by Adele Niles
I threw my arms around the dog’s neck, hugging it tight. “Good dog, good dog! You’re the best. Oh, my God, I love you so much!”
Maybe it would be okay.
Chapter Four
Jake
The scream told me where the missing girl was.
Chunk’s barking confirmed it.
It hadn’t been hard to find her. I’d located her car first, the only one left in the lot. From there, it had been easy to pick up her trail. She’d started on the only path that led away from this parking lot; she’d said she was at a lookout point when the ground caved, which meant she’d taken a dirt trail.
Chunk and I had gotten there quick, and now I stood at the top of the hill she’d fallen down, listening as she shouted, and the dog barked.
I’d have to give Chunk an extra bone tonight.
I dropped my pack on the ground and set a lantern up to see what I was doing. There were some sturdy trees here; I picked one, pulling on it to test its hold.
Good. Old, with a thick trunk and deep roots.
We’d be fine.
I secured a cable around it, fastening it tight, and hooked up the rest of my gear before putting on my harness. I slung the extra harness over my shoulder for the girl, clipped my lantern to the harness, and started down the hill.
She’d picked a good one to fall down. It was steep and slippery from the rain that still hadn’t stopped.
The dispatcher had said that she wasn’t hurt, but I was worried all the same.
I made it down the worst of the slope and unclipped my harness from the cable. “Chunk!” I called. “You with her?”
“Hello?” The voice that called back was female. She sounded scared.
“Hello!” I followed the sound of her voice. “My name is Jake Quick. I’m part of the Search and Rescue team in this part of the Catskills. I’m gonna help you get out of here, all right?”
“Okay! Um, is this your dog?”
“Yeah, that’s Chunk. He’s a sweetheart. Helps us find a lot of people who get lost out here.”
“Chunk? That’s a cute name.”
I chuckled, moving toward her. Chunk barked again, and I turned, lantern swinging.
The girl was sitting down, holding Chunk. His tail slapped on the ground when he saw me, and he tapped his front feet excitedly.
“Hey, buddy.”
He broke away from the girl, running to me.
She stood up slowly. I looked her over. She wasn’t hobbling as she walked or holding anything funny.
I’d still want to check her out when we got back to the cabin, but I was sure she wasn’t hurt bad.
“Belinda?”
“Hi. Um… yeah, that’s me.”
I nodded and held a hand out to her. “Come on. Let’s get you out of here.”
She moved closer and took my hand. In the lantern light, I could get a good look at her.
She was stunning. Red hair, green eyes, plus-sized but still with an hourglass figure…
Holy shit. I knew who she was.
I’d seen her around Instagram. She was fairly well-known in the plus-size community, always making positive posts about self-love and caring for each other.
I followed her.
I didn’t usually interact with people on social media, but I did spend a lot of time there, looking through photos and tutorials and watching videos online.
Living out in the mountains could have been lonely, but the Internet made me feel like I had other people around.
And that included Belinda.
But I didn’t say anything. The poor girl was already freaked out; I didn’t want to make it worse.
“I’ve got a cabin a couple miles from here. We’re gonna head back there until morning, okay? My radio’s at the top of the hill, so we’ll let everyone else know where you are. And I’ve got good cell reception at my place. You can call home, update social media, whatever you need to do.”
Belinda nodded. “Yeah. Right now, all I want is a hot shower and something to eat.”
“Consider it done. I got leftover chili in the fridge.”
“Perfect.” She smiled. “You said your name is Jake, right?”
“Yes.”
She suddenly launched forward, throwing her arms around me and hugging me tight.
I could feel her tits against my chest, nipples hard from the cold and rain.
I had to admit… she was one of my fantasy women.
I’d thought about her a lot, late at night, my dick in my hands.
Maybe, just maybe, she’d want to thank me.
I wouldn’t suggest it, but if she offered, well, I wouldn’t say no.
I let her go after a moment and led her back toward the hill. She stayed close, as did Chunk, following at my heels.
At the bottom of the hill, I turned to Belinda and handed her the extra harness. “Here. You’re gonna put this on. We gotta climb out of here.”
“Climb?”
“It’s not that hard with the equipment. And I’m gonna get you up first. You ever been to a rock climbing gym?”
She shook her head.
Shit.
“Okay, well, don’t worry about it. Here.” I moved closer, tightening the harness appropriately.
Even when she was cold and soaked to the skin, she felt warm, her skin soft.
I felt my cock twitch in my coveralls.
I clipped the second carabiner to her waist and nodded. “Okay. I’ve got the other end of the cable clipped to me. All you’ve gotta do is hold the cable and walk up. Okay?”
She nodded slowly. “Even where it’s steep?”
“Yeah. You’re not gonna fall because I’m anchoring you. There’s a pulley at the top the cable feeds through, okay?”
“Okay.” She nodded a little more confidently. “Okay. Um… you’re sure?”
I smiled. “I’ve done this a lot. I think we’ll be okay.”
“Okay.”
She nodded and turned to the hill, starting up. It wasn’t too steep at first, but soon she was almost horizontal, clutching the cable and walking upward.
With every step she took forward, I took one back.
