Page 14

I couldn’t stop thinking about last night, even as the workday progressed. More than once, my coworkers asked if I was alright. I kept saying I was fine, but I wasn’t. Thoughts and desires for Beau consumed me. I was excited, on the one hand, to explore where things might go with us and terrified, on the other, because I knew I could easily fall for him and get hurt. Who was I kidding? I was already falling for him, and I was terrified.

However, I had to set those aside as we went on another call. A family was missing in the Sapphire Mountains, not too far from Missoula. Missoula was in the middle between Sapphire and the Bitterroot Mountains. The report was that the family had been camping and went missing. They missed a call to their family. When they didn’t make it, the family member called the rangers who patrolled that area to report it. Their campsite was found, but they were missing. Not seeing evidence of foul play or an attack by a wild animal, the park rangers called us in to help find them.

We were at the command post set up as the central hub for communication and for organizing searchers. We had those who were experts in this area who didn’t work for us or the rangers who often came out to help. Some were retired rangers, search and rescue members, or regular people who had been living and hiking in these mountains for years. Grids were laid out, and assignments were made of who would search where.

As I examined my map and waited to see who I’d be paired with, I slipped up and thought of Beau. He’d surprised me by bringing me lunch at work. We’d been called out before I got a chance to eat it, which I hated. It smelled delicious, and I was hungry. I did thank him. He asked what the call was about, so I told him. There was nothing confidential about it. I hadn’t disclosed names. He’d wished me luck and told me he’d see me soon.

A tap on my shoulder had me turning. It was to see one of the rangers standing there. He jerked his chin over his shoulder. “Someone here says he should be paired with you. Do you know this guy?” Lennox asked with a scowl.

I wanted to sigh. I’d made a stupid mistake and gone out with Lennox. We’d dated for a couple of months, but it never got to us having sex before I broke it off. He was a good guy, but there wasn’t enough spark there for it to be anything. He still harbored bad feelings about it. He kept asking to try again. It was awkward to work with him.

“I don’t…” My reply was cut off when I moved so I could see past him. My gaze landed on Beau. He was standing there looking so yummy I wanted to lick my lips. He impacted me the same when he showed up at the station with my lunch.

“Beau, what’re you doing here?” I asked stupidly.

“I came to help. I know you do it in pairs. I’m not doing anything, so I thought I’d lend a hand. Who knows, maybe we’ll find them before the lunch I brought you goes bad, and you can eat it. I don’t like the idea of you going hungry and not taking care of yourself. Besides, I can’t wait until tonight to see you.”

His tone and words made it clear he and I knew each other as more than friends. I glanced at Lennox and found him glaring daggers at Beau. Oh shit, I needed to separate these two. God knows what might come out of Lennox’s mouth, and I knew Beau wouldn’t take it.

“It’s alright, I know him,” I quickly told Lennox.

“We don’t need greenhorns searching. Next thing you know, he’ll be hurt or lost, and we’ll have to find him. Go back home. Keeley is safe in my hands. I’ll take care of her,” Lennox said with a suggestive smirk.

“I’m no greenhorn. You don’t have to worry about me. Keeley can attest that I’m not a pansy. And there’s no need for you to care for her. She’s more than capable of taking care of herself, but if she needs assistance, then it’s my job to provide it.”

Both men were taller than me and built, but Beau edged Lennox out in the bulk department. His muscles made the fabric on his shirts sometimes appear ready to split the seams. Both men were good-looking, but again, Beau was more attractive to me.

“Who the hell is this guy, Keeley?” Lennox barked.

“No need to use that tone with her. I can speak for myself. My name is Beau Powers. If it makes you feel better, I’m a former Marine and part of their Raiders. I can take care of myself. I heard a family was missing, so I came to lend a hand to find them.”

“You didn’t say how you know, Keeley,” Lennox pushed.

“How we know each other is between us, isn’t it, babe?” Beau asked with a smirk. He knew that would wind up Lennox. I prayed I didn’t have to tell them both to grow the hell up. I was saved by the arrival of my boss, Chief Becarra.

