Chapter Twenty-Two #2
‘I stopped on the trail because I sensed movement, and there were these pika all lined up at the edge of the ridge like they were telling me she was here.’
Her angry resolve crumbled, and she swiped at her watery eyes. ‘Mara must have been terrified. Why didn’t Ast sense her fear? Better yet, why couldn’t I scent her? See where she fell?’
‘Up this high, the wind and the mist from the river below could have interfered with your skills. She also said she shot off the side of the ridge while running. With all the gravel around here, and the traffic from the hikers, it’d be easy to miss.’
She didn’t like my answer and crossed her arms over her chest. ‘What about Ast?’
‘When I found Mara, she was asleep. Poor kid was exhausted. That’s why Ast couldn’t sense her panic.’
Her rigid shoulders gave way as she scanned my torn coveralls.
‘I don’t know what I’d do if I ever lost you.
’ Her voice broke. ‘These past months have been hard, and I’m sorry if I’ve been grumpier than usual.
’ She pulled me into a tight hug with Banjo nestled between us.
‘You are my rock, you know that, right?’
‘Yep. Just like you’re mine,’ I said wincing slightly.
She pulled back and blinked away tears, surveying the cuts on my arms. ‘You’re sure you are okay?’
‘Yes, I’m lucky I only have a few scrapes.’
‘Isn’t that the damn truth.’ Her jaw went hard. ‘Give me a quick explanation of how you ended up all the way in the hell down here.’
After I explained about the glimmer of silver on Banjo’s collar, and my idiotic mistake on the ledge, she grabbed my hands. ‘Don’t you ever scare me like that again.’
‘I promise, no more careening off ledges.’
She grimaced before reaching down to grab the climbing gear she’d brought. ‘Can you do this on your own, or should the guys send the litter back down for you?’ she said with way too much snark.
‘Shut up and help me get back up the ridge.’
As soon as I had the climbing harness on, she put Banjo into the backpack and slid it onto her own shoulders. ‘I’ll take the dog. You need to focus on getting back to the top of the ridge. Take your time. Go slow, like I taught you when we were kids.’
‘Who’s managing who now?’
She let out an irritated chuckle and delivered a half dozen more orders about keeping the rope tight.
With the wind tugging its way through my hair, we began the climb side by side.
While I wouldn’t admit it to Lia, I ran every single thing she’d ever taught me about climbing through my head as we went.
It took a slow but steady twenty minutes before I reached the top of the ridge.
Five members of the SAR team, and a few of Lia’s crew from the station, were waiting. Aiden approached with long strides and clipped me off the line and then went to help Lia. Fire Chief Malbrough’s thick white mustache twitched as he gave me the once-over. ‘You all right, Dr McGuire?’
‘A little scraped up, but other than that I’m fine.’
Darren stood two steps behind him. ‘Dani,’ he heaved out, glancing over his shoulder to where two EMTs had Mara propped up against the base of a tree. ‘I have no words, except thank you for finding my girl.’
‘You’re welcome. She’s a pretty tough kid.’
Aiden pulled Banjo out of the backpack, and as soon as he was on the ground he limped toward Mara.
Darren’s face crumpled. ‘What’s wrong with Banjo?’
‘I think he may have injured his paw. Can I take him to the clinic for an exam? I’ll bring him back to your place as soon as I check him over.’
‘Of course. If you ever need anything, you let me know. I am in your debt.’
‘That’s not necessary. Go and be with your daughter. She needs you.’
That tension in his mouth went slack before he jogged over to her.
Once the crowd dispersed, Bryce was in front of me, yanking me into a tight hug. I let out a low hiss and he stepped back, his eyes blazing. ‘You are hurt. I’m calling over one of the EMTs.’
‘No,’ I argued. ‘They’re just a few cuts. They need to focus on Mara right now.’
He started to protest until Aster nudged him out of the way and wrapped me in her own embrace. This time I was smart enough to bite back the pain, because I did not need the two of them ganging up on me.
