Timberman Werebear(24)

Tagan was standing closer to his competitors and called out something sharp to Denison, but she couldn’t understand what he said.

Denison’s lips pulled away from his teeth as he pulled the ax out of his stump and turned his attention toward Matt.

Matt was already bending at the knees, like he was ready to brawl and get disqualified too, right here in front of everyone.

Aw, shit pills. “Denny!” she yelled.

He turned slowly as the announcer asked if the contestants were ready.

Danielle gave him a glare and angled her chin. “I want that goat, Denny.”

He stared at her, and for a moment, she thought he couldn’t understand the words she was saying anymore. Maybe he was too far gone. But when that whistle blew, Denny angled his body and sank the ax deep into the flesh of the log he was balanced on. Brighton spared one look of gratitude to her, then twisted his body with the blow of his ax. Rhythmic chop, chop, chopping filled the entire area, and the onlookers surged forward, crowding around this final event before the relay.

Boarlanders, Gray Backs, and Ashe Crew competitors were causing heavy damage to the logs, but Danielle found it hard to look away from Denny. His arms and torso flexed with each blow he sent shuddering through the log. His eight-pack rippled as he pulled the ax back out and swung in a graceful arch again. Full determination took his face as he set his stormy silver eyes on the task of demolishing the thick log with his ax blade.

The cheers from the crowd were deafening, drowning out the sound of the axes sinking into the splintering wood. Danielle was bumped and pushed forward, but she didn’t care. Denison was beautiful, powerful…lethal. She’d never seen this side of him. It wasn’t the sweet side or the protective side. This was fierce competitiveness and acute focus. The same hands that could pluck the most beautiful notes out of a guitar were gripping an ax and doing serious damage with each swing. His springboard bounced as he found his rhythm.

It was so close, she almost couldn’t watch. She couldn’t tell who was winning. Brighton, Denny, and Kellen looked to be neck and neck with the other crews. Onlookers were starting to chant the names of their favorite crews, and she joined in.

“Ashe Crew, Ashe Crew!”

Great goodness, she was proud of these boys. Skyler was jumping up and down beside her, chanting for Kellen, and Danielle couldn’t stop the excitement that bubbled out of her throat as the boys got closer and closer to chopping through the wood. She chanted louder with the crowd and squeezed Skyler’s hand as they jumped together.

Denison gave one last powerful swing and his log buckled, then the top half caved. Kellen’s went a split second later, followed by Matt’s, then Brighton’s. The onlookers were going wild around them, and she and Skyler faced each other and screamed elatedly.

They’d done it. They’d qualified for the relay.

The announcer called it, and Denison jumped from his springboard like he couldn’t get away from Matt fast enough. As he weaved through the crowd, Danielle bolted for him. He crushed her to his chest as soon as he reached her and buried his face against her neck.

“I need a minute. I need a minute,” he said low, over and over again.

Aw, crap. Danielle gave Skyler a helpless look and guided him through the crowd. Where were his sunglasses? She couldn’t remember where he’d put them. Maybe they were still in the cup holder on top of the cooler near the lake.

The onlookers clapped Denison on the back as they passed, and his body vibrated with the reverberating congratulatory hits.

“It’s okay, I’m here,” she murmured.

As soon as they were free of the masses, she turned and pulled him toward the tents. An alleyway would be ideal, but just as she found one without anyone in it, she spied something even better. A dressing tent for the contestants had been erected. She dashed inside, but only one man remained in there, shirt off and texting on his phone from a bench against the white canvas wall.

“Out,” she ordered.

The man looked up, then his eyes darted to Denison behind her, who was shifting his weight from side to side, looking down.

“Is he hurt?” Texty Fingers asked.

“He’ll be fine.” She jerked her chin toward the door. Hint, hint.

The man grabbed a gym back and rushed out the opening. Danielle tied the three cords that sealed the tent flaps closed and turned just in time to catch Denison’s hug. He lifted her off her feet and squeezed until she struggled to draw breath. She was finding it really hard to complain right now, though, because Denison was emitting a low rumble that lifted the hairs on the back of her neck.

“Shhh.” Draping her arms around his neck, she squeezed him and laid kisses across his forehead.