Three days of perfection. Bernadette propped herself up on an elbow, gazing down at Connall. She couldn’t believe it quite yet—that this man could not only see her world but also be okay with it. Between lazy meals and mind-blowing sex, she’d gotten considerably less work done than normal. But when a gorgeous blond Brit named Connall was in town, only to see her, she could make exceptions.

Outside, the early morning hues were churning from black to bruised purple, ready to spring daylight upon the world. She hadn’t planned to wake up this early, simply felt like a schoolgirl on Christmas morning. Eager to see her presents. To make sure this handsome man wasn’t a vestige of an extremely satisfying dream.

How did you get this lucky?

She stilled her hand, fighting the urge to run her fingers through that thick hair of his. It was one of her favorite things to do, but doing it while he slept at not-quite six a.m. would be weird. She should wait until he was at least partially awake.

Sighing, she flopped onto her back. She might as well use the early rising to her benefit, go check on the recording devices that she hadn’t made it out to since Connall’s arrival. He’d been rousing alongside her most mornings, following her lead on most things. She worried that being so disconnected from his life and business would pose an insurmountable shock, but if it bothered him he didn’t show it. Maybe he was happy for the getaway, the chance to get lost in the Montana wilderness. In each other.

She slipped out of bed as quietly as she could, the down comforter rustling as she did. Her feet hit the cool wood floor, sending the familiar shiver through her spine. Life in the treehouse had its own rhythms. Connall didn’t feel like a burden to them, either, something she had always feared when thinking about introducing potential lovers into this mix. There was only so much room for discomfort out here. And Connall was proving to be more adaptable than she’d expected.

Bernadette slipped on some thick work leggings, stuffing her feet into puffy socks and big boots. Three days was hardly long enough to make a determination about the ways in which her and Connall’s lives might intersect. But she could barely stop herself from fantasizing about it.

Today. You’ll tell him you want this relationship to go full throttle. She tugged on a tank top, followed by a sweatshirt, and then her heavy work jacket. You two can figure out a way to make it work. It feels right. Go for it.

From the kitchen, she smiled over at Connall’s sleeping figure and then scribbled out a quick note for him—"Out to go do science stuff. I’ll be back for breakfast and coffee and kisses soon!” She left it on the countertop, where surely he’d wander first after waking up, and then pushed out of the side door.

The morning hung gray and misty in the early crawling rays of dawn. Crisp air sliced through her lungs. The grasses below were frozen in the early morning chill, and to the west she could spot some younger wolves romping through the fields. She hurried to get to the recording devices, to make sure they were aimed and functioning properly. With the weather fluctuations here, it was important to be vigilant with the devices. And with Connall feet away from her in the treehouse, it was hard to pay attention to her work like she was used to doing.

The boards creaked and groaned under her weight as she checked each outpost. Darting around up here was one of her favorite parts of life in the wilderness; she felt like a monkey in a video game, swinging between secret hideouts. Looking back from an outpost about a quarter mile away, she noticed smoke billowing from the treehouse. Connall must be awake.

Excitement thrilled through her. She’d never been so excited to get back to her little home. Connall made it feel complete; and she hadn’t even realized that anything was lacking. That was the most unsettling part about it.

She checked the equipment, and as she turned to head back over the hanging walkway, she knocked the microphone with the side of her boot.

“Shit.” She watched it tumble down alongside the trunk of the tree. It landed unceremoniously on the forest floor, but seemed to be still in one piece. She sighed, prepping herself to make the trek down the awkward wooden ladder hugging the nearest tree trunk. The steps weren’t exactly fun to climb, but they were there for these types of emergencies. She slid through the hole in the wooden floor of the landing, securing her foot before descending each step.

The wolves from before were nearer now, taking notice of her. She smiled over at them, eager for a brief meeting. It wasn’t everyday they were hanging around the same parts as her. In fact, this might even be her chance to pet some of the younger ones.

If only Connall were here to see this!

In the treehouse, Connall squinted out of the bay window overlooking the open-field area of the sanctuary. He’d woken up after Bernadette left, and after finding her note, he resolved to start his day as well.

It’s just that he didn’t know what to fill it with. He was so used to his type A, to-do-list–oriented lifestyle that having so much disconnected free time was…unsettling.

He scrubbed at the stubble on his jaw. But it was all part of trying something new, meeting Bernadette on her turf. He smiled to himself. In her wolf territory, more like.

Now, on day four of the trip, he felt himself slowly unravelling on the inside. He couldn’t mention it to Bernadette, because it seemed like a strange breach of intimacy. It’s not that he was bored—no, it was something much more complex than that. He really didn’t want to be doing much else beyond screwing and eating anyway. The break was nice.

But he couldn’t live like this always. Not like she did. There was no way in hell he could survive out here for weeks on end as she did.

And knowing this about himself felt like a nail in the coffin for him and Bernadette as a couple.

He’d been trying to look away from this suspicion since the first night in the treehouse, to just enjoy it for what it was, appreciate each moment. And he did—he truly did. But it didn’t eliminate the incompatibilities of their lifestyles, either.

The tea kettle whistled with the announcement of boiling water. He flipped off the stove and returned to the bay window to watch the outdoors, see if he could spot Bernadette. What did science stuff mean, exactly? A small cluster of wolves lingered nearby, their heads cocked up at something in the trees. When seen together in packs, they sent a shiver up his spine. Wolves were impressive…and he wouldn’t be going near them anytime soon.

