Already, I am jealous of the Samoyed dog’s thick fur.A chill rises in the air as the night deepens.When my eyes follow the path and I get a look through the gap in the trees, I see there is no sign of light anywhere.No friendly cottage porch light.No street lights.Nothing.
If I shut my eyes, it sharpens my senses.All the noises of nocturnal animals get louder.A few brave crickets screech as if they’re trying to keep the cold out.
I startle as something rustles in the bushes.I think it’s an owl that hoots.
It’s less creepy with my eyes open.At least I have the starlight then.
Mist hovers above the ground and seeps around the tree trunks, roiling as Muohta wags his tail and creates a breeze.
I’ll try one more time to get him to come to me.I know I’ve only been his dog mom for two days, but where is his loyal doggy nature, for goodness’ sake?
Making kissing noises with my lips, I keep my voice positive.
“Mu-Mu-Muohta!Come on!Come here, boy!”
It’s a disaster.I know dogs bred for snow are usually very naughty, but this one takes it to the next level!
One piercingly loud bark later, and Muohta is running away.He doesn’t even stop at the edge of the trees to check if I’m okay with him ducking out on me like this.That impudent ball of white fluff just disappears into the night.
I can tell from the way the dog is heading for the hills that calling for him to come back will just be a waste of time.And is that the rumble of thunder I hear in the distance?Just my luck to be stuck in a trap in the middle of a downpour.
Time for me to face the facts.
I’m alone in the woods in the no-man’s-land of Landslide; a town so isolated and insignificant that it doesn’t even have proper wi-fi coverage or a cell tower.
Diving my hand into the pocket of my coat, I bring out my phone.My new neighbor Ben told me there’s cell phone reception about thirty percent of the time.Sometimes it comes from Canada, and sometimes it connects with the U.S.tower, but it’s better than nothing.
“Please be connected to something.Please.”
But whoever the gods of cell phones are, they’re not taking calls at the moment.The header on the screen remains resolutely blank.Time for me to start panicking.
“Heeeelp!Can anyone hear me?Heeeeelp!”
I’m screaming so hard I’m out of breath when I finally give up.Tears are knocking on the doors of my eyelids, but I won’t surrender just yet.
And then I see it.
A white tail wagging under the moonlight.Muohta’s come back!
But the dog is not alone.
A primitive fear grips me.For some insane reason, the rush of adrenaline excites me, too.Not in the normal flight-or-fight way—in the “fuck me now, you big stud” way.How is it possible for a man to have a sexy silhouette?
You crazy hound, Muohta!You’ve brought some random stranger over to me and I’m pegged to the ground like that goat in the Jurassic Park movie!
As my body goes into high alert, I begin to absorb every tiny detail about my approaching rescuer, as if he’s some random hottie coming over to chat to me in a busy bar instead of a mysterious loner stalking the forests at midnight.
The man’s expression is difficult to read in the darkness.His face is etched in shadows and moonlight.He’s all rigid lines and grim grayscale monotones.And then the image fades as the moon hides behind a cloud.
His outline is mesmerizing as his long strides bring him closer and closer.He’s tall, with broad shoulders and narrow hips.Or maybe he just looks so muscular because of the bulky jacket he’s wearing.
This is what a wild woodsman would look like.Lengthy black hair, and I think I can see a rough, ungroomed beard, too.
The reed grass seems to fold underneath him as he pushes it aside with heavy boots.Why do I find this man so fascinating?I am not the kind of girl who creams her panties for just anyone, and yet this man commands my body to melt with sexual hunger with every move he makes.
Muohta barks and licks the man’s hand before running to where I am crouched on the ground.
“Thank you, Mu.You really came through for me… I think.”
