Page 2

There. A woman’s voice. She’s getting closer and her grumbling easier to understand.

“Gosh darn it. Come on, you… you stupid roller thingies. Come. On.”

A gasp and the sound of something falling. Or someone. I rush toward the trees then wonder what the hell I’m doing. I’m not on a mountain rescue team. There’s always a good chance I won’t have a clue what to do if she’s hurt.

“Oh, peas and carrots.”

Only the frustrated tone of her odd words makes me wonder if that’s a serious curse. Watching my footing on the steep decline, I slip and catch myself numerous times before reaching where a woman stands staring at an open suitcase. A trail of silky looking undergarments flutter in the breeze. She plants her hands against her hips and I forget to breathe.

She’s magnificent, with a curvy body an oversized sweatshirt does little to hide. The shape of her wide hips and thick thighs make my fingers clench with the need to touch. To discover. Her hair is a mess, with leaves and tiny sticks poking out from her long, light brown braid. Then she lifts her head and discovers me staring.

“Oh, hi,” she says with a smile. “Can you help a girl out?”

The sunshine in her tone and the way her hazel eyes sparkle with… joy?...are in such a contrast to her previous words, I don’t know what to say. Until her brows lower and she sighs.

“I’m a bit lost, I think. And now my suitcase is broken. I really just need to get to town.”

“You’re heading to Pine Woods?”

“If that’s the closest town. I really didn’t pay much attention when he picked me up. I don’t remember names all that good sometimes.”

“You’re going in the wrong direction. Pine Woods is down the mountain, you’re facing up.”

“Well, sugar lumps. I knew I was lost.” She bends to gather her underwear and I stare into the distance. My mind immediately imagines her in those tiny, silky things. Then ripping them off her and discovering what delights lies beneath the fabric.

Wrenching my thoughts back to safer ground, I ask, “Where are you coming from?”

“Uh… Pete Henderson’s place.”

Pete? What the fuck is a woman like this doing with that sour old bastard?

Without me asking anything further, she zips up the suitcase and continues on. “I was there visiting. He… uh… we were matched by a service. I came to see if the match was a good one.” She pauses, frowns, then smiles again. “It wasn’t.”

“Why are you out in the woods dragging your suitcase?” He’s not that much of a prick to just kick her out. Maybe he is. Never impressed me much. “Wouldn’t he take you back to town?”

She shivers and I realize it’s getting dark quickly. And colder. The first snows aren’t far off up here at the highest elevations. “Follow me. Won’t be long until it’s dark. Hungry? We’ll talk over supper.”

“I don’t want to be any trouble.”

I pause then answer her honestly. “You’ll be far less trouble if you come with me now than if I have to come out in the middle of the night to find wherever you’ve wandered off to. To those who aren’t accustomed to them, mountains aren’t safe in the daylight. At night…”

The implications hang in the air and her eyes go wide. She nods. “I’ll come with you.”

“You’re safe with me. I promise. Name’s Hayden Knight. Most folks just call me Knight.” I grab the useless handle of her rolling suitcase and shove it back into the storage slot. When I pick up the shimmery pink case, two of the wheels fall off.

“I’ll get those. But you don’t have to carry that for me. I can take care of myself.”

I arch one brow and a bright pink blush rises to fill her softly rounded cheeks. She covers her face with her hands then peeks through her fingers. “Okay, maybe not as much as I’d like to believe. But it’s heavy. I’ve got some rocks in there.”

I hadn’t noticed that much extra weight but I am big, and forging has given me powerful arm muscles. “Why are you carrying around rocks? There’s mountains made of them surrounding us.”

Her lower lip pouts the tiniest bit and I swallow back a groan. Now I want to kiss her.

“That’s what Pete said, too. Mine aren’t just regular rocks. Although those can be special, too. These are crystals like amethyst and citrine. Some obsidian. That’s my favorite.” She crosses her arms defiantly. “I’m not crazy. I just really do love stones, and nature, and…”

“And Pete probably called you an idiot.” He’s moved here more recently than me so I haven’t had many encounters with him. But it doesn’t surprise me he would say something like that. From how the spark in her eyes dims, that declaration obviously broke her spirit. No wonder she wandered off.

“Yes. That’s when I knew for sure that we were a really bad match. We had an argument. When he disappeared I snuck off.” She holds up one hand in a stopping motion. “I know that was stupid. I just couldn’t face him again. I had to get away.”