My teeth chattered as the cold seeped in, but I ignored the burning sensations, pressing forward. When I dropped all the way into the water, almost taken under by the rush, I realized there was no chance of getting to her safely.
There was only one other way and I’d likely have a single chance at making it work.
Backing away, I climbed over several logs.
She whimpered, the sound grabbing at whatever soul I had left.
“Please. Don’t leave me.” Her words were barely audible over the rapids crashing against the trees.
“I’m not leaving. But I can’t save you this way. You’re going to need to help me.”
She lifted her head, gasping for air. Exhaustion had already settled in. If she lost her grip, she’d head downstream toward a slight waterfall. On calm days, it was a kayaker’s dream. Not today. With the speed of the water, she’d be crushed by the weight and tossed against the rocks below.
After finding a safe spot, I planted my feet in the muck to anchor my position. “I’m going to throw a rope around you and pull you toward me. Don’t fight me. Okay?” Fucking dear God. If she did fight me, I didn’t want to even think about what would happen. In the early days of the rodeo, I’d wanted to be a calf roper. I’d kept up with the skill until the last few years. I prayed to God it was like riding a bike.
Whether or not she heard me I couldn’t tell. What I did know is that her lips were blue, her breathing shallow.
When my leg started to ache from the injury that had derailed my career, I almost laughed. Was this karma finding a way of getting to me again?
I shelved the bullshit and concentrated on the rope in my fingers, getting used to the feel of the twisted braid all over again while studying the weather conditions.
The rain was picking up in intensity once again, which would further hinder my rescue attempt. All I could think about was this was a one-shot deal. One shot I had to make.
“Try and stay still. Okay? I’ll get you out of here. I promise.”
Maybe she had heard me because she locked eyes with mine. For a few precious seconds I couldn’t waste, there was nothing else in this world but the two of us.
A loud crack of thunder caught my attention while pulling another whimper from her lips.
The flash of lightning was close. Too fucking close. We were out of time.
I rolled the rope over my head, taking a deep breath and holding the air in my lungs while refusing to allow any of the outside distractions to interfere.
In my youth, I could easily get into the zone of silence even with thousands of people cheering in the stands. Doing so was far more important today. I swung in a circle, forcing myself into a zone.
When I released the rope, a silent prayer drifted into my mind, something I’d promised myself I would no longer do.
Just as the rope neared the girl, her arms slipped free of the tree and she started to go under.
Fuck.
There was nothing I could do. I watched in slow motion as the rope fell inch by inch.
And somehow, it made its mark, falling around her shoulders and arms. With a hard snap, I secured the rope, immediately wrapping the end around my arm and pulling.
At this point, she was dead weight, unable to help, soaking wet and possibly unconscious. I refused to allow that to stop me, yanking and pulling, almost falling face first into the water.
Inch by inch, I pulled her closer, fighting with everything I had to keep her face and head from hitting a log or other debris. While I had a first aid kit, getting her to a hospital wasn’t in the cards until the water receded.
The work was exhausting, taking far longer than I’d hoped, but when she was safely in an area where she wouldn’t be swept away, I pitched myself forward. My grip on the wet fallen log blocked the current, allowing me to get a better footing, but it wasn’t going to last for long.
Like clockwork, I was reminded how powerful nature was, the truck that had to be hers dislodging, swept away within seconds.
Fuck. Two more steps and I had her in my arms, cradling her against my body. I reached for a pulse, thanking God when I felt it. She was alive, although her skin was clammy and her lips even bluer than I’d thought. I had to get her into warmth.
The trek back to the shore took a few minutes, but once I was on the pavement, I hoisted her tightly against me, trying to addsome warmth as I made my way to my truck. Several pieces of the road had washed out, crawling a few feet closer to my vehicle. I needed to get the hell out of here.
She was shivering in my arms. I think I had a blanket in the back. As gingerly as possible, I eased her into the passenger seat, finding what I was looking for. Before I moved toward the driver’s seat, I eased the huge pocketbook she’d obviously tried to save onto the floor, placed the seatbelt in position and tucked the blanket around her. I’d jack up the heat for the drive. Just before closing the door, I brushed matted, wet hair from her face.
