Page 1 of Smoldering Mountain Man

CHAPTER ONE

Marcella

The dayI decided to walk through the trails of Appleridge Mountain and pick wildflowers, I must’ve been losing my shit.

Not only was I not a hiker or outdoorsy type, I could barely read a map or follow a trail. I wasn’t a good planner either, so choosing to talk my walk after dinner when the sun was quickly descending in the sky might not have been the brightest idea I’ve had.

As the sky got darker, I became more lost.

I lifted my cell phone, hoping for just one bar of service, but nothing.

No connection found.

Shit!

Don’t panic. Don’t panic.

Damn it. If only Brielle wasn’t busy tonight, I would’ve dragged her out with me, or she would’ve done what she does best- convince me to ignore my crazy ideas. Tell me to pick wildflowers in my backyard or some shit.

I stopped mid step and looked around.Okay, Mar, get your shit together. Try to figure this out.

I turned around and retraced my steps for a few minutes, but all my surroundings looked the same. I tapped my phone again, walked around with it up in the air, and still nothing.

I was fucked.

A branch rustled behind me and something howled. An icicle ran down my spine and my head spun every which way as I tried but failed to locate the source of the sounds.

A hot flash of panic whipped through me. I dropped the flowers I’d picked and sprinted forward, not caring in which direction I ran. Not caring if I was on the trail or not. I wanted out.

Tears flew down my cheeks as the woods grew denser. Suddenly, my foot caught on something and down I went, crashing into the hard ground beneath me. I let out a loud yelp as my ankle bent at an odd angle and a sharp pain shot up my leg.

“Oh no!” I cried. I couldn’t move my foot. My legs and hands were scratched from the rough ground beneath me, and it felt like bugs were crawling all over me. My phone was no longer in my hand and when I looked around me, it was nowhere to be found.

I cried out both in agony and despair, afraid I wouldn’t make it out of these woods alive. No one was going to find me, I couldn’t move, and I had no phone. I was going to die here. Alone.

I screamed and screamed until my voice went hoarse. It was no use. No one would hear me out here.

There was hardly any daylight left, and I could barely see anything around me. Panic overtook me and my body shook as tears fell from my eyes.

I was stupid. So stupid.

I closed my eyes and breathed in deep, hoping to ease the panic. A plan. I needed a plan.

“Is anyone there?” A loud booming voice echoed through the trees and my eyes shot open.

I must be delusional. There’s no way I just heard a voice.

“Hello? Does someone need help?”

I shook with the thought of help arriving. Was I dreaming? Losing it because my ankle was throbbing and doubled in size?

“I’m a trail guide. I can help you.” The voice said as the light grew closer.

“I’m here! Please! Help me!” I called out, my voice raspy.

Within seconds, a tall, beefy man stepped out from the shadowy bushes, a bright light shining from his forehead.

I’d never seen a guy so damn tall, his head bumped the branches above him. His shoulders were broad and muscular and suddenly, all I wanted was for him to scoop me into his arms and carry me off into the night.

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