Chapter 2
Gavin
Raider stops at the top of a slope and barks again.
Sharp. Certain. His I-found-something bark.
I move up beside him and sweep my flashlight down the slope.
The beam lands on the beautiful face of Sophia Bennett. Just the woman I’ve been searching for.
She is sitting against the dirt wall with one leg pulled close, her hair loose around her shoulders, dirt on her jeans and jacket. When the light hits her eyes she squints and raises a hand.
Relief hits me hard enough to make my chest tighten. I feared the worst when I saw her truck at the trailhead, but she doesn’t look badly injured.
“Need some help, ma’am?” I ask, inwardly cringing at my use of the word ma’am. There’s no sense in pretending I don’t know exactly who she is. I visit her at the farmer’s market every single week. And I’m pretty sure she’s caught me staring at her more than once.
“I twisted my ankle,” she answers.
At the sound of her voice, Raider scrambles down the slope, sliding the last few feet and landing beside her, tail already wagging.
Sophia laughs softly and reaches for his collar. “Hey, buddy,” she murmurs, rubbing his ears. “Sorry, but I don’t have any treats for you tonight.”
I sling the flashlight beam across the trail, checking for loose rock before starting down the slope toward her.
“On a scale of one to ten, how’s the pain?” I ask.
“It only hurts a little,” she says, but her voice is strained.
“No need to act tough, Sophia.” I crouch beside her and set my hand lightly on her shoulder. “Let me see.”
Up close I can see the strain in her expression. Dirt streaks her cheek and her braid has come half undone. Still the prettiest woman in the county. Not that I have spent months noticing that or anything.
The corners of her mouth twitch into a tiny smile. “So, you do know my name.”
My cheeks burn with embarrassment, and I’m grateful that it’s dark out. Ignoring her, I shift the beam of the flashlight to her leg. I lift the hem of her pants to inspect her ankle. It’s swollen over the top of her boot.
“Looks like more than a twist. Can you tell me what happened?”
She sighs. “I slid down the slope trying to get back to the trail. It’s just a sprain, but I think I’ll need help getting back to my truck.”
Raider nudges her hand with his nose. She scratches his head.
“I’ll get you back safely,” I promise her.
She sighs, and the tension seems to leave her face. “Thank you. I’m so glad you and Raider found me so quickly. I was afraid it could be a day or more before anyone even noticed I was missing.”
“Someone saw your truck at the trailhead and called in for a welfare check.” It’s a white lie. I’m the one who saw her truck.
Her eyebrows lift. “Already? It’s only been parked at the trailhead for a few hours.”
Raider shifts closer and rests his chin on her knee. The sight of my dog guarding her like that makes my chest tight.
“Can you stand?” I ask.
She tries to move her leg and winces. “Probably not.”
That settles it.
I switch off the flashlight and hook it back onto my vest. “Okay.”
Her brow furrows. “Okay what?”
I slide one arm behind her back and the other beneath her knees.
“Okay, I’m carrying you out of here.”
Her eyes widen. “You don’t have to do that.”
“It’s my job, ma’am.”
Before she can argue I lift. Sophia gasps as her weight settles against my chest. Her hands catch the front of my uniform, fingers curling into the fabric.
Raider hops up the slope and waits, ears forward.
Sophia looks down at my arms around her. “Officer Holt?”
“Yeah?” I climb the slope carefully, trying not to be distracted by the feel of her warm body pressed against mine.
“You really don’t have to call me ma’am. You’re carrying me in your arms. I think that puts us on a first name basis?”
I nod. “My name’s Gavin.”
She laughs. “I know that.”
“You do?”
“Of course. Mercury Ridge is a small town, and I can’t help but notice the handsome cop who buys eggs from me every weekend.”
She thinks I’m handsome? “And tomatoes.”
She laughs softly. “And sometimes jam.”
“I’m a sucker for strawberry jam,” I admit.
“Gavin,” she says, her voice growing soft. “Thank you for finding me.”
I glance down at her. Sophia Bennett is tucked against my chest like she belongs there. I could get used to this.
“Technically, Raider found you.”
“Raider’s not the one carrying me right now.”
“It’s my job, ma’am.” Shit. Why do I keep saying that?
She studies me for another second. Then she says quietly, “Still. I’m glad it was you.”
Something warm settles low in my chest. Raider gives a low huff as we reach the trailhead. Sophia’s truck sits alone beneath the trees.
I shift her slightly in my arms. “We should probably take you to the hospital to get checked out.”
“The hospital will keep me all night,” she says quickly. “I know how this works.”
“You might need an X-ray.”
“I really think it’s just a sprain, but I promise to go tomorrow if an icepack and Tylenol aren’t getting the job done.”
I consider that. “Your house close?” Another white lie. I know exactly where she lives.
“It’s a ten-minute drive.”
I glance at her old work truck. “It’s going to be impossible to drive that with your busted ankle. I’ll take you home.”