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“Because of your brother, the deserter.” He couldn’t resist shooting straight to the heart of what they were talking about. It loomed between them like a purple elephant dropped right into the middle of the parking lot alongside the moose loping past.
She jammed her hands into her pockets. “The words sound so stark when you say them out loud, but I understand you’re right. That doesn’t stop me from loving my brother.”
“Then you’ll do whatever it takes to make sure nothing bad happens to your sister or brother, and right now, I’m your best bet for a bodyguard. So let’s go.”
Cupping her waist, Wade dropped her onto her seat. He kissed her once, hard and fast and not daring to linger longer, or they could end up inside again.
He pulled down the faceplate on his helmet and tapped the mic. “Test, test.”
“I’m here.” Her voice caressed his ears, velvet smooth like her hands on his body.
Sleeping with Sunny complicated things. Seriously. He should be honorable and call a halt to all sex between them until this was settled. Except he couldn’t see his way clear to a solution for two such mismatched lifestyles. The end of the road for them waited somewhere up that mountain, and Sunny seemed to realize that as well. Knowing that—even if he couldn’t bring himself to accept it—fueled the need to make love to her, touch her, claim her every chance he got.
And those chances were fast running out unless somehow they could pick their way through a path to each other, a path far more treacherous than anything Mount Redoubt had to offer up.
He revved the engine and lurched forward full speed. He maxed the machine, peeling out of the parking lot.
***
Wind tore at Sunny’s parka as she steered the snow machine open throttle over the ice and snow. The powerful engine roared beneath her, eating its way up the mountain. Carrying her closer to home.
She knew every crest and valley, every stretch of water rolling in the distance, broken up by the ice just starting its melting retreat. Short trees dotted the way ahead, kept from growing any taller by powerful wind surges snapping off the tops. The higher they drove, the less wildlife they saw. And the more she missed the comfort of her dog.
Life was so similar and so radically different all at once.
Wade kept pace alongside her, the path flattening out and widening for at least another five miles, if her memory served. And she knew it did. Even with the sheer drop off to her left, there should be enough width to ride the rest of the way in. She worked with the Everett brothers and their snowplow to keep the route clear for those departing and in case of extreme emergencies.
They’d even prepared for the possibility of the volcanic mountain erupting. But who could ever have foreseen something like this?
With each mile blurring past, Sunny found herself more and more needing the reassurance of Wade’s voice in her ears. Even knowing she should focus on the treacherous landscape, conserve her strength, she couldn’t stop pushing for him to talk. Pushing for a way to strengthen the connection between them. A connection that hadn’t been given a fair chance or time to solidify.
She stole a quick glance at him keeping a steady pace beside her. “How do your stitches feel?”
“Not a problem.”
The helmet mics delivered crisp sound, the nuances of Wade’s clipped tone coming through loud and clear.
“Would you even tell me?”
“There’s nothing to know.”
Right. He would probably keep his mouth shut and her first sign would be blood seeping through his parka.
She surged ahead, guiding him into a turn, snow spitting behind them. “You’re taking this military hero stuff pretty far. Do you spend all your free time helping damsels in distress?”
“What can I say?” his voice rumbled through. “The call to serve is in my genes.”
And somehow she’d managed to bring them right to the purple-elephant subject between them. Family members and military service.
Well, she’d wanted him to talk, and now was as good a time as any to go there. They might not have another chance. “Your father and your mother both served, right? They’ve retired to Arizona with a pack of photos of the grandkids. Seems like a great choice for their golden years.”
Sounded like a great way to celebrate a life together. She envied them that, especially right now, when she couldn’t even envision what tomorrow might look like with her world ready to fall apart at any second.
He hesitated so long she wondered if he was going to ignore her question altogether.
“Wade?” she asked, sneaking a quick glance at him, big and bold against the expansive blue sky.
“Retirement wasn’t a choice actually.” His voice went huskier, downright gravelly with emotion. “My mom took a medical retirement and my father retired to take care of her.”
