Rescued by Love(43)

Two hours later, armed with his SAR equipment, and as his mother would say, enough piss and vinegar for four men, he went in search of the girl who knew how to push all his buttons. Jake took the mountain at a fast clip, stepping over fallen trees, around bushes and rocks. Guided by a headlamp and his own keen sense of direction, with every step his protective instincts kicked in harder. He could kick himself for not leaving hours ago.

A quick glance at his compass told him he was heading in the right direction. Riser’s Ridge was a few miles straight ahead. He had tunnel vision, his every thought consumed with Addy, the most sensual, smart, gorgeous, stubborn woman he’d ever met. If anything happened to her, he’d never forgive himself.

The miles passed quickly, and when the tree line thinned, revealing bright stretches of royal-blue sky, he sprinted into the clearing and followed tracks to her campsite. His heart beat faster as he approached the dark tent, taking in the rock-lined fire pit, the clothesline strung between two trees, and the area around her tent, which was free of debris. She’d listened to his advice, or her own good sense. He crouched by the front of the tent, taking a moment to get a grip on his emotions. Chances were, she’d give him hell for showing up, and he guessed that hauling her into the kiss he’d been dying for wasn’t the best response to anger.

“Addy?” he said softly, not wanting to startle her. “It’s Jake. I’m going to unzip your tent.”

He unzipped it slowly and said, “I missed you, baby. I—” His stomach sank at the sight of the empty, almost barren, tent. In three seconds flat he cataloged her missing sleeping bag and gear. All of his search and rescue instincts surged forward.

“Addy?” he hollered, rising to his full height and scanning the area. She was out there alone somewhere spending the night without a tent. Jesus, Addy. He couldn’t decide if she was brave or stupid. Not that a tent was critical, but it provided a modicum of safety from the elements—and predators.

He bent at the waist, assessing the footprints around the site. There were only his and hers, which was a relief. At least the probability of someone absconding with her was off the table. But where the hell was she? Inspecting the ground more closely, he noticed freshly moved dirt just beyond the tent. Leaves were pushed to the side, as if she’d dragged something off to the west. He envisioned her tugging her backpack, cursing under her breath about him and his need to be there for her. His smile faded quickly as reality hit. If she was too tired to carry the pack, then how far could she have gone?

Plowing forward, he kept his light on the ground and his mind on the search, mentally ticking off all the places she’d wanted to see on her journey.



ADDY STARTLED AWAKE, her eyes darting blindly into the night. She clenched her fingers around the sleeping bag, holding it beneath her chin and listening to leaves brushing in the breeze. It was cold without the protection of her tent, and sounds were amplified. She’d had a heck of a time falling asleep. Her mind had traveled to eerie places. Places she hadn’t allowed it to the whole time she’d been on the mountain. But out here on the rocks, exposed to the elements, she’d conjured up all sorts of awful things. Mountain lions surrounding her, hungry wolves on the prowl, confused black bears with a craving for human flesh. Great. Now she was panicking again. She squeezed her eyes closed, pretending to have a tent around her, though she knew how ridiculous it was to think that scrappy little vinyl dome could protect her from any of those things. A loud snap of twigs brought her eyes wide open. She held her breath, listening to the very clear, ominous snapping of twigs.

She was not conjuring this up. Something was out there, and it sounded heavy.

Snap, snap, snap!

She was trembling, her mind racing through her options. Lie still? Pray whatever it was couldn’t climb?

Snap! Snap!

She inched further down into the sleeping bag. Should she get up and try to scare it away? Could a bear see her up on that gigantic rock? What would she do if whatever it was charged up the rocks? There was no place to run.

The snapping sounds stopped.

She exhaled the breath she’d been holding.

Scrape, scrape.

It was at the base of Pirate’s Peak. Addy lay frozen, too scared to move, listening for—

The unmistakable sounds of heavy breathing broke through her fear. She scrambled out of the sleeping bag and ran, hunched over—as if that might make her invisible—to the far edge of the boulder, where she crouched as low as she could and peered over the side. The way down was a straight drop. Holy fuck, she was cornered. Jake was right, she had no business out here alone. She couldn’t fight off a wild animal.

