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ChapterFour
Arne took a deep breath as he prepared to pull himself and Katie along the fallen tree he’d snagged after tumbling down the creek. A primal yell burst from him as he pulled on the tree’s branches with one hand toward the bank. His other hand was useless where it held onto Katie. He braced his feet against the trunk, making sure the racing water wouldn’t push them off again, and stretched toward the next branch.
His fingers were numb where he’d threaded his arm through the straps of Katie’s backpack and his injured thigh trembled with the exertion. He thought he’d almost lost her, had jumped into the flash flood after her when she’d slipped past his reach. Thank goodness he’d snagged the strap, otherwise they’d both be dead.
He glanced back at her and cringed at how her head flopped lifelessly.
Maybe he’d been too late.
No. He turned back to the tree trunk and practically jumped to the next branch. He needed to get her to shore. Who knows how far they’d gone, but he had spied a cabin in a clearing a ways back. He had to get her out of the frigid water and get her warm.
He refused to lose her again.
He wouldn’t survive if he did.
The branch snapped as he pulled them up. He lurched for the next branch as the water threatened to whisk them under, but the water yanked at Katie with a vengeance. With a roar, he pulled them the rest of the way out.
Laying her gently in the dirt, he eased the backpack off her front and felt for a pulse. He found a faint one, but she wasn’t breathing. Please, I can’t lose her.
He pinched her nose, tilted her head, and breathed into her. Her skin was too pale on her beautiful face. He continued to breathe and watch for her chest to rise on its own, willing her to come back to him.
“Don’t you leave me, Katie.” His voice cracked as he breathed into her again. “I’ve waited too long for you to leave me now.”
Her body jerked, and water spewed from her mouth. He quickly rolled her onto her side as she refused the creek’s grasp for her life. He rubbed her back, his hand trembling as relief rushed through him.
When she finished coughing, she rolled onto her back and stared up at him. Could he ever hope to convince her to give him a second chance? He brushed aside hair stuck to her forehead, then trailed his finger down her cheek. Would she let him spend the rest of his life showing her how much he loved her?
She grasped trembling fingers into his wet shirt and pulled herself up to him, burying her face in his chest. Wrapping his arms tightly around her, his body sagged in relief. When her stifled sobs lifted over the roaring creek, his restraint broke and emotions flooded him—relief, fear, regret, but mostly love. He tucked his face into her dripping hair and let them all spill out.
“I thought I’d lost you again.” His whisper came out hoarse, and he wondered if she heard it over the thundering creek.
She pulled back enough to look into his face. Her eyes darted across his face like she searched for some truth. He willed her to see all he felt for her. She swallowed, touched her cold palm to his cheek, and wiped his tears with her thumb.
“I’m glad you’re back.” Her teeth chattered as she spoke.
It wasn’t the declaration of love he hoped for, but he’d take it as a step forward. At least, she wasn’t shouting at him to leave and never return. He slung on her backpack and scooped her up into his arms.
“Let’s get you warm.” He grunted as he stood, willing his leg not to give out on him. “I saw a cabin upstream as you tried to whitewater raft on your belly.”
“Ha.” She leaned her head on his shoulder, her breath hot against his cool skin. “I just wanted to see if the army trained you as well as they should.”
“Oh, so that’s what that was? Some kind of training op?” He chuckled when she nodded against him. “Did I pass?”
“That’s still to be determined.” She sighed and snuggled closer, her lips brushing his neck as she spoke. “Keep me from dying of hypothermia, and you pass.”
“That won’t be a problem.” His voice turned thick and low as thoughts of holding her close and keeping her warm filled his mind. “I have some real effective ways of warming you up.”
“I bet you do.” Her whispered response was so low he almost missed it. What he didn’t miss was her smile he felt upon his neck or the way she relaxed even more against him.
After years of wanting to hold Katie Titus, he’d finally gotten her in his arms. Sure, it took a flash flood and her almost dying, but, as the old saying goes, beggars can’t be choosers. His leg shot fire up his core as he limped through the forest. He just hoped her acceptance of him didn’t wash away after they were safe. A low roof peeked through the forest ahead, and he pushed through the pain and stretched his legs longer.
“Isn’t this Ole’s place?” The familiar tidy front yard and porch decorated with caribou antlers raced hope through him. The old miner kept to himself, but would help at the first sign of trouble.
Katie lifted her head and peered around. “We floated this far? It has to be a good two miles down the creek.” She gaped up at him, a new sense of wonder in her eyes. “How’d you keep us together? How in the world did you get us out?”
“There was no way I was letting you go. Never again.” He swallowed as he stomped up to the cabin. “I’d rather drown with you than live without you.”
“Arne.” Her hand on his cheek and the tone in her voice stopped him still.
He closed his eyes as his heart picked up its pace. With how much it had been through that day, he wondered if it’d just give up beating all together. Had he said too much? Would his confession scare her away? He swallowed down the fear that threatened to choke him—Alaskans either pushed through fear or died—and peered down at her sweet face he’d missed so much.
She slid her hand to the back of his head, shooting tingles across his neck as it went. As she leaned forward, her tentative kiss upon his lips exploded happiness and longing into his core. Could this really be happening? Was Katie Titus kissing him? He barely controlled his desire to crush her closer to him and kiss her with all the pent-up longing he’d held for so many years. Instead, he followed her lead. He couldn’t risk scaring her away.
She sighed and pressed another lingering kiss to his mouth before leaning her forehead to his. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you, too.” He couldn’t resist taking one last quick taste, then he adjusted his hold on her and stomped up the step to the porch. “Let’s get you warmed up, so I don’t fail.”
She tipped her head back and laughed. The familiar sound had filled his childhood with so much joy. The sound of happiness that had seared into his heart. It was a sound he thought he’d never hear again, and one he’d cherish for the rest of his life if she let him.
