Page 27 of Mountain Defender

I barely suppress a snort. Wake up is a nice way of putting it. More like Gage having to drag me out of sleep. But I don’t say that, instead asking, “What time is it? How long was I asleep?”

Gage glances at his watch. “It’s just after five. So you were asleep for about three hours.”

“Three hours?”

“Yup.” His smile expands. “As soon as you sat down on the couch, you were out like a light. I’m glad you got some much-needed sleep.”

Idofeel much better—my headache has subsided to a dull throb and my lingering nausea and dizziness is almost gone. “I didn’t snore, did I?”

“No, you didn’t.” Gage grins. “It’s funny you asked, actually.”

“Why?”

“Because when Lark stayed here, Knox caught her snoring. And it’s become sort of a running joke between them. He told her she snuffled like a puppy?—”

“Oh, that’s cute. I love puppy snuffles.”

“Of course you would. But Lark was mortified. She thinks it’s funny now, but she still teases Knox about it.”

“Well. I wouldn’t mind if I snuffled like a puppy.” The band around my chest releases. “But I wouldn’t want to snore like a train or a motor or something.”

Gage chuckles. “So dog snoring is okay, but not vehicles. Got it.” A pause, and then, “No one has ever told me I snored. And I had to bunk with a bunch of guys in the Army. So I’m assuming I’m in the clear.”

I tuck my legs up pretzel-style, leaving room for Gage to make himself comfortable. Once he settles back against the cushions, I say, “You met all the guys—your teammates—while you were still in the Army, right?”

“Yeah, I did. But the other guys, they were GBs—Green Berets—and Ronan ended up transferring to Delta. I was a Night Stalker?—”

“So you were the one flying in to extract them.” Gage doesn’t really talk much about his time in the Army, but after he mentioned being a Night Stalker, I did some research online to learn more.

“We did,” he affirms. “But we were all stationed at Fort Campbell together. Well, until Ronan joined Delta. So I saw them quite a bit. Plus we’d do training courses together sometimes.”

“It’s kind of funny that you all ended up in Vermont. And that you came back together to form the Green Mountain Guardians.”

Gage nods. “We all have ties to the New England area. I grew up in Bennington, so when I left the Army, it felt right to come back to Vermont. Knox grew up a couple towns over. Alec’s from Boston, but he spent a lot of time in Vermont. Ronan’s originally from Maine. And Enzo took over his uncle’s outdoor supply store after he passed away. When everything happened with Winter and he decided to form GMG, he thought the property his uncle left him would make the perfect home base for the team.”

“And when Winter was in trouble, Enzo asked you guys to help.”

“Right. I was living up north back then, near Glover. But once we got GMG going, it just made more sense to move closer. Enzo offered to let me live on the property, and Knox was already going to build cabins here, so…” He shrugs. “Here I am.”

I’ve noticed Gage’s avoidance of the topic of why he left the Army, but I haven’t asked. If he wants to tell me, that’s one thing, but I won’t bring it up. Just like if he asked about my scars or what happened to my parents, I would tell him, but I’m definitely not eager to dive into the subject.

“Do you want something to eat?” Gage hops up and looks at me expectantly. “You didn’t have lunch, so you’ve got to be hungry.”

As if my stomach heard him, it wakes up with an indignant rumble. “I suppose I could eat.” I unfurl my legs to get up. “I’ll just check what’s in the kitchen.”

“Let me do it.” He touches my shoulder, gently nudging me back onto the couch.

Just like each time he touches me, my foolish heart flips over and my stomach flutters.

No, not from hunger. From this ridiculous, hopeless longing I can’t seem to suppress no matter how many times I tell myselfjust friends. Just friends. Just friends.

“I’ll make up one of those charcuterie plates,” Gage offers. As he heads into the kitchen he adds teasingly, “I’ll even put some of that stinky cheese on it.”

“Gorgonzola is not stinky. It’s?—”

“Pungent. I know.” Gage glances down at Toby and Elmore, who have abandoned me to follow the hopeful promise of food in the kitchen. “What do you think, guys? Do you like gorgonzola?”

“If you drop it on the floor, I’m sure they’d eat it,” I say with a laugh.

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