh, that’s right! After you were shot!”

He took a step toward the door, and when she followed, he continued forward. “Yeah, after the surgery, though. I was unconscious by the time they got me to the hospital.” Why were they talking about the day both of them almost died? He tried to change the subject to something less morbid. “How’s the pain?”

“Sss-all right.” Another giggle. “Oh. Em. Gee. I sound drunk. Drunk as a skunk. Although I don’t think skunks get drunk. But I am. Sort of.”

“Yes, you are. It’s cute.” He couldn’t help the smile that crossed his face. She was adorable in her current state, despite her broken arm and being covered in dirt and grime.

“Really?”

“Really.”

They gradually made their way to the staging area, where an empty harness awaited them. After a few minutes of discussion between Doug and the commanding officer, a second harness was added to the traverse high-line. Doug was strapped in first, and then the soldiers gently lifted Jenn until she sat on his lap, facing him, and wrapped her legs around him. Her injured arm rested on his shoulder while her other hand latched onto the back of his neck. He held her snugly against him while their harnesses were attached to each other. While they could’ve brought the Stokes back over for her, he hadn’t wanted her to be alone when she was high as a kite.

“I like this,” she said against his ear. “Well, not exactly. I could do without the broken arm and the audience, but I like being this close to you.”

“Me too.”

Once they were ready, Doug kept one hand around Jenn’s waist and grabbed the harness strap above his head to try to reduce the swaying while they were in motion. The pulley system was then activated, and they were towed across the debris field, about eight feet off the ground. Mindful of Jenn’s injury and the duo’s positioning, the soldiers kept the pace slower than the others transported in the harness had experienced.

When they passed over the tree that Margie’s body was pinned under, he was grateful the rescue blanket was still in place, covering her. Worried Jenn would be upset if she saw it, he glanced at her face and noticed her eyes were closed. Good.

What felt like an hour was in reality only about ten minutes before they reached the other side and were disconnected. Romeo, Lindsey, and Tony were there to help Jenn to the ground before Doug dropped down beside her. Parsons was nearby with his Chevy Suburban ready and waiting.

As Doug helped her into the back seat of the vehicle, she suddenly stopped, swayed, and grabbed onto the door frame. “Wait. Margie. We need to—we can’t leave her here.” Her gaze darted over his shoulder. “Tony?—”

Her friend stepped forward and gently took her uninjured hand in his. “I’m staying here with Roland and one of the guards. We’ll bring her back to the commune once it’s safe for her body to be recovered. I promise.”

“Thank you.” Tears filled her drug-glazed eyes.

“Let them get you back to Ramona, and I’ll talk to you soon.”

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