10. Toren #2
“Okay. Just stay hunkered down there and send me your coordinates. I’ll check my maps and find a place as close as possible to land, then fly up there as soon as the weather breaks.”
“Will do. Thanks, Walker.”
“Don’t mention it. Try not to do anything to make your injuries worse, yeah? I doubt the beautiful Ms. Decker can carry you to my plane, so you need to keep your ability to hobble, unless you want me calling in the Coast Guard.”
“Let’s leave that as a last resort.” I had no desire to create a fuss.
Walker chuckled. “Absolutely. Okay, I’ll see you soon.”
“Yep.” I ended the call and set the phone down, then propped my head in my free hand.
Frustration gnawed at me. I had to sit here for a full day—or more—thanks to my own stupidity.
We could have searched another couple of hours, at least, before returning to camp.
We might have only lost twelve hours, then could have been back at it, if I hadn’t fallen.
Now, we were done, and I had to rely on Jesse to get a team up here to search.
At least he hadn’t brushed off my concerns about the hunter. It probably helped that I’d found evidence of poachers in the same area. That put a little more urgency into finding Dustin.
The tent flap moved, and I looked up, expecting Lana, even though I knew it was too soon for her to be back. But it was just the wind. She was still out there, in the rain, retrieving a pack I should have been carrying. I never meant to drag her into a nightmare scenario.
Letting out a long breath, I shifted to lean against Lana’s bag. Fatigue pulled at my muscles and my mind now that my adrenaline had left.
I closed my eyes, vowing to rest just for a little bit. I would root around in Lana’s bag for food in a little while and try to get a hot meal ready, so she could eat and warm up when she returned.
But my body had other ideas. I snapped awake at the whir of the zipper, opening the tent flap.
Rubbing my eyes with my good hand, I sat up just as Lana came through the entrance, pushing my pack ahead of her.
She looked beautiful, even if she did look like a drowned rat. Soaked through, her hair was plastered to her head. A tinge of pink colored her cheeks from the cold and exertion.
Breathing hard, she flopped inside and zipped the flap shut. Water sluiced off her jacket as she shoved her hood back.
“You good?” I asked, assessing the rest of her face. A scrape marred her forehead. That hadn’t been there when she left.
“Peachy,” she said, but her voice was weary. “Your bag is heavy, by the way. Did you pack rocks? Were there not enough out here for you?”
Despite everything, I almost chuckled. “Not rocks. Just necessary gear. Sorry about that.”
She yanked off her gloves, then fumbled with the zipper on her coat with red, wrinkled fingers.
“I made some calls while you were gone.”
“Did you get through to anyone?”
“Yes. Both Jesse and Walker, actually.”
“Awesome. What did you find out?” She shrugged out of her coat, scooting toward me take her bag.
I shifted, giving her room. “Multiple things. I reported the poaching, and Jesse’s sending in a team to investigate, as well as continue our search for Dustin, once the weather clears.
I also talked to Walker. We’re looking at probably a full day, maybe more before he’ll get a safe enough window to come get us. ”
Her nose wrinkled as she pulled a sweater out of her bag and drew it on over her head.
“I figured we’d be stuck together at least that long.
Doesn’t make it any easier to have it confirmed.
” She stilled, then sent me a wide-eyed look.
“Not that you’re terrible to be stuck with.
There are worse choices.” She rolled her lips in and closed her eyes, the pink tinge in her cheeks growing darker. “That didn’t come out right, either.”
I chuckled. “It’s fine. I know what you mean.”
She offered me a sheepish smile. “Good. I’m too tired to form coherent thoughts.”
“Same.”
She huffed a breath. “Well, then, let’s get some food in us and just… chill, I guess.” She tipped her head. “I don’t suppose you brought a book or a board game in that Santa sack, did you?”
“Santa sack?” I arched an eyebrow.
“It’s big enough, and I’m sure it has some surprises for me.” One side of her mouth tilted in a smile.
I tipped my head. “True enough. And you’re in luck. No books or board games, but I did bring a deck of cards.”
Her smile spread. “Great. I’ll be dealer, though, yeah?” She pointed to my hand.
I glanced at it. That was probably a wise idea.
“I take it you found more injuries?” she asked.
Looking up, I nodded. “Broken ring finger and broken and dislocated pinky. Blood’s flowing to both digits and I can feel everything, so it’s fine.”
She just lifted an eyebrow. “Well. Okay, then. How about your ribs? Did you get a look at those?”
“I think they’re just bruised. It doesn’t hurt too much to take a deep breath.”
Visible relief crossed her face. “That’s great. I was a bit worried how we were going to get around if you couldn’t even twist.”
“It still hurts, but it’s bearable now. My ankle is the worst.” I turned my leg slightly. Bruising had crept down beyond the bandage and closer to my toes. “I need to fashion a crutch or something before we hike to the plane. Once Walker can get in here, that is.”
Digging through my pack, Lana nodded as she produced two packets of dehydrated food. “I’ll go look for a branch tomorrow. After the rain stops.” She paused and looked at me. “Unless you think you need one now, so you can go out to use the restroom?”
I would crawl before I would let her go back out in this weather. “I’ll figure it out. Hand me the camp stove.” I pointed at my pack.
She waved a hand. “I can heat up our food.”
“I know you can, but you also need to change your socks and hang up your wet things by the fire outside, so they dry.” I gestured to my bag again. “Now hand me all the stuff.”
Her lips thinned as she sent me a look of disapproval, but she didn’t argue. “Fine.” Gathering all that I’d need to make our food, she set the items beside me, then scooted toward the door. “Don’t burn my dinner.”
I couldn’t stop myself. “Or what? You’ll abandon me to my fate?” I asked with a grin.
“No.” She tossed a smile back at me as she opened the tent flap. “I’ll hide the cookies I brought and not give you any.” With that quip, she was through the entrance and zipping it shut again.
I barked out a quick laugh, watching her go. Every minute I was with her, she impressed me a little more. She’d held her own in a wilderness emergency and was risking her own safety to make sure we had all the supplies we needed as well as drag my injured ass back to civilization.
A stirring of something I hadn’t felt in a long time crept through me.
No.
Swiftly, I tamped it down, shoring up my walls.
Impressively tough and beautiful or not, I did not want to lust after Lana Decker. Or any other woman. I’d had the love straight from the pages of a romance novel and lost it. That was a feeling I never wanted to know again.