“What’s the holdup, Mills? We’re ready to move out. Oh, hey, Beau, good to see you again. Are you here to help?” Becarra held out his hand to shake Beau’s. I’d introduced them at the station. Beau shook it and nodded.

“Yes, sir, I am. I’ve been in many different terrains all over the world, and I’ve done my share of hiking and more in the mountains. I thought I’d go with Keeley since working in pairs is the safest. That’s how we do it back home.”

“We do the same here. I don’t see a problem with it. You know what to do, Mills. Let command know if you find anything. I’ll let them know who you’re with. Did you sign in at the command post?” Becarra asked Beau.

“I did, and I have what I need in here,” he said, pointing to the backpack on his back. I hadn’t noticed it.

“Good. Lennox, I need to talk to you for a minute.” Becarra led a reluctant Lennox away. He kept throwing glances over his shoulder at us. He was frowning. Some of my tension oozed away. I frowned at Beau.

“Tell me why you’re here and don’t give me your BS answer. And what was up with you testing Lennox?”

“I came to see if I could help. I’ve done this kind of thing before. I’m an experienced hiker. Those aren’t lies. As for why I came, I want to spend time with you, and this is a way I can do it. I won’t slow you down, and I might just help you find them. As for what I said to that ranger, he needed to know that he has no claim to you. I did it nicely. If I hadn’t, my fist would’ve met his face. Now, are we going or standing here wasting daylight on arguing?”

I let a small growl escape. Deciding to let it go for the moment since he was right about the daylight, I picked up my pack and hoisted it on my back. He helped me to get it buckled around my middle. If you planned to hike with a load on your back, it needed to be the right kind of backpack, and the weight needed to be evenly distributed without all of it hanging off your shoulders. If not, your back and neck will be hurting in no time. I checked his to find out he had it done right. A quick stop at the command table to say we were heading out, and then we were gone.

We scanned the surrounding area as we walked. We investigated anything we couldn’t see behind in case someone was unconscious or worse. Periodically, we called out their names and listened to see if we heard replies. As time went by and there were no sightings or responses, I grew increasingly worried. It would soon be dark. Teams would be called back in. The last thing they wanted was for searchers to get lost or hurt and left out in the dark.

We were in a race against the sun. If they weren’t found before it set, and they were left out here all night, the odds of them dying grew. The temps would drop to freezing. We had no idea what they had with them. If they couldn’t make a fire to stay warm and had nothing to drink, their odds grew worse. We weren’t sure how long they’d been missing. They’d checked in at the campground four days ago. The missed call happened last night, but the family member didn’t call until today. They could already be dead, and this was a recovery rather than a rescue.

“Keeley, I can hear your brain whirling. Just keep a positive attitude. Yes, the worst can or might’ve already happened, but we have to hope for the best. Let’s go this way.”

He pointed further to our left. Checking the compass and map I carried, I noted it was still within our search grid. We’d outdistanced a lot of others. He hadn’t lied. He could hike, and the rough terrain didn’t make him pant for air or fall behind. In fact, I had trouble keeping up with him. The man was a machine.

This new course took us closer to a waterfall. There was one right along the road that was easily seen, called Skalkaho Falls, but some people preferred to search for more hidden ones. I was very familiar with these mountains. Dad had brought us here to camp, hunt, fish, and more.

I jumped when my radio crackled, and the call went out that teams needed to head back to the command post. It was close to dark. Not wanting to go yet, we both kept going until we checked it out. If we got stuck out here, I knew I could keep us alive for the night. Our yelling out their names increased. The closer we got, the more we could hear the water. Nightfall had fallen, and the stars were coming out. It was incredible to see them without the interference of lights from the city. It was as if a dark blue blanket covered in stars had been rolled out. It was hard not to get lost admiring it.

We made it to the falls, but there was no sign of them. Needing a rest, I sat down on a rock outcropping and slid off my pack. Beau did the same. We took sips of our water. I pointed to the sky. “Isn’t that beautiful?”

