Chapter Five
Daryn followed Cece With The Rainy Eyes down the slope, alert for any sign of more sliding. They moved slow, and the snow was piling up to cover the trail. If they could just get past the bowl and the first ridge, they could find a place to dig in and camp. It would be challenging to dig a cave big enough to insulate them with the snow falling as hard as it was. But he’d make it happen. Somehow, he’d find her a safe place to wait out the storm.
Must keep her safe.
The message buzzed in his bones like it was part of his DNA.
She’d taken some of his equipment to carry, as if she wanted to do her part to help him out. She didn’t know he was shiften and could take a lot more of a beating than she could.
Strong female, his instincts told him. Not as fragile as he’d thought. But still, not as indestructible as he was. They needed to find a place to stop soon.
Cece edged left, taking them off the path, and he reached for her arm to stop her.
“Going left when you should go right,” he called past the wind.
“Story of my life.”
She found his gaze and gave him another one of those heart-melting grins. She’d done that twice now, fuck him, but it made his knees weak. He’d never experienced this kind of reaction to a woman. Much less one he’d just met.
He was afraid to even think what he was thinking but…
“How old are you?”
Her smile faded. “Isn’t it considered rude to ask a lady that?”
Daryn snorted. “Not from around here, are ya? We aren’t proper here in the wilderness. We say what we mean and mean what we say.”
She rolled her eyes. “Chicago born and raised. And we don’t say much unless we need to.”
“Well, you need to now,” he insisted. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-five,” she mumbled, probably hoping he wouldn’t hear, and turned back onto the path.
Twenty-five.
She was the right age to be a One True Mate. But her name was all wrong. One True Mates were named after flora, and Cece was not a plant as far as he knew.
So why did she call such emotion from him? Why did the thought of losing her make his Raven go crazy inside? And why did he want to get her warm and undressed and writhing beneath him as soon as possible?
Daryn recalled how she resisted being pulled into the chopper. Why didn’t she want his help? That question plagued him more than the others.
What the hell was she doing in Alaska on a mountain known for avalanche danger? Suicide? A twist of his gut had him asking.
“Why didn’t you want help up there? Why didn’t you let me load you in the chopper?”
They went a ways before she answered.
“That’s personal.”
“Okay, ask me something personal and then we’ll be even.”
She glanced back at him, eyes wary but intrigued. “Why don’t you have a girlfriend? Or a wife?”
Daryn frowned. “How do you know I don’t?”
“Just a hunch.” She smiled like a cat eating a canary. “You answered the question I didn’t ask, now answer the one I did ask.”
Oh, she was good. Sneaky with the words. Like she’d been trained to get answers in the most efficient way possible. Shrewd. And that turned him on hard.
“Can’t,” he clipped out. “Don’t know the answer to that one.”
“Sure you do.”
“Do you know why you’re single?”
She paused, eying him. “Yep. But you didn’t ask me that so I’ll save it for later.”
She was single though. She’d given him that much.
They trudged forward, getting closer to the ridge. Beyond it, was a place to camp, he knew it. So he gave her what she wanted.
“I suppose I’ve never found the right woman.”
Cece snorted. “That’s such a canned answer, I’m not even surprised.”
“There is a right woman for me, you know. One meant for me.”
“Sure there is. It’s the one you choose. That’s how it is for everybody. People just like to pretend fate has something to do with it because it makes them feel better when they end up alone.”
Wow. That was…
“Cutthroat.” He liked that about her too.
She laughed. “People say I can be. Sorry, big guy.”
“Don’t be. Say what you mean and mean what you say. It’s like you were meant for Alaska.”
“More than you know,” she murmured, moving closer to the ridge ahead.
He wanted to ask her what that meant. Wanted to ask her why she was alone. Wanted her to answer his first question. But it would all have to wait, because they were cresting the ridge and on the other side, would be snow that was safe to dig into. Light was fading so they’d have to move fast.
Daryn hurried around her, more mobile on his snow shoes, and by the time she caught up to him, he’d already plotted the spot for their snow cave. It would be small. It was all they had time for. But he didn’t mind sharing tight quarters with her. Hell, if all they did was sleep and shiver it would be more action than he’d seen in a long damn time. And stuck in the cave, she wouldn’t be able to avoid his questions.
Because he was halfway sure she was something to him. Something important. Maybe even his mate, if he was real damn lucky.
And he was going to find out tonight.