But Erika didn’t seem fazed. “That’s fine. Change of plans. I’ll come with you.”

He hesitated. As much as he’d take any opportunity to see her, this was an actual call. Not an injury on the slopes. She wasn’t a team member and this search could be dangerous.

“I’m a trained medical professional. I don’t need to be an official crew member to offer assistance,” she said, obviously reading his silence. “I read it in the S & R manual online today.”

His jaw dropped as he headed down Main Street. “You read the manual?”

“Yep. Wanted to be prepared to argue with you if this opportunity arose,” she said, sounding pleased with herself. She’d switched to speakerphone and he could hear her getting changed—the sound of a zipper, the rattling of hangers...

Damn, she was hot. He sighed. And she was right—as a trained physician, she was allowed to assist. With several crew members not available that evening, they could use all the help they could get. “Okay. I’ll be there in thirty seconds. But just so we are clear, you’re there to assist, not take over.”

“No promises.”

He couldn’t keep the grin from spreading across his face. “Fine. But for the sake of the rescue, please wear a bra.”

“Again, no promises.”

* * *

THE WORRIED EXPRESSIONS on the faces of the teens’ parents gave Erika an unsettling feeling as she sat quietly in the station while Reed and Wade questioned them about everything from last point of contact to the size and brand of winter boots they were wearing.

Every last detail could be important to the search and they weren’t leaving any question unasked.

Erika had been more than willing to go on the rescue, but she hadn’t been prepared for this part. Seeing the distraught families made her feel slightly nauseous. The teens ranged in age from sixteen to nineteen and it was their first trip in the mountains alone. The fathers looked a mix of worried and pissed, while the moms’ expressions were pure terror. Erika couldn’t even begin to understand what they were going through.

Her only source of comfort came unexpectedly from Diva. The puppy could obviously sense the tension in the air and remained glued to her feet, as though waiting for her own rescue orders. Maybe someday, she would make a great search and rescue dog. Today, she’d be staying at the station with Tank. Not knowing how long she’d be out on the mission, Erika hadn’t wanted to leave her alone at Cassie’s, so she’d brought the dog along.

Reed had thought it was a good idea to have the dog there, as well. She could provide a sense of comfort to the parents while the team was out searching.