“It is. I always love it when I go somewhere and get to see nature as intended, not marred by people and the pollution we create. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy some of the things the cities give us, but it’s wonderful to get away from it and see this.”

“I agree. It’s why I’ve never moved away from Montana. Sure, the winters are hard, but it’s so beautiful.”

He was about to say more when he was interrupted by my radio going off again. This time, it was a voice calling out my name. “Keeley Mills. Go to official channel two,” Lennox ordered gruffly.

The channel he referred to was one used by the rangers, search and rescue, and other responders in our area. You had to enter an encryption code to get access to it. If you didn’t, you would only hear static. The channel he referred to was one of ours that was used when we worked together. It would allow anyone who had the code to listen. I wondered what the issue was, so I hurried to input the eight-digit code after switching to channel two.

“Keeley here. What’s wrong?” I asked once I was on.

“Where the hell are you, and why aren’t you back here?” Lennox snapped.

“Excuse me. I think you need to change your tone with me.”

“Everyone else has made it back except you, and what’s his name? We need everyone back here,” he said gruffly.

“Lennox, we’re fine. We hiked closer to a possible site they might’ve wanted to see, but so far, nothing. We were about to talk it over. It makes more sense to stay the night and then continue in the morning. You know I can stay overnight without issue.”

“You’re not staying out all night with that man! Come in. In the morning, we’ll start again. You’ll be working with me,” he demanded.

“First, let me be clear. I don’t take orders from you. Second, I’m perfectly safe out here with Beau. He’s experienced, and so am I. Third, we’d waste valuable time hiking back here tomorrow to resume our search. And four, I’m not partnering with you. If that’s all you called to say, we have things to do.”

“Don’t hang up on me. Keeley, we need to talk! I mean it,” he shouted. I flipped back to the regular channel and turned the volume down. Beau gave me an expectant look. I knew he had questions.

When I didn’t say anything, he did. “Ranger Pain-In-The-Ass seems to think he has the right to command you, Keeley. Why is that? Have I stepped on his toes? Are the two of you involved?”

Beau’s intent stare seemed to penetrate my soul. I saw that he wasn’t happy. I didn’t want him to think I was the kind of woman who would be involved with two men at the same time. Or that I’d lead someone on, so I answered.

“Lennox and I dated last year. It only lasted for two months. It was a mistake to get involved with someone I work with regularly. I knew better, but he talked me into going out with him. Anyway, after those two months were up, I broke up with him. He disagreed with my decision. He’s continued to try to convince me to give us another chance, and I keep saying no. Today is the first time I’ve seen him act the way he did. You haven’t stepped on any toes, and we’re not involved. If I were involved with someone, I wouldn’t have agreed to try with you.”

A slow grin spread across his face. “Baby, I know you wouldn’t do that. I just wanted to know what his issue was, and I get it. He’s jealous that I’m with you. I can’t blame him, but if he keeps throwing out his attitude, I’ll put him in his place. He has no right to dictate to you.”

“You’re right. He doesn’t have the right to command me. However, if anyone puts him in his place, it’ll be me. I can stand up for myself.”

“I know that, but it’ll be more fun if I do it.”

Shaking my head, I playfully pushed him. He didn’t budge an inch.

“Are we staying the night here or did you just say that to piss Lennox off?”

“I’d like to stay if you can handle it. It’s no lie that we’d lose valuable time hiking back here in the morning. I have stuff we can make a camp with. I have a small tent that’ll keep the weather off us, although it’ll be a tight fit.” I pointed to the rolled bag attached to my backpack.

“I can hack it, no problem. And I won’t mind being close to you all night.” He smirked.

“Behave. If you get handsy, I’ll make you sleep outside. We should set up camp and get a fire going. I have some food and stuff. It won’t be gourmet, but it’ll keep you going.”

“Babe, I’m used to MREs. I can handle whatever you have,” he told me confidently.

“Good, because MREs are what they are, or the civilian equivalent. They’re not too bad. I do have the ability to make coffee if that helps.”

