Page 63 of High Seduction
“Always. But I love it when I’m surprised and there are none.”
Erin cracked a smile. “Did I mention it’s been a few years since I was actively on the ground during a rescue?”
Tim zipped up his coat, then pulled on an oversized harness. “Like falling off a cliff—you’ll remember soon enough. I’ll deal with the medical, you make decisions regarding getting them home safe.”
“Which bag is for me to carry?”
Tim pointed, and Erin hoisted it. “No problem.”
He helped her into a harness and checked straps as he explained how they’d use the chopper as a secure wall to run their ropes down. “That way we don’t have to worry about setting anchors in the snow or ice.”
Erin settled her pack into place. “The chopper’s not going anywhere.”
Tim turned to Matt. “You hear that? The chopper’s not going anywhere, so don’t take off for Hawaii and leave us here or something.”
Matt nodded. “Deal. Stay safe, you guys.”
Tim shot him a thumbs-up before looking Erin straight in the eye, his hands tight on the front of her harness. “You good?”
She nodded. “You?”
“Nauseated, and butterflies the size of hummingbirds are fighting in my belly. About like normal.”
She laughed. “Good luck, and be careful, okay?”
He kissed her quickly before stepping back. “Ditto.”
Ice-cold air rushed in when he opened the door, and he and Erin both cringed a little, but the rush of anticipation couldn’t be denied.
“Oh, hey,” he tossed at Matt. “Once we leave, close this door and then you make sure you keep moving. Best way to burn off the calories we’re going to consume for dinner.”
“Go. I’ll be fine,” Matt insisted.
It changed the situation enormously, having a passenger on board without more of the team around, but they’d just have to deal with it. Matt was being as cooperative as possible, and they really had no choice.
There were a whole lot of unanswered questions, though, that he’d better find out answers for, and fast.
Tim hooked a pulley system over the side struts, attaching one on either side of the door. Ropes were added before he tied Erin in, and then himself.
Final step? Snowshoes. Less fun than skis or snowboards, far more efficient for their needs right now.
Was it only the day before they’d been out playing on the slopes with Matt? Tim shook his head at the unreal sensation.
“Go first, I want to watch your self-belay,” Tim ordered.
Erin nodded, caught hold, then stepped back off the chopper deck. It was only a few feet to the ground, but she did everything right.
“That wasn’t so bad.” Erin lifted a thumbs-up at him.
Tim joined her on the ground, testing his balance and the snowpack. “Looks like we’ve got a nice firm base for walking on. Keep your rope taut, though,” he warned.
Erin’s voice over the radio was firm and confident. “You want me to drop over the cliff first?”
“Nope. I want you on the edge, watching me. If I tell you to bug out, you go. Head back to the chopper and get it ready to leave.”
She glared at him but didn’t argue, which was good. If he found out the plane was about to explode, he wasn’t letting her anywhere near it. If he found any manner of things gone wrong, he’d be ordering her to get her ass out of there as fast as possible.
They waddled their way to the edge, following the hard-packed trail the plane had carved into the frozen surface. Tim stopped them a few feet back to make sure they weren’t walking over a cornice, one of the dangerous snow ridges produced by high winds, but the plane had done a good job of removing everything at the edge down to bare rock.
