AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“As pretty as this all is, it’s dangerous, too.” His voice was rough, as if he were angry all of a sudden. “Not only could you get lost, but you could slip and fall over the edge of the trail if you don’t watch where you’re going. And it’s not good to get separated from the group. Mountain lions are known to attack single hikers.”
Her heart skipped a beat. She cast a furtive glance toward the underbrush before she realized he was just trying to ruin her enjoyment by telling her stories. She scowled at him. “Lions, tigers, and bears…oh, my!”
Of course he wouldn’t understand, how foolish to imagine that he would. She stalked past, punctuating each step she took with a silent admonishment. How ridiculous. How idiotic. How stupid.
She glared out across the valley as she stomped up the trail. He thought it was pretty? It wasn’t simply pretty, it was wondrous, glorious, magnificent, amazing and every other unexaggerated adjective she couldn’t think of at the moment. Colton Lawe seriously underappreciated what was right before his eyes.
When she reached the rest of the group, Noah rushed forward to throw his arms around her waist. “I’m so glad Colton found you!”
His momentum forced her back a step. “I wasn’t lost.” She looked over his head at the others. “I just got caught up in the scenery. I’m sorry.”
Noah pulled back. “I’m glad you’re okay.” His solemn declaration tightened her throat.
“We all need to be more aware and make sure no one gets separated,” Joel warned, his tone serious, yet gentle. “There are mountain lions up here, and a single hiker is ninety percent more likely to be attacked than a group.”
Kendra’s gaze swung to Colton in time to see the I told you so flash across his face. Suddenly, she wasn’t so starry eyed about her newfound love. As if worrying about Robert weren’t enough, now she had to watch for lions as well?
Her enjoyment deserted her as they resumed the hike. She imaged a huge, vicious mountain lion hiding behind every bush, ready to leap out at her at any moment. If it was so dangerous, why had they come? Finally, she voiced the question to Colton, who now marched behind her.
“Awareness and caution alleviate most of the danger,” he answered. “You, however, were neither aware nor cautious—that’s when people get in trouble.”
Unable to argue that fact, she cast another wary glance into the shadowed foliage alongside the trail. Colton chuckled and Kendra swung around. “What are you laughing at?”
“Aware is one thing, paranoid is another.”
“So?” She began walking again, annoyed by his laughter.
“So, with the amount of noise we’re making right now, it’s highly unlikely any lion would come near us.”
“Unlikely, but not impossible,” she retorted, increasing her speed to close the gap forming between them and the others.
He sighed behind her. “It’s most likely impossible—or unlikely to be possible—or however you want to word it.”
When she would’ve continued to argue, his hands landed on her shoulders and he moved up close. The warmth of him seeped into her back.
“Kendra, be the kid in the candy store again—enjoy the scenery. I’ll be your Scarecrow, Tin Man and Uncowardly Lion all rolled into one.” She heard the grin in his voice when he added, “I won’t let the Wicked Witch get you.”
What about my evil half-brother? she asked silently.
“I promise.” His breath against her ear gave her butterflies, but she believed him.
In the next instant she recognized the danger of accepting his security when he didn’t even trust her. She shook off the distressing thought and offered a reluctant smile over her shoulder. “Cute.”
“I do what I can.”
And Heaven help me.
After a picnic lunch along the shoreline of Black Lake, Kendra watched Colton reach for another brownie that she’d baked while everyone was at church. He’d been in a strange mood since earlier. Mellow, yet every so often when she snuck a glance, he wore a pensive look that made her wonder what was on his mind.
Not long after, Joel asked who wanted to go fishing, and the boys jumped up, along with Britt. Kendra watched Cody take a small container from Joel’s hand and then made a face when he handed a squirming worm to her younger brother. A disgusted shudder rippled across her shoulders. “Thanks, but no.”
Colton declined with a chuckle she suspected was directed at her. He lay stretched out on the picnic blanket in the sun.
She closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the warmth and the sound of water rushing over rocks in the stream that flowed from Black Lake.
A rustling noise brought her immediately up on her elbows, eyes sweeping the area in alarm, sure she’d see a mountain lion ready to pounce.
Her fear eased when she saw it was just Colton. He’d risen to his feet and walked over to some large rocks along the shore. She relaxed but kept her gaze on him.
