Beautiful Criminal

by Shady Grace

  The toe could have been lost to frostbite, even though he didn’t look like the mountain-climbing type. But the jagged scars all over him? There were so many, Mima stopped counting at twenty. Some were short, thin cuts, or small, circular scars. The others were thick and long as if somebody had whipped him, or slashed at him with a knife. She shuddered at how he must have suffered through all that.

  She’d cleaned the blood on his face with a warm washcloth and stitched up the cuts where his head had smashed into the window. Thank goodness her brother had been accident-prone and Mother had taught her what to do. The pilot didn’t move an inch as the needle and thread pierced his skin. Either he was seriously out cold or his pain tolerance was impressive.

  Anxiety flooded Mima’s stomach and she swallowed. The pilot had a body like a hero from an action movie, with thick, corded arms and wide shoulders. A broad chest peppered with dark hair tapered to a narrow waist, all the way down to a set of strong, sculpted legs. Tight boxer briefs stretched taut over the distinct bulge at his crotch. She blew out a shaky breath and blushed, dragging her gaze away from him.

  “You thinking what I’m thinking?” Mary’s eyes glinted with amusement as she clucked her tongue.

  “What?”

  “That you’re fucking lucky to finally have a man in your bed.”

  Mima laughed, shoving her best friend’s shoulder. “The guy’s half-dead. Give him a break.” Even as she said the words, she couldn’t help eyeing him up again.

  “Well, I need to get home before it gets dark, or Tom might get worried. Think I should look in the guy’s plane and bring by his luggage or whatever personal things he might have in there? He didn’t have a wallet on him.”

  Mima shrugged. “That’s up to you. He’s stuck here for now anyway until I decide what to do with him. So far, I think he’s only out from the bump on his head and the cold.”

  “Poor guy, eh?” Mary gave the pilot a pat on the foot before giving Mima a big hug. “Okay, g’night, babe. Have fun. I’ll drop by as soon as I can.”

  “Radio when you get home, okay?”

  “Sure thing, boss.” Mary tapped the heels of her boots and saluted her. Mima laughed and gave Mary a friendly push toward the door. The woman was playing a comedienne at the worst time.

  Soon her home was quiet, and she stood alone, staring down at the stranger in her bed. He wasn’t out of danger yet, and she had a feeling when he woke up there could be more trouble to come.

  Chapter Two

  Gabe shifted and stretched. The pounding in his head sharpened to a knifing pain behind his eyes as consciousness returned. For a minute he thought somebody had smashed his skull with a hammer. Wouldn’t be the first time he awakened with a vague recollection of what happened the previous day. His body burned like the fires of hell and, fuck, was he ever thirsty. When he reached up to rub his forehead and felt a bandage, he paused. “What the hell—”

  His eyes flew open as the memory of the flight came back to him. He blinked, rubbed his forehead again, and gazed about the room. Daylight flickered in from somewhere, temporarily blinding him. No cockpit. No mountains or snow. No cargo. The cargo! He shoved up on his elbows, wincing from the pain and inspected his surroundings.

  Where the hell am I?

  Gabe realized with a start that he wasn’t in a hospital or jail or some stinking torture pit, but a warm bedroom in a log cabin. He swung his legs over the mattress and took a few calming breaths to settle his pounding heart. At least he hadn’t been caught. He must be in a safe place if somebody had taken the time to tuck him into bed. He glanced down to his legs and frowned, realizing he wore nothing but boxers.

  What the fuck is going on?

  The frantic scrape of claws on plywood interrupted his train of thought. Before he could react, a huge black-and-white husky barreled into the room, barking wildly. Gabe cupped his ears from the piercing pain the barking brought on as the canine sat on his haunches right against his knees, emitting a long, musical whine.

  “Nitchie, leave our patient alone!”

