Midnight Reckoning (Leave No Trace Book 1)

by Jannine Gallant

  “I told you I’d take care of the problem. I’m doing my best, but—”

  The voice broke off as Levi came more fully awake, shifted to ease stiff muscles, and shivered. The low response was too quiet to identify the speaker. Not that he wasn’t happy they’d roused him since he’d be stiff as hell if he spent the night stretched out on a granite slab. With a grunt, he levered to his feet, and the murmur of voices went silent.

  Shadows moved below him near the edge of the lake, and as he started down the slope, a tent door zipped, breaking the stillness. He just hoped to hell whoever had been arguing would shelve their problem for the rest of the night.

  “Whatever,” he muttered. After checking the fire to make certain it was out, he headed to his tent and crawled inside. He’d get a few solid hours of sleep, rise with the dawn, and ask Raine to hike with him tomorrow. Convincing her they should spend some quality time together after the group left Yosemite was his ultimate goal. As he settled into his sleeping bag, a smile formed. Spending the day with her would be a bonus.

  * * * *

  They reached Little Yosemite Valley Campground late in the afternoon. Raine eased the pack off her shoulders and lowered it to the ground with a thud. Her thin T-shirt stuck to her sweaty back, and she swayed on unsteady legs. Dropping onto a rock, she pulled out a granola bar and ate it slowly as she turned her face up to the breeze. Loose strands of hair from her messy ponytail stuck to her damp face, and she brushed them away.

  “You okay?”

  She squinted up at Levi until he moved to block the sun. “Yep. Just tired. And I feel gross. Really gross. I’d kill for a shower right now.”

  Humor brightened his blue eyes as he grinned down at her. “None of us smell our best after three days on the trail.”

  “No kidding. I guess I’ll have to settle for a dip in the river to clean off.” She pushed the wrapper into her pack, took a swig of water from her nearly empty bottle, and stood. Feeling a whole lot better after the energy boost, she bent to stretch stiff muscles. Touching her fingers to the ground, she bounced a few times with her hair hanging. “I think I may be able to move again.”

  A sharp exhale had her glancing up at Levi. The humor in his eyes had changed to a warm glow, and her body heated in response as she straightened. His gaze skimmed over her damp cotton shirt clinging to her sports bra, past nylon running shorts, and down her bare legs.

  “I definitely need to cool off. Want to go down to the river with me?”

  She nodded, and after swallowing a couple of times to wet her suddenly dry mouth, managed to speak. “Sure.”

  “We made it,” a cheerful female voice called.

  Yanking her gaze away from Levi, Raine turned as Rosa and Jake entered the campground. The two lowered their packs to the ground, and Jake brushed an arm across his sweaty forehead.

  “It was a hell of a lot hotter today than yesterday. I can’t wait to dunk my head in the river.”

  “We were planning to do the same.” Levi smiled at his buddy. “Want to come with us?”

  “You bet.” Jake pointed. “Here come Bobby B and Willow. I imagine the others will trickle in eventually.”

  A moment that had somehow turned intimate was gone as all six of them trouped down to the river’s edge, removed their hiking boots, and splashed into the water. The cold current stole Raine’s breath and gave her a boost of energy as she knelt down in the shallows to dip her head in the water. Coming up gasping, she squeezed out her ponytail before sluicing water over her arms to wash off the dirt. By the time she finished her makeshift bath, she was soaking wet and shivering.

  “Come lay on the warm rocks and let the sun dry you.”

  Levi held out a hand. His hard, bare chest, tanned from hours in the sun, glistened with droplets that ran down washboard abs to soak into his shorts. As much as she was enjoying the view, she gripped his palm and let him hoist her to her feet.

  “That water’s freezing.” Her teeth chattered.

  “Snowmelt tends to be damn cold.” Leading her away from the river, he sat down on a granite slab some distance from the others behind a windbreak of bushes.

  She stretched out beside him, letting the warmth from the rock soak into her chilled skin. “This is wonderful.”

