Chapter 13 #2
Before tightening her hold, she glanced down.
A black gun rested against his right thigh, locked into a weather-scarred holster.
She recognized the weapon instantly. Half the people in Knife’s Edge carried the same one.
Bear country demanded respect, and there were other, quieter threats that lived beyond the tree line.
It made sense.
Ace’s hand closed over hers briefly where they circled his waist. A quick squeeze. Reassuring. Dangerous to her equilibrium. “Hold on, Doc.”
“As if I had a choice.”
The engine growled to life beneath them, vibrating through May’s legs and into her core. Ace guided the Polaris forward, the tires biting into the dirt as they left the clinic behind. Wind rushed past them, carrying the metallic scent of rain and the distant promise of lightning.
He felt warm and solid in front of her. Comforting somehow.
They cut along the edge of town and onto Whisper Creek Trail.
The landscape shifted quickly as the buildings gave way to dense spruce and birch.
The sky above had darkened into layered gray, clouds rolling low over the jagged peaks.
Thunder rumbled again, closer now, a deep warning that echoed through the valley.
May tightened her arms around Ace as the ATV picked up speed.
The motion pressed her closer against him, her chest flush to his back.
Every subtle shift of his body translated into hers.
He leaned into a turn, and the flex of muscle against her warmed places inside her that needed to stay calm and in control.
The trail narrowed, winding through thick forest. Leaves trembled in the rising wind. Branches swayed overhead. The first cold drops of rain struck her jacket, then multiplied, tapping faster against her helmet.
Ace accelerated.
The machine responded instantly, powerful and smooth. Gravel spat behind them. Mud slicked beneath the tires. May’s pulse kicked harder, not entirely from the storm. The heat of him, the strength of him, the way her body fit against his, all curled low and tight inside her.
Lightning split the sky ahead, bright enough to turn the world white for a single breath.
Ace didn’t slow.
Another flash split the sky. White light exploded through the forest, blinding for half a second. Crap. The storm lived right above them. May panicked and plastered herself to him.
Ace reacted instantly. His shoulders tensed beneath her hands.
“Hold on.” The words were barely out before another crack followed, this one violent and immediate.
A lightning strike slammed into a tree somewhere ahead and to the right.
The impact detonated like a gunshot, wood splintering with a sickening, explosive snap.
Shards of bark and debris burst outward.
Ace jerked the handlebars.
The ATV fishtailed, back end kicking sideways as mud slicked beneath the tires. May’s breath tore from her lungs. Her helmet slammed lightly against Ace’s back as the Polaris skidded, then caught, then lurched again.
Another strike arced down. This one hit closer. The air itself seemed to shatter.
Ace fought the machine as the trail dissolved ahead. The ATV bucked hard, rear wheels spinning before biting unevenly. A jagged branch crashed down across the path, still trembling from the blast.
He didn’t hesitate and slammed the brakes. The Polaris screeched and slid, its momentum carrying them forward just enough to make May’s stomach drop. Before she could process the stop, Ace killed the engine in one brutal twist.
Silence fell.
Not true silence. The storm roared around them. Rain hammered the leaves and thunder growled overhead. But the engine’s absence made everything feel raw and exposed.
Ace twisted toward her and ripped off his helmet, his eyes wild. “Off. Now.”
May barely had time to react. She needed to see better, so she yanked off her helmet. Ace swung off the ATV in one fluid motion and reached for her. His hands closed around her waist, strong and urgent, lifting her clean off the seat. Her boots hit mud, sliding instantly.
Lightning flashed again. Too bright. Too close.
Ace lifted her up against his chest, cradling her, moving fast off the trail just as another bolt ripped from the sky.
The strike hit somewhere behind them. The crack was deafening.
The concussion punched through May, stealing her breath.
She curled into him as his grip strengthened while he hauled her forward through brush and wet grass.
Then the world went white.
Lightning forked overhead, branching violently across the clouds.
Ace didn’t slow. He pivoted and took them both down hard.
Mud and wet grass exploded beneath them as Ace twisted mid-fall, turning his body to shield hers.
