Wilde Side

by Jannine Gallant

  “God, I hope so, but we can’t know for sure how long he was underwater.”

  Rising to his feet, he shaded his eyes to glance mid-way across the river. Roman had somehow managed to level the raft without losing the entire load and stood on the rock beside it.

  “Is he alive?” The shouted words carried over the rush of water.

  “Yes.” He clamped his teeth together. “Get over here. Now!”

  Roman shoved off then leaped into the raft. Paddling hard, he hit the shore not far below them then dragged the raft partway up onto the rocks.

  Dropping down onto his haunches, Sawyer felt again for a pulse at Walton’s neck. Weak but steady. Eyes closed, the man was barely conscious.

  “What can we do?” Devin’s voice quavered.

  “I’ll get a thermal blanket from the case on the raft. The water isn’t cold enough to induce hypothermia, but we still need to warm him up, get the blood circulating.” Reaching out, he squeezed her shoulder. “Talk to him to see if you can get a response.”

  Standing, he ran, slipping and sliding on the rocks, to the raft where Roman was tying it off to a bush growing out of the sandy soil.

  “I need a blanket.” He climbed over the side, pulled out one of the waterproof cases then flipped the latch to open the lid. “What the hell happened?”

  “Damned if I know. We were on course just fine when someone—probably that idiot Liam Kennedy—leaned hard on his paddle and sent us too close to the rock. An undercurrent caught the edge and flipped the nose up. Everyone went into the water.”

  “Your first priority should have been your passengers, not the raft. What the hell were you thinking?” Grabbing the thermal blanket, he stepped over the side and headed back the way he’d come.

  Roman followed at his heels. “Hey, I got sucked under, too. Shit, I was more than a little disoriented when I came up. The reporter and brother-in-law were both floating downriver and didn’t appear to be in any distress. I assumed my…uh, the congressman was somewhere ahead of them and out of sight.”

  “So you didn’t see him go under?”

  “No, of course not. What do you take me for?”

  Sawyer ran a hand through his hair and let out a breath. “Sorry. We got Walton breathing again, but he doesn’t look so good.”

  “After I got my bearings, I swam back to the rock. By the time I got the raft stable and looked around, you were already working on him. He couldn’t have been in the water more than a few minutes at the most.”

  “Christ, let’s hope he wasn’t deprived of oxygen that long.” Fear strung his nerves tight as they reached Walton.

  Devin glanced up, worry shadowing her eyes. “He answered a couple of basic questions. That’s good, isn’t it?”

  “Very good.”

  Shaking out the silver folds, he spread the blanket over his patient then felt the pulse at his neck. Steadier now, and his color was better.

  “You hanging in there, Walton?”

  His godfather blinked a few times then gave a slight nod. “Yeah.” His chest rose and fell on an exhale that turned into a wracking cough. Nearly a minute passed before he was able to speak. “God, what happened?”

  “You all took a header into the river.” Sawyer tucked the blanket tighter as chills shook the man. “What do you remember?”

  Glazed eyes sharpened and focused. “Floundering in the water.” A shudder rippled through him. “Something was holding my ankle. I couldn’t move.”

  “Your leg was caught between two rocks.”

  “Jesus, it felt like fingers.”

  Devin rested a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “I noticed a lot of moss and weeds growing near those rocks. Maybe a few strands wrapped around your ankle.”

  “Must have.” He let out a sigh. “After that, everything’s a blank until I came to with the pair of you hanging over me.” He lifted a shaking hand. “My chest aches.”

  “I hope I didn’t crack a rib.” Sawyer rose to his feet. “The good news is you’re coherent. I have to believe you weren’t trapped underwater for long before we reached you.”

  “I guess I got lucky.” Walton pushed up on one elbow to glance around and then frowned. “Where’re the others?”

  “Your brother-in-law and Kennedy floated downstream. They looked fine to me.” Roman crossed his arms over his chest then turned toward Sawyer. “You want me to try to drag the raft up here?”

  “It’d be easier to carry Walton downriver.”

