Page 6 of Safety Hazard

“Call me Shep,” he replied, not even pretending to be embarrassed. “Especially since I’ve had your cock in my mouth.”

I nearly missed the next step, my face blazing. “That was… inappropriate.”

“Inappropriate is my middle name.” His hand steadied me when I wobbled, strong fingers spanning my waist. “Careful there.”

By the time we reached the top, I was slightly out of breath, both from the climb and from his proximity. The cabin was small but surprisingly well-maintained, with windows on all sides offering a 360-degree view of Liberty Lake and the surrounding forest. A desk with radio equipment occupied one corner, and a narrow cot was pushed against one wall.

I moved to the window facing the lake, where I could see the town nestled along the shore. “So that’s where you want to launch the fireworks?” I pointed to a cleared area near the public beach.

Shep came to stand beside me, his arm brushing mine. “Yes. We’ve used that spot for decades. The lake provides a natural firebreak, and we wet down the perimeter beforehand.”

I had to admit, from this vantage point, it did look more reasonable than it had on paper. The distance to the treeline was greater than I’d estimated, and the lake would indeed contain any stray sparks that went in that direction.

“It’s still not ideal,” I said, making notes on my clipboard. “But with proper precautions—”

A low rumble of thunder interrupted me. I glanced up, surprised to see dark clouds gathering on the horizon. They hadn’t been there when we’d started our climb.

“That’s moving fast,” I commented, frowning at the darkening sky.

Shep’s posture had changed, becoming more alert. He lifted his head, nostrils flaring slightly as he took a deep breath. “Storm’s coming. Bigger than forecast.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You can smell that?”

Instead of the joke I expected, he simply nodded, moving to check the radio equipment. “We should head back down.”

Another rumble of thunder, closer this time, made the decision for us. We hurried back to the stairs, but before we’d descended more than a few steps, the sky opened up. Rain poured down in sheets, instantly soaking through my windbreaker.

“Back up!” Shep shouted over the sudden roar of the downpour. “It’s not safe on the stairs in this!”

I didn’t need to be told twice. We retreated to the cabin, dripping water onto the wooden floor. Through the windows, I could see the forest disappearing behind a curtain of rain. Lightning flashed, followed almost immediately by a crack of thunder that shook the entire tower.

“That was close,” I said, trying to keep the nervousness from my voice.

Chapter 3

Shep was at the radio, speaking quickly into the handset. I caught fragments about flash flood warnings and lightning strikes. When he put the handset down, his expression was grim.

“We’re stuck here for a while,” he said. “Multiple lightning strikes reported, possible flash flooding on the access road. I’ve advised everyone to stay indoors.”

I ran a hand through my wet hair, pushing it back from my forehead. “How long is ‘a while’?”

He shrugged, his wet t-shirt clinging to every curve of muscle. “Hard to say. Cell service is spotty up here even in good weather.”

“Great,” I sighed, looking down at my soaked clothing. My button-down shirt was plastered to my skin, and my khakis were dripping onto my shoes. “Just perfect.”

Shep’s eyes tracked the movement of my hands, lingering on where my wet shirt revealed more than it concealed. “Could be worse,” he offered, his voice dropping to that dangerous rumble. “Could be stuck with someone you don’t like.”

I met his gaze, startled by the intensity I found there. “Who says I like you?”

His smile was slow and knowing. “Your body does. Every time I get close to you.” As if to demonstrate, he stepped forward until barely inches separated us. “Your heart rate increases. Your pupils dilate. You lean toward me, just slightly, like you can’t help yourself.”

Is he right? Am I really that transparent?

“That’s just… biological response,” I argued weakly. “Pheromones or something.”

“Mmm,” he hummed, reaching out to flick a droplet of water from my chin. “Pheromones. Sure.”

Lightning flashed again, illuminating his face in stark white light. In that brief moment, I could have sworn his eyes reflected the light like an animal’s would. Then darkness returned, and he was just a man again—a very large, very intimidating man who was looking at me like I was his next meal.