Istart to swing my legs toward the ground, but he stops me and his smile turns into that same crooked smirk that I glimpsed during our hike. Uh oh.
"What were you doing out there?" His gaze holds mine and the smirk doesn't budge. He knows. I can tell that he knows. It’s written all over his stupidly beautiful face.
The question hangs in the air and a hot blush washes over my cheeks. "Just hiking."In a pink evening dress and heels,I don’t add. I bite my lip.
"Yeah?" I feel his gaze sweep over my wrinkled gown as he shifts, leaning closer on the tailgate. "Because I thought I heard…" his eyebrows raise, "Billy Joel."
"Weird." I am not caving to him and his sexy smirk. I will take this to my grave.
"Hmm." The sound is a low vibration that buzzes through me. His eyes are trained on mine. "Well, I'm glad it's not worse. When I heard you scream I didn't know what I'd find."
Okay, that last part sounded genuine. The hint of teasing is gone from his voice. He had been truly worried about a total stranger. I like this guy.
"I'm glad, too. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't been there."
His eyes turn stormy. "Didn't you tell anyone where you were?"
That would've been smart, I realize far too late. "No. I probably should have, huh?"
His gaze is piercing. "Out here it's a good idea to tell someone where you're going and when you’ll be back." He takes a deep breath and gives my bare toes a quick squeeze. His smile is back. "Hiking boots don't hurt, either."
He takes my hand and with a grimace I slide down to the road. "After this, hiking boots will be my next big purchase, I promise." I take a step toward The Hulk. "I feel like I owe you more than a 'thankyou'." I rack my brain for something, anything, to prolong my time with him.
Lightbulb!
"Do you like cookies?"
He shrugs one broad shoulder. "Sure."
"I have something for you. Help me over to my van?"
Fact: I am now capable of walking fully unsupported.
The bleeding has stopped and the pain is under control. I know it, and I suspect that he knows it. Nevertheless, he wraps his arm around my waist and lets me lean into him for the short walk. I take it slow and savor every second of it, enjoying the feel of his strong arm around me and his intoxicating scent.
When we reach the van I dig the last of the gas station cookies out of the brown paper bag and hand it to him with a flourish. "For my hero."
He breaks the cookie into two pieces, and gives half to me with a wink that almost knocks me off my feet. "You might need this more than I do."
We share our cookie, then he double and triple checks that I am okay to drive before his Bronco roars to life and he drives away with a wave. I didn't dare tell him I'm sleeping here.
And I forgot to ask him his name.
I startle awake.What day is it?I realize with a dose of shame that I’ve been napping in the back of The Hulk, probably all day, judging by the cotton candy sunset outside my window.
Not long after the scorpion sting incident, I found a greasy desperation lunch at a gas station a few miles down the road. I drove back to my scenic campsite and gobbled my food like it was my last meal. I must have fallen into a coma fueled by comfort food, painmedication, and my previous all-nighter, because that’s the last thing I remember.
There are a lot of voices outside, so I scramble onto the driver’s seat as the last of a large group of hikers walk past The Hulk. I hurry to open the door and catch them before they're gone. The door squeals open and I shout, “Hey!” to their backs as they walk away. A few women and one of the men turn around.
“Yeah?” A petite woman around my age takes a few steps in my direction, her bright blonde ponytail bobbing with each step. She is dressed in crisp khaki shorts, hiking boots that are caked in red sand and mud, and a white polo shirt with a gold name tag that says “Mercer."
I smile as I slide out of the van, trying to make myself seem non-crazy, smoothing out the wrinkles in my dress like this is what I always wear to camp in the middle of the desert. “Weird question. Do you know a good place to shop around here? For clothes or food or whatever?”
The blonde grins back at me. “Sure. Go that way.” She points behind her with her thumb, “Make a left on Highway 91, and after a few miles you’ll see a Target on your left.”
“Got it. Thanks.” I flash two thumbs up because in my new life I’m a person who does double thumbs up, apparently.
She nods toward The Hulk. “Sweet van.”
