Staking a Claim

by Devon McKay

  Blake walked over, pausing at the edge of the room and the balcony entrance to take in her beauty.

  “It is really stunning.” She spun around, facing him.

  Stunning? Yes, she was. The scenery paled in comparison.

  “A sight to see,” Blake whispered, unable to tear his gaze away.

  Making his way to the deck, his mind scrambled with the many reasons he should keep his distance. He’d even come close to convincing himself he could refrain from scooping her into his arms and kissing her senseless, but as soon as his foot hit the deck, the thoughts vanished.

  He placed his hand on the smooth skin of her shoulder. Any chance of holding onto his reserves were long gone now. The minute his lips touched hers, he lost not only the battle, but the entire war.

  The heat was undeniable. Blake’s mouth was possessive, the kiss anything but gentle. Sam hesitated, at first, fighting the lure of his lips before responding with a feverish demand. The warmth of his hands scorched her skin, finding the bare flesh of her lower back. The ache of his touch spread throughout her body. She wanted this…she wanted him.

  The kiss, if possible, intensified, and she welcomed the burn of his hands on her breasts. His knowing thumb circled relentlessly, and her nipples hardened into taut pebbles. She longed for his mouth there instead, but he pulled back and stopped kissing her all together.

  Caught in his gaze, she read thousands of tortured thoughts in his hazel eyes. He stepped back and ran his hand through his tousled waves of hair, his expression one of pure torment. And something she wouldn’t take blame for. She hadn’t started this. Not this time. As hurtful and confusing as his actions were, she knew this battle was his own.

  Damaged and rejected for the second time today, her spine stiffened, and she walked off the balcony and back into his bedroom. But, the painful memory of the morning and his initial dismissal returned with a fury and halted her retreat. The recollection still stung. Her pride taking most of the hit. Feigning sleep had been the only thing which had saved her dignity.

  Abruptly, she spun back around. “You can’t keep pushing me away. Only letting me in so far before you pull back. I get it. I’m the enemy. But there’s something here. I know you feel it, too.” She let her gaze trail to the large bed in the center of the room and lost all train of thought.

  He shifted his weight, and she turned her attention back, angry with herself for being so easily distracted.

  “Thanks for the weekend, but I think I’ll walk myself home. I know the way. Besides, I’m better off in the woods with the bears. Wolves are indecisive. They don’t know what they want.”

  Sam exited his bedroom with a quiet grace, no longer a willing participant in this war.

  Chapter 14

  Blake knocked on Sam’s cabin door and waited impatiently for her to answer. Her departing words had haunted him most of the night. The lack of sleep was one of many subjects he’d had to explain to McKinley this morning when he begged to borrow her boots. Not an easy task, considering Denali’s sister liked details. Nor was it easy to stomach the sly smile she graced him with when he spoke of Sam.

  He gripped the pair of borrowed hiking boots in his hand. Nervously, he pulled at the laces and wondered what he would say when Sam opened the door. Hard to come up with lame excuses when he couldn’t even understand his own actions.

  The hushed scuffle of bare feet across the wooden planks of the cabin caught his attention, and Blake considered telling her the truth, though, he had a strong inkling she already knew. She’d nailed it last night; her parting words had sliced him open like a sharp filet knife. He couldn’t let her in, couldn’t trust the woman. Not with his heart.

  Sam swung open the door, rubbing her eyes sleepily. Again, she was barely clothed. Wearing a tight, white tank top and a pair of red panties, the sight nearly knocked the wind out of him.

  The memory of her wanton flesh pressed against his came back tenfold.

  “Morning,” she said innocently, almost angelic.

  Her skin glowed like smooth alabaster, free of any cosmetics, and her natural beauty was beyond words. She was breathtaking. With or without makeup.

  Blake eyed her warily. Did she know the kind of effect she had on him? Especially answering the door in her state of dress? Or undress, being the better description.

  “Do you want to come in?” she purred and leaned enticingly against the door.

  Her breasts stretched the material of her tank top to thin threads, teasing him with the dark shadow of her nipple beneath the fabric.

