Mistletoe Mischief (Falling in Mistletoe #2)

Chapter Twenty

P ike!” Ryler handed Jo off to Neil before kneeling on the side of the shallow pool, reaching for him. “Here, let me help you.”

“Thanks,” he said, his teeth chattering. His hand gripped hers, wet and icy.

“Alia!” Neil yelled, cupping his free hand over his mouth. “It was a fucking bunny! You nearly killed Pike over a rascally rabbit!”

“Shut up, Neil,” Ryler snapped, grunting as she pulled. Kit swung his camera onto his back and reached for Pike’s other hand, helping her lift him out of the water.

“How’s the water?” Kit asked, the corner of his mouth twitching.

“Like ice.”

“I think I’ll pass, then.”

Ryler was about sick of all her friends right now. Worry twisted her gut up like a corkscrew, and she stroked a hand over Pike’s forehead. His lips looked a little blue to her, and he was shivering.

“I’ve got no service,” Neil said.

“What … the hell hit me?” Pike whispered.

“My cousin,” Ryler said dryly.

Pike blinked, and Ryler was struck by how beautifully blue his eyes were. “Are you telling me I got knocked out by a hundred-pound woman?”

“Would you rather I lie to you?” she asked.

“I’m going to catch up to Alia before she takes off with the car and leaves us stranded,” Neil said, passing Kit the puppy. “Hopefully, I’ll have a better signal down by the cars.”

“I’m alright,” Pike said, his arms wrapped around his soaking wet frame. “Don’t call anyone. We can just go to the lodge. ”

Ryler saw something that looked like blood and grabbed him by the chin.

“Ow, my beard!” Pike said as she turned his head to the right.

“You’ve got a cut above your ear. Does it sting?”

Pike reached back, his fingers coming away bloody. “I didn’t notice it until you said something.”

“Shit, I’ve heard about moms lifting up cars to save a trapped child, but never a woman knocking a man four feet into the air when she’s scared,” Kit said, waving at Alia and Neil when they came into view. “Good news, Alia. You didn’t kill him.”

“Not yet anyway, but the hypothermia in my extremities is definitely becoming an issue,” Pike chattered. “If I freeze to death, it’s par for the course for how my day has gone so far.”

“You should strip off your clothes,” Kit said, and Ryler’s jaw dropped.

“I’m not stripping here and walking naked back to my car. I have a blanket in my trunk that will at least save my dignity.”

“How far is the nearest hospital?” Ryler asked.

“We don’t need to go to the hospital,” Pike said, taking a step toward the trail. “They have a doctor at the lodge down the road. ”

“Damn, what kind of bougie hotel has their own concierge doctor?” Neil asked, coming in on the conversation.

“They don’t. He bought the place when he retired.”

Ryler shook her head. “Pike, he won’t have any medical equipment—”

Ryler quieted when he covered her hand with his and gave it a squeeze. “It’s just a bump on the head and some wet clothes, Kitten. Get me back to the car, and I can fix half my problems.”

“I am so sorry, Pike,” Alia said, her voice hoarse. “I heard the bushes rustle, and this brown thing poked its head out, and I just panicked.”

“Yeah, I figured that out after I went flying through the air and ended up in the pond,” he said, shuffling down the trail. Ryler could only imagine how those wet jeans were rubbing against his skin if he wasn’t wearing boxer briefs.

“I’m still concerned about the weather turning,” Pike called over his shoulder. “You guys should probably head back to town. ”

“You can’t drive like this,” Ryler said.

“I’ll be fine. Like I said, I have a blanket in my trunk. I can strip down and drive the ten minutes up the road.”

“Your cut is still oozing. What if you pass out because you have a concussion?” she asked.

“I don’t have a concussion.”

“But you might have hypothermia,” Kit said, holding his phone in front of him. “Hypothermia can take up to thirty minutes to fully develop and starts with shivering.”

“We are still twenty minutes from the car,” Ryler said.

“Oh God, did I kill him?” Alia shrieked.

“You are all panicking over nothing— Oof! What the fuck!” Pike hollered as Neil grabbed the shorter man and lifted him over his shoulder, carrying him like a sack of potatoes. Ryler couldn’t believe Neil had the strength to pick him up, let alone head down the trail at a brisk pace.