  “Yeah, it is.” He turned on his side to face her. “Have you thought any more about coming to visit me at our lodge? Tomorrow’s our last day on the trail, and I don’t want you to disappear from my life again.”

  “I don’t want that, either. This has been a lot of fun.” Staring into his serious eyes, she reached over to lay a hand on his arm.

  He covered it with his big palm. “Then we’ll make a plan to see each other.”

  She nodded, a sharp burst of happiness warming her from the inside out, competing with the sun’s rays caressing her shoulders and chest. Neither of them spoke again, nor did she feel the need for idle conversation. The comfortable silence lengthened along with the afternoon shadows.

  Voices disturbed their peaceful haven as steps approached but stopped on the other side of the screen of bushes.

  “Do you think we’ll get any of our investment back?” A woman’s voice, low and sharp.

  “Seriously doubtful. I’m pretty sure he lost it all, despite his assurance it’s only a temporary setback. I can’t get a straight answer out of the man.”

  Raine met Levi’s gaze as he scooted closer to murmur, “That’s Bobby talking to Camille.”

  “I feel funny eavesdropping,” she whispered back, her lips brushing his ear.

  “I’d like to kill the jerk, and I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one.” Bobby’s voice rose. “I was an idiot to trust him.”

  “You and me both. Hindsight’s a bitch.” Camille let out a sigh. “We’d better go get some water to boil. My bottles are totally empty.”

  “Yeah. Anyway, there’s nothing we can do about the situation at this point but blow off a little steam.”

  Their voices faded as the two walked away.

  Raine sat up. “I wonder who they were talking about.”

  “No clue.” Levi rose to his feet and reached down to pull her up. “Some risky investment, apparently. They both have plenty of money to lose.”

  “That’s not a problem I anticipate having anytime soon. I’m surviving in the city, but barely. San Francisco is an amazing place, but the cost of living . . .” She rolled her eyes.

  “Crazy expensive. Did you move straight to the Bay Area out of college?”

  “Yep. I didn’t want to go back home, and I was determined to carve out a successful niche for myself in the city. I have, too.”

  He put a hand on her back as they headed toward the campground. “Based on the way you organized this hike, I bet you’re excellent at your job.”

  “I’m good at helping people make decisions that will ensure their events are successful. But I’ve been thinking I could use my skills outside the city and alleviate a little of the stress I’ve been under.”

  He stopped walking and frowned. “Can’t you just ease up on your workload?”

  “Not if I want to pay the rent. When my ex-boyfriend and I parted ways, I was stuck with an expensive apartment and all the bills. I’ve thought about getting a roommate, but—” She shrugged.

  “We aren’t in college anymore.”

  “Exactly.” A rueful smile curled her lips. “Even if it has sort of felt that way the last couple of days.”

  His laughter drifted on the breeze. “Midnight arguments, catty comments, and flirtatious glances. Yep, that’s how our club rolled back in the day, and nothing much has changed.”

  “You’re doing more flirting than anyone.” She nudged his side with her elbow and grinned. “Not that I’m complaining, mind you. I’d say Rosa gets the prize for catty remarks. She and Ava always did rub each other the wrong way. Who’s been arguing in the night?”

  “I’m not sure. Cooper, I suspect, although I don’t know who he was talking to. I fell asleep under the s
tars last night, and they woke me up.”

  “He does seem to spend half the night wandering around like a freaking vampire. As long as he doesn’t bother me, I don’t care much about his nocturnal habits.”

  He gave her shoulders a squeeze. “Maybe you should carry garlic in your pocket, just to be on the safe side.”

  “Or better yet, a wooden stake.”

  Hours later, Raine woke slowly as, once again, the murmur of voices disturbed her slumber. She blinked tiredly and stared up at the moon shining through the netting at the top of her tent. Nearby, a rock clattered and footsteps faded. Someone was definitely up.

  Remembering her conversation with Levi, she grimaced. Was Cooper out prowling in the dark again? Flipping onto her side, she adjusted the fleece jacket she was using for a pillow, but sleep remained elusive.