“You’re doing great, Belinda!”
She looked over her shoulder with a nervous smile, then kept climbing.
Chunk and I watched as she made it to the top, looking back and waving at me, just barely lit by the glow of the lantern’s bulb.
I waved back and reached down, petting Chunk. “Okay, boy. See you at the trailer? Go on!”
Chunk barked and took off, running through the woods.
I moved toward the bottom of the hill. “Okay, Belinda. You’re gonna do what I was doing. Every time you feel the cable go slack, take a big step backward. Got it?”
“Yeah. Yeah, I can do that.”
“Okay.” I nodded and started the climb upward.
Belinda did well. She walked backward, helping me get up, and soon I clambered over the edge of the hill. Belinda ran back toward me, letting out a laugh.
“We did it! Thank you, thank you! I didn’t think we’d get back up!”
I chuckled. “I’ve been doing this for a while. If that hadn’t worked, we would’ve camped overnight and hiked out in the morning.”
“You could’ve gotten us back?”
“Sure The parking lot is southeast from here.”
She bit her lip. “I had no idea what direction it was.”
“First time out hiking?”
“Is it that obvious?”
I laughed. “Let’s get you somewhere warm and dry. C’mon. I got an ATV out here.”
I unhooked my gear and returned everything to my pack. Together, Belinda and I walked down the trail a ways.
My ATV was exactly where I’d left it.
Chunk was already in the trailer, his tail wagging.
I tossed my pack in the trailer with Chunk and climbed on. Belinda straddled the seat behind me and wrapped her arms around my waist.
I turned toward
home, unable to think about anything but how good she felt against me.
Chapter Five
Belinda
Jake drove me along some trails I hadn’t taken, steering the ATV carefully. I held on tight, my head against his shoulder.
I was tired. Really fucking tired. And I wanted a shower and something hot to eat.
I kind of wanted a drink, but I was a little nervous about being alone with a strange man and drinking.
And I wanted to see Jake’s face. I’d been able to make out a little in the dark—he was tall, sturdy-looking—but hadn’t been able to see the details. He’d never shined the lantern on himself, just me and the path we needed to follow.
But he’d saved my life.
If Jake hadn’t found me, I don’t know what would have happened. I probably would have gotten sick and maybe even died.
But I was safe now and going somewhere to recover for the rest of the night.
The ATV started to slow, and I looked up. Ahead, lights glowed, coming through square-shaped windows.
This had to be his cabin.
He stopped outside it. Chunk hopped out immediately, walking to the door with his tail wagging.
Jake glanced over his shoulder at me. “Here we are. Safe and sound. I’m gonna radio real quick, let them know you’re safe.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
I climbed off the ATV, standing beside it while Jake dug in his pack. He produced a large hand-held radio, extending the antenna all the way.
“Dispatch, this is Jake Quick with Search and Rescue. I’ve found Miss Bell. She’s safe, unharmed. I took her back to my cabin for the night, to get a little rest before she drives anywhere.”
A moment later, a voice crackled over the radio. “Jake! Shoulda known you’d be the one to find her. Thanks for the good work, again.”
Jake chuckled. “No problem. She’s gonna check in with her folks. If you need to send anyone out to check on her, feel free.”
“All right. I’ll check in with the State Police, see if they want to send anyone, but they know you’ve got a good record and know your stuff.”
“Well, I’ll have the radio on all night. Call if you need anything.”
“Will do. Have a good night, Jake. Make sure Miss Bell gets some rest after her long day.”
“You got it, man. Goodnight.”
He shouldered his pack and nodded toward the door. “Come on in.”
I followed him, waiting for him to unlock and open the door.
He led me into a gorgeous cabin—definitely Pinterest-worthy. The whole cabin smelled like cedar. It was obviously hand-built, rustic. A lot of the furniture looked handmade as well—a coffee table made of an enormous tree stump, carefully carved dining furniture. Multicolored rugs were scattered around, and when I bent to touch one, I realized that it was made of t-shirt cotton.
Eco-friendly. Very on trend.
“Did you build all of this?”
Jake looked around, shrugging. “Most of it. And what I didn’t do, I sourced from locals.”
“Nice. Helping the local economy.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, well. Out here, it’s about the only way to do it.”
I nodded. “I wish it was easier to do it back in the city. I like the idea of being more eco-friendly, you know?”
“Yeah. It’s not a bad way to be.”
I nodded. “Um, okay, well… where’s the shower? And do you have a dryer I can throw my clothes in?”
“Yeah. I can wash and dry your clothes. Damn, I think I gave my last set of ladies’ clothes away. I can loan you some pajamas?”
I bit my lip. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I got some flannel pants and t-shirts.”
I nodded. “Okay. Thank you. That sounds great.”
Jake grunted. “Bathroom’s this way. C’mon.”
He led me down the hall to one of the most gorgeous bathrooms I had ever seen. The walls were green, with wood grain-patterned tile going halfway up. A huge walk-in shower with a rainfall head stood in one corner, complete with a built-in bench. A clawfoot tub sat against one wall, clearly an antique.
I gasped softly. “Your house is amazing. Would you mind if I took some pictures tomorrow? I kinda have a following on Instagram, and I’d love to show some of this off.”
