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Stupid small space.
Water dripped from her silky nightgown, and her heart raced. Everything she owned was in the flooding tent. In the dim morning light peeking through the tent cracks, she spied her suitcase and yanked it off the ground.
Too late.
The sides were already water stained and gritty. She had to get to the restroom to wash the clothes inside, or they’d be ruined. Her glam-shot outfit would be destroyed.
She slapped on her flip-flops and unzipped the tent. Rain pelted her face, and the wind whipped against her while she struggled to zip the flap with one hand, the other holding the suitcase.
Water rushed down the slope in a torrent. The hum of a vehicle sounded in the distance. Headlights shined over the top of the hill. Squinting into the rain, she trudged forward, but her foot slipped off the slick flip-flop, and she fell to the ground, face-forward with athud.
The bag went flying. Muddy, cool water gushed down the front of her nighty, and pain radiated from her ribs to her shoulders. Shit, that was going to leave a mark.
“Are you all right?” Zach called from the top of the slope.
Before she could answer, he’d raced down and squatted beside her. “Are you hurt?”
She pushed off the ground and sucked in a breath. No searing pain, so she mustn’t have broken any bones. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. “I-I’m fine.”
A beam of light blinded her eyes, and she blinked. “What are you doing?”
“Checking your pupils to see if they’re dilated. You might have a concussion.”
Okay, this guy was out of control. “I didn’t even hit my head.”
“Well, I don’t know how many times you fell.” He lowered the flashlight beam to her feet. “Flip-flops? Seriously?”
Through white spots dotting her vision, she focused on his rain parka and boots. Of course, he was prepared. “What are you even doing out here?”
“I check on all the campers when there’s a storm,” he said.
The rain continued to drench her, and the wind picked up, causing her to yell over the noise. “Can you please get out of my way?”
He shook his head. “Where’s your rain gear?”
Hot energy surged through her body as her patience snapped. “I didn’t ask for your help, and I need to get my clothes to the restroom.”
“Well, you aren’t going to make it up there in those shoes.”
Crystal’s body shook harder, her bones chilling. “Leave me alone. I got this.”
She reached for her suitcase and slipped again. This time she did catch herself, but both hands sunk into the mud.
Zach cursed under his breath and scooped her up in his arms. “You are the biggest pain in the ass I’ve ever dealt with.”
She sputtered, “Let me down.”
“Nope. This is now a rescue mission.” Zach took strong, sure steps up the slope, each one bouncing her off his hard chest. The heat from his body warmed her even through his parka as her agitation smoldered.
Lightning flashed, followed by a loud boom of thunder a mere second after.
Startled, she gripped his neck and buried her face in the crook of it under his hood, shielded from the rain. His arms tightened around her, securing her to his body.
Yikes that strike was close, and why did he have to smell so good? She inhaled the scent of pine, musk, and the fresh outdoors.
As soon as they reached the restroom, he plopped her down in front of the door like a UPS delivery and stepped back. His hood shadowed his face. Emotionless, no doubt.
Just a “rescue mission.” Like she wasn’t a real person. No feelings or attachments. Only she’d caught the concern in his voice when he’d checked her condition. Still, she hadn’t asked for his help.