  Fifteen minutes later, she gave up, pulled on a sweatshirt, and crawled out of the tent. Maybe drinking hot chocolate laced with Kahlua from the bottle Bobby B had stashed in his pack hadn’t been the smartest move. Their group had hung out with some other hikers camping nearby, enjoying a big bonfire on their last night.

  Now, not only was she now wide awake, but she also needed to use the facilities. With the nearly full moon providing enough light to see, she decided to forgo the composting toilet on the other side of the campground to pee behind some rocks before strolling down to the river. Dropping to her knees, she washed her hands and splashed water on her face.

  Wishing she’d had the sense to wear more than just the shorts she’d been sleeping in, she shivered as she rose to her feet and gazed up at the star-studded sky. When hands dropped onto her shoulders, she let out a yelp.

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  Recognizing the familiar voice, she relaxed against Levi. “What are you doing up?”

  “I couldn’t sleep. Now I’m glad I had insomnia.” His voice rumbled above her ear.

  “Were you talking to someone a while ago?” She tilted her head to look up at him.

  “No. I went for a run and just got back. I didn’t see anyone. Why?”

  “That’s what woke me. Voices. Again. Every damn night, it seems.”

  When her teeth chattered, he turned her to face him. “Are you cold?”

  “A little.”

  Unzipping his jacket, he pulled her against his chest and wrapped the sides around her. His body heat warmed her in moments, and she snuggled against him.

  “We’re doing a crappy job of keeping our distance until this hike is over.” Her nose pressed against the pulse throbbing in his neck.

  He tightened his hold. “Do you want me to turn you loose?”

  “No.”

  He smelled like campfire smoke, a hint of earthiness, and man. She breathed deeply and slid her arms around his waist as her whole body tingled.

  “In that case . . .” He lowered his head and kissed her.

  A low moan escaped as she rose on her toes to kiss him back. Opening her mouth, she lost herself in the magic of the moment, wanting nothing more than to get closer to this man. When his hand covered her butt to press her tight against him, she pulled back an inch to gasp for breath.

  “Should I stop?” His voice was ragged.

  “Probably, but I don’t want to.” Her heart beat erratically, echoing the frantic pace of his as she rested her cheek against his chest.

  “I said before I wouldn’t drag you back to my tent after one kiss.” Humor laced his tone. “I may have misspoken.”

  A giggle slipped out on a whoosh of breath. “While I’m tempted more than you know, I’m going to ask for a raincheck.”

  He rested his chin on top of her head. “I figured, but if you’re hesitating because you aren’t sure how I feel—”

  “That isn’t it. I’m confident we both have a lot of liking and respect for each other. But I don’t want a fling.”

  “I don’t either.”

  “And right now, I’m grappling with some decisions about my future. I need to figure that out before I get involved with anyone.”

  He hesitated a moment. “What does that mean for us going forward?”

  She pulled back to study him in the moonlight. Shadows made his expression difficult to read, but she could sense the emotion he was holding in check.

  “I need to go home and make a few hard choices. Until I do, I can’t know what I want from a relationship. Or if I have anything positive to contribute right now.”

  “Companionship?” His tone deepened. “Great sex?”

  She snorted with laughter.

  He cupped her face in his hands and dropped a kiss on her upturned lips. “I made you laugh. That has to be a plus.”

  “A big plus.” She threaded her fingers through his short hair. “It’s because I care about you that I can’t let my guard down and sleep with you. If I did . . .” She hunched one shoulder.

  “Hey.” His voice was totally serious. “You’re worried about getting hurt if your life leads you in a different direction. I’m worried about that, too. Look, I can be patient.”

  “Then how about I call you once I work out a few things. If you decide you don’t want to deal with me, I won’t blame you. Not much, anyway.”

  “I’m not going anywhere, Raine.”

  Somewhere in the night, a cry sounded faintly over the rush of the river. She jerked backward and frowned. “What the heck was that?”

  “I’m not sure. Probably a nocturnal animal looking for a midnight snack.”

