Montana Rescue (The Wildes of Birch Bay Book 2) by Kim Law Page B

tugged-low way he wore it when standing off to the side watching his competitors.
    The entire package had her drooling.
    And wasn’t that something? She’d seen this commercial many times before, but she’d barely paid attention. She’d known who Nick was, of course—her younger sister’s long-ago friend. Therefore, the extent of her thoughts before today had been happiness that he’d done well for himself.
    The commercial ended and she hit rewind, backing it up so she could watch again. She’d slept with a man that wasn’t her husband. And she’d really, really enjoyed it. And she should probably feel guilty about that.
    Only, she didn’t want to feel guilt. Not about any of it.
    Was spending one evening having a good time such a bad thing? Because if she could have a redo . . . she would re do . Everything. Exactly as she had Friday night.
    She shook her head as she sat there, making up her mind based on facts. No. She would not have guilt. Not over this. If Thomas had been here, she wouldn’t even be in a position to do anything to feel guilty about. But even more telling—and this was where she kept landing—for the first time since waking up in the hospital and realizing that her world was no longer her world, she’d taken a step forward.
    The commercial ended again, and she hit “Mute.” She brought her cell phone up and scrolled through the contacts until she found the number Nick had entered the first day she’d given him a lift.
    Nick.
    He hadn’t even bothered with his last name. She tapped the screen to bring up the number, thinking about why he’d given it to her. He’d offered to be someone she could talk to.
    Of course, he’d been attracted to her, too. She’d known that. But she didn’t think that had been the full impetus for the phone number. He’d genuinely come across as if he’d be an impartial ear if she ever needed one. And hadn’t she already shared things with him? She’d talked about Thomas at his house the other day. A conversation that had felt right.
    But did she want to share more? To try to get past this wall she was stuck behind?
    Or did she just want more sex?
    Her heart rate picked up at the thought of letting someone in, either physically or mentally. She liked to claim that she could handle everything on her own. That help was the last thing she needed. But eighteen months had passed, and until Friday night she’d been in the exact same spot she’d been since the accident. And even in her messed-up state, she could admit that that was not a good place to linger.
    She studied the phone number for a minute longer before clearing the screen and setting her cell down. Then she opened the drawer of the end table. There was one picture of Thomas she hadn’t packed away, and she kept it there. She hadn’t looked at it since tucking it inside, but she took it out now, still in its black matte frame. Thomas stood beside her in the picture, his arm around her shoulders, both of them beaming with pride. Their helicopter sat immediately behind them. They’d just returned from their first search and rescue mission. They hadn’t located the missing hikers themselves, but they’d played a part in the couple’s lives being saved. And that had been the key. They’d been following their dreams. Together. They’d been unstoppable.
    She glanced out the back door to where the aircraft sat waiting in the distance, its red-and-white colors a sharp contrast against the green of the emerging foliage. The sun glinted off the windshield, as if it were winking at her. Or maybe it was asking why she’d changed. She still took it up most days. That wouldn’t alter; she loved to fly too much. No one would take that away from her.
    But she hadn’t participated in an SAR mission since losing Thomas. And the blame for that one was on him.

    For the two days since returning from Great Falls, Nick had gotten up early to get in a ninety-minute workout at the local gym, had showered,