Page 3

CHAPTER 2

The sounds of his own ragged breathing and pounding feet filled Wade “Jeeves” Butler’s ears as he ran, a desperate, frantic pace fueled by the feeling of unseen forces chasing him. Though only in his mind, the forces felt as strong as any tangible enemy; their power just as potent and real.

The vivid dream, which had jolted him from a deep sleep, lingered in his mind, refusing to fade away. He couldn’t shake it. The cold sweat and racing heart lingered as he sought to escape the memory of it. Sadly, the memory was intensely real, a stark and painful reminder of the past that continued to weigh heavily on him, much like an albatross around his neck, a constant and burdensome presence. Despite his best efforts, it was one thing he was unable to outrun.

His early morning wake-up was a clear indication that the mistakes of his past still weighed heavily on his mind, haunting him even in his sleep. A stark reminder of his guilt and the burden he carried.

Even though Sutton had granted him forgiveness―a mercy he didn’t feel like he deserved―he still couldn’t find peace. Hence his desperate early morning run.

With the sun fully up, bathing the park in warmth, Wade followed the path around a bend, intending to return to his truck when a flash of color in a tree caught his eye. Not just something . . . someone. A woman.

An adult woman.

In a tree.

What the fuck ?

He was so startled by the unexpected sight that he tripped over nothing, causing him to stop abruptly in his tracks. His gaze was fixed on the woman roughly fifteen feet above him, who appeared to be grappling with an unseen issue just behind her. Her strained breathing and the creaking of the branches filled the silence of the empty park.

Tilting his head, he peered through the dense branches, attempting to get a clearer view of the woman. She possessed an adorable and petite frame, complemented by a delightful cascade of dark caramel-tinted hair. Her small stature and charming appearance in the tree were enhanced by her expression of obvious frustration, which added to her overall cuteness. She resembled an adorable, tiny sprite.

The low growl that rumbled from her throat, unexpected and somewhat comical in the context of her precarious perch high in the branches, only served to increase his bewilderment and amusement at the sight of her in the tree.

“Hey little sprite,” he called out to her. “Need some help?”

She gasped, her breath catching in her throat as the unexpected sound of his voice made her jump so violently that she nearly lost her balance on the tree limb and almost sent her sprawling to the ground below before she caught herself.

“Shit,” he hissed, kicking himself. “I didn’t mean to startle you. You good?”

“Um . . . yeah. Sure. I’m good.”

“Just stuck?” he asked the obvious. Her flushed cheeks, made even more adorable by a delicate blush, were enough to cause a smile to curve his lips. He shook his head. What was wrong with him? He’d never referred to anyone as adorable in his life. However, his continued observation of her only served to reinforce the feeling that the word was indeed the most accurate way to describe her.

Clad in a t-shirt and jeans that accentuated her curves, her feet were encased in a pair of sneakers that appeared to be entirely unsuited for a tree-climbing expedition. A rather curious choice of footwear for such an activity which only enhanced her adorableness in his eyes.

“Yeah. You could say that.”

“Need some help?”

She huffed out a breath. “Unless you have a saw, I’m not sure what you could do.”

“No saw,” he replied, holding up his empty hands. “But let me see what I can do.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, her eyes widening in surprise as he grabbed a branch and swung himself into the tree. With a single, fluid motion, he hoisted himself higher, the leaves rustling around him as he moved. Within no time, he’d reached her level.

Glancing at her again, he found her mouth agape in astonishment, a look of utter surprise etched upon her face.

“You made that look so easy,” she said, her tone filled with awe.

“Occupational hazard,” he said cryptically, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips as her confusion deepened.

“Huh?”

“Nevermind,” he muttered, the rough bark of the tree scratching against his arm as he leaned closer to see what had snagged her. The belt loop of her jeans was caught and twisted, hopelessly entangled in a heap of branches. “So what was the plan here?” he couldn’t help but ask.

“What do you mean?”

“I'm curious. Was your decision to climb a tree a spontaneous one?”

“Kinda.” A subtle shift in her demeanor accompanied her answer; a tightening of her lips and a faraway look in her eyes hinted that there was more to the story than she was willing to share.

He let out a noncommittal “Mm,” accepting her answer, though its ambiguity left much to be desired and a great deal open to interpretation. “So, on a whim, you made this reckless decision to engage in a hazardous activity, facing the possibility of getting hurt by yourself , because . . .”

His attention was immediately captured by her wide brown eyes; the flecks of gold within them further captivated and intrigued him. She was even prettier up close. And, dare he say, even more adorable as a small frown formed on her lips, her lower lip jutting out slightly as she struggled with a response to his scolding. And now his attention was snagged by that protruding lower lip. The glistening fullness, so plump and ripe-looking, ignited in him a primal urge to sink his teeth into it.