A streak of dark hair on one of the tree outposts caught his eye. Bernadette knelt at the equipment, her back to him. He smiled, but it faded as she began to descend a makeshift ladder attached to the tree trunk.

Dear God. He squinted as she descended further. Off to her left, the wolves crept closer. Panic cinched his throat, and Connall launched himself toward the backdoor of the treehouse, snagging his coat in the process. He fumbled to put his arms through the sleeves while yanking at the glass sliding door leading to the wraparound deck.

The cold morning air bit at his bare feet, but he didn’t care. Bernadette was about to drop into a snake pit and she didn’t even realize it. The wolves were stalking closer now, as if eyeing up their prey. She continued down the ladder, her head down, unaware of the danger.

“Bernadette!” His voice ripped through the air just as she hopped off the ladder. The wolves launched into a run, headed straight for her.

“Bernadette!” Desperation strained his voice, and he clutched at the wooden railing, unable to look away. The wolves were going to slash her, to tear her into pieces. His heart in his throat, he watched as she turned to face him. Her face lit up, and she waved.

“Look! Watch out!” He pointed forcefully at the wolves, who were so close now she probably wouldn’t even have a chance to scramble back up the ladder. Instead of climbing the tree, she bent down and snatched something up from the ground.

And then she knelt down, her hands out with palms open, as two wolves made prancing circles around her.

Connall’s heart hammered in his chest as he watched, unable to look away, unsure what was even going on. Everything in his body told him she needed to get the hell out of there, so why was she staying put?

Bernadette stood after a moment, wandering along the tree line. Connall’s breath came out in wispy puffs. After another minute watching her slow walk on the forest floor, the wolves darting alongside her, he realized his feet were freezing.

He swallowed hard, tongue meeting the dry roof of his mouth, and stormed inside the treehouse. He tore off his jacket, mind spinning like a cyclone, unable to control his breathing.

His pulse streaked hot and fierce, so he stood in the kitchen, palms pressed against the kitchen counter, counting as slowly as he could.

By the time he reached fifty, the back door opened. Bernadette came inside. Her voice was light and joyful.

“You’re up! And you even got to see the wolves!”

His chest tightened. The rush of adrenaline was still affecting him. “Yeah.”

She loosened her boots and stepped out of them, looking up at him. “You sleep well?”

“Yeah.” He pinched his eyes shut, unsure where to begin. He’d been one hundred percent positive he was going to watch her die out there. It just brought up so much. Like how little he could truly protect her out here…and how deeply he already felt about her.

“Connall, you don’t look very happy.” Her voice softened, and she came up to him. “What’s wrong?”

Her gentle tone released the floodgates. “You almost died out there, Bernadette!”

She watched him with wide eyes for a moment and then snorted. “What are you talking about?”

“Those…wolves.” He gestured toward the window. “When you climbed down that ladder, I almost had a bloody heart attack. I…I couldn’t control myself. I ran outside to stop you.”

“But…those were just young wolves, and—”

“Do you think I know that? Do you think I have any idea what is really going on out here?” His voice reached a feverish pitch. “What I just saw was…not okay. It was the most disturbing moment of my entire adult life.”

Bernadette’s mouth rounded slightly, and she crossed her arms over her chest. “Okay.”

“Okay? That’s all you have to say?”

“I don’t know what you want me to say. This is my job. I live with these wolves. They’re like my family.”

He scoffed. “They’re wild animals. They could rip you apart in an instant.”

Bernadette’s mouth formed a thin line.

“I want to go into town,” he blurted, his cheeks hot and his heart racing. That whole scene had been his breaking point. He needed civilization. He needed internet. He needed to be able to check his damn voicemail. “And really, I think we should leave.”

“We?” Her voice was incredulous. “Connall, I live here. There was no danger. I don’t understand what you’re so bent out of shape about.”

“No. We have to go.” His mind was spinning a mile a minute. Nothing made sense. He just had to go. “Let’s go do something else. I only have a week’s vacation. I thought we’d spend time doing something other than staring at wolves all day.”

Hurt creased her face. “But this is my work, and this is my life. I don’t understand what you—”

“I’ve seen your life. Don’t you think that you should see mine too?”

Silence hung between them, unbearably loud. Bernadette didn’t look convinced when she finally spoke. “I’ve seen your life in Seattle.”

“I had something else planned,” Connall said, his heart twisting strangely. It was true—he’d researched a side trip, in the event that he couldn’t stand a week in the wilderness. And what do you know—you were totally right about this. “With you, of course. A surprise trip. You don’t know the half of my life, Bernadette. I want to show you more.”

She narrowed her eyes. “When will we leave?”

“Today.” His entire body tingled with the possibility of leaving immediately. “We’ll get to town, and my plane can pick us up within a couple hours.”

She blinked. “Your plane?”

“Yes. I have something very special planned.” It had been a contingency plan, but after seeing that morning’s near-massacre, it seemed like it needed to happen now. Thank God for his type A planning after all. Now, he had a perfectly tailored second half to his visit here. And maybe, while he’d looked into the details of this contingency plan, he’d been half expecting himself to not endure the full week in the Montana wilderness.

Bernadette eyed the floor doubtfully, gnawing on the inside of her lip as she thought. “Can’t we leave in a couple of days?”

“Today.” He turned to the stove, flipping the burner back on to reheat the kettle. “So we can get there in time. It’s a long way. I know you’ll love it. It’s actually more educational than relaxing.”

Bernadette looked at him with so much indecision he couldn’t tell if he was making a mistake or not. “Okay. What do I need to pack?”