Page 8 of Emergency with the Mountain Man
Looking at him in the fading light, I want to believe it's possible. I want to believe that I can trust my judgment again, that I can open my heart without losing myself in the process.
"Okay," I whisper. "Slow."
"Slow," he agrees, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. "But maybe we could start with dinner tomorrow night? I know a place that serves the best steaks in the province."
Despite everything, I find myself smiling. "Is that your idea of taking it slow?"
"My idea of taking it slow is not carrying you back to my cabin right now and showing you exactly how much I want you."
The heat in his voice sends liquid fire through my veins, and suddenly slow feels like the most difficult thing I've ever attempted. But I need to do it for myself. “Let’s stick with dinner,” I laugh.
four
Jake
Takingitslowisgoing to kill me.
It's been a week since our evening at the waterfall, and I've seen Norma every day. Coffee at Juniper's Diner, lunch at the Silver Lodge, dinner at the steakhouse I promised her. Long walks on forest trails, afternoons helping her organize supplies at the clinic, evenings spent on her front porch talking until the stars come out.
Every moment we spend together makes me want her more. Not just physically—though the attraction between us burns hot enough to melt steel—but I want her in my life, in my future, in every day that's coming.
But slow means keeping my hands to myself when she laughs at something I've said. Slow means not pulling her against me when she shivers in the evening air. Slow means ending each date with a chaste kiss on her doorstep instead of carrying her inside and showing her exactly how much she means to me.
I've never wanted anything as much as I want Norma McKenzie. And I've never been so terrified of screwing something up.
"You're distracted again," my foreman Tom observes as I measure the same log for the third time. "Whatever's got your head in the clouds needs to either get resolved or get ignored until after work hours."
"Sorry. Just thinking."
"About the pretty vet who's got you walking around like a lovesick teenager?"
Tom's been with Kirkwood Timber longer than anyone, and he's made it his business to know everyone's personal life. Usually, I'd tell him to mind his own business. Today, I'm too tired from sleepless nights to muster much irritation.
"Something like that."
"Well, whatever you're doing, keep doing it. Haven't seen you this happy since you moved to Silver Ridge."
Before I can respond, my radio crackles to life. "Jake, we've got a problem at the north site. An injured fox got caught in some old barbed wire. Poor thing's been thrashing around trying to get free and made it worse. Can you get up there with the ATV?"
My blood goes cold. Injured wildlife plus panic equals potential disaster for both the animal and my crew. "On my way. How bad is it?"
"Deep lacerations on her legs and side. She's exhausted from fighting the wire but still snapping if we get too close. We've backed off, but she needs help fast."
"Call Dr. McKenzie," I say, already heading for the ATV. "Tell her to meet me at the north access road with her emergency kit. If she can't get her truck up there, I'll bring her on the four-wheeler."
"Copy that."
The ride to the north site takes fifteen minutes on logging roads that would challenge a mountain goat. I'm pushing the ATV harder than I should, but injured wildlife doesn't wait, and a panicked fox could seriously hurt someone if we don't handle this right.
I reach the access road to find both Norma's truck and Carrie's car already there, emergency lights flashing. Norma is loading gear onto a four-wheeler while Carrie organizes additional supplies, their movements quick and efficient despite the obvious stress of an emergency call.
"How bad?" I ask, jumping off my ATV.
"Sounds like significant tissue damage but nothing life-threatening if we can get her stabilized. I've got tranquilizer and everything I need for field treatment." She looks at my machine, then back at hers. "Your ATV looks more stable than mine. Can you drive while Carrie and I prepare the equipment?"
"Absolutely. Let's go."
We transfer their equipment quickly. Norma climbs on behind me while Carrie takes her own four-wheeler, following close behind with the additional medical supplies. The familiar weight of her body against my back would normally send my pulse racing, but right now all I can think about is getting to that fox before she hurts herself worse.
