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1
RILEY
Nestled amidst towering trees,lush ferns, and warm sunlight, it was easy to forget your problems.
Or at least in my case, avoid them for a few hours.
The brief period between the fading of spring and the imminent arrival of summer held a special place in my heart. Neither too hot nor too cool, the temperatures were perfect for wandering outdoors.
This far into the woods, emerald leaves created a dense canopy overhead that swayed in the wind, causing sunbeams to dance along the twig covered trail like tiny fairies. The gentle forest breeze wrapped around me like a soothing blanket, and for a fleeting moment, I felt a sense of peace. Calm.Safety.
As much as I wanted to lean into the sensation and embrace it, I couldn’t. Because the truth was, I hadn’t felt safe in years.
And I wasn’t sure I ever would again.
The only reason I was even out on this trail was because it was one of the least popular in the area. And less popular meant less risk.
A twig snapped behind me and I jumped, spun around, and searched the woods for any sign of danger. I didn’t see anything, but my gut told me something was there.
Conner had run up ahead and was supposed to wait for me at the trails end, so I knew the sound couldn’t have been him.
I dove sideways into the bushes, burying myself in the undergrowth before crouching behind some blackberry bushes.
It wasn’t like I was being paranoid. I had good reason to be on edge—especially if the last half decade was anything to go by.
The scuffling sound got louder. I crept up the hill to my left and crawled closer to the trail, placing every foot with extra care so I didn’t make any noise.
I hunkered behind the thick branches and held my breath. My heart pounded in my ears, and when no one came, I took a chance and looked down at the ground near my feet. I needed to find a rock or a club I could use as a weapon.
I could have drawn the pistol I always carried in the holster behind my back, but I didn’t want to do that—not yet—not unless I absolutely had to. If whoever it was turned out to be a park ranger, I could get in trouble for carrying a gun without a permit.
Instead, I pried a big, sharp rock out of the dirt and hefted it. I could do some damage with this and hopefully slow the assailant down before I found Conner and ran.
The noises quieted and when no one appeared, I thought perhaps I had imagined it or maybe it was just an animal.
I straightened up to get a better look, but I didn’t put the rock down.
The woods sounded quiet and peaceful now.
I stepped out onto the trail and turned away to continue my hike up the mountain. I should have put the rock down, but I couldn’t command my fingers to unwind from its sharp edges. Instinct told me to keep it with me just in case.
I took two steps when I heard a new sound.
Steady, thumping footsteps broke the silence coming up the hill behind me. I spun around a second time and tightened my grip on the rock as a tall, square-shouldered man hiked around the corner.
His stretched white t-shirt did nothing to conceal the massive wall of muscle tapering from his ripped shoulders to a narrow, washboard stomach. Tree trunk thighs filled out his faded jeans going all the way down his long legs to tan leather hiking boots. But the most captivating thing about him was his thick, icy-blonde hair that contrasted beautifully against his bronzed skin and emerald-green eyes. He was the kind of man you would see once and never forget. The kind of man to haunt your dreams and dominate your fantasies.
And after all these years, he still haunted mine.
Kingston Heller burst into a huge grin when he saw me and his deep, malachite eyes sparkled under a shock of longish hair that hung over his forehead. “Holy shit, Riley. I can’t believe I finally found you.”
I didn’t smile. Didn’t freak out. Didn’t show him how much seeing him like a ghost brought back to life, shocked and unnerved me.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
He crossed his arms over his brawny chest and frowned. “Looking for you.”
“Is this a joke?”