  His godfather struggled to a sitting position, leaning heavily on Devin’s arm. “Help me up, and I’ll get there under my own steam.”

  “We’ll see about that.” Sawyer pulled off the blanket then ran a hand slowly down his patient’s legs, pressing at regular intervals. “Anything hurt?”

  “Few bruises. I tell you I can walk.”

  “What about those ribs.”

  Walton winced as he shifted. “I’m sore as hell, but I’m not an invalid.”

  “If you’re sure, we’ll ease you to your feet. I want to get the air pumping through your lungs, anyway. Roman, get on his other side.”

  Devin rose and stepped out of the way as the guide moved into position. On Sawyer’s count, they lifted him upright. Walton swayed, his face losing what color he’d regained. When his legs crumpled, Sawyer braced him against his side.

  “Maybe a little too soon for walking. We’ll carry him between us.” He glanced over at Roman. “You ready?”

  At the younger man’s nod, they locked hands beneath Walton’s thighs and hoisted him up. Watching where he stepped to avoid twisting an ankle, breath coming in pants as his arms strained beneath the weight, they headed toward the raft.

  Eyes closed, Walton leaned back. “Sorry, I thought I could do it.”

  “No need to apologize, but, dude, you should seriously lay off the cookies.”

  A snort of laughter turned into a grimace. “You sound like my wife.”

  “She’s a smart woman.” At least his joke had eased some of the tension tightening Walton’s lips. As they reached the raft, they carefully lowered him over the side. “We made it.” Turning, he took the blanket Devin handed him and tucked it around his patient. “Sit tight and relax. You need time to regain your strength. That was a hell of an ordeal you went through.”

  “Maybe I’m not as tough as I thought.” His voice was gruff.

  “You’re plenty tough.” Sawyer backed away then met Devin’s worried gaze. Resting a hand on her arm, he gave it a gentle squeeze. “He’s doing remarkably well, all things considered.”

  She let out a long breath and nodded. “What can I do?”

  “Untie the rope then help me and Roman drag the raft deeper into the water.”

  A few minutes later they’d maneuvered back into the current and rode the short set of rapids down to where they’d left Alex. With a grunt, Sawyer dug hard with his paddle to send them toward the shore.

  Charles jumped up from the rock where he was sitting and ran to meet them. The late afternoon sun shone mercilessly on his bald spot as he reached out to grab the rope Roman tossed his way.

  His face creased. “You okay, Walton?”

  He gave a faint nod then winced. “I will be.”

  Sawyer eyed the middle-aged man up and down, noting a bruise discoloring his jaw. “Did you and Kennedy make it out of the river all right?”

  Charles shrugged. “I hit the side of my face on a rock when I fell into the water, but a couple of aspirin took the edge off the pain.” He lowered his voice. “Liam’s none the worse for wear, except for breaking his glasses, though you wouldn’t know it to listen to him complain.”

  “It’s been quite an afternoon.” Sawyer forced a tired smile. “Do you mind taking Roman’s place in the front so he can guide the other raft to our takeout site?”

  “Of course not.”

  The two men swapped positions, and once Roman waded ashore, he gave the raft a shove. “I
’ll stay close behind just in case…” He jerked his chin toward Walton then met Sawyer’s gaze. “You might need help.”

  “I don’t anticipate any problems.” He glanced toward the two waiting on shore and noted the speculation shining in Kennedy’s eyes behind the cracked lens of his glasses. “Hey, Roman, no need to elaborate on what happened back there just yet. Okay? Let’s keep it to ourselves.”

  “Sure.” He turned away. “See you in a few.”

  “Let’s hope we don’t have any more problems,” Devin muttered under her breath before shifting on her seat to efficiently back paddle without any prompting.

  Sawyer adjusted course slightly to avoid a boulder as they rode the current through the last of the rapids. “You’re becoming quite a pro.” His voice carried over the roar of the river.

  She glanced over and smiled. “I’m decent at most sports.”

  “I bet.”

  Sleek muscle beneath smooth, sun-kissed skin flexed as she wielded the paddle with precision.