  A shiver ran down her spine. “Sounded like it got whatever it was after.”

  “That’s life in the wild.” He took off his jacket and draped it around her shoulders. “It’s late, and you’re cold. Let’s head back to camp.”

  She nodded. “Thanks for being so understanding.”

  “What else would I be? I’m not a total jerk.”

  “No, you’re not.” When they reached their tents, she stood on her toes to kiss him and couldn’t help wondering if she was making a big mistake. As he deepened the contact, she clung a little tighter before finally letting go. “Maybe—”

  “Nope. As much as I want to, I won’t take advantage of the situation. Go to bed.”

  She nodded and handed him back his jacket. “Good night, Levi.”

  “Sleep well, Raine.”

  After crawling into her tent, she huddled in her sleeping bag, her mind spinning. Part of her wanted to stop thinking everything to death and simply seize the moment.

  “Don’t be stupid,” she muttered.

  Outside her tent, steps approached and stopped. Her heart thumped as a figure blocked the moonlight.

  “Levi?”

  When no one answered, she unzipped the door to look out. A shadow moved, and light footfalls disappeared into the night.

  If Levi had been tempted to press the issue, he’d thought better of it. She didn’t know if she was relieved. Or sorry.

  Chapter Four

  “Where are Bobby B and Cooper?” Levi tossed the last of his cooling coffee on the ground and swished his cup through the pot of dishwater. “We need to get moving if we don’t want to get stuck in a line of hikers on the cables up Half Dome.”

  “Last night, Bobby mentioned he intended to get an early start to take pictures of the sunrise from the top.” Rosa shoved her backpack into her tent and straightened. “I thought about going with him but fell asleep again after my alarm beeped.”

  Levi turned as Ava approached. “Did Cooper leave with Bobby?”

  The blonde shrugged. “I’m not sure. He was gone when I woke up. Actually, I don’t feel so great. I think I’ll skip this morning’s difficult climb and wait here for everyone.”

  “Are you sure?” His brows shot up. “Standing on top of Half Dome is the highlight of the trip. One of them, anyway.”

  “Yeah, but you need to be in top form to do that ascent, not feeling like crap. I’d probably slip and kill myself.”

  Raine joined them and flashed a quick smile “Then y
ou’re making a smart choice. One mistake could lead to serious consequences if you aren’t careful.”

  “True. I’ll see you later.”

  As Ava walked away, Raine laid a hand on his arm. “Do you want to pack all our gear up now or after we get back?”

  “The sooner we reach the top, the better. I’d like to make the ascent before all the day hikers coming up from the valley arrive.”

  “I agree.” Jake finished pumping water through the filtration device into a bottle and capped it. “I filled all the water bottles, so grab yours and let’s go.”

  Ten minutes later, they left camp carrying daypacks with snacks, water, and gloves. Feeling energized without his heavy pack, Levi led the way up the trail, looking forward to the day’s adventure. Birds chirped in the clear morning air, and he couldn’t imagine anyplace he’d rather be—or anyone he’d rather be with. When he left the trees and reached the bottom of the subdome, he stopped as Raine caught up with him. After a ranger checked their permits, they moved onward.

  “Want to go ahead of me?”

  “Nope. These switchbacks are almost as bad as the cables.” She rubbed her hands up and down her bare arms. “I haven’t done this hike since college, and I remember it was scarier than hell climbing up that wall of granite.”

  “You’re sure-footed and in great shape. You won’t have any problem. Did you bring rock climbing shoes?”

  “Heck, yeah. Last time I wore hiking boots and hated every minute of the climb to the top.”

  When Jake and Willow reached them, Levi gave them a thumbs up. “You ready to do this?”

  Jake flashed a smile. “You bet. I spend a lot of time hiking in Yellowstone, and it’s pretty damn incredible, but there’s nowhere on earth as amazing as standing on the top of Half Dome looking down at Yosemite Valley.”

  “I don’t know about that.” Willow spread her arms wide. “I’ve missed all this, but until you’ve camped at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and watched twilight settle in, you haven’t lived.”