My bear surges forward inside my chest, claws scraping bone. I have to grit my teeth to keep him there. With a missing child somewhere on this mountain, there is nothing about this moment that has any business being about me or my disastrous love life. And yet, the sight of this guy standing so close to her is driving me wild.
"What thehellare you doing up here?" She demands, and just like that, I’m reminded that as much as I want her, she’s not mine. In fact, we’re barely able to be civil to each other.
Hours in the cold have done their work. Her hair is escaping its ponytail in damp strands and there's mud caked up to the knees of her boots. Her skin is pale, and her eyes have that glassy unfocused quality of someone who’s running on adrenaline and very little else.
"Grey Ridge PD called me in to help." My voice comes out flat. "Like you should have."
She presses her lips together, but her search partner, eager to remind me of his presence, chimes in. "You can’t be out here wandering around on your own. This is a coordinated search. If you want to help, go down to Taylor."
With no interest in listening to this guy telling me what to do, I shake my head. "No time."
I'm already moving past Lisa, our gazes locked, when the other man gives me a hard look and scoffs.
“Fucking have a go then, hero. You’re going to get yourself hurt out here, and I have no interest in carrying your ass back down the mountain when we need everyone looking for Ivy.” He looks me up and down, eyes narrowing at my short sleeves. “I mean, you’re not even dressed for the weather.”
A low growl rumbles from me, my bear taking his criticism that’s spoken right in front of Lisa as a challenge. “Feel free to leave me to my fate if I get into trouble.”
He scoffs. “Come on Lisa, let’s go back. We can warn Taylor to request that members of the public stay out of the woods unless they’re with an official search team.”
I couldn’t care less what he does. While he’s bitching about me being out here alone, I’ll be finding the girl.
“No,” Lisa says behind me. "I'm not calling it a night. No way."
“For fuck’s sake, she’s not out here! We should be searching the creek again.”
Let them do whatever they want. Actually, the fewer people out here, the better. It’ll make locking onto the little girl’s scent much easier without so many people in the forest.
“Good idea. Go back with yourfriend, and I’ll see you around, Detective.”
I get six paces before her hand closes around my forearm, her fingers wrapping around the bare skin between my pushed-up sleeve and my wristwatch.
“I’m going with you,” she whispers.
I stop but don't turn, looking down at her hand because looking at her face would be a mistake.
“No. No way.” Shaking my head, I dismiss the idea out of hand. I can cover more ground on my own. A child is missing, and that’s the only thing that matters. Every minute I spend standing here is a minute that kid is sitting somewhere cold and frightened, maybe even badly hurt, hoping someone is coming.
Behind us, a deep voice crackles over Sheridan's radio.Rain’s coming. Everyone back to base. Search will resume at first light tomorrow morning.
"You heard the man," I say, low. "Go. You can't stay out here on your own, and I’m not slowing down for you."
She doesn’t like that.
Lifting her chin, she narrows her eyes at me. "I'm not alone. We'll be together, and you’ll need me in case you do find her. Your warm, sparkling personality will terrify her."
We.
“And I won’t slow you down,” she promises.
There's no version of this where I should let her come. The terrain ahead is dangerous in daylight. The forest being this dark when she’s already running on empty is an accident waiting tohappen. She’s so delicate and fragile, and I don’t want her to get hurt.
Sheridan steps forward and puts a hand on her arm. "Lisa. Come back with me. Hopefully she’s hunkered down somewhere for the night, and we can come back in the morning, recharged."
I can’t stop staring at where his skin makes contact with hers. His touch is harmless, I know it's harmless, but it doesn’t stop my bear from wanting to rip off his fingers.
“Fine. If you’re coming, let’s go.”
Lisa’s eyes widen, as surprised as me, that I caved. I curse myself for being so weak and turn to go.
