The guy looked like he was about to pass out from pain as he attempted to move his arm. He nodded as he swore under his breath. “Definitely grinding.”

Erika leaned closer.

Kent’s gaze dipped to the opening in her jacket and Reed snapped a finger. “Eyes up here.”

Erika was oblivious. “The bone is off center. I can see it protruding here. It needs to be readjusted as soon as possible.”

Readjusted? On the mountain? No way. “Erika, you need to step down. We will get him on the litter and to the emergency room at Wild River Community, where the doctors there will set any broken bones.”

She shot him a look. “The leg—there’s nothing we can do here. It’s too far gone...”

Jesus. Kent looked horrified. “Your leg will be fine,” Reed said.

“But the clavicle, I can help. An hour from now, this bone will be that much harder to put back in place. This guy will be wishing for death,” Erika said.

The guy’s eyes widened and he looked ill.

What was Erika like with her own patients? He was glad he wasn’t one of them. “We are not authorized...”

“You are not authorized. I am,” she argued, her steely gaze igniting a fire in him. Infuriatingly impossible to deal with. Yet, there was the smallest part of him that found her challenge attractive.

“As fun as this is to watch, can you two maybe argue later?” Tyler said, moving closer to act as referee between them. “This guy is in pain. Whatever we’re going to do, we need to do it now.”

Backing down was not in Reed’s wheelhouse. Tearing his gaze from Erika’s, he looked at the injured skier. “I recommend we get you to the hospital, where they can properly assess the situation and set the bone in a more comfortable environment.”

Erika’s jaw clenched, but she remained silent.

Kent looked back and forth between them.

“It’s your life,” Erika said.

Kent nodded. “If it’s all the same, I think I’ll go with the surgeon.”

Erika beamed victoriously. “Well there you have it. Excuse me,” she said, kneeling closer to Kent, forcing Reed out of the way. She pulled off her gloves. “Okay. This is going to hurt, but in three seconds the bone will be set and the pain will ease a little...”

The guy nodded, his hands clenched at his sides. “Just do it before I change my mind.”

Chicken out, more like it.

Erika placed a hand on the center of his chest and gripped his arm. “Take a deep breath. I’m going to count to three and then...”

Snap.

“Ow! Jesus!”

“There. Done. Feels better already, right?” Erika asked the guy, as she stood, putting her gloves back on.

The guy’s look of anger dissipated quickly as he nodded. “Actually, yeah. A million times better. Thank you,” he said as Tyler and Wade lifted him carefully onto the litter hooked to the snowmobile. They buckled the safety straps and the vehicle headed slowly down the hill.