Page 3 of Mountain Trial

“Copy. Please hurry.” The stretcher might prove an uncomfortable ride, but it’d be the quickest way of getting him down. She wished she had her helicopter, so she could get him to a hospital even faster.

Her hands still shaking, she put the radio back in her pocket and reached back towards the man. If she weren’t wearing a one-piece suit she’d take the jacket off and cover him with it―anything to make him more comfortable.

“You’re with Search & Rescue?” he asked. He didn’t sound like he was in pain. “Call your colleagues back and tell them not to bother. The good news is, I couldn’t stand five minutes ago either.”

Her mouth fell open in shock.

“What?”

For a moment, she wondered if he’d hit his head during the fall. Then she noticed something she should have noticed earlier, except she’d been too busy staring into his bright blue eyes. The man wasn’t wearing ski or snowboarding boots. His boots were sturdy, waterproof boots―the kind of boots worn for hiking. And, although the tops looked scuffed, the soles looked brand new.

Her eyes went higher―under the black ski pants, his legs looked slighter than she would have expected for someone with such a muscular upper body.

He nodded, pointing up the slope, around the spot where he’d been sitting.

A sit ski.

Hell.

I just ran over a disabled skier.

She recovered quickly, clearing her throat.

“Okay. Are you hurt anywhere else?”

“I think I’m okay, but I’ll probably need to get checked out by a doctor anyway,” he said honestly, “since I can’t feel anything below my hips.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah,” he agreed.

Kat blushed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that out loud. And I’m sorry I ran you over.”

“You say that word a lot. It’s okay. Cancel the radio help. I’ll see a doctor later. No need to get your colleagues to come all the way up here.”

She nodded and took a deep breath before calling Jens on his mobile. She didn’t go into details, just cancelled her earlier request and pocketed the radio once again. She turned to the man again.

“I’m glad I didn’t hurt you, actually. It would have been a real black mark on me if I had,” she said, allowing herself a small smile.

“Because you’re with the Peloton de Gendarmerie de Haute Montagne. Of course.” He laughed, then, and if she’d thought his smile was beautiful before, the laugh made something inside her clench. “I’m Luc Fournier, by the way. Are you okay? You took quite a fall. I saw how you threw yourself down to try to avoid me.”

Now that he mentioned it, Kat’s ribs and hips were killing her. But she knew the difference between a bruise and an actual injury, and this was definitely the former.

He looked worried, so she nodded quickly.

“Nice to meet you, Luc. I’m Kat Barreau.”

He tested the name softly. She liked the way he said it. “Kat. Is that for Kathérine? Katrina?”

She blushed.

Try Hekate.

“I’ll tell you this much for now: my parents had a sense of humor.”

“Ah, a challenge,” he said, nodding. “I like that.” He shifted his weight on his elbows.

“Are you okay? How can I help?” she asked.