Her next words tumbled out fast, like she just wanted to get the story out and done. “The search crew didn’t find us for two hours. The only thing that kept me from losing my feet to frostbite or freezing to death was that I had my boots on to go get more firewood and a sleeping bag ended up within my reach.” She finally looked Bjørn in the eyes. “My dad kept saying if they’d had trained search dogs, they could’ve found us earlier. Maybe Melinda wouldn’t have died. Since then, I swore I’d do everything I could to save more people.” She fisted his shirt in her hands with a moan. “How can I do that if I can’t go where the dogs go? What if someone’s trapped and I panic?”
Bjørn cupped the back of her head in his hands and leaned his forehead on hers. He understood the need to help. Wasn’t that what drove him? But for her to live through what she did—to not only have to watch her best friend die, but to be trapped with her—would leave a wound hard to heal from. She hadn’t run away from the pain. No, she had leaned into it, building her kennel to be a resource that could save others. Bjørn hoped he hadn’t messed it up with her permanently because she had captured his heart completely.
“I think, when the moment came and someone was in trouble, you’d push through the fear.” His words had her shaking her head, so he pulled back a few inches to look in her eyes. “You care more about others than you do yourself, Sadie, and I know you’d find the strength within to push through, but, if it would help, maybe we could work on your fear a little bit at a time so you can train yourself to focus through it. My military counselor said it’s like training your muscles: the more often you do it, the stronger your good responses will get.”
“Like I would the dogs in the same situation.” Her quiet voice barely lifted above the breeze blowing past them. “You’d do that? You’d help me?”
“I don’t think there’s anything I wouldn’t do for you.”
She pressed her palms against his chest and leaned into him. The sweet smell of lemon scone faintly clung to her as she drew near. He froze, unable to think of anything but her approach.
Her tentative touch trembled on his lips. Electrical synapses fired in his brain, like they’d been dormant until her kiss. The thought lifted him, soaring him into the clouds, as he placed his hands on her cheeks and captured her lips with his. She sighed and wrapped her arms around the back of his neck. This … this was it, the next box to check off on his life’s list. In Sadie Wilde’s arms and heart was where he wanted to spend the rest of his days.