AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Cheeto has his little harness, giving me an excuse to take a stroll. Two days trapped inside has made him more than eager to get out in the grass.
I’m not trying to get lost out here, so I simply take the dirt road further up the mountain and do a little sightseeing. While I walk, a truck passes by with a similar logo printed on the side. Sadly, it’s not Bryson behind the wheel.
I wonder what it’s like being on a rescue team. He has to deal with injured people all the time. Has he ever hurt himself while on the job? Outside of all the aches and pains that come with being active out here, I’m sure there’s a higher risk of taking some serious damage. My heart aches at the thought. Am I going to be the type of wife who has to worry about her husband coming home in one piece after every shift?
I hope not. My heart can’t take that kind of strain. At least he’s helping people. Maybe the good thoughts can outweigh the more worrisome ones.
As Cheeto continues leading me down the path, a mosquito gets me on the back of my neck. Definitely need to invest in a good amount of bug spray if I want to walk around like this.
What kind of wildlife is out here? There’s still a lot of stuff I don’t know about this lifestyle. As future plans circulate through my mind, I make a mental list of questions to ask Bryson. I’ve got a lot of adjusting to do.
Hearing a thudding sound of footsteps in the distance, Cheeto suddenly stops walking, looking around curiously for the source of the sound.
Maybe I’ll get my answer about wildlife sooner than I realize.
Looking around as well, I’m caught off guard by the sight of a woman running through the trees. She’s not dressed for running, and her face is flushed as she moves.
“What the…” Whispering out my confusion, I expect a bear or something to be chasing her. Well, I’m not too far off.
Seconds pass before I spot a man chasing after her. He’s wearing a familiar shirt, one I’ve seen in Bryson’s closet. Another rescuer, maybe? Why in the world is he chasing her?
The woman calls out an apology as she kicks up dirt across the path, only a handful of feet away from us. Before I can even register that the apology is meant for me, a bubbling laugh leaves her lips as she disappears into the trees once more.
The bear of a man hardly even looks my way seconds later as he follows the same path, huffing and puffing as he shortens the distance between them.
In a matter of seconds, they’re gone as quickly as they’ve appeared.
“Well, that was weird.” Looking down at my cat, he’s still looking out toward the trees.
I’m definitely going to have to ask Bryson about that one.
Bryson
“That’s Quinn. He didn’t give you any trouble, did he?” I lean forward, looking over her shoulder as she cooks.
The guy might be my coworker, but I’m not one to shy away from putting someone in their place. If he even looked at Rue the wrong way–.
“He didn’t say anything to me, actually. Honestly, with how fast that woman was, he probably didn’t even notice me gawking at them. The chick seemed like she was having a good time.” Looking back at me, her mouth is dangerously close to mine.
Is it too early to kiss her again? All day at work, I wondered if I moved too quickly. Didn’t want to scare her off, even if she initiated the whole thing last night.
“He’s on babysitting duty. Poor guy is probably being put through hell keeping up with her.” My chest brushes her back when she looks away. “I don’t know all the details, but she’s on the mountain for work purposes. It’s only been a couple of weeks, I think he’s still adjusting.”
“Yeah, I don’t think she was working.” She lets out this cute little snort, finding amusement in their situation. Tilting her head back, she sighs when my arms wrap around her.
I’m starving, but not for the fried rice dish she’s throwing together.
“This okay?” I ask, my breath brushing her throat. What I’d do for another taste of her. Hell, my counter has plenty of space for her to sit down. I don’t need much room to get my fill.
She vibrates with a hum of satisfaction, nodding her head. Today, she’s wearing her own clothing. I’m still wanting to tear the fabric away just as terribly.
I might’ve gotten to know her bottom half pretty well last night, but I still ached to see the rest of her. As tempted as I am to drag my hands lower down her body, I stop when she clears her throat.
“We should definitely have a talk today. About us. Probably after we eat.” She doesn’t stiffen up, but the thought of rejection still crosses my mind. “Last night made me realize some things.”
I don’t know if I should pull away or continue leaning on her. “Good things, I hope?”
The laugh that leaves my lips is dry and hoarse. I should’ve called off work and spent the day with her. If I’d done that, I could’ve asked for her hand before lunchtime. Then I would’ve taken her down the mountain to pick out a ring and we’d be back by dinner.
