Snowed In Read Free

search. “I don’t know.”
    Crouched beside a boulder, she looked back toward the ledge. In daylight, she would have had a clear view. She saw the beam of a flashlight and pointed. “They’re coming.”
    Emily ducked down beside her. “What now?”
    “Stay quiet.”
    The flashlight beam bobbled along the path. When he passed the boulder where they made their desperate slide, her tension lessened. Maybe he wouldn’t notice their escape route. Maybe they’d be safe.
    The beam scanned the forest. Though she knew the light wasn’t powerful enough to penetrate this darkness, she crouched lower, wishing she could disappear.
    The light came back toward the granite boulder.
    “Emily?” a deep, male voice called out. “Emily, are you out here? It’s Blake.”
    Blake—the hulking, angry ranger—had come to their rescue. Sarah was so relieved that she almost burst into the “Hallelujah Chorus.”

Chapter Two
    Blake Randall hadn’t expected to start his duties as best man by rescuing the bride and her very attractive maid of honor, but tonight’s action felt a lot more natural than getting decked out in his dress uniform and making a champagne toast. When he spotted the two women at the foot of the cliff, he anchored one hand to a tree at the edge of the path and threw down his belt for them to use as a climbing aid.
    Emily grabbed his belt and scrambled up the steep slope and onto the path, where she threw her arms around him for a hug. In spite of the cold and the discomfort and a smear of mud on her cheek, she flashed a bright smile. “I’m so glad you’re here. I was afraid something terrible would happen.”
    “Something terrible did happen,” Sarah growled from the bottom. “Four masked men with guns tried to kill us.”
    “We don’t know that for sure,” Emily called down to her. “I don’t know why they were there or what—”
    “Step aside,” Blake interrupted her as he got into position to help Sarah. Though the threat had been handled for the moment, he couldn’t be sure that they wouldn’t be attacked again. It was imperative to get the women to safety as quickly as possible.
    Sarah had removed her gloves to get a firm grip on his belt. As soon as she latched on, she climbed with sure steps. Her boots kicked through the crusty snow and found footholds. As soon as she was within his reach, he grasped her wrist to help her up the last few steps. Her arm slung around his neck. He felt her muscles tense. If they hadn’t been dangling off the edge of a cliff, this hold might have counted as an embrace.
    When she stood beside him on the path, she avoided his gaze. “Thanks, Blake.”
    “You could have made it on your own.”
    “Climbing uphill is easier than coming down.” She straightened her shoulders. “We should get out of here.”
    “Agreed. My rental is in the clearing.”
    “Is it safe to go back there?” she asked. “How do we know they aren’t waiting to ambush us?”
    “We don’t,” he said, “but I doubt they’ve had time to regroup. I got in a couple of good hits before they drove off in their van.”
    “You shot them?” Emily squeaked.
    Though he was certain that he’d wounded two of the men, he didn’t intend to give her a recap. Emily was so bighearted that she’d want to seek out their enemies and offer aid.
    Sarah was different. Her voice was calm as she said, “A couple of good hits, huh? Thanks, again.”
    “Let’s go.” He drew his Beretta and snapped a fresh clip into the magazine.
    With the two women following, he moved quickly through the trees and back toward the clearing. Staying in the cover of the surrounding forest, they made their way toward the SUV he’d rented at the airport.
    “Wait,” Emily said.
    “Keep moving,” he said.
    “We’re going to be okay,” she said. “Wait a minute.”
    His buddy Jeremy truly loved this woman. Blake found her unrelenting perkiness to be somewhat annoying. “What?”
    “I see my cell phone over there.