Page 4 of Should I Fall
“If you need anything, we’ll be back this afternoon for the return flight,” Darin says, mostly to her. Though the sound of his voice pulls my attention away from the duo on the ground. Fuck, was I staring again?
“Here,” Darin says to her, holding out a sandwich baggie filled with treats. “For Blaze.”
“Thank you!”
It doesn’t matter that the man is happily married with grand kids. That he probably sees the woman as a granddaughter he can dote on—she’s no doubt softened him up on the ride out here. His attention on her bothers me in a way it has no right to. I have this odd urge to toss her over my shoulder and carry her up the hill, away from prying eyes.
I blame the lightning show last night. I was up late, ensuring there were no concerning strikes. There weren’t, but the distant storm didn’t call it quits until damn near sunrise. I swallow down a yawn that reinforces my theory.
“Have fun, kids,” Darin says, flashing me a shit-eating grin that he hides from Miss Sunshine. He seems to know I’ll have my hands full with this one. With one shake of his head, he turns back toward the chopper.
“I’m Stormi, by the way,” Miss Sunshine says, still on the ground with Blaze firmly planted in her lap. “Stormi Winters.”
“Stormi Winters?”
“And before you ask,yes, that is my real name.”
“I didn’t?—”
“I love your dog. He’s the bestest boy, aren’t you Blaze?
His tail wags at helicopter rotor blade speeds, and he looks up at me, his big brown eyes seeming to askcan we keep her, Dad?
Fuck me.
“Where’s everyone else?” I ask as I watch Darin unload a couple of crates onto the pad, realizing I forgot to ask him that question while I had the chance.
“Everyone else who?”
“Everyone else in your tour group?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” She shrugs, giggling again as Blaze licks her cheek. “Maybe they’re coming later?”
“This is the only chopper scheduled for today,” I say, “Other than the one picking you up in a few hours. There should’ve been three others with you.”
“Well, there weren’t.” She flashes me a megawatt smile that nearly makes my dick stand up in attention in a single heartbeat. “I guess you’re stuck with just me, then.”
Chapter Three
Stormi
After the helicopter disappears beyond the cloudy sky, a silence falls over the mountains that I’ve never heard before. It’s refreshing with a touch of eerie. But that probably has something to do with the overcast sky, promising rain. I take a deep breath, squeezing the amethyst in my pocket to amplify the calm I feel.
Thisis exactly what I wanted.
Exactly what Ineeded.
“You two about done?” Dash asks of me and Blaze. The pup has made a home in my lap, and I’m not eager to get up from this slightly uncomfortable spot on the ground even though I feel sprinkles of rain on my nose. I’ve always wanted a dog, but I’ve spent my entire adult life too busy trying to climb the career ladder to justify having my own furry companion.
Maybe that’ll change now.
Since my entire family is likely to disown me after they find out I’ve set that ladder on fire, getting my own dog might be the only way I have a friend.
“Are we in a hurry?” I ask, gently encouraging Blaze off my lap with one of the treats Darin offered me.
“I need to get you back to the tower so I can grab those supplies,” Dash says, nodding toward the landing pad where a few boxes are stacked. “Before the rain starts, or a bear comes along and decides to raid my stash.”
“A bear?” I squeak, pushing to my feet. My heel catches on the rock that was pushing into my ass a moment ago—I didn’t dare move because Blaze was so comfy—and I stumble, struggling for balance.
