Rescued by the Captain (Winter Rescue)

4. Donte

4

DONTE

Until today, I’ve never thought that you could feel so familiar with someone you’ve just met.

My arms are locked around this woman like I’m guarding her for dear life. I can feel her chest rise and fall against mine, the flow of air departing her lips.

We’ve gotten close. Dangerously close. I didn’t mean to become intimate with this woman, but I can’t stop my mind from whirling into a frenzy.

She’s like Nina. When I touch her, when I talk to her, I remember the feeling of my wife. And I know I shouldn't be having these thoughts— or, should I say, that I don’t want to allow them.

But they hit me like an infinite meteor shower. Just as I think I’ve dodged one meteor, I’m smacked with another in my blindspot. Each strike leaves me vulnerable, pries me open to be broken apart.

I don’t want to crack and I don’t want to resurrect the past.

Clearing my throat, I shoot up from the ground. The woman is visibly confused as I sever our hug.

“Sorry, I’ve got to go check on something…” My eyes drift for an excuse. “I’ll be in the bathroom for a bit.”

The woman says nothing. I hate that she’s so understanding. She must be unfazed by this all, meanwhile I’m twisting myself up trying not to stare at her voluptuous body.

I beeline across the room. The first door I see is cracked ajar— I throw myself inside, despite not knowing if it’s a bathroom or storage unit. I don’t care to make out the difference in the dark. In the moment, my focus is getting away from the tension outside.

My hands flail for a light, and I turn on a switch. There’s a mirror in front of me, and an ancient- looking toilet beside the sink that hovers underneath. Guess I did end up finding the bathroom I was searching for. I plant my hands on the sink’s ledge, and gaze at my reflection. My jaw is clamped tight, and the veins in my muscles bulge.

This woman has shaken me up. And the more that I think about it, the less that I get it. If we had to be brutally honest, it’s not like I’ve been a saint since Nina left this world. I’ve shown lust towards other women, I still get urges from time to time.

But when I’m around this brunette, the tension is different.

She’s broken. Someone was out for her. When I saw her trembling helplessly on the couch, I wanted to pour every bit of strength I had into her. But maybe I’m getting too attached, and that’ll sabotage our chances of solving this incident.

I need to temper my emotions. Something intense is brewing inside of me, and I fear that if I allow it to unleash, I won’t be able to take it back.

Sighing, I loosen my grip on the sink and head into the living room. The woman still lays on the couch. Along the walls, the windows have been fully plastered in snow and a nasty blizzard is starting outdoors.

I decide to check in with the sheriff.

When he hops on the line, his connection cuts in and out. “Can’t get… hold of the rental… company... for the holiday. I’ll let… when I know.”

“I think someone was after her, Colt,” I reply. I’ve moved near the entrance so we can talk in semi-privacy. “There were multiple tracks going back to the road.”

“Roads… slick on the mountains. Women… damn fast. … Had to pull Aria out of the ditch last week. Probably whoever… tracks and called… in. We’ll have someone out there… to…. pull… out after the storm… send… off to Denver for forensics.”

“No, hold the car there! I can use my skills in forensics to help.”

Even through the static, I perceive Colt’s stony tone. “You’re not on… force.”

“Dammit Colt! Give me a chance.”

After a long pause, he sighs, “Fine. One chance. Might be… get more money for the force… if you do. I’ll check back…. have the vehicle… hear back from the rental company.”

I take that as my cue to sign off. Colt’s as stubborn as every person in the small town of Storm Canyon told me he is.

I retreat to the living room, finding that the brunette is holding something other than hot chocolate.

“What’re you doing?” I ask with a cocked eyebrow. I stroll up to the couch, where she has now sat herself upright. I’m glad to see she has a little more energy.

“Sudoku,” she says.

“Smart. I never could do those.”

A smirk pulls at the corner of her lips. “Come here. I’ll show you.”

I sit down next to her. Her thick thighs brush mine as I peer at the paper. “Do you like numbers?”

She shrugs. “They feel familiar. Maybe I did something with them?”

“Maybe.”

I spot a radio on the coffee table. I turn the dial, and country music starts playing.

“Ugh, I hate country music. Everyone’s dog’s dying and no one understands that you shouldn’t buy the boat until you pay off your house.”

I chuckle. “Smart advice. I have a boat… but no house. I rent.”

