Chapter 49

ERIC

As Craig's ankle was being wrapped in ice, he told us about seeing Riley. When he arrived, no one was in the house. He'd wandered around the property, looking for us. When he saw a man standing on the edge of the forest, he decided to confront him. He followed him into the forest but turned back, worried he'd get lost. On the way out, he twisted his ankle. Using an old branch, he'd hobbled from the trees and was happy to see our vehicles.

With Craig being looked after, Alex drove me and Trooper Sanderson to the edge of the forest.

As Alex stepped out of the truck, I grabbed two packs off the back seat and handed one to my friend. "Here. Take this."

Alex hauled his backpack over his shoulder. "Riley should be at the cave by now."

"If we're lucky," I muttered. We still had another forty minutes of hiking ahead of us. Riley had only been to the cave once. If he missed the path that took him straight there, he could be anywhere.

"Is he used to hiking?" Sanderson matched our steps stride for stride.

I slowed as we reached the shelter we saw on our last hike. "He enjoys it but sticks to designated trails." I looked at Alex. "Someone's been here in the last few days."

Alex studied the campfire. "Do you think it was Chapman?"

"Possibly. If he can recreate an elaborate hoax in a warehouse, he can build a simple fire." I touched the charred wood. It was stone cold—too cold to have been used in the last twelve hours. "If it was him, he was closer than we thought. Let's keep moving."

We traveled in silence. The slap of the branches and the snapping of twigs were the only sounds in the forest.

I peered through the trees. "Is it me or is it unusually quiet?"

Sanderson frowned. "It gets like this before a thunderstorm."

"In the middle of summer?"

"They're dry thunderstorms. They produce huge amounts of lightning and are the main cause of wildfires."

"That's the last thing we need." Alex veered right and we began our climb up the side of the mountain. By the time we stood above the tree line, each of us was out of breath.

"It's not far to the cave," Alex said to Sanderson. "Do you want to stop for a few minutes?"

He shook his head. "No. Keep going. The sooner we find your friend, the sooner we can get off the mountain."

I stared at the brooding mass of black clouds on the horizon. Sherlock was terrified of storms. Since Mike died, he hid under my bed whenever he heard thunder. If the storm arrived and Sherlock panicked, he could hurt Riley and himself.

The next few minutes passed quickly. We moved on autopilot, one foot in front of the other, steadily climbing higher.

I paused when I saw the ledge where Riley touched my face. I'd wanted to tell him I cared about him, that he was the most important person in my life. But I hadn't, and my silence weighed heavily on my heart.

Alex scrambled over the last ledge. "Riley? Are you in there?"

Sherlock's excited bark echoed against the walls of the cave. The big German Shepherd rushed outside, almost knocking Alex over in his rush to get to me.

"Hi, boy." I wrapped my arms around my dog, hugging him close. "It's good to see you." My heart raced when Riley appeared at the cave entrance.

His relieved smile turned to confusion. "You brought someone from the highway patrol?"

Sanderson held out her hand. "I'm Moira. We're glad you're okay."

"Did you arrest the person at the house?"

Alex shook his head. "The person you saw was Eric's literary agent. You gave us a fright."

"I didn't mean to," Riley replied softly. "Sherlock wanted to go outside, and I didn't think we'd be gone that long. When I saw the SUV, I thought Chapman had been released. I came here instead of going back to the house."

"Are you okay?" I asked. All I wanted was to wrap Riley in my arms, but Sherlock, Trooper Sanderson, and Alex were standing in front of me.

Riley's worried blue eyes connected with mine. "I'm fine, but Sherlock's stressed. He hasn't stopped pacing."

"He doesn't like storms." I was so focused on Riley that I barely heard the rumble of thunder in the distance. But Sherlock did. His whole body tensed, and a low whimper tore through his throat.

I patted my dog's back. "We should leave."

Riley spun around. "I'll get my backpack."

While he was in the cave, Alex spoke to Trooper Sanderson. "Do you want to take the lead?"

She nodded and stepped around me. "I'm guessing you'd like to walk beside Riley?"

I didn't know when my feelings became so obvious, but I wasn't arguing.

Alex stopped beside me. "We'll start walking. Do you want me to take Sherlock?"

I shook my head. "He's better with me."

"Don't be too long."

As soon as Riley returned, he frowned. "Where did everyone go?"

"They just left." I held out my hand. "I'll take your bag."

"But you're already carrying yours."

"I can wear yours as a front pack." I held onto the straps, but Riley didn't let go.

"I'm sorry I left the house."

My heart was beating out of control. I closed my eyes, trying to block the images flooding my mind. Coming to terms with Mike's death nearly destroyed me. As difficult as it was, I couldn't let the past overshadow what happened today. Riley and Sherlock weren't injured, and no one was going home in a body bag.

"Eric? Are you all right?"

I cleared my throat and forced myself to speak. "Sherlock must have sensed the thunderstorm. That's probably why he didn't want to go outside on his own."

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing. I'm glad you're okay."

Riley sent me a grateful smile. "Thanks for finding me. I wasn't looking forward to?—"

I stepped forward and kissed him. It wasn't the gentle kiss I planned. As soon as our lips touched, heat exploded all around me. Riley's arms wrapped around my shoulders, pulling me closer, his mouth opening to deepen the kiss. I lost myself in the taste of him, the feel of his body pressed against mine.

I pulled him tighter against my chest, ignoring the thump of his backpack as it hit the ground. The sensation of Riley's soft lips and the way his body molded perfectly to mine sent a shiver of desire through me. His soft moan ignited something primal inside me, tearing down the last of my defenses. He was alive and unharmed, and I loved him like no other. Regardless of what happened over the next few weeks, I needed him in my life, to be part of something neither of us expected.

Sherlock barked and we both froze.

"What just happened?" Riley whispered, breathless.

I leaned my forehead against his, trying to calm my racing heart. "I think it's called a kiss, but my brain isn't working too well."

Sherlock whined as thunder rumbled in the distance.

Riley sighed and stepped away. "We need to get Sherlock off the mountain."

"And then?"

His blush gave me the answer I needed.

I kissed him again, slower this time, savoring every second. "Let's go."

Sherlock didn't need to be told twice. As we scrambled off the rocky ledge, he barked, urging us to move faster.

With my hand wrapped around Riley's, we made our way down the mountain.

When I drove into Sunrise Bay all those months ago, I never thought I'd find the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. But it had happened, and I knew exactly what I'd do about it.