‘What were you thinking? You scared the hell out of us, him the most I think,’ she whispered into my ear.
I gave her elbow that triple tap, and she sank into me, reading my worry that Bryce was still watching us.
‘You sure you’re good?’ she said. When I nodded she stepped away to check on Lia.
Bryce approached me hesitantly, scanning my body for any sign of injury.
The panic and raw fear in his gaze shook me.
I stepped closer to reassure him, and he gently pressed his hands to my cheeks.
I couldn’t sense emotion like Aster, but the heaviness in his touch, the threadiness to his breath, had me stroking the tops of his hands.
I’d questioned earlier if he was toying with me, offering up small glimmers into his own life to get me to let down my guard.
But with him holding me now like he never wanted to let go, I understood this wasn’t a game to him.
We stood quietly, locked in our own world, until Aiden approached us. ‘Sorry to interrupt, but I need to get Dani out of that gear.’
Bryce slowly let me go, and I held my hands out to my sides while Aiden loosened the line from my waist. Unhooked the harness and the clips.
Aster stood a few feet away. There was a cock to her head. A thin press of her pink lips as she watched him move. She saw his color. Knew his match. I wondered who it was. If she’d even tell me.
Bryce watched her too like he recognized her far-off gaze.
Crap. That was gonna be another topic of conversation too, I expected.
When I was free of the gear, Aiden walked to Lia. ‘McGuire, let me help.’ Much to my shock and surprise, Lia let him work the ropes off her harness.
Aster smiled at me. Mouthed ‘McGuire’ with a twinkle in her eyes. She wasn’t letting that one go with Lia.
Bryce slid his fingers through mine and pulled me off the path into a set of trees ten steps away. His hands were at my shoulders, in my hair and slowly running down my arms.
‘You’re bleeding.’ He pointed to the top of my right arm, the sharp, torn edges of the coveralls stained a deep crimson.
‘Like I said, I’m fine.’
He shook his head. ‘Aster was talking a mile a minute, and Lia was too far ahead.’ The hard line of his shoulders deflated. ‘I should have been clocking you behind me.’
‘You didn’t do anything wrong. I grew up in these woods. On these trails. For years, Lia has been telling Aster and me not to get too close to the edges of these ridges. Hell, I even told you that when we were hiking a couple of weeks ago.’
He continued to stare at me like if he blinked I might disappear before his eyes.
‘What happened today was my fault. I know better. Please do not blame yourself.’
The grip of his warm hands on my shoulders remained. ‘Watching the three of you today. How you can almost read each other’s thoughts. Play to each other’s strengths. It’s really extraordinary.’
‘Except for when one of us veers from the plan,’ I said, trying to shake this conversation.
His beautiful mouth remained firm. ‘Don’t do that. Don’t make light of what just happened.’
‘Bryce, I. Am. Okay. Let it go now.’
There was a lingering question in his eyes that I did not want to address.
This was not about magic. It was about understanding this terrain.
Each of us confident in our own special skills.
Our connection to each other. But no matter how much I insisted on that truth, I’m not sure he would believe me.
‘They’re sending the four-wheelers this way to take us down. Are you two ready to go?’ There was a tease in Aster’s voice like maybe we wanted to be left here alone.
Bryce slid his hands down my arms, and I couldn’t hold back another wince as my raw skin protested his touch. He leaned in and brushed his mouth over the shell of my ear. ‘You’re coming home with me. Tonight, let me take care of you.’
The insistence in his voice made heat curl in my stomach. ‘I have to take Banjo to the clinic.’
‘After you’re done, then.’ He threaded his fingers through mine. ‘Please, don’t say no.’
I should have drawn a line in the sand. Held my ground. What we’d done in the truck felt like leaning too close to an open flame, but being alone with him in his home? That was walking straight into the fire.
He held my gaze and that cord between us wound tighter.
I was tired of being brave. Putting up a front. Tonight, I wanted to take whatever he offered, no matter the consequences.