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CHAPTER ONE
Dani
There's nothing in the world better than waking up without a roof over my head. I curl up into a sitting position, sleeping bag still tight around me, breath making clouds in front of me, to watch the sun sneak up over the mountains. I breathe in the crisp mountain air as the forest wakes with the sun, birds chirping to greet the day, squirrels rustling around in the underbrush.
Early October in the mountains of Southwestern Virginia is chilly. I shiver, even with the sleeping bag snug around me, but I don't get up and head home where it's nice and warm.
A crack, like a twig breaking, echoes from the quiet forest and I hold perfectly still, hoping to see some wild creature like a deer, maybe even a bobcat or a fox, step out of the woods without realizing I'm here. I want to be so much a part of the natural background that wild animals consider me as one of theirs.
Instead, a man emerges without a sound from the dark shadows cast by the trees, his breath puffing out ahead of him in a white cloud. He's long and lean, his longish hair sticking out in several directions, his cheeks ruddy from exertion or the chill. Exertion, I guess, as I take in his running shoes, athletic pants, and t-shirt.
I hold my breath. Maybe he won't notice me and he'll go back to his workout. He's probably not a serial killer, but I am a woman alone on the side of a mountain and he is a man.
He doesn't jog in place or check his pulse. He breathes deep, hands on his narrow hips and looks around the clearing. His gaze zeroes in on me with an intensity that makes my heart pound.
He strides toward me, his long legs eating up the distance, his scowl becoming clearer the closer he gets. His face is all sharp bones and disapproval, and my nerves thrum.
This is not good.
Needing to be able to run, I leap to my feet. At least, I try to.
My legs get tangled in my sleeping bag and I tip forward. I don't even get my hands out to catch myself before the ground rushes up to meet me face first.
I wince and close my eyes, preparing for the pain. It doesn't come.
Strong hands grip my shoulders so hard it hurts and push me back up to a standing position.
Except the sleeping bag is still tangled around my feet, so I end up on my butt, staring up at the clearly annoyed man.
"You haven't paid for this campsite." His voice is rough, and sort of creaky, like he's more tin man than human. Like maybe he hasn't spoken to anyone in a long time.
"My butt bone is sore, but I think I'll be okay. Thanks for asking." I shove myself out of the sleeping bag and get to my feet, keeping a good amount of space between myself and the hostile stranger.
Yep, my butt is gonna have a nasty bruise.
"You're camping illegally."
"And you're going to make a citizen's arrest?" I pop my hands on my hips, feel the soft fabric of my favorite sweatpants, and remember that they have about fifteen holes in them. At least they aren't stained with chocolate icing like my favorite sweatshirt, which I'm also currently wearing. And I did nothing to my hair after my shower last night, so my curls are almost definitely a wild ass mess. Nothing about my appearance is going to convince this man I'm not a criminal or houseless person. "I don't see any room for handcuffs in those track pants."
I take another step back. The man doesn't follow or try to get in my space.
Somehow, he produces a small notebook from a secret pocket, along with a tiny pen. "I'm not going to handcuff you. I'm going to write you a ticket."
"Under what authority? Misanthropes against sleeping in nature?"
He doesn't pause in his scribbling. "This campsite is owned by the Forest service and this is National Park Land. Camping here without paying the fee is a federal offense."
I stare at him. Who the hell is this guy? "For all you know, Ihavepaid for this site. You're wasting your time."
He looks up at me, his eyes narrowed. "I know, because I checked the box." He points behind himself with his pen. "The box where you are honor bound to pay before you camp."
My blood goes cold and all the snark and bravado drains right out of me. "Do you really need to report me? Can't I just pay the fee? I didn't get up here until like two this morning and I didn't even sleep." I'd been wide awake, staring at the stars. Two months unemployed and I still wake at three AM like I have a job to get to.
That gets his attention. He looks down at me, a frown digging deeper into his face, brows furrowing so hard they practically connect. "You hiked up here at two in the morning?"
"The moon was so bright it was practically daylight, and it's only a mile to hike in here from—"
"Did you miss the signs warning against hiking at night? What if something had happened? Do you know how easy it is to trip over a root and twist an ankle in the dark?"