Jake shrugged. “Do what you’d like. It doesn’t matter to me.”
I smiled. “Don’t worry. I won’t name names or give out your location.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
He definitely seemed like the kind of guy who appreciated his privacy. I wasn’t going to let anyone know where he was.
He left me to shower, waiting outside the bathroom until I’d handed him my soaked clothes. I stepped into the hot water and let out a sigh of relief.
My muscles ached, and I had a ton of bruises. I’d scraped up my hands and knees pretty bad in the fall, and one of my elbows had a cut on it.
But still, I knew I was lucky—a fall like that could have killed me.
I took my time in the shower, scrubbing myself down and washing my hair with pine-scented shampoo. There was no conditioner, and no proper face wash, but I’d be all right for a night without it. Still, I had to admit I missed my Lush collection.
When I finished my shower and toweled off, I pulled back the curtain. Jake had crept in at some point and left me pajamas, neatly folded on the vanity.
I dressed and walked out of the bathroom, wet hair hanging down my back.
Jake was in the kitchen. A pot was on the stove, and it smelled delicious.
“Chili?” I asked hopefully.
Jake nodded. “Homemade. It’s venison chili. That all right?”
“I’ve never had venison, but it smells amazing.”
He chuckled. “Well. You’re in for a treat.”
He turned to look at me. Seeing him in the light, now that I was dry and warm… he took my breath away. Steel-gray eyes, hair so blond it was almost white, a little bit of stubble… He was gorgeous.
I bit my lip, but I could still feel my face heating up.
I hadn’t expected to end up somewhere like this and especially not with a man who looked that good.
He held his hand over the pot and nodded. “There. Warm enough.” Satisfied, he grabbed two bowls from the open cabinet and served up chili, garnishing it with a little cheese and sour cream.
Together, we sat down to eat.
Chapter Six
Jake
She had a nasty bruise on her face and a few more on her arms. Her elbow looked rough, too.
I lowered my spoon into my empty bowl, one elbow on the table, chin in my hand. “You should let me patch you up.”
Belinda tilted her head. “What? Oh, I’m okay, really.”
I shook my head. “That cut on your elbow needs to be cleaned right.”
“I soaped it off in the shower.”
“Didn’t use alcohol, though.”
She blushed. “Well… I guess not.”
“Yeah. You should let me clean it.”
Slowly, she nodded.
I took our bowls to the sink, then bent to grab one of my medical kits from the cabinet underneath. Belinda watched me, looking surprisingly nervous.
“Don’t worry,” I said, trying to soothe whatever anxiety she was feeling. “I used to be an EMT.”
“You did?”
I nodded. “Yeah. I lived in New York City. I moved out here six years ago, and before that I was an EMT.”
“Oh. Wow.”
Her cheeks were still flushed.
It was kind of cute.
Really cute.
And I loved how she looked in my clothes, her hair still damp and her face clean.
She wasn’t the Instagram model right now—she was just a gorgeous woman, watching me apprehensively as I pulled my chair around and took hold of her arm.
I had her bend her elbow and leaned close to examine it. The cut wasn’t deep, but it was long, already scabbed over.
> Still, I opened an alcohol pad and started to clean it, dabbing at the wound.
Belinda hissed in pain, shutting her eyes.
“Sorry.”
“It’s okay, I mean, it’s gotta get cleaned, right?”
“Right.”
I nodded and kept working, cleaning it carefully. When I was done, I tossed the wipe and started to dab on antiseptic ointment.
She watched me, her cheeks red.
I looked up at her, giving her a smile. “Hey. Deep breath. Relax.”
“I just… didn’t realize I’d hurt myself that bad.”
I shrugged. “It’s not bad. But even the tiniest cut can get infected if you don’t take care of it.”
“Oh.” She hesitated, then held her hands out to me. “I, uh. I scraped up my palms pretty bad.”
She sure had. I looked at them, letting out a low whistle.
“That bad?”
“No, actually. I was thinking about how lucky you are. You could’ve broken a bone, falling that far.”
“I mostly just… skidded, really. And then kinda rolled. It wasn’t really a fall.”
“Still.”
I cradled one of her hands in mine, using the other to dab it with an alcohol wipe.
She let out a soft whine.
“Am I hurting you?”
“No.”
I glanced up. Belinda watched me intently, green eyes focused on my face.
She was so beautiful.
I was close enough to kiss her.
But I held back. As hard as it was, I held back.
I couldn’t push for anything or make her feel uncomfortable.
But I could flirt.
I glanced up at her and smiled. “So what’s an Instagram star doing out in the middle of nowhere?”
She laughed softly. “It’s this, like… fitness-at-any-size challenge? I wanted to do it so my followers can see that they don’t have to be skinny to work out and feel good about themselves.”
I nodded. “Sounds like a good cause.”
“I like to think so. I mean, I try to post content that makes other plus-size women see that they can love themselves. Like… I know it’s hard, when the media is only showing us skinny women, but there’s nothing wrong with us.”
I smiled. “I like it. And I mean… I’ve always preferred a gal with some meat on her bones.”