  “No. We have to get going,” he growled, shoving the hiking boots toward her. “Size seven, right? I borrowed them, so treat them the same as you do your fancy stuff, got it?” Gruffly, he placed a hand on the door handle, noting the coy smile spreading across her face. “Stop. Just stop grinning like that. They aren’t a gift. I just don’t want you breaking your neck. I’ll wait out here on the porch while you get dressed. And hurry up, we don’t have all day.”

  Alone in her cabin, Sam smugly relived Blake’s shocked expression when she’d greeted him, scantily clothed. Certain he was as equally punished as she was, she’d taken her time before closing the door, and making sure he got a good eyeful.

  How’s that for regrets and pushing me away?

  Last night, she’d never felt more humiliated. He had rejected her twice now, and today, she felt like making him pay the price. A satisfied smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

  Unfortunately, sexual frustration lurked under the top layer of her skin like an itch she couldn’t scratch. She glanced down at the boots she held before placing them neatly on the floor beside the bed. It was so like the man to do something so thoughtful, and then destroy the act of kindness with just a few words.

  Just like that, the infuriating man irked her to no end. Well, he could just wait.

  Furiously, Sam threw a light-weight, long sleeve shirt over her tank top and slipped into a clean pair of jeans. She paused, contemplating on changing into one of her power suits just to push him over the edge. She fingered her favorite white linen jacket and matching pencil skirt, imagining the fashion statement she’d make by wearing business attire accompanied by the pair of hiking boots.

  Hearing his heavy steps pacing across the porch, she changed her mind, choosing to take a few minutes to apply a coat of mascara and a little blush on her cheekbones instead. Then, taking more time, she brushed her teeth using a cup as makeshift sink and ran a comb through her hair.

  Sitting on the edge of the bed, she put on one of the hiking boots. A perfect fit.

  “I borrowed them, so treat them the same as you do your fancy stuff, got it?”

  Her mind began to reel, wondering who the boots belonged to. A girlfriend?

  The unsettling thought swirled in her head for a minute before anger began to spike.

  How dare he!

  The man certainly had nerve. And a girlfriend.

  Sam fumed. That cleared up a few things. Such as kissing her like there was no tomorrow and then pushing her away. Certainly explained the guilt she’d witnessed in those hazel eyes. Not to mention the way he so easily dismissed their perfect weekend.

  A large wave of remorse hit her. He had a girlfriend. And she had kissed him. Hell, she’d practically seduced him. Twice. Geez, she’d even crawled into his sleeping bag. If she had known, she would’ve never crossed that line.

  And she wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

  A few ground rules needed to be set. The man was officially off limits. Besides, this arrangement was a business proposition anyway. Nothing more, she reminded herself. So what if just being in his presence stole her breath away? She’d just have to stay focused and not let her mind go there again.

  And never, no matter what, let him kiss her.

  She slipped some lip gloss into a pocket, grabbed her camera, and opened the door to a scowling man. A stern hand on her lower back ushered her off the porch.

  So, this was how her day
was going to be spent, with a temperamental Wolf—while she wore another woman’s boots.

  Chapter 15

  Sam sulked, shoving the large heap of hash browns and scrambled eggs from one side of her plate to the other. “Why is it you’re so mad anyway?” she asked, feeling a little angry herself at the moment. If anyone had the right to be mad, it was her. He was the one with a girlfriend.

  “I’m not mad. I’m just irritated.”

  Instead of the smart remark on the tip of her tongue, she stabbed at the yellow and brown mass with her fork. Even breakfast reminded her of the color of his eyes. Just one more reason to be annoyed by the man sitting across from her. “About what?” She attempted to castrate him with a cold stare before returning her gaze back on the food.

  “Not what…who.”

  Her head snapped up, surprised by his insinuation. “Who? You mean me?”

  “Really, Sam?”

  “Yes, really. Let me have it. What is about me that rubs you the wrong way?”

