Page 32 of All Autumn
When I reached the tree, before I could decide how to rescue the woman, she let go and fell into my arms. As soon as I realized she was coming down, I dropped the knife. Thankfully she was small, but I still fell onto my back from her weight, ending up with her sprawled on top of me.
“Are you okay?” When she didn’t answer, I eased out from under her. She’d passed out, but I wasn’t comfortable staying here. Beau was barking not too far away, and if the bear came back, we’d be in trouble. Her wounds needed to be treated, but the first priority was to get her to a safer place. I grabbed my knife, sticking it back into its holster, then picked up the woman.
“What do you want me to do?” Autumn asked as soon as I reached her.
“Take my pack. I’m going to carry her to the other side of the falls.”
We got the woman back to the edge of the trail down the mountain. There was no way I could carry her down without slipping and hurting us both. We’d have to wait for the rescue team to arrive. Autumn and I both always carried first-aid supplies in our backpacks, and we got to work, doing our best to stop the bleeding.
The woman looked to be in her mid- to late twenties. All she wore were shorts and a T-shirt. If she had a pack, she’d dropped it somewhere, but I guessed that she didn’t. Like too many people, especially tourists, she’d come out here alone and unprepared. At least I hoped she’d been alone and there wasn’t another person out there, hurt or worse.
“It’s probably going to be another thirty minutes or so before anyone gets here.” After putting a pad on one of the wounds, I wrapped gauze around it.
Autumn tore off some more for me. “Those wounds are really deep.”
I nodded. “Bear claws are nasty business.” Although the woman had deep gashes in her legs and arms, I couldn’t see any bite marks. Somehow she’d managed to get away from the bear long enough to get in the tree. She was damn lucky we’d come along when we had because she wouldn’t have held on much longer.
Autumn hadn’t taken the first-aid classes that I had, but she didn’t shy away from helping me. “That’s all we can do for her for now.” The wounds were bandaged, and it seemed like she’d stopped bleeding.
“She looks familiar,” Autumn said, then tilted her head. “I hear sirens. I wish Beau would come back.”
“As long as he’s barking, he’s okay.”
“I’d call him, but I’m afraid the bear would follow him here. He’s the hero of the day, though.”
“Amen to that.” The day hadn’t gone as expected. I’d hoped about now that we’d be swimming in the bottom pool. Autumn had a bathing suit on under her shorts and shirt, and I wanted to know if it was a bikini.
“Where am I?” the woman said, her voice weak.
“You’re going to be okay.” Autumn brushed damp hair away from the woman’s face. “Is anyone else with you?”
“No. Alone.”
“What’s your name?” Autumn asked.
“My . . . Taren Blanton.” Then she passed out again.
Autumn glanced up at me with wide eyes. “I knew she looked familiar. Senator Blanton’s sister.”
The senator onPeople Magazine’slatest Sexiest Men Alive list. What the hell was his sister doing traipsing around in the woods by herself?
17
~ Autumn ~
After Adamand the rescue team arrived and got Taren Blanton down the mountain, I called for Beau. Within minutes he came bounding to me. My knees buckled at seeing him safe, and I let out a relieved breath as I hugged him. “My hero.”
He licked my face, making me laugh.
“Crazy dog,” Connor muttered. “You’re supposed to be afraid of bears, Beauregard.”
Connor’s gaze traveled over me, his mouth turning down in a frown. I looked down at myself. We were both covered in blood from our necks to our hiking boots.
“Time for a bath,” he said, grabbing my hand. We half slid, half ran down the trail. At the bottom we tossed off our backpacks before tumbling into the water without stopping. Beau dived in with us, loving whatever this new game was.
I came up sputtering. “Oh God, it’s cold.” I glanced around us. The people who’d been at the bottom of the falls earlier had left, and we were alone.
“Nah, it’s like bathwater,” Connor said, his chattering teeth and blue lips putting a lie to his claim. “Come here. I’ll warm you up.” He pulled me to him.
