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With her body beside his, he felt warm for the first time since he’d entered these woods. But it was more than that... it was a feeling so unfamiliar to him that he wasn’t sure exactly what it was.
However, it felt a lot like contentment.
BETHENNY
Bethenny opened her eyes and it took a moment for the sleep haze to clear away and for her to realize where she was. Her numb butt should’ve been the first clue, though.
She turned to see Lachlan awake, looking at her with a lazy smile. “Morning,” he said with a husky voice.
“Morning,” she responded, her eyes dropping to her hand, which was still on his arm.
They’d slept sitting upright amongst the trees, cocooned in by the large, winding roots of a tree that must’ve been hundreds of years old.
“Did you sleep?” she asked.
“Yeah,” he said, nodding softly. “Surprisingly, I did. I woke up not long ago, and in the daylight—” He paused, looking up at the thick canopy overhead. Only a few rays of sun filtered through, but it was enough to illuminate the ground around them. The stillness of the wind and the woods indicated the storm had passed.
Lachlan sighed softly. “How did you find me? If you hadn’t stayed out here, in the middle of the woods alone...” He shook his head softly again. “You might be crazy, but I’m very grateful. I want you to know that.”
She smiled softly, his words warming her heart. It was a simple thank-you, but she felt the sincerity behind it.
“I might be crazy... You wouldn’t be the first to say that,” she said with a wink. “By some miracle, you left footprints on ground that was just wet enough to hold the tread, but protected enough that they didn’t wash away.” She shook her head softly. “Honestly, it’s a miracle. I think we should thank God for that.” She looked up at him. “Do you believe in God?”
“Yes,” he said, but she sensed there was more he wasn’t saying.
He paused. Something flickered in his eyes, but she couldn’t make out what it was. The corner of his lips turned up and he beamed a smile at her. He had a dimple on his left cheek, a beautiful contrast to his sharp jawline.
“What?” she asked as his eyes shone.
He shook his head softly as he stood unsteadily on his feet.
His attention was turned to the woods. “You do know the way out of here, right?” he asked.
Bethenny nodded, checking her GPS. “We’re going to walk that way until we reach the only accessible road,” she said, pointing, “and then we’ll wait for Mitch’s team to pick us up.” She turned on her radio, then stated their coordinates before saying they’d be ready to be picked up within the hour. “How is that wrist?” she asked, returning her attention to Lachlan. She reached for his arm before she could stop herself.
She paused, not sure if he wanted her to inspect it again.
But he held his wrist out and fumbled with the bandage with one hand.
She took over, unwrapping the bandage. “Hmm, you did a number on it,” she said, looking at the black and purple bruising. It was also twice the size it should’ve been.
“Feels that way,” he said. “It’s okay. Wrap it up, and let’s start walking. If we have to spend another day in these woods, a sprained wrist won’t be my main concern. I’d love a shower and a piping hot cup of coffee.”
She couldn’t help but smile at the excitement in his eyes. “That makes two of us, detective.”
He raised his eyebrows.
“You are a detective, right? Last night, as I was tracing your footsteps, I realized how little I know about you,” she said, immediately sensing how uncomfortable he became.
“Not much to know,” he said vaguely. He took a step forward, as if that would end the conversation.
Unfortunately he was with Bethenny Monroe, and she wasn’t about to run from this conversation. In fact, she felt like it was the least he could do, considering she’d voluntarily spent the night in the woods to find him.
“The fact that you’re practically running from this conversation suggests otherwise,” she said, falling into pace beside him.
He looked to her, his eyebrows arched. “I was born and raised in Nashville. I lived there my entire life until my wife, Eden, was murdered in our bedroom. I never went back to the house, and I never went back to Nashville. I went to Arizona after that, and then transferred here about six months ago.” He looked to her. “Who’s the uncomfortable one now?” he asked with a hint of a smile.
“I’m sorry—for your wife, not because I asked the question,” she said.
