“For one, it’s going to be dark in a couple of hours and we don’t even know if he lives here. This is Yura’s guess. Two, the terrain is seriously treacherous. We don’t want to be stuck out there at night.”
“Colter—”
“I know time is crucial, Kensie. Believe me, I get it. But we’re not doing your sister any good if we get ourselves killed. And I’m not kidding about the area. There’s no easy way to access it other than one trail, and even that’s blocked half the time. We’ve already had enough of a snowfall that it’s possible snow has dumped off the side of the hills and made it inaccessible.”
“But we saw Henry in town just yesterday. He got here somehow.”
“Yeah, and that probably tells us the road is fine, but some of the locals who live way out in the wilderness use snow mobiles and keep a vehicle somewhere else. Besides, if Henry is anticipating us, he’ll know to watch that road. Not to mention that Yura’s map just gives us a general area. It’ll take us hours to investigate it all.”
“So, maybe night is better,” Kensie argued. “If Henry is watching the road—”
“We get people stuck up in that area who freeze to death every year, Kensie. There are no cell towers for miles, so no cell service at all. And the houses are miles apart, too, so you’d be lucky to reach help.”
“But you know the area—”
“Not that area. Not well enough. I’m not taking you up there tonight.”
Frustration and disappointment mingled on her face, but they couldn’t hide what was underneath: fear. Fear that even as they stood there speaking, Henry was already rushing her sister out of town. That they were already too late.
“Tomorrow morning,” Colter promised. “We’ll go with supplies and a plan. Okay?”
“Okay,” she agreed reluctantly.
He nodded. “I’ll drop you at your hotel so you can get fresh clothes and I’ll pick you up tomorrow at eight. Sound good?”
“Oh. Sure.”
The surprise in her voice told him she’d half-expected to go back to his cabin with him tonight. The idea made desire curl in his belly, but he ignored it.
He couldn’t take her with him tonight because he wasn’t going home.
After he dropped her off, he planned to scout the area himself.
SHE SHOULD BE with Colter now, not tossing and turning in her ridiculously soft hotel bed, unable to sleep. It was mostly worry about Alanna keeping her up, but part of it was the man helping her find her sister.
If they did locate Alanna tomorrow, Kensie would be going home. She’d never see Colter again. Just the thought of it made her chest tighten with dread.
Why hadn’t she spoken up when he’d told her he’d drop her off at her hotel? Based on the way he’d returned her kiss last night before she’d headed off to his room, if she’d asked to go with him, he would have said yes. Instead of sitting here, heart beating too fast and a million different scenarios about what could happen tomorrow running through her mind, she could be with Colter right now.
In his bed with him. Or on his lap on his recliner. She’d even take a spot curled up on the floor by Rebel if it meant she could be close to Colter.
Who was she kidding? Even if she started out on the floor—which she knew Colter would never let happen—she wouldn’t stay there long. She’d end up beside him, underneath him, on top of him, arms and legs entwined, lips pressed against his until she could hardly breathe.
Normally, she backed away from relationships that had too much potential to hurt her heart. Her mom said it was her way of protecting herself from losing anyone again. So she left them first. It was probably true, but then, she’d never met anyone she couldn’t stay away from. Until Colter.
His loss had been different than hers, but he understood the mingling of grief and guilt in a way most people couldn’t. And maybe that was part of why she felt connected to him. But it was only a small part.
The rest of it was about the man. The way he’d risked his own safety for hers and Rebel’s. The way he smiled at Rebel when she sat by him. The way he looked at her sometimes with those soft blue eyes, focused so intently on her as if he never wanted her to leave his side.
She knew exactly where it would lead to sleep with someone she cared too much about and then walk away. She’d never been remotely tempted to try it. But right now, she was pretty sure not staying with Colter tonight was going to be one of the biggest regrets of her life.
So do something about it. The thought hit like a sledgehammer and Kensie shoved off her covers, heart pounding. What would Colter do if she just showed up at his cabin tonight?
Only one way to find out. Kensie felt a goofy smile lifting her lips as she flipped on the light next to her bed.
As the light went on, there was a soft thump from the other side of her door.
Kensie froze, listening. Had Colter gotten the same idea and come to her hotel tonight? No. He’d never stand out there skulking if he’d made up his mind to be with her. He’d knock forcefully and then wait patiently for her to decide.
Maybe someone else had checked into the hotel. Except the sound had come from right outside her door. Too close to be someone going into another room.
Maybe she was imagining things. She sat perfectly still, straining to listen. Another sound reached her ears, this time a drawn-out metallic scrape, as if someone was working the lock.
She jerked in response, banging her head against the headboard as panic took hold.
At the sound, whoever was outside stopped being quiet. There was a loud thud,