  Gabe’s heartbeat accelerated again at the sound of a feminine voice. He rushed to throw the covers back over him as a native woman appeared in the doorway. She leaned casually against the doorframe, her black eyes taking him in. His mind emptied itself of words as he stared back at her.

  Did she undress me?

  “Hi.” Her broad smile held not a lick of shyness.

  Gabe blinked, momentarily lost in her onyx eyes. “Hi,” he echoed awkwardly. “Uh… Is your husband around?”

  “Husband?” Her abrupt cackle startled him. He’d never heard a laugh quite like that before, so uninhibited. “You won’t find a husband here, buddy.”

  “Boyfriend, then?”

  “Nope.”

  Gabe looked around, feeling more than a little awkward. “Any man?”

  A crooked smile touched her lips and she shook her head slowly, looking at him like he’d lost a bolt somewhere. Maybe he had. Exactly what happened from the time of the crash until now was completely lost to him. Unable to form a single smart word, he kept his mouth shut, embarrassed he may have offended the woman. He averted his gaze and looked around the room. Someone must have helped her get him in this bed because he wasn’t a small man and she barely touched the roof of a car. But he was too sore to dwell on it, and pointed to the bandage on his head. “Thanks.”

  The woman pushed away from the door. “No problem. I’m afraid your clothes won’t be washed for a few days, but I managed to rustle up some of my brother’s. You look close in height and build.” Her gaze raked over him, as if imagining his body beneath the blankets. Gabe knew damn well that she did undress him, and probably took her sweet time. “Come to the kitchen when you’re ready. I’ll fix you some coffee. Weather’s been too tricky for a chopper the last couple days, but thankfully you’re awake now.”

  And she left him with his thoughts and the dog. What did she mean by the last couple days? Perplexed, Gabe reached out to pat the husky between the ears, but the dog’s once-curious demeanor changed in an instant, and he bared his teeth with a deep growl. Gabe pulled back with a start and pushed himself up. The last thing he wanted was a hand mangled by a protective mutt.

  On the nearby dresser he found a pair of canvas pants and a knit sweater. He gritted his teeth, hating the feel of wool on his skin as the garment scraped over his torso. At least the pants fit well and were comfortable. Anything was better than traipsing through a strange woman’s house in nothing but his boxers.

  With shaky legs and his equilibrium messed up, Gabe forced one foot in front of the other and entered the adjoining room. The dog she called Nitchie rushed past him, nearly knocking him over to reach his master. Gabe didn’t say a word, didn’t even look his way, not wanting to provoke the dog’s temper.

  The kitchen and living room were one room, and by the looks of it, he’d just walked out of the only bedroom. Various animal pelts and patchwork quilts covered the log walls. He noted a few photographs of native people on a side table and assumed they must be the woman’s family. A wood-framed sofa covered with more pelts and blankets sat beneath the living room window. He had to admit the place looked cozy despite its lack of space.

  The woman had her back to him as she tinkered around the kitchen, putting a coffee kettle on the top of a barrel stove, which separated the kitchen and living room.

  Gabe couldn’t help staring at her, allowing his gaze to freely roam over her body. A long, thick braid, so black it almost looked blue in the light glinting through the windows, hung to her curvy hips. Donned in a red-and-black-checkered work shirt and blue jeans, she looked like she belonged in the bush.

  Intriguing.

  He took a seat at the kitchen table and wondered what he should do with himself. He needed to get back to his plane and radio Colton, but he didn’t want to make her suspicious. “How long was I out?”

  His nurse glanced over her shoulder and smiled. “
A couple days. You were lucky, though. I think you were in that plane overnight before we found you.”

  Which means I’ve been here three days. Fuck. “Who helped you?”

  She laughed again, and the sound lightened his cloudy mood a little. Her laugh was a sweet cackle, for lack of a better description.

  “My friend and a great team of dogs.”

  He frowned at her back. “You mean like a dog-sled team?”

  She turned around and faced him with a proud smile. “Look out back.”

