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Izzy’s fingers tightened on his waist, her body swaying towards his. The air crackled, electric and alive with possibilities. Rylan’s gaze dropped to her lips, full and inviting. He watched, mesmerized, as the tip of her tongue darted out to wet them.
His hand slid from her cheek to the nape of her neck, fingers tangling in the loose strands of hair that had escaped her bun. Izzy’s eyes fluttered closed, her lashes casting delicate shadows on her cheekbones. Rylan could feel the rapid flutter of her pulse beneath his fingertips, matching the frantic beat of his own heart.
Jesus Christ. What was he doing?
He jerked away, breaking out of her grasp, and put the distance of his desk between them. He snatched up his phone, unsurprised to see the call had been from Ash.
Izzy blinked rapidly, her cheeks flushing a deeper shade of pink as she took a step back. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her gaze darting around the room before settling somewhere over Rylan’s left shoulder.
“I should... I should go,” she said, her voice slightly husky. “You’ll want to call your parents, and I need to get back to the station.”
Rylan nodded, not trusting himself to speak. His heart was still racing, his body humming with the lingering tension of their almost-kiss. He watched as Izzy turned and headed for the door, her usual confident stride slightly unsteady.
At the threshold, she paused and looked back at him. “Rylan, I?—“
“It’s okay,” he cut her off, forcing a smile. “We don’t have to talk about it. Let’s just focus on Rhiannon, alright?”
Something flickered in Izzy’s eyes—disappointment? Relief? He couldn’t tell. She gave a quick nod and disappeared into thehallway, leaving Rylan alone with the echoes of what might have been.
He slumped back against his desk, running a hand through his hair. What the hell had just happened? One minute, he was drowning in grief, and the next...
He’d nearly kissed Deputy Isabella Delgado.
He shook his head, trying to clear the lingering fog of desire. He needed to focus. Rhiannon was alive.
His sister was alive.
With trembling fingers, he called Ash back. “Is it true?” he asked the moment the sheriff picked up.
“Rylan,” Ash’s gruff voice said. “I take it Deputy Delgado beat me to the punch?”
“Yeah,” Rylan managed, his voice thick with emotion. “She told me. Is it... is it really true?”
“It’s true,” Ash confirmed. “Your sister’s alive. They’re extracting her and the others now. From what I hear, she’s in pretty good shape, all things considered.”
“When can I see her?” Rylan asked, his voice rough.
“They’re airlifting the survivors to Redwood Memorial. I’ve already arranged for a chopper to take you there. It’ll be at the helipad in thirty minutes.”
Rylan’s legs felt weak. He sank into his chair. “I’ll head there now. Thanks, Ash. I owe you one.”
Ash grunted. “You don’t owe me a goddamn thing. Just go be with your sister. And Rylan?” His voice gentled uncharacteristically. “I’m glad she’s okay.”
He ended the call and immediately dialed his parents. As it rang, his gaze drifted to the doorway where Izzy had stood moments ago. They had come so close to crossing a line he wasn’t sure he wanted to cross?—
His mother answered on the second ring. “Rylan? What’s wrong?”
His throat suddenly tightened, and he swallowed hard to ease it. Still, his voice came out hoarse. “Ma, they found her.”
“Her—her body?’
“No,” he said quickly. He should’ve realized she’d think that. “They found her alive. Ma, Rhia’s alive.”
A choked sob came through the line, followed by muffled voices as his mother relayed the news to his father. Rylan closed his eyes, letting their joyful cries wash over him.
“Where is she? Is she hurt? When can we see her?” The questions tumbled out rapid-fire, and he answered them as best he could.
“Ash—Sheriff Rawlings—is sending a helicopter to take me to Redwood Memorial. That’s where they’re taking her. I’ll call you as soon as I know more, okay?”
