Wildfire with the Mountain Man (Hot Mountain Nights 2 #17)

Chapter 1

DARA

I walk through the lobby, savoring the silence of the comfortably elegant space. When I'd arrived yesterday, the resort was bustling with people, and I'd been so tired from traveling, I couldn't wait to just get in my room and crash.

After a good night's sleep, though, I was ready to do what I'd been hired to do.

"Good morning, Miss." The young woman behind the reception desk waves at me as I pass. "Here's a bottle of water for you to take. It's going to be a hot one out there today."

Her name tag says Helen, and I smile when I take the water from her, singing her name over and over in my head to help build the memory. It's a trick I've been doing since I was a kid, but now I do it silently. That kind of thing can get awkward around adults, I've learned.

"That's why I wanted to get started early. Take advantage of the morning light and get as many photos as I can before the heat really hits."

"Do you have everything you need? Would you like one of our guides to go with you?" She checks a list and taps a name on the page. "Silas could join you. He's got time available."

I shake my head. Photography works well as a solo kind of thing, at least the way I do it. "I'll be fine, Helen, but thank you. I've found wandering on my own helps me get into the creative mindset much faster."

"All right. Enjoy your day, Miss. And please remember, your meals are comped for the duration of your stay with us. I encourage you to indulge in them. Especially the desserts." She gives me a wink and another wave as I leave the main building and step out into the mountain morning.

The air is cool, and there's none of the oppressive humidity I'm used to in the summer. When I take a deep breath, I catch the scents of pine and mountain heather, carried to me on a light breeze. It's soothing. Refreshing. Relaxing.

All feelings I hope I can convey in the images that I come up with.

I look left, then turn to the right. Everything is beautiful here. I feel like I can't go wrong either way.

So for today, I'll go to the right and see what I can find.