  He tore his gaze away to focus on his godfather. “How’re you doing, Walton?”

  “Fine.”

  He didn’t sound fine. He sounded exhausted. They’d haul ass the rest of the way down to tonight’s takeout spot where he could better assess the situation. If need be, he’d get his godfather medivacked out by helicopter.

  “What’s with the scowl?”

  He glanced over at Devin. “Just weighing my options.” He pointed his paddle toward the front of the raft where Walton rested, wedged between a couple of the waterproof cases.

  “Your options? Want to clue me in on what those might be?”

  He kept his voice low. “We either finish the trip or make an emergency call to bring in a medivac chopper. There’s really no middle ground. I’ll determine the best course of action based on Walton’s condition once we get off the river.”

  “I’m sure my boss will have something to say about the whole thing.”

  Sawyer paddled hard as they reached calmer water. “I’m sure he will, but it’ll be my decision.” He raised his voice. “Charles, I need your muscle through here.”

  “You’ve got it.” The man cast a worried look toward his brother-in-law then dug deep with his paddle. “The sooner we’re off this river, the better.”

  The rest of the trip was made in silence as the raft slid through the water. After a final set of rapids, Sawyer swung in next to the oar boat and empty raft. Jon hurried down from the tent area and grabbed the rope to tie them off to a scraggly tree.

  “What the hell took you so long to get here? Where’s Roman?”

  “We had an incident. Roman’s group isn’t far behind us.” He rested a hand on Devin’s shoulder as he stepped past her then glanced over at Jon. “Help me get Walton to shore. He got trapped underwater for a couple of minutes after the raft flipped. Maybe a little longer.”

  Jon’s gaze locked with his. “Did you have to resuscitate?”

  “Yes.” Bending, he helped Walton to his feet. “Take it easy getting over the side.”

  “I’ve got this.” His godfather’s voice was gruff. “I’m not a damned invalid. I just needed to rest a bit, but now I’m fine.”

  Sawyer grinned but didn’t loosen his grip. “Good to hear. If you’re snapping at me that must be a good sign.”

  Walton clamped a hand over his arm. “Can we downplay this whole situation around the media? I don’t want them exaggerating the facts and reporting I nearly died or am brain-damaged or some other idiotic thing. My campaign manager will kill me himself if anything negative leaks out.”

  “You really do sound better. Thank God.” Sawyer shrugged. “I’m fine with keeping the details between us. I already told Roman to stay quiet about it.”

  “Good.” Walton grunted as he stepped out of the raft. “Let Devin spin the facts when they ask questions. That’s part of her job, and she’s excellent at it.”

  Sawyer turned to meet her gaze. “A useful skill, I suppose.”

  She slid over the edge of the raft and splashed to shore. “You bet. I can lie with the best of them.” She stopped beside her boss and patted his arm. “Don’t worry about your image. I’ve got your back.”

  “I know you do.”

  Sawyer exchanged a long look with Jon. “Despite the fact Walton sounds ready to take on the world, I want him to rest. Can you see him to his tent then stay close until I get there?”

  “Sure.”

  “I don’t need a babysitter for Christ’s sake!” Walton’s voice grew louder with each word.

  Jon slipped an arm around his back when his steps faltered. “Hey, if I’m hanging out with you, I don’t have to snap a bushel of beans for dinner. Cut me some slack so I can get out of kitchen duty.”

  As they moved slowly away, Devin turned toward Sawyer. “Shouldn’t a professional look at him? He may seem okay, but—”

  “I have EMT credentials. Both my brothers and I took a course a few years ago since we all work in environments that can result in serious injuries. Based on Walton’s responsiveness, I’m feeling optimistic, but I do want to watch him closely for the next few hours.”

  Charles ran a hand over the back of his neck. “My guess is he’ll fight you all the way if you try to call in an emergency evacuation. I can’t begin to imagine the fallout, politically speaking. The other two candidates would jump on him with both feet and turn the situation into a public relations nightmare. Still, if he needs medical attention…”

  “He’s right.” Devin’s forehead creased in a frown.

