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“How long does it take?” Desi asked as they watched it triangulate the location.
“Not long at all.”
Within a few seconds a map popped up on the screen showing the position of Abbi’s phone.
Desi looked at him and raised her brows. “1320 feet? That’s not extremely far. But is it accurate?”
“Usually within in a twenty-foot range.” Lane took hold of her hand, “Come on. Let’s get going.”
Desi was so shocked how the heat from his touch radiated up her wrist that she didn’t realize that they weren’t headed to the store with the rest of the people, but instead were heading towards the cliff that overlooked Kim and Dean’s inn. “Ah. Where are we going?”
“Following the signal. Watch your step,” he said, shining his flashlight at the fallen tree across their path.
She stepped over it carefully as he held her hand. “But shouldn’t we meet up with the others?”
He shook his head. “No. Mom or at least her phone is this way. I’m not wasting time listening to what they have to say.”
“Okay if you say so...”
“I do. What I told Kim back there was true, twenty-four hours is crucial. What I didn’t tell her is the reason why...”
Desi waited for him to finish but he didn’t, when she couldn’t stand it any longer, she tugged on his hand and stopped walking.
Lane whipped his head around to look at her. “What? Did you see something?”
“Has anyone ever told you that you have a bad habit of leaving people hanging?”
“What?!”
Desi shone her flashlight ahead and intended to walk past him. Just as she did, she tossed over her shoulder, “What is the reason twenty-four hours is crucial?”
He stopped her by grabbing hold of her arm. With a pained look on his face, he stared her in the eyes. “When people are missing or disoriented, they tend to walk, which they should never do, especially in the dark. Things... can happen, like falling into a hole or water or falling prey to a wild animal. The first 24 hours is when you’re most likely to be found... alive.”
Desi’s heart went out to him. Not thinking about anything other than her need to comfort him, she threw her arms around his waist and hugged him fiercely.
Once again, Lane’s nose was assaulted with that musky scent on her skin. He felt his jeans tighten in response as he pulled away slightly. He didn’t need this, nor did he want it. He was fighting an internal battle when she looked up and gazed into his eyes. Everything he thought he knew about her had been wrong so far and he knew her hugging him was an innocent gesture— “Ah to hell with it,” he murmured as he claimed her lips with his.
Desi was not expecting that, but she certainly was enjoying it, so much in fact that when he pulled away, her eyes popped open, and her lips were still puckered.
That was a big mistake Lane thought as images of them laying naked on the forest floor flitted through his mind. “Sorry. I...”
“It’s fine.” She waved a dismissive hand. “Since we met, I kinda wondered what it would be like for you to kiss me...”
“And?”
“And now I know!”
“Fair enough. Let’s go find my mother.”
“And my cat!”
He turned and shot a wicked smile at her that had her melting in her pants. “Yes, and your cat.”
––––––––
THEY WALKED ALONG INsilence. Lane was concentrating on the app with every step they took and Desi was thinking only about the feel of his lips on hers. She was wondering if she would ever feel them again when he stuck his arm out in front of her stopping her from taking another step.
“Holy shit!” she cried out in alarm at what was in front of them, or what wasn’t. The beam of Lane’s flashlight showed the path ended within a foot of where they stood... into nothing.