  Gabe pushed up from the table and went to stand beside her in the kitchen. He looked out the window and eyed a large, chain-link fence covering most of the backyard. He counted six adult huskies in their own pens and a few puppies with their mother, separated from the others.

  Thick bush in the foreground of the mountains bordered the property. From this vantage point, he saw no other cabins or landmarks. No smoke curling up in the sky to indicate other homesteads. Looked like they were alone in the middle of nowhere.

  “Are you some kind of ranger out here?” The thought made him nervous. If she were an authority, he’d have to tread lightly. She may have saved him from a life-threatening situation, but it didn’t mean he could trust her.

  Gabe held his breath waiting for her answer.

  “No. I’m a woman who lives a simple life, that’s all.”

  Relief flooded his veins. “I didn’t think people could build a cabin in the middle of the bush wherever they wanted.”

  The woman looked up at him with a silly grin. “I didn’t. The land and cabin was grandfathered to me.”

  He glanced down at her, noticing her staring at the side of his head. “What?”

  “Your earrings. Are you a gypsy or something?”

  He chuckled. “Define gypsy.” His skin tingled under her intense scrutiny.

  “Gypsies don’t have a real home.”

  Her words, so close to the truth, stunned him for a second. He’d lived everywhere and nowhere since his father died. “Then I guess I’m a gypsy.”

  Damn, she was cute, and maybe a little naive. Drawn to the curve of her mouth, his inner beast wanted to taste those lips, but he brushed the sudden urge aside. Being here alone with her was dangerous. Not only because of his job, but because her allure unnerved him. Most of his life he’d been a player. Women flocked to him like he was on sale. But he was too old for that shit now. Too old to play games and risk anyone’s life. She said she lived a simple life. Gabe nearly laughed out loud knowing his was quite different.

  She was the complete opposite from the women he usually entertained, and he couldn’t decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Living out here alone with her dogs obviously made her a tough woman. With no man taking care of the homestead, that meant she did all the hard work herself. He admired her for that. Plus, she’d saved his ass.

  If she knew what kind of man he was, would she still have saved him?

  Gabe walked away, pretending to look at the objects in the cabin, all the while his mind racing with options—getting back to his plane or radioing Colton. He’d noticed the ancient-looking radio atop a small table by the sofa, but he couldn’t use it with her around. But the million-dollar thought of the day was if the cargo survived the crash.

  How could he request her help without making her suspicious? “Is there any way you can bring me back to my plane? I need to radio my boss.”

  “Oh, don’t worry. I have a CB radio here for emergencies. You can use it if you need to. Besides, no going anywhere for you for at least a few more days.”

  Shit. I need to find a way…. “I’d like to get my stuff at least.”

  She turned around and smiled again which made him even more nervous. “Already taken care of. My friend Mary offered to swing by the plane on her next route. She’ll bring your stuff.”

  Gabe’s heartbeat jumped into his throat. “What? No, she can’t.”

  She paused, holding the kettle above a cup, her gaze sharp. He detected she didn’t like the tone of his voice. “Why? What’s wrong?”

  Gabe shook his head, not wanting to alarm her. “Nothing. I…wouldn’t want her to get hurt for me, that’s all. It’s dangerous out there.”

  Her face twisted into a silly smile before she laughed again. “Mary knows this bush better than I do. Believe me, she’ll be fine. Unless…there’s something you’re not telling me?”

  Gabe forced himself to look passive. “Nah. Like I said, I wouldn’t want her to get hurt because of me. Any idea when she’s planning to come this way?” Please don’t look in the back of that fucking plane.

  His nurse gazed out the window, giving him the chance to stare at her profile. With her hair pulled back, he had an excellent view of her small ears, free of earrings. Her graceful neck sloped down to a smooth, olive-toned chest and a set of handful-sized breasts, the crests visible by the few buttons she’d left undone. He swallowed, not wanting to look at her, but unable to stop himself.

