this very moment?”
“There are plenty of other living things who call these woods home.”
Her gaze bounces around our direct vicinity. “Shouldn’t they be hibernating?”
I grunt and scrub over my mouth. “That’d be convenient. Bears, maybe. I guarantee we’ll cross paths with wolves and moose.”
“Moose are so cute.”
“And deadly dangerous.”
A single brow arches my way. “Isn’t that a myth?”
“Afraid not. They’re very territorial, and we just so happen to be stomping all over their yard.”
“Will they attack us?”
“Not unless we appear threatening.”
Blakely gestures down her body. “I’m the least likely candidate to look intimidating.”
“Size isn’t everything.”
“That is most definitely not what she said,” she mutters under her breath.
I fold my arms and pin her with a glare. “I heard that.”
She pats my chest. “Oh, trust me. You’ve got nothing to worry about, big guy.”
And with that, my ego doubles. This girl could easily have me wrapped around her pinky with a few whispered words. She’s sinking deeper beneath my usually thick skin with each passing beat.
My richest reward. My greatest weakness. My likely downfall.
I clear my throat, turning to stare at nothing in particular. “Want to scope out the water situation?”
She bounces on the tips of her boots. “I thought you’d never ask.”
I take a liberty she didn’t grant me by reaching for her hand. Blakely doesn’t resist, allowing me to guide her in this new direction. She isn’t weak or incapable, and I’d never treat her as such. But something about being able to offer refuge in this chaotic storm drives me. If I have the option to guard her from harm, or make the load lighter, there won’t be the slightest hesitation. She could always refuse, and I would willingly accept that.
Our feet stamp over fresh powder that dusts the uneven ground. Gnarled roots and ancient boulders make our trek more challenging. A bird tweets to us from overhead, encouraging our progress with an uplifting song. The wind has eased to a gentle gust as the foliage thickens. I brace against the onslaught of low-hanging branches. Blakely stumbles and almost collapses to her knees. A string of curses fly from her mouth.
I support her unsteady legs with a sturdy hold. “Are you okay?”
She nods, a rapid series of bobbles that blur as one. “Yep, just clumsy.”
“It’s rough going. We should slow down. The last thing you need is a broken ankle.”
Her quaking shudder says it all. “That would be awful.”
“Do you want me to carry you?” Having her clinging to me would be well worth the balancing act.
“And all of our stuff? No way. I already feel like baggage while being on my own feet.”
“More like a blessing. One I stole from her previously peaceful existence. You wouldn’t be dealing with any of this if it wasn’t for me.” The churning in my gut is becoming a reflex.
“Not your fault,” she reminds.
I shove the hatchet into the emptier bag. “Come on. It won’t be much longer. I’m sure you’re lighter than a bag of feathers.”
“Are you trying to charm me?”
“Is it working?”
In response, she allows me to scoop her up. “This doesn’t strengthen my macho reputation.”
“But mine is looking pretty great, right?”
Blakely’s gaze latches onto mine, blue slamming into green with the intensity of a turbulent ocean. “Better than ever.”
Being separated from her by only the steam of our exhales is the most gratifying form of temptation. I almost surrender and allow those stormy depths to sweep me away. But kissing her now is a risk I’m not willing to chance. That impulsive instinct is better suited for later, when I can thoroughly enjoy my first taste of her.
I stride off with the most precious cargo in my grip. With each step, the crashing rapids of a racing river get louder. That natural symphony gets my pulse roaring until the combined playlist is deafening. I rein in the urge to erase the remaining distance in a hurry. It would be our luck if we hit the edge of a cliff instead of reaching the shore. Our journey isn’t meant to be easy.
Someone must be looking down on us, though. Directly ahead of us, the nonstop rows of trees come to an end and reveal the most glorious sight. Blakely cranes her neck to the left at my abrupt halt. Her body goes rigid in my arms, but she doesn’t move otherwise.
“You found it.” Her voice is breathy and tinted with awe.
“We did,” I correct. “You’re just as essential to this operation.”
She huffs and begins wiggling in my hold until