Su Abbott ran for her life. Her adrenaline spiked as her feet pounded the forest trails, dark and damp in the early summer morning. Fighting to keep her breathing steady, she worked not to use up all her resources in this early burst of speed. She would need her endurance. If she managed to get away it would be because she played her cards well.
Though she wanted to stop, she knew she couldn’t. They would find her.
At a fork in the path, her adrenaline spiked again, not with fear but with anticipation. She knew this mountain like the back of her hand. And he didn’t.
That was the point.
Taking a sharp turn to the left, she left the trail. This slowed her pace considerably, but she was willing to risk it. She plunged into the underbrush, turning to her side, one hand down to grab trees and roots, keeping her steady as she took the steep descent in an attempt to evade her pursuers.
Yesterday morning, she’d gone on her jog, as usual. The Sanctuary had seemed almost too still when she’d returned—the kennels empty, no one barking to greet her. No soft flutter of activity or dim light at the back porch of the Veterinary Clinic.
Then, she’d stayed on the trail, going right past her own small cabin. The feeling of being alone cemented her decision to do more than go for a jog each morning. She’d kept going, earbuds still in, across the main training compound—open and empty—and up the back steps of the lodge.
The first trainee from Pacific Search and Rescue was supposed to have arrived the night before, very late. She’d tried to keep her steps silent so as not to wake the man if he was sleeping in. But it was late enough, the sun fully up, that she knew that Roz would be in her office. Su had continued up the back porch of the lodge, through the unlocked door, and around the corner to ask her boss if there was anything she could help with.
She’d bounced in, trying to keep her heart rate up. Earbuds still in, thin t-shirt covered in sweat and ponytail swinging, as she almost smacked into the back of him.
Tall and broad shouldered, he wore his cocoa brown hair pulled back. He didn’t turn when she entered. But he stood facing Roz, a twitch in his shoulder letting her know he’d heard her enter. Having almost walked right into him, she now knew that he smelled good and she didn’t.
He turned then, sharp blue eyes startling her. She just stared until she heard her name for the third time as if from a distance.
No, she told herself, he was not so good looking that she was lightheaded. Roz was practically yelling at her because she still had her earbuds in. Su plucked them, trying to keep her breathing under control. It was from running, definitely from running.
“I’m sorry,” she said, too breathy, but what could she do about it? She held out her hand. “I’m Su, newbie dog trainer.”
“Ian Carello,” he offered as he took her hand. She almost didn’t hear him say, “With Pacific Search and Rescue,” because she was telling herself she didn’t feel a zing.
She’d had zings before, and they were pointless. Attraction was fine, but getting involved? No thank you. She offered a genuine smile then, glad she’d talked herself down.
“Ian’s here with his two dogs,” Roz said. “Jackson and Felony.”
“Jackson is a search and rescue dog,” Ian added. “And Felony is a cadaver dog.”
Around here, it was absolutely normal to be introduced with your dogs. Su just nodded. “Nice to meet you.” But then she looked past Ian, or at least she stepped to the side to get a good view around him so she could talk to Roz. “I just wanted to check in before I did absolutely nothing for the day to see if there’s anything that you need.”
Roz had tipped her head toward Ian.
“Actually,” he said. “I could use a warm body. A runner.”
She frowned at him. That did not sound good.
“I got here early, wanting to do a few extra practice runs before the certification training begins.”
“He’s looking for a fugitive to hunt. I told him I don’t have any fugitives,” Roz explained but her expression was asking Su if she was interested.
Well, if Su had a fugitive, she would have shared with him.
He laughed. “You run?”
“Most mornings.”
“Want to become a fugitive?”
She frowned at him, thinking that fleeing from the law was really not on her to do list. Then in hit her. She was being dumb. Maybe his good looks were making her stupid. She was too old for that, and probably for him. “Oh, you want me to be a pretend fugitive?”
He grinned as he nodded, looking her up and down. It wasn’t skeevy, she figured he was assessing her ability to escape custody. She worked out. She ran. She kickboxed. He better not find her wanting.
“Su is your best bet,” Roz said from somewhere behind the broad shoulders, but Ian didn’t look back. He seemed to still be assessing her. Roz added, “Our other runner is Devin and he’s deaf as well as not around for the next few days.”
The boss lady then proceeded to shoo them out of the office. Su headed down the short hall and kept going across the wide plank porch and down the back steps. Maybe she was trying to get somewhere she could step a few feet away and hopefully he wouldn’t notice that she smelled as bad as she did.
Ian was close on her heels. “I just needed someone to try to evade Jackson.”
She’d raised one eyebrow, until he added, “And me, of course.”
“When?”
“Tomorrow morning? When do you normally run?”
She rattled off a time, thinking it might be too early for him, he was fresh in from the Pacific coast. But, of course, he agreed. Honestly, it sounded like fun. She’d agreed a little too readily. Whether that was due to his charm or her own boredom, she still wasn’t quite sure.
He talked her through the basics before she turned to walk away.
“Wait.” He’d stopped her. “Can I have your shirt?”
I’m sorry, what? But she’d trained herself to hold her tongue, to only speak when she was ready and say what she intended. She turned with a WhatTheActualFuck? look on her face and raised an eyebrow at him.
She was sweaty and gross. She had nothing but a sports bra underneath. And he was too young to be hitting on her. He must be at least a decade her junior.
He easily read the odd expression, but it only made him laugh. His grin was enchanting as he held his hand out, wide palm, long fingers waiting. “For tomorrow morning. So I can give Jackson your scent.”
Oh. He was not asking her for her clothing for any fun purpose. Damn.
Still keeping her expression a little condescending—hoping she didn’t look as foolish as she felt—she didn’t say yes or no. Reaching down slowly, Su plucked the edge of her shirt and stripped herself almost bare.
She dropped the disgusting top in his hand as if it were a prize before turning and walking away.
