Dare to Bear (Book 1 Trail Guardians Series) by Julian Christine

Author:Julian, Christine [Julian, Christine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Paranormal Romance
Published: 2015-08-16T07:00:00+00:00

8

Beyond her pulse thundering in her ears, Stephanie swore she heard a guttural roar echo around her.

In the next moment, she bumped against the sheer cliff. Then she swung like a pendulum from side to side, gaining unexpected momentum until a flat patch of ground came into view.

A powerful hand wrapped around her wrist in a punishing grip. Her shoulder socket wrenched. Suddenly, she landed on her elbows and knees, as her chin nicked solid ground. She hugged the earth, desperately thankful to be alive, in one piece.

When she turned to look at her rescuer, she watched shadows of fear chase across Mason’s face. His tanned features appeared ashen, his eyes wide and dark, with the whites barely showing. He flung the double packs off his back into the shelf of stone beside her and dropped to his knees in front of her.

He grasped her shoulders. “Are you okay?”

“I’m okay.” She gasped several awe-filled breaths. “I’m okay. You…saved me.”

“That was close.” He shook his head like an animal shaking water off its fur, leaving his hair tousled around his face. The whites of his eyes were visible again. “Damn, baby,” he breathed into her hair, hugging her tight.

Baby. The endearment startled her, but she clung to him with gratitude. “Thank you.” She swallowed, licking her dry lips. “How did you do that?”

“Instinct,” he said.

“Oh.”

Except, she didn’t know many guys who’d risk their lives, or who possessed such an incredible well of strength, to save hers. No guy other than the one holding her now. Had she’d attempted this with Kyle…well, she was glad she hadn’t. Mason was ten times the man Kyle could ever hope or pretend to be.

Part of her wondered if she would’ve endured this journey without Mason. Had fate intervened on her behalf? If she’d suspected it before, now she believed it to the marrow of her exhausted bones.

“Can we take a breather?” she asked, drained and weary from the ledge ordeal and her near-death experience. She couldn’t imagine the physical toll it had taken on him.

He nodded, stood and helped her to her feet. “Good plan. First we need to reach the trail, about two-hundred yards Northwest. Can you handle another five minute before we crash?”

She craved the comfortable safety of the trail like a coffee addict heading for a Starbucks café. “Yes. I’m not up for any more unplanned excursions today.”

“Same,” he said.

Keeping their packs clipped together, he slung both onto his back again. She offered to bear the burden of her own pack, but he waved away her offer and reached for her hand instead. His grip was solid, strong and comforting. All the traits she appreciated about him were represented in one small gesture.

Now his touch seemed more significant, more meaningful to her. They’d faced their mortality and survived, together. Mostly thanks to him. And she had faced down a challenge she never would’ve attempted on her own.

She trusted him. Explicitly. Intimately.

That changed things between them—on a level she wasn’t entirely comfortable exploring right that second, but impacted her with an undeniable force.

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