“Hallelujah. I can live then. Let’s do this.”

We worked together seamlessly. He knew how to erect the tent and even found the best spot behind a deadfall. That would help shelter us from wind and snow if we happened to get any. It was going to be cold tonight. Each of us had a sleeping bag. I wondered where he had gotten his kit. He hadn’t had time to buy one after he left the office today.

I got a fire going after we gathered kindling and wood for it. As it crackled and began to throw out warmth, I got out the small collapsible pot I carried. I filled it with water from the waterfall and then dropped a purification tablet in it to make the water safe to drink. Nowhere in the world was it completely safe to drink straight from an unknown source.

With our camp set up, he joined me by the fire. I’d found a log to use as a seat. He sat next to me. “It’s been a while since I’ve camped out. I can say I’ve never done it with someone as beautiful and alluring as you,” he said.

“So you never went out on patrol with your fellow Marines and wanted to sleep close in a tent with one of them and exchange kisses,” I teased.

He laughed and pulled me close so our hips and thighs were touching. “No, Ms. Smartass, I didn’t. And we did have women in our units, but none of them made you want to snuggle. My units only seemed to attract the ones who had better mustaches and were more manly than me.” He shuddered.

I bumped him with my shoulder. “Come on, tell the truth. You had pretty female Marines.”

He finally nodded. “Yeah, we had some. I stayed away from them, though. You didn’t want to be caught in a relationship or whatever with a fellow Marine. Fraternizing was forbidden between enlisted and officers and in direct chain-of-command situations. In others, it was strongly discouraged. I stuck to women who had nothing to do with the military. It was simpler.”

“I bet. They wouldn’t run to your commanding officers complaining and getting you into trouble when you didn’t call, see them again, or break things off.”

“There was that. What about you? Since we’re talking about who we would and wouldn’t date, do you often date guys like Lennox?”

I sighed. “No, I didn’t. I told you it was a mistake. I’ve never dated anyone who’s a ranger or first responder, and not anyone at search and rescue. Those I have dated are people with regular jobs who have nothing to do with my work.”

“Why haven’t you been snapped up? Are the men here blind and stupid?” Beau asked. He was staring intently into my eyes.

“I’m not all that great, Beau, and my job takes a lot of my time. They didn’t understand why I had to break dates because I was working overtime or got called in on my days off. They were used to working an eight-hour shift and then leaving. Some had every weekend and holiday off. I don’t. They complained they didn’t get enough of my time. That they weren’t a priority, and maybe that’s true, but I take what I do very seriously.”

“Keeley, I understand taking your work seriously. I go away on assignment for days, sometimes weeks, or more. Sometimes, depending on the assignment, I may not be able to communicate with a woman at all. She has to trust me when I’m gone. Women have complained that I work like you do. They don’t get enough attention. I’ve heard it all, too.”

“It sounds like we both have demanding jobs that leave little time for a relationship. How do you see us working if that’s the case? Maybe we should reconsider this and leave it alone. If it’s doomed to fail, why try?” I asked.

“It’s not doomed to fail. First, you understand how work demands can be. Second, you mean more to me already than any of those women ever did. There were times I could’ve done more to stay connected to them. I chose not to. Lastly, I plan to make every effort I can with you to show what you mean to me and to keep this going. I can take fewer long-term assignments. I sometimes have a choice of whether I take one or not. I’ve always said yes. I won’t be doing that with you in my life.” His words rang with sincerity. My gut was telling me he meant what he said. If he did that, then I could do the same.

“Then I’ll do the same, and we’ll see where we end up,” I whispered.

As soon as I finished saying it, he captured my mouth, just what I wanted. God, no one could kiss like him. I got lost in another world every time he did. I wasn’t sure how long it lasted, but when we surfaced, the water was boiling hot for the coffee. Without saying a word, we worked on making the coffee and deciding which MREs we were having for dinner. It should’ve been a disappointing thing, but we talked, laughed, and had fun under the stars. For someone like me, it was a perfect night.