Page 4 of Heart of the Mountain
The trespasser bites back a yelp, which cracks my heart in two. She pitches forward now that the tree root isn’t pinning herto the ground, and I wrap an arm around her waist to keep her from falling.
“Liar,” she says, her voice breathy and strained. “You said on three.”
“I think you meanthank you.”
The woman narrows her eyes at me and Jesus, I want to kiss that look off her lovely face. She glances down at the ravine as if only now realizing what a precarious and dangerous situation she was in.
“Right. Thank you,” the mystery woman whispers as I place her on the ground a safe distance from the edge.
Her voice is a little shaky, and I know she’s coming down from the adrenaline rushing through her system. The woman shudders and wraps her arms around her torso.
I don’t know what to say or how to handle someone so beautiful and precious. Can’t say I’ve ever had that thought before, but fuck it. I guess this is who I am around her.
“Okay,” the woman says after a few moments. She clears her throat and busies herself by wiping off the dirt and leaves littering her body. “If you point me in the right direction, I’ll go ahead and make my way back to town.”
I stare at her wildly messy red hair, ripped clothes, and now swollen ankle, though she refuses to meet my gaze. There’s no way I’m sending this woman away. At least not without a hot meal and some proper clothes and footwear for hiking. What the hell was she thinking, anyway? Did someone drop her off in the middle of the goddamn woods?
“Come on,” I grunt. I can’t seem to speak in full sentences, though I suppose that’s nothing new. The strange thing is, I almost wish I had more words for her.
“Oh, no, you don’t have to show me the way or anything. I wouldn’t want to bother you. I’m sure you have very important mountain man things to do, like… um, wrangling mooses.Meese? Meeses? Is that the plural of moose? I guess I’ve never had to refer to more than one moose at a time.”
I blink at her, quickly realizing she has enough words for both of us. Just as well.
The red-headed trespasser has no game plan and is at a severe disadvantage right now. However, the determined glint in her emerald eyes tells me she’s been backed into a corner before. She’s had to fight for every breath for a long time now. I don’t know how the fuck I know that, but I feel it down to my bones.
I watch as she straightens her spine and brushes a few strands of hair from her face. She’s brave, I’ll give her that. But also short-sighted.
As soon as she takes a step, her ankle gives out and she starts to fall. I scoop her up, cradling the woman in my arms. She gasps, then curls up against my chest as if on instinct. I don’t have time to decipher why I’m proud that this woman is clinging to me in her time of need.
“Come on,” I say again as I turn around and start the trek back to my cabin.
I look down at the angel in my embrace, her deep green eyes latching onto mine. She blinks away tears and confusion, which twists my heart painfully.
“I’ve got you,” I whisper for some reason. It’s the first time since encountering her that I haven’t sounded angry and growly.
“Where are we going?” she asks just as softly.
“My cabin. Get cleaned up. Figure out a plan.”Very good job with the full sentences, idiot, I chastise myself.
She nods and rests her head between my neck and shoulder.
We fit. The thought pops into my brain without my permission, and I tamp it down quickly. This isn’t about bringing her home and making her mine. She just needs a place to rest and recover, then I’ll give her a ride into town. I haveno idea where she came from, but Hope Mountain has all the amenities she’ll need.
“So, thanks again,” she starts. “Seriously. I was preparing to fight off a wolf or something. Actually, more likely a bear, right? I read somewhere that the wolf population in Colorado died out fifty years ago. So sad to think about. I always wanted a wolf as a pet when I was growing up. I know that’s not super PETA-friendly or whatever, but it made sense when I was six. A wolf could fight off anyone.”
She ends her ramble, and I nod once. I want to ask who the fuck she had to fight off at six years old, but I don’t. If I ask about her story, she’ll ask about mine, and I’m not ready to discuss my past right now, possibly ever.
She looks around, humming softly to herself. I can tell she’s about to jump into another rant, and strangely, I don’t mind. In fact, I’m curious to know what she’s thinking. I get the sense she talks when she’s nervous. If chattering away helps ease her anxiety, the least I can do is listen.
“Did you know Colorado has four national parks? It’s pretty impressive, if you ask me. Sure, California tops the list with nine parks, but four isn’t too shabby considering twenty states don’t have any national parks. I never did much traveling until recently, but I follow a bunch of travel bloggers and influencers so I can live vicariously through them. Lush forests and floral landscapes have always been my favorite since I grew up in the desert. I still can’t believe I live in one of the most beautiful places in the country now.”
I nod again. I agree, this is one of, if notthemost gorgeous scenery the world has to offer. At least in my opinion.
“You should talk now. I’ve been rambling.”
“Moose is the plural of moose,” I say for some stupid reason.
I glance down at her briefly, amused at the twinkle in her eyes and the grin pulling at her lips.
