Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22539 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22539 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
“Don’t lose her, buddy,” I whisper as I jog beside the dog. He’s not sniffing everything anymore. He’s locked on her scent and racing through the forest. I spot a couple of snapped branches which might be from her horse as it ran away.
The dog’s tail is up, his long snout hovering over the ground, and his big floppy ears are bouncing as he moves.
My eyes are scanning the dark forest, desperately looking for her. I’m not going to leave these mountains until I have her in my arms. I don’t care if I’m still here in a week. I’m not leaving without her.
Charlie suddenly takes off in a full sprint. My heart seizes in my chest when I hear a shrill scream.
“Don’t eat me!” Megan screeches as she crouches into a ball, covering her face with her arms. Charlie is standing proudly beside her. He looks at me as I run over to them.
“It’s okay,” I say as I drop to my knees in front of her. “You’re okay now. You’re safe.”
She slowly lowers her arm and looks at me with these big innocent blue eyes. Up close, those eyes stagger me. I feel my whole body going weak with the full force of them at such close range.
The poor girl is soaked. Her blonde hair is plastered to her head and she’s shaking uncontrollably. She’s only wearing shorts and a tank top, and the cold rain has been soaking her for hours.
“Y-You’re the g-guy… from the w-wedding…”
Her teeth are chattering as she stares at me like she’s not sure if I’m real or a hallucination.
She does remember me. I feel an expanding feeling in my chest like my heart is growing an extra few sizes as I stare at this innocent beauty.
“It’s me, Megan. I got you now. I’m not going to let you go.”
“W-What’s your n-name?”
I yank my rain jacket and collared shirt off as I kneel beside her. “I’m Noah.”
“N-Noah,” she whispers as I wipe her arms and upper chest with my balled-up shirt. Her big eyes are roaming all over my naked torso that’s now getting drenched by the cold rain. I wrap the raincoat around her and it’s large enough to cover her whole upper body and most of her legs.
She’s looking at me with those captivating blue eyes as I pull the hood over her wet head.
“You’ll be in a hot bath soon,” I whisper as I slide my arms around her. “Then you can dry off, put some warm pajamas on, have a hot drink, some hot food, and crawl into a nice comfy bed.”
I hoist her up and cradle her to my chest as Charlie watches.
“How does that sound?” I ask with a smile as I look down at her all curled up in my arms.
“It sounds like h-heaven,” she says as she looks up at me with gratitude in her eyes. “Thank you for finding me.”
Holding her like this and seeing her so vulnerable is firing up my protective instincts. They’re taking over.
All I can think about is how I want to keep her safe from the world forever. I have an overwhelming urge to care for her, to defend her, and to guard her from any kind of harm.
The atavistic need implants itself in me. It carves its way through my body, rewiring my brain and taking over my thoughts until every thought that passes through my mind is centered around her and her safety.
I know this is a permanent change. It’s not going away. This need to care for her and make her mine will be with me forever.
She’s the one for me.
I hold her against my chest, wondering if she can feel how hard my heart is beating for her, and turn to the skilled Bloodhound.
“Let’s go, Charlie,” I say to the soaked dog who’s watching me curiously. “Home. Go home.”
He immediately springs into action and starts hurrying through the forest back the way we came. I hold my girl in my big arms and follow him at a quick pace.
The scent should be easy to follow on the way back. It should be a piece of cake for this dog, so I can let him handle it and I can focus all of my attention on the treasure in my arms.
She must be exhausted from the whole ordeal, but she doesn’t close her eyes or fall asleep. She just watches me the entire time, those mesmerizing blue eyes staring up at me under her long lush eyelashes.
I fall deeper in love with her with every step.
By the time we pop out of the forest beside the Greene Mountain Stables, it’s dawn. The sun is coming up, all three of us are exhausted, and I am unequivocally, one hundred percent obsessed with this amazing girl in my aching arms.