Or a crazy mountain man.

Ohgodno. No, no, no.

Where was her Neanderthal when she needed him? Why did he have to listen to her? He should have known she needed him, just like he knew she needed the journal, the compass, and the goddamn slap on the ass. The next time she saw him, she’d give him a slap all right. Right upside the head for not being more stubborn than her! She’d never been one to pray, but she closed her eyes and begged, pleaded, groveled to whoever would listen. I promise to stop being stubborn, to listen to Jake’s advice, to appreciate all the things he does, and to make a bigger effort with my parents, and—

The sound of flesh slapping on rock brought her eyes open. A gigantic arm curled over the edge of the boulder, and without a single thought, she bolted toward it and slammed her heel on his fingers. “Go away! I have a gun!”

“Fuck!” The arm flew backward and Jake’s head rose into view, his face twisted in pain.

“Fuck! I’m sorry. I’m so sorry!” She stumbled back as he hoisted himself onto the boulder, rose to his feet, and glared at his injured hand. Her panic-driven words flew like bullets. “What are you doing here? You scared the shit out of me. I thought you were a bear. Or a killer.” She hated her anger, hated every word she said, but she was shaking like a leaf and too scared to stop yelling. “Don’t you ever listen? I told you I don’t need you here.”

“Gabby thought you were lost,” he shouted, stalking toward her. “Damn it, Addy. I need that hand to touch you!”

“I’m not lost. What the hell is wrong with you people? Can’t a girl be left alone?” She didn’t want to say the hurtful words, but her mind was spinning with fear, and relief, and confusion so thick she could barely breathe. Tears burned her eyes.

He stepped closer, and she stumbled back, too upset to be touched, stopping inches from the edge of the boulder.

“What the hell, Addy? She couldn’t reach you,” he seethed. “I couldn’t reach you for two days. Two days.”

“So you traipsed up here to drag me home?” God I love you, played in the recesses of her mind, fighting through the panic, through the anger, but it was trapped. Why am I arguing? Her knees were so shaky she crossed her arms around her middle and held on tight, hoping to remain erect and struggling to keep her tears from falling.

“No,” he shouted. “I traipsed up the mountain to make sure the woman I love is okay.”

“I’m not cutting my trip short. I’m fin—wait? What?” She couldn’t have heard him right.

He wrapped his arms around her, inciting a flood of tears.

“You’re scared, maybe a little in shock,” he said firmly, holding her tight. “I’m not here to take you home. We were worried about you, and this is what you do when you love someone: You make sure they’re safe, and you don’t drag them away from the thing that means the most to them. I’m so in love with you, Addy, and you’re too damn stubborn to see that I don’t want to change you, or take away your independence or your search for who you are, or proving yourself, or whatever this is. I want to help you fill all those gaps, even if that means doing it from the other side of the state. But I can’t make it through a single fucking day not knowing if you’re okay.”

He ground his teeth together, but nothing could hide the adoration in his eyes. Tears tumbled down her cheeks. She was unable to think, unable to speak. He pressed one hand to the back of her head, the other to her lower back, and held her, calming the panic inside her.

“Breathe, baby, nice and slow. Let all that fear out and let me in, sexy girl. Let me love you and experience life with you. I don’t want to make all your decisions. I just want to make sure you’re safe. And mine. Definitely mine.” The last two words came with a smile that cracked her heart wide open.

She buried her face in his chest, trying to steal his courage, his strength, his ability to say the three words that seemed to come so easily for him—and carried a lifetime of anxiety for her.

“What took you so long?” slipped out.

He lowered his face beside hers. “What, baby?”

Smiling despite the nervousness whirling inside her, she said, “What took you so long?”

“What took me…?” He pulled back, annoyance simmering beneath his loving gaze. “Jesus you drive me crazy.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“No you’re not. You’re not goddamn sorry, but you’re my Addy, and I wouldn’t want you any other way.” He brushed his lips over hers. “Except maybe naked.”