Page 5 of Trail to Trouble
Hunter gestured for them to follow. Hannah took notice of how their guide’s long, muscular legs seemed to climb the tall rock steps with ease. She, on the other hand, had to use her hands for support as she climbed, pressing her palms to the surface of the next ledge to help hoist herself up. Her friends did the same.
Hannah paused for a moment, watching them all climb ahead of her. Her attention refocused on Hunter’s flexing leg muscles. A shiver of thrill raked through her. The guy was like a machine. It didn’t seem to matter if the next step was six inches high or sixteen inches high; he climbed effortlessly.
Ugh, what am I thinking? Haven’t I been through enough with men already? They’re all the same.After only one thing. Especially the good-looking, well-built ones, but the ones that know they’re all that are the worst.
Refocusing on her footing, Hannah took the next step and caught up with her friends.
“You need to wait a minute,” Alyssa said as she looked over her shoulder at Hannah.
Her friend had stopped and was waiting for Hunter to help her with the last step to the top of the cliff. The step looked to be about two feet in height. Hunter stood on the top ledge, reached down, grasped one of Alyssa’s hands, and effortlessly hoisted her up. Hannah stepped onto the ledge Alyssa had been standing on, and Hunter reached down. She stared at his large hand. Flashbacks of her ex’s harsh hand flooded her and fear shook her extremities. She didn’t want to touch him. Not just him, but any man. Ever.
Reassessing the height of the makeshift step, she determined she didn’t need his help. If he’d just back up, she could place her palms on the top of the ledge where he stood and lift herself up and onto it.
“Those rocks on the edge aren’t the most secure and sometimes break loose when stepped on. Just grab my hand and I’ll hoist you up and over them.”
She eyed him for a moment, debating his offer.
“It’s okay, I won’t let you fall.”
Great, now he thinks I’m just a chicken.That was true in a sense, but she wasn’t afraid of falling. She swallowed hard; she was afraid of him. Not just him, all men. She knew she shouldn’t fear him because she didn’t even know him. But with all that had gone on lately in her life where men were concerned, her general impression of the bunch was not pleasant. In fact, it was downright unpleasant. Yep, she was guilty of grouping all men into the same category. Until one could prove different, that’s how it would be.
She focused on his dark eyes. They softened, as if he knew there was more to her hesitation than a fear of falling.
“Hannah, I just want to help you up, that’s all.” His tone was gentle with a tinge of sympathy.
Her hand perspired and shivered as she reached up. He wrapped his large, warm hand around hers, pulled her to the top of the cliff, and then immediately released her. Her fingers tingled, and her stomach swirled from his touch. For a moment, she wanted to reach out and snatch up his comforting hand. Where did that thought come from? She shook her head as if that would help shake the unwanted thought from her mind. It didn’t help.
It was windy atop the cliff, and the damp, earthy smell from below faded. She closed her eyes and lifted her face toward the sun. The rays warmed her cheeks and relaxed her.
“This is one of my favorite spots on the entire property. You can see so much from here,” Hunter said.
Hannah opened her eyes to find him staring at something across the gorge, his hand shielding his eyes from the sun. The same hand that had left her all gooey inside only moments ago.
He lowered his hand, pulled a set of binoculars from his pack, and lifted them to his eyes, staring through them for a moment before handing them to her.
He pointed in the direction he had glassed. “That’s an eagle’s nest over there. There were a couple of eaglets, but they may have left the nest. I haven’t seen them for a while now.”
Hannah lifted the binoculars to her eyes and pointed them in the same direction Hunter had. “I don’t see it.”
He stepped behind her, reached around her, and pointed. “Try there.”
His warm breath tickled her neck, distracting her.
“Do you see them now?”
“No.”
From behind her, he took the binoculars, crouched slightly to align with her height, and held them to his eyes. While holding them in place, he edged back.
“I’ve got the binos on them. Step over here. I’ll try not to move them.”
Hannah eased over into the crook of his arm and looked through the binoculars to find the nest. The hint of cedar in the air strengthened with his proximity to her. His stimulating, outdoorsy scent suited him—made sense to her. He smelled so good and she inhaled deeper.
“Do you see it now?” he asked.
“Yes.”
She drew in another inhalation before she reached up and took the binoculars from him so she could watch the adult bald eagle. She knew it was a mature eagle because its head and tail feathers were bright white. Whether it was male or female, she didn’t know because both genders looked the same.
