Page 5 of Dead Air
“How would you even do that?” she asked, giggling.
“I’d find a way…”
DeeDee hummed in agreement. “You would but I think we can safely say you won’t think he’s weird. Just call when you get back!” she ordered and ended the call, leaving Niall frowning at the receiver.
“You’re weird,” he said, shaking his head as he hung up.
He pondered what DeeDee and Kerry could be up to as he brushed his teeth and hair, then dressed in a long sleeved T-shirt, green cargo khakis, and his hiking boots. The glade was only a brisk fifteen minute walk down the trail so Niall grabbed a hat, water, and his walkie-talkie and set out.
Niall’s part of “the neighborhood” was on a steeper portion of the mountain. The hiking got difficult up Niall’s way so he saw less traffic, even during the longer spring and summer holidays. Most people avoided his section of the park unless they were advanced hikers and climbers and had more time to make the arduous trek up and back. His job didn’t pay well and Niall was always on-call in case of an emergency, but he was on his ownschedule and was his own boss, essentially. For Niall, it was about the view and his neighbors.
It took him half a day to make the trip to the visitor’s center without his ATV but only a select few of the permanent crew and rescue staff were allowed to use them. One of Niall’s favorite baby “hunting” spots, the glade at marker 172 was just a short, downhill hike from his cabin. He saw the tent and the makeshift lab in the picnic shelter as soon as he entered the clearing. There were stacks of clear bins on one of the two tables and an open laptop and a field microscope were set up on the other.
“Hello? Anybody home?” Niall called, his neck craning as he searched.
“In here!” a cheerful voice called back and the tent’s flap was thrown open so a bearded, shirtless, tattooed vision from Niall’s dreams could wave at him. Niall offered a weak wave in return, confused as to how the other man could lookso muchlike the hot lumberjack from the TikToks, but still somehow hotter.
He bent as he stepped out and straightened to an impressive height, but it was his broad, bare shoulders and firm, furry pecs that had Niall hearing violins as time slowed. A dark trail of hair drew Niall’s gaze lower, over tight, bunching abs and the waist of the other man’s khakis.
“You must be Ranger Gilpatrick,” he said, holding out his hand as he hurried to greet Niall. “The girls down at the visitor’s center said to shout at you if I needed help. I’m Dr. Curn, from Georgetown.”
“Hello, Dr. Shirtless.” Niall flinched and gave his head a shake. “I mean, Dr. Bare Chest. Sorry, Dr. No Shirt. Dr. Downtown.” Niall clapped both hands over his mouth, muffling a loud shriek. “I amso sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” he confessed with a pained wince. He grabbed the hot, bearded doctor’s hand and shook it before he changed his mind and ran away. “Just call me Niall.”
“Right… Please call me Chance.” But he was staring at their hands and looked disoriented.
“Are you okay?” Niall asked, giving Chance’s hand a gentle squeeze.
He jumped, laughing as he nodded. “I’m great! Just a little déjà vu,” he said and waved dismissively. He seemed winded, though, and rested his hand on the table. “Have we met?”
“Have you visited Hawksbill Mountain before? I’ve been here for the last six years and I don’t make it back to civilization as often as I should. If you couldn’t already tell,” he added cheekily.
“This is my first visit, I’m ashamed to say,” Chance said, rubbing his beard thoughtfully. “Maybe it was a dream. You’ve got the most beautiful brown eyes and dimples and that smile is dangerous.”
“Me?” Niall laughed, blushing as he looked around to see if someone cooler and hotter was standing behind him. “You don’t have to sweet talk me. I’ll show you where the salamanders like to hide,” he said, causing Chance’s brows to jump.
“I was going to ask if you’d like to get a cup of coffee or…whatever it is a ranger does for fun around here.” He held up his hands. “But that would be even better.”
“I gave up coffee and alcohol when I moved here,” Niall said and gestured for Chance to follow him. “I could bring some herbal tea the next time I stop by but I’ll take you to my secret salamander spot.”
“Just a sec. Let me grab a shirt and a few things.” Chance gestured for Niall to wait and dashed back into his tent.
“You don’t have to on my account,” he replied, checking out Chance’s backside as he ducked to enter. “I didn’t know a biologist could look like that!” he whispered and bit into a knuckle. He checked his breath and swept a hand through his hair before Chance returned wearing a shirt and wavinga notepad. He also had a messenger bag and gave it a pat, gesturing that he was ready.
“Lead the way, Ranger Filthy.”
“Filthy? Me?” Niall pretended to be offended. “I don’t know what they told you down there about me, but I am just a simple servant of the people,” he said but they both laughed as they walked.
“They said you’re an angel but you’re in desperate need of a…man,” Chance added tactfully.
“I bet it was DeeDee who said that.”
Chance shook his head. “They both said it. They’re convinced you’re getting a little too feral and that it’s been too long since you…got laid,” he eventually admitted and mouthed an apology.
“It’s okay.” Niall shrugged. “They mean well and they know how important beards are to me.”
That got another loud laugh out of Chance. “I can also tell when a man’s brain is in the gutter, Niall.”
“You cannot.” He sniffed and tipped his chin back.