With a shudder, he shook himself out of his haze, the sounds of the birds chirping and leaves rustling slowly coming back into focus as she stuttered a reply. “Um . . . I . . . uh . . . I mean . . . I’m new to the area, so . . .”

She let her sentence trail off, the unspoken words hanging heavy in the air. Being new to the area meant it was apparent that she lacked a circle of friends who would join her in her impulsive and ill-conceived schemes.

He mumbled an unenthusiastic “I see,” biting the inside of his cheek as he suppressed the urge to further admonish her about the reckless choice she had made. “So, what was the plan if you couldn’t get free and I hadn’t had come along?”

“I considered wriggling out of my jeans.”

Wade’s hands stilled, his fingers hovering over the tangled belt loop as the weight of her words settled upon him. A surprising and intense reaction overcame him as he was unexpectedly struck by the vivid mental image of her in just a t-shirt and panties. The unexpected surge of desire hit him like a physical blow, a visceral reaction he hadn’t foreseen. A wave of heat washed over him, leaving him breathless and disoriented.

“You were going to strip naked?” he asked, his voice tight with disbelief.

“Well, not completely,” she capitulated, a rosy blush blooming on her cheeks as she shyly looked away. “There’s really not much difference between panties and a bikini, if you think about it. At least I’m not wearing a thong.”

Fuck. He did not need that image in his head right now. This sexy sprite in a thong. Yeah . . . no. Not going there.

“Right,” he muttered, focusing once again on the tangled branches. “Almost done here.” With one final tug, she was loose. “Okay. You’re free.”

She shifted her body, turning her head to glance over her shoulder, bringing her face incredibly close to his. He was engulfed by the intoxicating sweetness of her scent, a heady mix of peaches and spice. As she peered over her shoulder, a whisper-soft strand of her hair brushed against his cheek and his fingers suddenly itched to reach out and touch it.

Time to get out of this tree.

“You ready to climb down?” he asked, locking down his unruly desire.

“You betcha.”

Her cheeky response caused a slow grin to spread across his face. He swiftly descended, prepared to offer his assistance if she should require it. She stumbled once, her foot slipping from underneath her on a tree limb. He instinctively reacted, preparing himself to catch her before she fell. But with a deep breath, she steadied herself and carefully continued her descent.

He took hold of her around the waist once she was near, guiding her downwards, belatedly realizing that her tits were directly in front of his face in this position. Do not look at her tits. Do. Not. Look. Despite his efforts, he couldn't resist the temptation to glance at the cleavage peeking out from the low-cut t-shirt. The image that instantly sprang to mind was his mouth wrapped around a taut bud, a picture conjured by that small, pert handful.

Do. Not. Go. There.

The moment her feet touched the ground, he released her before he did something stupid. The dazzling grin she flashed him sent a jolt of warmth straight to his heart. “That was excellent!” she shouted, her voice ringing with excitement and a touch of breathlessness. “I can’t believe I did that.”

She pulled out her phone and then carefully positioned herself and the tree in the frame before taking a selfie to capture the moment. He smiled, a slow, indulgent curve of his lips, at the slightly ridiculous poses she was doing. He couldn’t help the smile; there was an incredibly endearing quality about her that was simply irresistible. And an almost childlike innocence that had all his protective instincts flaring to life. Instincts which he had believed to be long dormant following the disastrous event that continued to haunt his dreams.

During one pose, her shirt rose, revealing a long scrape on her back, crusted with dried blood. “That cut looks nasty. I’ve got a first aid kit in my truck. I can take care of it for you if you trust me.”

With a quick shove of her phone into her pocket, she flashed him another million-dollar smile. “You saved me from the tree. How could I not trust you?”

He felt a knot of unease tighten in his chest at her words. To trust someone so easily was incredibly na?ve of her. For all she knew, he could be a crazy axe murderer. He felt compelled to point out, with a frown, “You probably shouldn't trust a stranger so easily. You never know what they might be hiding.”

A sudden, intense emotion, something akin to recognition or a memory, momentarily illuminated her eyes. Almost as if there was some deep-rooted understanding of the implications behind his words. Her reaction, a subtle tightening of her jaw and a distant look in her eyes, spoke volumes of past betrayals and the bitter knowledge that came with them. Again, his protective instincts screamed at him. There was something in this woman’s past that had left an indelible mark on her memory.

He wanted to know her story, but just as quickly as that thought struck, he pushed it away. Overwhelmed with his own dark burdens, he couldn't afford to get involved in someone else’s hidden history. He’d patch her up and let her go and never look back.

But why did the idea of never seeing her again make his chest feel tight?