Sweet Harmony (Harmony Falls #1) - Elizabeth Kelly Page 0,24

way back to the park entrance by then? There were plenty of bears in Harmony Falls woods, and she didn’t fancy being a snack.

“You idiot,” she muttered again. No one knew she was out here. She lived alone and she told Addie she wouldn’t go hiking. Which meant no one would even think to go looking for her until she didn’t show up for work tomorrow morning.

More unease, tinged with the slightest amount of fear, made the base of her spine itch. She took a deep breath and marched forward, arms swinging at her sides, the small bell on her backpack to let bears know she was around, ringing steadily with every step.

She was fine. She was still on the path and eventually she’d come to the park entrance. All the trails, even the difficult ones, were all big circular trails that led back to the park entrance. As long as she didn’t panic, she’d be fine.

Until it gets dark and you can’t see the trail anymore.

She ignored her inner voice. She would get back to the park before it got dark. She had to. She had a small first-aid kit, water and a few snacks in her backpack, but nothing else. No emergency flares, no bear spray, no matches, no –

Her breath caught in her throat and the hair on the back of her neck stood up. She turned slowly to her left, staring intently into the bushes that lined the path. They rustled again and the air wheezed out of her.

“Oh shit,” she whispered. Wetting her lips, she backed up, stepping carefully and wishing like hell she’d grabbed the goddamn bear spray.

The bushes rustled again, she caught a glimpse of fawn-coloured fur and her eyes widened when the dog wiggled out of the bushes and spied her.

Fuck. She’d rather it be a bear. Not that she didn’t love the big stupid dog, she was probably a little too attached to him, but where he went, his master went, and she really didn’t want –

“Shit! Tank, no! No, boy! Sit!” She realized far too late that the dog had made a beeline for her and, as usual, his enthusiasm was notched up to a thousand. Tank hit her with what felt like the full speed of an out-of-control train. She went ass-over-teakettle, her muscles screaming in protest. Before she could curl up into a protective ball, Tank dropped on top of her like a one-hundred-and-seventy-five-pound medicine ball, driving the last of the oxygen from her lungs.

He licked her face repeatedly, chuffing happily before blowing air from his nose like a horse. Spit and – gross - dog snot covered her face in a fine spray, and she pushed at the heavy dog.

“Off.” Her voice was barely above a croak. “Tank, off…can’t breathe.”

He chuffed again before licking her face from her chin to her forehead. She decided that noise she heard was her ribs cracking. She let her body go limp and accepted her fate. Shuffling off this mortal coil by being crushed under the weight of a giant, happy, dumb dog wasn’t the worse way to go.

“Tank, off.”

His deep voice made her groan inwardly. She closed her eyes as Tank licked her face a final time before he jumped up. His big paw gouged her in the side as he left, and she winced.

“Sorry about that. You okay?”

A shadow covered her face and mentally preparing herself, she opened her eyes and stared up at Gideon.

“Just fine.” Ignoring the way every muscle in her body was throbbing, she sat up. He made no effort to help her stand, but she hadn’t expected him to. He wouldn’t touch her. Of course, he wouldn’t. He never touched her.

He touched you the night of -

Nope. She was noping right the fuck out of that thought, thank you very much.

She struggled to her feet, dusting off her ass and straightening her t-shirt. She could feel dog drool running down her face and she wiped it off, glaring at Tank who sat next to Gideon, panting heavily and giving her his big doggie grin.

“Bad dog,” she scolded. “Very bad dog.”

His ears went down, and he ducked his head before staring at her with soulful dark eyes. She sighed. “You’re not a bad dog. You’re a good boy.”

His big tail thumped against the ground, his grin returning.

“Why are you out here?” Gideon asked.

The irrational hatred that always appeared when he used his ‘big brother’ tone on her, flooded through her instantly and she glared at him.