Page 28 of Snowed In with Benefits

Oh my god. There’s Beau. He’s trying to free it, but it’s bucking at him. Those antlers look sharp, and it’s swinging them at him with murderous intent.

“Come on, Beau,” I mutter, my breath hot and my chest tight. “Be careful.”

I accidentally take a picture of Beau reaching for the beast. He jerks back, creating a blur effect on the photo. The quality of the photo itself isn’t a concern for me right now. He’s trying to help the creature, but it doesn’t know that, and it’s doing its best to kill him. He’s going to get hurt if he keeps dancing around it like that.

“Damn it.”

Leaving the step stool on the floor and my camera on the step stool, I hurry downstairs and grab one of the guys’ coats. I’m swimming in it, which will make me clumsy. I can’t afford to be clumsy, not right now, so I run back upstairs and grab a belt out of my—Beau’s—closet. I cinch the belt tight around my waist and firmly cuff the sleeves, pull on an extra pair of socks, then rush back downstairs.

Boots, I need boots. I find a spare pair and shove my feet into them before meticulously tightening the laces as much as physically possible. With my ankles secure, at least, I feel a little better about braving the elements.

Heading out the back door, I immediately find Beau’s tracks and follow them. I’m going as fast as I can without completely losing my breath, but my heart is pounding harder than the exertion accounts for. What if I don’t get there in time? What if he’s already hurt? I don’t have the EMT training the guys do. Am I just supposed to scream for help? Would that cause an avalanche?

“Get it together,” I wheeze to myself. I’m almost there. I see the buck writhing, its front legs caught in the fence, its dangerous head and back legs free to wreak havoc.

Beau glances at me, then gives me a double take and frowns. “What the hell are you doing out here?”

I roll my eyes. This grumpy guy is so freaking difficult. “What does it look like?” I spread my arms wide. “I’m here to help.”

“I don’t need your help,” he growls, stepping toward the deer with his hands outstretched. There’s something shiny in his hand that catches the light, and the deer bucks again, nearly catching Beau in the face with its antlers.

I take another step forward. I’m nearly within striking distance now. “What you’re doing isn’t working,” I point out. “You’re going to end up hurting the deer more than it’s already hurt, or getting hurt yourself. Look at that! You just about took a hoof to the head.”

He glares at me, obviously stewing. I put my hands on my hips and glare back.

“Well, how would you handle this, duchess?” He puts extra emphasis on that damn nickname. Yeah, I get it, I haven’t exactly interacted with a lot of deer. Haven’t actually seen a lot of deer in real life, either, but I can tell when something is frightened.

“Take a step back,” I tell him. “What do you have in your hand?”

He does as I say with great reluctance, then holds up the thing in his hand. It catches the light again, making the deer go feral all over again.

“Wire cutters.”

“Stick them in your pocket or something.”

He stares at me like I’m stupid. “If I stick them in my pocket, how the hell am I going to use them?”

“You’re going to use them later, after we’ve calmed this guy down. The reflection is scaring him.”

Beau frowns, but puts the wire cutters in his pocket. “Fine. Now what?”

“Hey, little guy.” I ignore Beau, talking to the deer instead. “This sucks, right? You’re going to be okay. You just have to let us help you.”

I shrink myself, thinking that Beau’s size might also be a factor in the deer’s fear, and approach slowly.

“We’re going to get your legs out of there,” I tell him in the same soothing voice I would use on a distraught child. It’s standing stock-still, staring at me, blowing out streams of steam from both nostrils. “You’re going to have to let us get close to you, though.”

“Is reasoning with it helping?” Beau scoffs.

“I’m not reasoning with it,” I say without changing my tone. “I’m keeping him focused on me without startling him. The constant stream of soothing noise is distracting him. Now, baby, you’re going to let me touch that big head of yours, aren’t you? Yes, you are! And you’re not going to stab me with those big antlers, are you?”

Beau softens his tone to match mine and the deer’s ears flick his way. “What the hell do you mean, you’re going to touch his head? Are you out of your damn mind?”

I’m actually impressed at his tone control. “I’m going to hold on to those big, scary antlers and keep his head still while you cut the fence.” I’m almost close enough, now. The deer still hasn’t moved, it’s just watching me with its big, liquid eyes.

“Like hell you are,” Beau says in sing-song softness. “I’ll hold, you cut.”

“Okay, but you better move slowly.” I’m honestly relieved. I didn’t really want to cradle a crown of thorns against my breast. Risking my life wasn’t exactly what I wanted to do with my day today. “Huh, baby? He better move real slow getting within reach of you, then move real fast to grab you before you get it in your head to swing around and hurt somebody, huh? Yeah, that’s right.”