Page 33 of High Seduction
One moment he would consider ceasing being patient. Just make his demands, and let her discover for herself what he already knew. Then the years they’d been apart would register, and his lingering uncertainty about why she’d left in such a panic would return, and he’d be tossed right back to square one.
Following her agenda, which was unforgettable red-hot sex. Like he should complain.
But...
He shook off his frustration and concentrated on the job waiting for him. Early morning or not, a call-out in January was probably going to involve freezing his ass off at some point in the next couple of hours.
Tim pulled into the parking lot at HQ surprised to see that the chopper wasn’t being prepped. Instead, a small plane waited on the airstrip.
Something different. Something big was going down.
Marcus met the team in the prep room. “Coastal call-out. There’s a tourist excursion gone down in the Pacific Rim Mountains, and the weather is making it impossible to approach the crash site. We’ll use the plane to get you out there, then as soon as there’s a break in the weather you’ll move in. Erin, you’ll have a bird waiting at the base out of Comox. Pack ropes and climbing gear, and extra winter equipment in case.”
“Coastal should mean less snow, right?” Devon asked as he grabbed bags off the shelves and unzipped them in prep for loading.
“Probably,” Marcus slipped back to the radio station. “But you’ll cross over glacier territory, so pack for anything. I’ll work on getting more details.”
The flurry of motion around them moved in waves. Gear being loaded, clothing shoved into packs. Tim pulled aside his prepacked case of supplies from the medical stash, double-checking he had extra of everything. He took the bag along with one from the gear lined up by the hangar door and carried it to the transport.
Erin was already on the plane, chatting with the pilot. She waved briefly, then ignored him. He did the same until the entire team was settled in the transport seats. The engine revved higher as they buckled in.
Dawn hadn’t gotten farther than backlighting the eastern mountains before they were off. Mount Rundle grew smaller as the pilot raced the plane forward into darkness and away from the rising sun, following the TransCanada highway through the Rocky Mountains toward the coast.
A soft touch on his arm pulled him from staring out the window.
Once she’d gotten his attention, Erin leaned back in her seat, her voice over the speakers to his ears. “I need to sleep for a while. Wake me when Marcus has more information.”
Tim nodded. Erin turned off her headset and closed her eyes, her breathing slowing as she settled farther into the seat. He snuck her fingers into his, then looked out the window to avoid meeting the gaze of anyone on the team.
He wasn’t going to let them stop him from doing this much at least. She was going to know that he was there for her.
Only by the time the headphones rumbled, the noise pulled him from the light slumber he’d fallen into as well. It took a moment to become alert, especially as Erin lifted her head from his shoulder. Her warmth had blanketed him during the time they’d rested. The lingering heat was nice, and made him want to keep her close at all times.
Only now they needed to concentrate.
Anders waved from across the seating area. “Time to wake up, everyone. We’ve got fifteen more minutes to the airport. Erin, they have a chopper warming up for you. You can finish getting her ready while we transfer supplies.”
“This is the one that I used last summer?”
“Yes. Fueled, cleared, and ready to roll.”
She gave him a thumbs-up.
“What’s Marcus got for us?” Tripp asked.
“They’ve spotted the crash site, but it’s taking a long time to get the local SAR into position going overland. Winds were too high earlier to access the range, and while the conditions have improved a little, they’re worried about exposure if the rescue is put off much longer.”
“Tricky flying situation?” Erin grinned harder when Anders responded in the affirmative. “Lovely.”
Alisha joined them over the microphone system. “Your idea of a good time needs work, my friend.”
“Right,” Erin drawled. “As if you’re not itching to be tossed from the transport hold into a spinning descent at the end of a rope. You’re as much a freak as I am.”
The women grinned at each other before focusing back on Anders.
Tim took mental notes as they planned their next steps. The plane set down and taxied rapidly toward where the helicopter waited.
Confidence. Camaraderie. Even, yes, a sense of excitement at the rush of the unknown. Tim had always enjoyed his job, and taking chances, but something was different now.