  Blake leaned back in his chair. Crossing his arms over his chest, he shredded her with an intensity for several minutes before answering. “I don’t know where to begin. For starters, you have this annoying habit of playing with your food.” A smirk lined his handsome face.

  She nearly dropped her fork. He was right. She played with her food. So what.

  “And you are a know-it-all. Always spouting off facts about things. To some, it may be endearing. To me, it’s annoying.”

  Sam gasped in shock. “Don’t hold back. Tell me how you really feel.” She exhaled a loud breath as the burn of embarrassment flushed her skin. The truth hurt, but he wasn’t the first to call her know-it-all. Or annoying, for that matter.

  Blake leaned back in his chair. A slight smile threatened the corners of his mouth. Her temper began to flare, and she envisioned smacking the smartass expression off his face. Just what gave him the right to judge anyway?

  “And you’re always half-naked. Who answers their door in a pair of panties for God’s sake?”

  Wow. That stung. So much for being daring. What kind of man complained about a woman not wearing much clothes anyway?

  A man who is involved with someone else, that’s who.

  Guilt pooled in her stomach, and she lost her appetite. He did have a point. Though she had enjoyed seeing the stunned expression on his face, from this moment on, she’d be covered from head to toe. Even if she had to borrow a full length parka from his girlfriend.

  “It’s like you’d do anything to shock me. Or is it just one more thing you’d do for your brochure?”

  Stunned, she wasn’t sure if she’d heard him correctly. What exactly was he accusing her of? Trying to sleep with him to advance her career? Ridiculous. And insulting.

  She tried unsuccessfully to control the anger boiling inside. The man was completely full of himself. Of all the crazy, ludicrous ideas, this one topped the list.

  And wasn’t he the ideal hypocrite? At least she wasn’t involved with someone else.

  “So, Wolf, what is it you have planned for this little lady today?” Maggie interrupted, stopping Sam’s response.

  “We will finish this conversation later,” she growled under her breath.

  Blake shrugged his shoulders and smiled broadly before turning his attention to Maggie and the meal’s bill she held.

  “We’re taking the four wheeler up to Nuuni Pass to pick low bush cranberries.” He pulled out his wallet from his back pocket. Withdrawing enough money to pay for breakfast, plus a generous tip, he handed it to the woman.

  Still simmering, Sam couldn’t help but wonder if her day would get better if she was attacked by a wild animal. Or better yet, he should be the one ravaged by animals. Wolves to be exact. The man deserved it.

  Receiving a frigid glare, she toyed with the notion he might be able to read her thoughts.

  “Sounds like fun. Will you be bringing me back some fresh cranberries?” Maggie asked, stealing back his attention.

  The waitress smiled sweetly when Blake nodded his head. By the sparkle in her eyes, Sam wondered if the woman overheard their conversation and had purposely intervened at the perfect time.

  “Good, I’ll make your favorite,” Maggie said. She cast a saucy wink in Sam’s direction and spun toward the kitchen.

  A broad smile stamped across his face, and Sam noted the way Maggie had been able to completely alter his mood. Why was it she had the opposite effect on the man?

  Because he thinks you were trying to seduce him merely for a tourist ad.

  Her self-esteem took a nose dive, taking the brunt of this hit. Ironic, considering for once, the last thing on her mind had been work.

  Maggie returned to the table just as they were getting ready to leave. “Now, you two be careful. There’ve been more than a few bear sightings.”

  Bear sightings? Sam gasped as fear spiked through her, overriding fury. An image of the enormous mounted grizzly from Anchorage’s airport pried itself free from her memory.

  As if sensing her anxiety, the comforting touch of Maggie’s hand settled on her shoulder.

  “Don’t you worry, dear, you should be just fine. Wolf will take care of you.” The waitress motioned over her shoulder at Blake.

  The reassurance did little to ease Sam’s mind, but it did allow an opening for the number one question swirling in her head. She spared an impertinent glance in his direction before returning her attention back to the older woman. If he wasn’t going to tell her the truth about his odd alias maybe Maggie would.

