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"A stream? Or a river, perhaps?" My eyes light up with excitement at the prospect of fresh data to observe.
"Probably one of the feeder creeks that dumps into the main river basin." Tucker nods, already adjusting our trajectory to veer toward the promising direction. "Good chance we'll find fresh tracks closer to the water source."
He's off at a brisk pace, and I hurry along in his wake, doing my best to match his long, purposeful strides. The dappled sunlight filtering through the verdant canopy dances in mesmerizing patterns across Tucker's broad back and powerful shoulders as he moves with that same innate grace as the great predators we're tracking.
We crest a small rise, and the scenery spreads out before us in a breathtaking vista. A frothy, swirling creek gushes over a jumble of moss-covered rocks and driftwood, the waters sparkling like liquid diamonds under the sun's slanting rays.
The roar of the rushing current grows steadily louder as we carefully pick our way down the slope toward the waterway's edge. Tucker moves with his usual confident, sure-footed grace, but I can't help wincing at every wobbling misstep over the uneven, treacherous terrain.
"Watch your footing up here, Doc," he calls over the burbling rush without glancing back. "Wouldn't want to take a spill into the drink."
Gritting my teeth, I focus every ounce of concentration on not making a blundering fool of myself. The last thing I need is to reinforce his doubts about my ability to handle myself out here. Still, I can't quite mask the occasional gasp or wobble that escapes.
We navigate the treacherous shoreline in tense silence, carefully skirting around jutting boulders and slippery mudflats. Until we round a sharp bend and the creek splits, the two frothing currents now separated by a slender land bridge of tumbled rocks and driftwood. My stomach drops at the prospect of having to cross the rushing torrent.
"Well, shit," Tucker growls, raking a hand through his hair as he takes in the obstacle.
My eyes track the narrow path of stones, already envisioning the myriad ways I'll likely end up taking an icy dunking if I attempt to traverse it. "Is there, uh... perhaps an alternate route we could—"
"Nah, this is the only way across," he cuts me off, shaking his head as he steps up onto the precarious bridge. The jumble of rocks shifts and settles treacherously under his weight, but Tucker doesn't even break stride. "Just stay close behind me and mind every step. I'll get you over safe."
With that gruff reassurance, he pivots to face me, holding out one hand in a silent offer of assistance. I hesitate only a beat before reaching out to grasp it, trying to ignore the dizzying spark that zings up my arm at the contact.
Tucker's rough grip is warm and sure as he carefully guides me up onto the unsteady path. The twin currents froth and churn on either side of us in a deafening roar, the mist of churning whitewater lashing my skin like icy needles.
"Don't look down," he rumbles, drawing my focus back to him. The hard planes of his face are set in a mask of intense concentration, those blazing eyes locked onto my own. "Just keep your eyes on me and go slow."
I give a jerky nod as we begin to carefully pick our way across the treacherous bridge. Every lurching step is punctuated by the thunderous rush of the creek and the precarious groan of shifting stones. My heart hammers against my ribs with each wobbling footfall.
About halfway across the narrow path, my boot catches on a submerged rock with a jarring thud. I can't quite muffle the sharp cry as my body careens forward, arms wheeling wildly.
But Tucker moves with the same preternatural grace and quickness that allowed him to haul me back from the edge of that ravine earlier. In a blink, his free hand clamps around my bicep, steadying me before I can pitch headlong into the churning torrent.
"Whoa there," he growls, the words vibrating against me as he hauls me to him. My hands splay across his chest as I fight for balance, fingers splayed wide, feeling the rapid staccato of his heart pounding beneath my palms.
Our bodies are flush, every tantalizing curve and hard plane molded together. My lips part on a trembling exhale, eyes locked onto the hard line of his jaw just inches away.
"Tucker..." The breathless whisper slips free of its own accord as my fingers splay wider, nails biting lightly into the bunched fabric of his thermal.
His gaze snaps to mine, those golden-brown depths blazing, and then he's crashing into me like a riptide, his mouth slanting over mine in a searing, hungry kiss.
A whimper of relief escapes as I melt into him. My nails rake over the hard wall of his back in a desperate bid to pull him closer. Tucker growls against my lips, the rumbling vibration sending delirious shockwaves of pleasure ricocheting through me. One palm spans the curve of my spine, searing through the thin flannel as he arches me into the unyielding line of his body.
I drown in the pure, untamed wildness of his kiss, of his scent and taste and touch. It's like being swept up by the raging currents on either side, only to find myself buoyed in the safety and strength of an immovable force of nature itself.
When we finally break apart, chests heaving in ragged gasps, twin looks of shock and exhilaration chase across our flushed features. The roar of the creek rushes back in to fill the ringing silence.
A heavy pause stretches between us, loaded like a tripwire. I watch his jaw clench in a muscle-popping tic, feel his chest expand against mine on a deep inhale.
“We should keep going,” he finally says. “If we want to make camp before nightfall.”
I nod. “Yes, of course, you’re right.”
With a grunt, Tucker releases me and turns to continue across the final stretch of the makeshift bridge. My knees nearly buckle at the sudden loss of his solid weight against me, the world tilting dizzily.
I blink rapidly, struggling to get my riotous thoughts and rampant desire back under control as I move to follow in his wake. But my gaze keeps straying to the rigid set of his shoulders, the flex of those powerful muscles rippling beneath the worn thermal with every purposeful stride.
There's no denying it now. The spark between us has officially been stoked into an inferno, a raging bonfire that could consume us both if we aren't careful.
