Page 40 of Hunted By Them

It was just me, the car, and a knot of longing that made no sense at all. At this point, I just needed to stop trying to analyze what I felt. It would never make sense.

I didn’t get out right away. My fingers drummed against the steering wheel as I contemplated what to do. This morning was eye-opening, but it hadn’t provided any solutions. I hated my job. I had enough money saved to pay rent for at least six months, but I was tired of working for someone else. That was obvious.

Could I start my own business? Did I have it in me?

There were several large boulders surrounding the gate so that people couldn’t drive down the main trail with a truck. Only the rangers could access the trails from the unauthorized areas. My eyes stared at the line where the gravel ended, and the forest began. This was where my life had fractured.

Eventually, I opened my door and got out with what was left of my coffee. I pushed myself up on the hood of the car and crossed my legs. I soaked in the sounds of the forest and smiled as a particularly loud squirrel ran across a branch and chattered at a chipmunk. The metal was warm beneath me, and the air was fresh with the scent of pine. I took a deep breath and let nature remind me what was important.

The forest didn’t move, but I swore it breathed with me. Long inhales through the branches, slow exhales across the clearing.

I couldn’t look away. It had captured me as surely as my masked men.

The pull to this place and the men who had found me in the storm was intense. Stronger than I ever could’ve imagined. It hadn’t just been a fun and wild week of sex. They had unlocked a part of me that I hadn’t known existed.

Hikers came and went, but I remained vigilant at my post, eyes glued to the opening of the trail. It was as if I hoped they would just appear and call to me. Tell me to join them in the storm and the fog, and become part of the lore as I ran wild.

I might’ve sat there forever if not for the low rumble of an engine drawing my attention. An ATV bumped down the dirt trail to the side of the lot, throwing up a cloud of dust. The rider wore the khaki and green of park services, and when he noticed me, he headed over.

He took off his helmet and smiled as he slowed and pulled in beside me. I recognized him instantly. It was the same ranger who’d knocked on my car window the morning they found me. He was broader than I remembered. The kind of shoulders that made his shirt strain. Sunlight cut through the tops of the trees and lit his hair like burnished copper. And his eyes were startlingly blue. Hard, but kind all at once.

He cut the engine and swung a leg off. His grin was easy as he looked at me. “Sage Harlow, right?”

My stomach flipped, and I nodded, lips dry. “That’s me.”

He placed the helmet on the seat and then leaned against the ATV.

“You okay? I didn’t expect to see you back here this soon, if ever, after what happened to you.”

I forced a smile. “Yeah. Just…couldn’t stay away, I guess.”

He held out his hand. “Name’s Ward.”

I placed my palm in his and stared into his eyes. Needing to look away, I glanced down at our joined hands and was suddenly tongue-tied about what to say.

“I’m Sage.”

He chuckled. “Yes, I know.”

I blushed, the heat creeping across my cheeks. “Yes…of course you do. Sorry, I’m…just not with it apparently.”

Releasing his hand, I looked back at the trees, but could still see his furrowed brow. “Are you heading back in? No offense, but you don’t really look ready for a hike.”

“No.” My laugh was shaky. “I’m not even sure why I drove out here. I just…” I gestured helplessly around us. “I can’t get it out of my blood.”

That made him laugh. A warm, rich sound that eased something in me. “Yeah. I get that. It’s why I became a ranger. This place…it hooks you. Gets under your skin.” He tilted his head as he inspected my face. “Any particular reason you’re here. I mean, you’re welcome to stay, but you look…upset.”

“Today has been a very strange day.”

“Stranger than going missing for a week?”

He smiled, and a dimple formed in his cheek. I laughed.

“You can just say it sounds insane, I know it does. I had to tell my ex to leave me alone again because he chose to stalk me at work. Then, I quit my job. It’s been a banger of a day so far.”

“Wow, that is a lot. Is this ex an issue?” He looked around like Connor might step out of the trees. “Should I call the police?”

“No, he’s just annoying. Harmless, but annoying.”