Her breath burst from her lungs as they slid down a shallow ditch carved alongside the trail.
That’s right. They were supposed to hit a ditch and not be near a tall tree.
Another strike slammed into the earth nearby.
The sound was no longer thunder. It was impact. Brutal. Cracking. Alive.
Ace rolled with her, pulling her tight against his body. His arm locked around her back, the other braced as they skidded to a stop at the bottom of the ditch. Rain poured over them instantly, cold water soaking through her coat.
She couldn’t breathe. Lightning flashed again, so bright it burned through her closed eyelids.
Ace covered her head to toe, his chest to hers. His body pressed fully over hers, heavy and protective. One hand cradled the back of her head, forcing it down against the muddy earth. The other locked around her waist, holding her immobile beneath him.
“Stay down,” he growled.
Lightning cracked again.
The air snapped, buzzing violently, the scent of ozone burning and metallic. The ground trembled beneath them. Rainwater pooled around May’s gloves, icy seepage crawling into her sleeves.
She clung to Ace without thinking. Her fingers fisted in his jacket and she fought the urge to scream. This was okay. He knew what he was doing. His chest rose and fell against hers, his breath hard but controlled. Every muscle in his body felt coiled and ready.
Lightning struck again. Closer. Even under him, she flinched and whimpered.
Ace stayed right over her, his weight anchoring and shielding her from danger. His head remained low, jaw clenched, gaze scanning the storm-ripped world beyond her shoulder. Rain streamed from his hair, tracing down his neck.
Thunder detonated overhead. Not rolling but exploding.
Her pulse roared in her ears. Fear surged hot through her bloodstream. Beneath it, another sensation unfurled, equally intense and far more dangerous.
The feeling of Ace’s body against hers. The heat of him despite the cold rain.
The hard line of his torso pressed flush to her breasts was just as strong as the firm length of his thigh wedged between hers, grounding her against the slick earth.
What was wrong with her? They were two seconds from being electrocuted, and she was getting aroused beneath him.
The whole man versus nature battle warmed her up on a biological level. Yeah. That had to be it.
Lightning flashed again, illuminating his face inches from hers. Mud streaked along his jaw and rain clung to his lashes. His light green eyes burned with focus, fierce and protective. “May,” he said, voice low but steady. “You with me?”
She swallowed, breath shaking. “Yeah.”
Another bolt ripped across the sky.
He shifted slightly, adjusting his position without lifting away from her. His hand slid from her hair to her cheek, his rough fingers warm against her rain-chilled skin. “You’re okay.”
The sure tone and calming words cut through the chaos rioting inside her. She nodded, though she wasn’t entirely convinced. The storm raged above them, lightning tearing across the clouds in violent, blinding bursts.
Ace stayed over her. Shielding her. His much larger body formed a barrier between her and the sky, his broad shoulders hunched against the rain. Water streamed down his back, soaking through denim and leather. His breath brushed faintly across her lips, warm despite the cold air.
Her pulse stumbled. Not from fear. From him. From the impossible intimacy of the moment. From the way he held her like something precious, something that mattered. “You okay?” she whispered.
“Yes.” Rain hammered down harder, drumming against them as if they’d pissed off the gods above. Thunder rolled continuously now in overlapping cracks that shook the air. The ditch filled slowly with runoff, and cold water crept along May’s side.
Ace finally lifted his head. Lightning flickered farther away this time.
He shifted his weight, bracing one hand beside her shoulder.
He didn’t rise fully, just enough to look down at her.
Rain tracked along the sharp planes of his face, but his expression was hard, focused, and protective. “You good?”
May panted out a breath. “Yeah.” In that second, she became even more aware of the weight and heat of him. Of the steady thud of his heart against her. Her arms were still trapped between them, her fingers gripping his torso as if letting go might send her sliding back into danger.
His gaze dropped to her mouth, and something dark and hot shifted in his eyes.
Then another crack of thunder split the sky, shattering the fragile, dangerous stillness.
He pushed up. “The trail is washed out ahead of us. We need to call in and return to town.” He held a hand for her, and she took it, letting him pull her up.
She blinked, staggering. Had he just saved her life?