Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 76647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
It was nice, sitting by the fireplace, relaxing, drinking, and talking about nothing of importance. Drew had been right. We’d do better after a break.
Or so I thought.
The loudest bang yet penetrated the cabin walls, followed by several smaller ones. Zeus barked again, and then the front door burst open. Carter’s tall form filled the doorway.
“Get your gear on,” he said roughly.
The urgency in his voice had me on my feet and headed his way before Drew even got up. “What is it?”
“The cabin down the way got hit hard.”
Drew hurried over and hastily pulled on his boots. “Did a branch break through the roof?”
“Not a branch,” Carter said, tension in his posture. “Looks like a whole damn tree crashed through it.”
Our eyes met, and my gut clenched. Carter knew more about being out in the woods than Drew and I put together.
If he thought it was bad, then it was bad.
3
SIERRA
No matter how much I twisted and turned, I couldn’t get out from under the tree branches. They were everywhere, and they were heavy. The ice made them slippery, and I was so damn cold. My body was horizontal, squashed flat by the weight on me. I tried with all my strength to get to my hands and knees, so that I could push up with my back, but I could barely move.
From somewhere beneath me, I could hear my phone buzzing, but I couldn’t reach it.
And so I was stuck here—who knew for how long. The only way to measure the passing of time was by the bad thoughts that came every few minutes. What if I couldn’t get out from under this? What if I starved to death under here? Except that wouldn’t happen. Freezing was the more immediate concern.
I pushed those thoughts away and tried to look at the positive. Though the weight on me was heavy, I could breathe. That was a definite plus. And I didn’t seem to be bleeding.
And if I died, I’d never have to watch myself in the sex scene I’d filmed in Thrill of the Chase. I was already planning to close my eyes during that part at the premiere. Filming it had been one of the most stressful things I’d ever done.
Still… even with the unpleasant thought of the publicity tour and the premiere hanging over my head, I wasn’t ready to go.
But how in the hell was I going to get out of here?
I forced myself to breathe deeply. To calm my mind. To rid it of panic and fear so I could think.
Maybe if I couldn’t push my way up through the branches, I could move sideways. The damn tree had to end somewhere. But it wasn’t just the tree; the roof had caved in, too. There were boards and beams and ice and snow everywhere.
Still, I tried to wiggle to my right. Maybe there would be a little more space under the desk.
Except I couldn’t even see the desk. For all I knew, it had gotten pushed right out the side of the cabin—if this pile of rubble could even be called a cabin anymore.
This was bad.
Really bad.
Then I heard it—the most beautiful noise in the world.
Barking.
Such an exquisite sound. It was almost like it entered my ears and traveled through my body, warming it. I wasn’t alone. The collie was nearby. He knew I was in trouble.
“Help!” I cried out, wishing I knew the dog’s name. I knew he was a male, but he hadn’t been wearing a collar during his visits. Why would he wear one out in the middle of nowhere? But I wished I could call him by name. “Here, boy. I’m in here!”
And an even more beautiful sound. “We’re coming!”
Tears formed on my lower lashes and instantly froze. The shaking in my limbs wasn’t just from the cold. Someone was coming.
Help was coming.
Then there was a thud, coming from the direction I thought the porch was in. “I’m here!” I called again.
The collie barked from close by. I could hear him jumping around. In my mind’s eye, I pictured him trying to get to me. Even though I doubted he could, it helped tremendously to know he was nearby.
I closed my eyes as relief filled me. No matter what happened, I wasn’t by myself anymore. Ironic how comforting that thought was, when I’d come all the way out here just so I could have some time alone.
“Are you okay in there?” a deep, masculine voice called. Before I could answer, another one of them answered for me.
“Of course, she’s not.” There was another thud, and then some cursing.
“Don’t go that way, it’s too unstable,” one of them said. I think it was the first guy again. “Miss?”
“I’m here.” My voice sounded weak to my own ears, so I tried again. “I’m stuck.” That was better. Over the years, I’d done a play or two, and that had taught me to project my voice when I needed to.