  “Let’s hold off for now.” Sawyer fisted his hands on his hips and let out a breath, wondering if he was making the right decision. Fear that he wasn’t ate at his gut. “If I see any sign, and I mean the tiniest indication that Walton’s in distress, I’ll have him flown out of here pronto, and to hell with his candidacy. His health matters far more to me than his campaign.”

  “Agreed.” Devin angled her chin toward the river. “Here comes Roman’s group. Maybe reiterate to him that we don’t want what happened blabbed around camp. I’m not concerned about Jon talking out of turn. He seems like the strong, silent type.”

  Sawyer smiled. “You’re right about that. You discuss the situation with Roman. I imagine he’ll be more inclined to listen to you, even if I am his boss.” He took a step back. “I’ll leave you to your damage control while I go check in with Walton.”

  She laid a hand on his arm and squeezed. The warmth of her fingers branded his skin and sent a surge of adrenaline zipping through him.

  “Thanks, Sawyer.”

  “For what?”

  “Saving his life.” Her fingers tightened. “If you hadn’t been there…”

  He covered her hand with his own. “I care a lot about Walton. Not that I wouldn’t have responded the same way to anyone in trouble, but it sure as hell made the situation a lot more personal.” He let out a weak grin. “I expect the stress will catch up to me any minute now, and I’ll be the one who needs reviving.”

  Roman’s raft scraped across loose rock as he nosed it up onto shore to let his passengers disembark.

  Devin shot a resigned glance in their direction, but her eyes were warm as she turned back to meet his gaze. “If you do, I’ll volunteer for the job.”

  A wider smile curved his lips as he reluctantly moved away. “Your tent. Tonight. I’ll let you practice.”

  Chapter 6

  For the second night in a row, Devin waited in her tent, nerves stretched in anticipation. Sawyer had said he wanted to update her on Walton’s progress without being overheard by Liam or Yancy, but the glint in his eyes told a different story. She capped the bottle of lotion she’d smoothed over sunburned shoulders and returned the container to her bag then wrapped her arms around up-drawn knees. When a shadow darkened the side of the tent facing the campfire, her bare toes curled.

  “Devin?” Sawyer’s voice was low. Sexy.

  She shivered. “Co
me on in.” The way her whole body tightened when he unzipped the nylon door, it might just as well have been his pants.

  Get a grip!

  He ducked through the opening then turned to secure the flap. When he settled beside her, their arms brushed. She drew in a quick breath.

  “You okay? You didn’t say much during dinner.”

  “I was so relieved Walton appears to be completely fine, I was quietly basking in thankfulness.”

  His chuckle rumbled over her senses, heating her despite the chill in the night air.

  “The guy’s a lot tougher than I am. First food poisoning had him puking his guts out a couple nights ago, then a near drowning today, and he’s still able to joke with the video crew. I honestly believe he’s none the worse for wear after his ordeal.” He angled closer, and their thighs touched. “I have to assume he wasn’t underwater as long as we originally thought. Maybe no more than a couple of minutes.”

  She nodded. “It only seemed like we were moving in slow motion when in actuality everything happened pretty quickly.”

  “Exactly. Uh, what story did you concoct for the rest of the group?”

  “The truth…to a point.” She tightened her arms around her legs. “There’s no reason to lie when you don’t have to. Roman simply told the two in his raft that the congressman ran into a little trouble but everything was fine. I elaborated when Liam Kennedy pressed for details, described how Walton’s leg got caught in some rocks, and you jumped in to free him. I kept the part about him being underwater to myself.”

  “Impressive.”

  “Hey, I’m excellent at my job, which is to make Walton look good. I probably don’t have to tell you what a forthright guy he is. An admirable quality, but sometimes he doesn’t think about how his words or actions might be taken, despite his best intentions. I’m here to avoid trouble whenever possible and fix problems when they happen. I also coordinate all his travel plans.”

  Sawyer snorted. “How anyone can enjoy being in the public eye the way he is on a daily basis is beyond me.”