Page 4 of The Beast of the Mountain
“We’ve got a long hike ahead of us, Riley. I don’t want to… wear you out.”
I set my suitcase on the ground next to us and Bear snatches it.
“Just how long?”
Bear grunts in response and then moves around the car toward the forest.
“Bear?” I ask, following him tentatively. “Just how long?”
Bear reaches the edge of the forest before turning back to me.
“It depends on how many mountain lions we come across.”
“How many? You don’t meanif?”
“I’ll protect you, Riley,” Bear says, stepping into the thick brush.
I believe him.
But I also don’t want to test that belief any time soon.
Mountain lions?!
Chapter 2
Bear
Mountain lions.I’ve learned city folk will believe anything about nature or the mountains if it comes from my mouth. A big, bearded, salt-of-the-earth man like me? Must be a serious man with no sense of humor.
“Careful now,” I say, beating back a dense thicket with my hands, “there’s a den nearby and it will be getting dark soon. Prime hunting time for mountain?—”
“It’s not even five o’clock.”
“We’re on mountain time now.”
She makes a face at me, eyebrows pinched together as she cocks her head and her lips part. Alright, I might’ve pushed it with that one.
After a few beats, we settle back into our steady pace as we head through the forest. A part of me wants to get lost with Riley—something to prolong the inevitability of her leaving. But you could blindfold me, drop me into a random spot in the forest, and I’d know exactly where I was. These mountains are a part of me.
“When was the last time you fought off a mountain lion, Bear?” Riley asks, grabbing my arm and stopping me dead in my tracks.
And for the second time today, my heart slams against my ribcage, threatening to break out—the first was the moment I laid eyes on Riley. I may not interact with people as often as I used to but Riley’s the only person who has ever sent my heart into overdrive.
When I heard a shrill scream from the road, my protective instincts kicked in. There was something about the sound that woke up a dormant part of me.
I didn’t think, I reacted.
I raced toward the scream, bounding through the forest as adrenaline pounded through my veins. I swear I made it to the road in record time, but all I found was an unattended car. And an unmistakable scent. Every hair on my body stood on end, reacting to it on a primal level as I followed it until I found Riley.
Sweet. Perfect.Mine.
After taking a few moments to collect myself, I answer her question as my body continues to react strongly to her grip around my arm. Hopefully, she keeps it there the entire way back.
“It’s been a while,” I rasp. After clearing my throat: “I’m a little rusty, but it’s second nature to a mountain man like me.”
Riley laughs softly. “Did your parents start you off early? Wrestling bear cubs before you could walk?”
I snort. I like Riley. A lot. So much that it’s painful. I don’t want to let her go.