“Dude, put me down!” Pike growled.

“You’re shuffling too slow, my guy. Just relax and enjoy the ride.”

“Give me your keys,” Ryler said. “I’ll run ahead and grab the blanket and turn on the heat.”

“What the hell is that digging into my shoulder?” Neil asked.

“It’s either my bear mace or my gun, and no, I’m not giving you my keys!”

“Why not?” Ryler asked.

“Wait, did he say gun?” Kit asked.

“It was in case we saw a bear,” Ryler said.

“That’s comforting,” Neil said.

“Pike, just get me the keys. I’m doing this for you.”

“I have them,” Alia said, pulling a set of keys from Pike’s jacket. Ryler had forgotten she was wearing it. Ryler grabbed them and took off, jogging down the trail ahead. She could hear Pike bellyaching and complaining, and while she knew this was probably embarrassing for him, his health and safety trumped his discomfort.

Ryler was sweating buckets despite the chill in the air by the time she made it to the car, hopping into the driver’s seat and starting up the engine. She turned the heater all the way up and got out to retrieve the blanket from the trunk.

By the time the rest of the group reached the cars, the red Charger was toasty inside. Neil dropped Pike onto his feet. His teeth were still chattering, but his cheeks were flushed.

“Thank you for the lift,” he deadpanned, taking the blanket from her. “You can all head back to town.”

“What about the lodge?” Ryler said.

“If you leave now, I don’t think you’ll hit any weather. I can make it to the lodge on my own, but I would like to get out of these wet clothes first, preferably without an audience.”

Neil patted Ryler’s shoulder. “Let’s give the man some space.”

“I am really sorry,” Alia said.

Kit handed Jo over to Ryler, but she didn’t give him the puppy or get into the SUV with them. Instead, she walked over to the passenger door and said, “Go on ahead. I’m going to make sure he makes it there safely.”

Neil looked like he was about to protest, but Alia cut him off. “Let me take the puppy. I’ll give her plenty of love and snuggles, and you can concentrate on him.”

Ryler handed Jo off. “Thanks.”

“Text me when you’re heading back.”

“I will,” Ryler said.

Neil backed the SUV up, and Pike looked around the trunk of his own car, cursing when he saw Ryler. “I told you I’d be fine.”

“Well, I didn’t believe you, so you’re stuck with me.” Ryler opened up the driver’s side and climbed in.

Ryler caught movement in the side mirror and saw a flash of thigh and buttock as Pike pulled off his pants and underwear. Ryler’s cheeks burned, worried that he would catch her watching, so she looked straight ahead. From the brief flash, he was nicely put together, but she’d already guessed that.

When Pike opened the passenger door and climbed inside, he glared at her.

“Stop giving me that death stare.” Ryler started the car and put it in reverse. “You doing okay?”

“Getting there,” he said, buckling his seat belt over the blanket. “Where’s my dog?”

“Alia took her back to our place.”

“That’s probably good.” Pike settled in and closed his eyes, but Ryler poked him. “What?”

“Just keep talking to me. If you start to feel tired or—”

“Don’t worry about me, Kitten. I just need a glass of whiskey, some dry clothes, and a warm fire, and I’ll be back to my charming self.”

“I’m sorry, whoever called you charming lied to you. ”

“Man, give a guy a break. Today I lost my best friend, my business is on the rocks, I got taken out by a tiny woman, and then I was carried back to my car by another man. The only way my day would be more emasculating is if you looked at my junk and laughed.”

Ryler blushed.

“What’s that look?” he asked.

“What look?”

“The red-faced, guilty look …” Ryler saw Pike turn in his seat out of the corner of her eye. “Did you peep on me when I was changing?”

“What? No! I—accidentally saw your thigh in the mirror, but I wasn’t actively looking.”

“I can’t believe sweet little Ryler is a peeper.” He chuckled.

“I am not!”

“Sure, sure.” Pike leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. “I’d ask if you liked what you saw, but I’m afraid I won’t appreciate the answer.”

Ryler pressed her lips together, fighting a smile. “No need to be scared of that.”

“Oh yeah?” he asked.

“I said what I said. Now, be quiet and save your strength.”

“I thought you wanted me to talk?”

“I changed my mind.”