Read Wild Within (Wild at Heart #1) for Free Online

outline of a short, thin figure approached. Lone Star cupped his hands. “Grace? Just Grace, darlin’, is that you? Don’t run. I’m here.”
    A gravelly falsetto answered back. “Not Grace, sweetie.”
    Lone Star switched off his headlamp to let his eyes adjust. The man halted next to him, breathing deeply.
    “Sorry to disappoint. Seems like you were expecting someone else.”
    Lone Star held the back of his neck with his hand. “Now that’s embarrassing.”
    The runner’s teeth flashed white in the dark as his face split into a grin. “Not at all. First time I’ve been mistaken for a woman. I’ll take it as a compliment.”
    “Not everyone would.” Lone Star clasped his hands in front of him. “Name’s Lone Star. Where you headed?”
    “Shadow. Going to Canada.”
    Lone Star whistled. “Whoo-wee. Look what the cat dragged in. Read about you on the listserv. Go so fast that all people see is your shadow. I count myself real lucky.”
    Shadow put his hands on his hips and marched in place. “Somebody gave me the name and it stuck. Not sure that’s why, though.”
    “Modesty. Like that in a man.”
    “Just hiking my own hike. We’ve all got our reasons for being out here. I got tired of ultra marathons. The PCT seemed like a logical next step.”
    Lone Star shoved his hands into the pockets of his down vest. “Is this your first thru-hike?”
    “No. I did it last year. This year I’m going for the record.”
    “Thought I remembered that.” Lone Star stepped off the trail. “I don’t want to hold you up.”
    Shadow switched to stretching, standing first on one leg, then the other. “No worries, man. I got time. Don’t get to talk to a lot of people. Why are you out here?”
    Lone Star cocked his head to the side and looked at the dark rim of distant mountains. “I’m thirty-five and felt kind of burned out at work. Spending most days sitting at a desk looking out my window isn’t what I imagined when I picked a law career.”
    “Thought it would involve more work in the woods?” The moonlight highlighted Shadow’s teeth, exposed in a wide smile.
    “Thought I’d have more free time, I guess.” Lone Star shifted his weight from foot to foot. “I always loved hiking. When I was a kid, my whole family would go on overnights. In the summers, we’d even go for a week. Those were some of the best times of my life. Being with family and being outdoors.”
    “What happened?”
    “Nothing. My family still goes on the trips. Only the last two times they went, I couldn’t. Had too much work.”
    Shadow groaned. “That sucks, man.”
    Lone Star picked up a rock and threw it into the distance. “It set my priorities straight. Told my boss she could either give me five months unpaid leave or find herself a new lead attorney.”
    “Did she cave?”
    “Mostly. She gave me four months. So now I’m hiking against the clock. But at least I’m out here.”
    Shadow returned to marching in place. “Hiking against the clock’s not so bad.”
    “Got any tips?”
    “Go ultralight. My base weight’s eight pounds.” He looked at Lone Star’s camp site. “No tent or sleeping bag. Only a tarp and quilt.”
    The nylon of his shelter fluttered as Lone Star kicked at a guy-line. “I’ve come a long way already, believe it or not. My family used to take a huge Army surplus monstrosity. Had to carry it one year. Nearly broke my back.”
    “Tents aren’t all bad. Maybe you’re planning on having company in there from time to time.”
    “The only one I’d want for company I left back at Lake Morena.”
    “Let me guess. Grace?”
    “Just Grace.” The bracing night air carried the scent of nearby sage brush, reminding Lone Star of where he’d met her. “Ever feel like you’re making a mistake?”
    “Often. But never on the trail.”
    The two men both looked at the dirt. Shadow began jogging in place. “Afraid I’ve got to get going. The night air chills me if I don’t keep moving.”
    “How