  “Perhaps you can explain the nickname?” Sam attempted innocence as she tried to control the fleeting emotions running through her veins. First anger, then fear, now curiosity? Was it any wonder she was such an enigma to the entire male race?

  Maggie shrugged her heavy shoulders before topping off their cups. “I don’t really know.” A caring expression graced her face as she glanced over at Blake. She touched his cheek gingerly.

  The unexpected gesture caught Sam off guard. Maggie appeared to fill a motherly role for him. Of course, such an observation could be as wrong as every other one she had about the man.

  “Maybe you’ll get an honest answer out of him. I never did. What I do know is how good he is at tracking.”

  Blake stood abruptly. “We don’t have time for this nonsense.”

  Maggie rolled her eyes. Ignoring his outburst, she continued her conversation with Sam as he walked to the door. “Yep, exactly what I thought. He didn’t tell you that either, did he? Best tracker in the state. Won state recognition and everything. Last year, he found the Howard boy…horrible thing to happen. The family was a complete wreck.” The elderly lady shook her head, clucking her tongue loudly as she recalled the tragedy. “The boy had walked out of camp when his mother wasn’t paying attention. Wolf found him. Took a day or two, and the kid was a little shaken up…dehydrated. But other than that, he was fine.” She scooped up Blake’s dish and then glanced down at Sam’s full plate. “I guess you didn’t have much of an appetite this morning. I don’t have to ask why.” She spared a glance in his direction. “I swear the man should’ve been nicknamed Griz instead of Wolf.” Maggie snickered at her own joke. “Just have a little patience with him. I promise, he’ll come around.”

  “Did you happen to pack me the lunches?” Blake shouted from the front, obviously annoyed.

  “I’ll get them now,” Maggie replied with a sweet smile and headed toward the kitchen.

  Sam got to her feet, quickly realizing how little she knew about the man. She made her way to the counter as the waitress disappeared into the back. A minute later, Maggie reappeared with the lunches. Handing Blake two paper bags, she said goodbye, and they walked out.

  “So, you’re a pretty good tracker? Makes sense now,” Sam said thoughtfully, settling into his truck and fastening her seatbelt. “Your job…the caribou track…”

  “I guess.” He gave a nonchalant shrug. “Maggie likes to make a big deal about some things. T
ruth is, I grew up with the wilderness as my back yard. I became obsessed with all the different prints animals left behind. I learned to follow the signs.” He put the truck into reverse and looked behind him to back up. “Denali and I, well…it’s what we would do, sometimes spending days tracking an animal. Or a person. Anyway, I became good at it.” He shifted the truck into drive.

  “Better than Denali?” she questioned, then noted the immediate tensing of his jawline.

  Blake slammed the brakes.

  Sam propelled forward as the seatbelt bit into her shoulder. “What the hell?” she exclaimed and braced her hand against the dashboard.

  “Let’s get something straight. He’s not part of the deal. You get me. Denali’s off limits. I don’t want anything about him or his tribe in one of your stupid brochures. No matter how dolled up you make visiting Alaska seem.”

  Sam nodded her head mutely. Rubbing her shoulder, she shifted back into the seat. “I got it,” she said, turning her attention to the scene outside the window.

  At least the man was consistent. He never failed to be overly protective of the state or his friend.

  Satisfied with her response, he started driving again. Sam swallowed back the hurt feelings his words caused by reminding herself this was just business.

  Such a task was easier said than done. She wanted to know more about him. More about his friends. His life. Apparently, more than he was willing to share.

  They rode in silence for several miles before he turned off the highway onto a dirt road and shifted his Ford into four wheel drive.

  Curiosity got the better of her. “Is this…ahh…Nuu…n…Pass?”

  “Nuuni Pass,” he corrected. “It’s pronounced like new knee, and we’re not there yet. We won’t be for another hour or so.” Blake spared a quick glance in her direction. “You might get a kick out of this…it’s named after your little friend. It means porcupine.”

  “Ha. Funny.” Sam scowled as an image of the uninvited house guest returned. “Are there a lot of porcupines there then?”