“You really should buy a house. It’s a great investment. Even I own a house. Wait… I do, but where?”

I silently mull over her statement. Maybe she did work a job that involves a lot of calculation.

Bria

Hunched over the Sudoku spread on my lap, Donte looks like a big bear. A pensive, big bear. Watching him brings amusement to my lips. Just as I finish explaining the rules, he slumps on the couch, as if he’s even more confused than before.

“Nope. Never gonna get it,” he exhales, shaking his head from side to side.

My smile grows wider. There’s something weirdly intriguing about tough-looking guys getting stumped over easy games.

I drum my fingers on the puzzle. “So have you always been in search and rescue.”

“No, military. Marines for twenty years. I was in forensics. Got my service outta the way before I turned thirty-eight.” He hesitates, appearing conflicted about his answer.

Is he not proud about his job history? Personally, I’d be happy to name even one reference on my resume, let alone being a part of the Marines. But I guess the whole amnesia baggage skews my perspective.

“Married?” I prod. I sweep my hair over one shoulder and catch his eyes flicking to my exposed neck.

“I was. She passed away five years ago.” He drops his gaze to the floor, and the friction grows between us. I can see why he’s cagey about his past.

“I’m sorry.”

His jaw clenches. “So am I. Keep asking me questions.”

“What’s your favorite color?”

“Camo.”

“That’s a lot of colors,” I say with a shake of my head, leading quickly to remembering that my head is still pounding.

The darkness in Donte’s eyes fades. “I like a lot of colors! How about you?”

I’m relieved by his soft smile. I feared that I’d ruined the mood by broaching a touchy subject, but he’s starting to ease up again.

“Red. Husker red,” I say confidently.

Donte’s eyes light up with curiosity. “As in the Nebraska Cornhuskers?”

“Yeah, I went to a game last year.” I pause. “I think. Weird.”

“Ask me another question.”

“Any kids?”

His smile falters. “No.” He rises from the couch quickly. “You hungry? I saw some frozen food in the freezer, I can heat something up.”

I’m concerned that I’ve messed up. But if he’s offering food, I can’t have screwed up too badly at Socializing 101 this time. “Sure. Any chance there’s some curry and naan in there?”

“Doubt it. Looked more like chili and cinnamon rolls.”

“That’s a Nebraska thing!”

“Then that’s what we’ll have, Ms. Nebraska.” He winks at me before striding to the kitchen. Left alone on the couch, I ponder if I am from Nebraska. Or maybe I’m from Colorado and went to college in Nebraska?

A long yawn comes on, twisting my mouth into a large cavern. All this memory-grasping is wearing me out. I move my Sudoku to the coffee table, and lay on my side.

“I’m going to take a quick nap.”

Donte spins to face me with a pot in hand. “Nope. You have to stay awake.”

“You know they don’t say that anymore because the brain needs time to rest and recover.”

“Interesting… Okay, ten minutes.”

“Thirty.” Countering is ballsy, since Donte is hulky enough to convince me to do anything. But sleepiness has got me feeling frisky.

“Twenty— final offer or I keep your ass awake.”

“Wow, you really were in the military. And how would you propose to keep my big ass awake.”

He glares at me. “Your ass isn’t big.”

“Some men think it is.”

Stubborn, he retorts, “I carried you. I know it’s not.”

The memory of being in his arms hits me. It was a safe place to be.

“Twenty minutes it is. Come wake me up when it’s time to rise and shine.”

He sends me a salute.

Satisfied that I’ve won the argument, I get up from the couch. It isn’t bad for napping, but if I want to make the most of these twenty minutes, I’ll want to find someplace that I can roll a few inches without worrying that I’ll fall splat on the floor.

I find a bedroom tucked in the corner of the cabin. Notes of cinnamon waft to my nose as I walk inside. Talk about the best of both worlds— Donte’s cooking me a delicious meal, and I get to sleep on a surprisingly comfy bed. Waking up with no memories is no ideal situation, but to be saved by this guy, I can’t say that I’m itching to complain too much. He’s cute and caring. If only I could remember if I have a guy… or girl … or someone back home.

Home? I close my eyes. I swear I see a small house, tudor style, brick, from the 1960s. And there’s a dog… no, a cat… no… nothing.

I roll over and my head pounds. Maybe a nap would be a good thing.