  “While you were sleeping we got snowed in a little. I imagine Mary’s checking her traps today and will go to the plane within a couple days.” She looked back and caught him staring. The corner of her mouth tipped up. “So…you’re stuck with me until then.”

  Any other day, any other time, he’d close the distance between them and bend her over that kitchen counter. God help him, but he was sexually frustrated, and crazy situations such as this made him horny as hell.

  He sensed her loneliness. Hell, he was lonely too. Instead, he simply nodded, wondering what he could do to pass the time safely. Taking advantage of his rescuer, who shouldn’t get caught up in his life, was the last thing he should do. And he had a feeling messing with her wouldn’t stop at a bang and “see ya later, doll.”

  “Well, if I’m going to be stuck here I might as well know the name of my nurse,” Gabe said, looking at her from his safe distance by the stove.

  She poured fresh coffee into two cups and walked over to hand him one. “Mima.”

  Gabe accepted the cup and gladly took a sip. It tasted like liquid gold. “Gabriel.”

  Mima’s gaze raked over him before she took a sip from her cup. That simple look made his blood simmer. “Well, Gabriel, the radio is over there by the front window if you need it.”

  He’d already seen the radio. Being trained to pay attention to detail meant Gabe had noticed the rifle leaning against the wall as well. If he had to, he’d use it and find a way out of here, but he didn’t think this woman would cause him any extra trouble. Besides, he liked the way his name rolled off her tongue.

  But contacting Colton without Mima listening in on the conversation would be hard. He desperately needed to let the boss know everything was okay before a search party was called out. If that happened, it could mean the end of his days, and possibly hers. Any family member suspected of disappearing with precious goods faced extermination.

  He breathed deeply and swept a hand through his messy hair. He’d got himself into a sticky situation, and he had to figure out the best course of action.

  “Thanks, for helping me. I owe you my life, but what should we do in the meantime? I noticed you have no power out here. What do you do to pass the time?”

  Her smile was teasing. “What do you think we do in the bush?”

  Gabe looked around the cabin, at a complete loss for ideas.

  “I hunt and fish when I can, take the dogs out on the trails, go snowmobiling, read books, garden in the spring and summer, go to town when I need to—”

  He chuckled.

  “And for your information, I do have power. I only use the generator when I need it.”

  “Then let me rephrase that,” Gabe added. “What can I do to pass the time?”

  * * * *

  Mima sensed her patient didn’t want to be treated like an invalid. The guy had spent a night unconscious in a plane, in below-freezing temperatures, and was probably suffering from a concussion. Now he wanted exciteme
nt?

  She sighed, deciding to give in to his demands and allow him some fun, though she had to force herself not to laugh when Gabriel put on her brother’s caribou snowsuit. He looked like a miserable cartoon character, and yet his silly appearance made him look so cute that she wanted to pinch his cheeks.

  Her gaze flitted down to the lower half of the suit, covering that part of him she’d wanted to look at when she and Mary undressed him. But her sensibilities protested, and she left the boxers on. Good thing, for she wouldn’t know what to do with herself if she did look and had to face him now. She already felt overheated.

  The pilot must be well over six foot, and from what she saw above the boxers, he was built like a cement foundation. His broad shoulders nearly touched each side of the doorframe when he came out from her room, and his head reached just below the top of the door. Good God, the guy was a monster.

  She swallowed. His wrists are the size of my calves for Christ’s sake.

  “Wanna help me feed the dogs before I show you around?”

  Gabriel’s thick brown brows drew together, and she wanted to laugh at the silly expression on his face. Maybe he was thinking they’d pound back some shots or something. Well, they could, but that wouldn’t be appropriate.

  He shrugged. “Sure. Not much else to do.”

  Oh, yes, there is….

  Mima squared her shoulders and turned her back to him. Lusting for her patient was wrong. Caring for him the past few days had brought her close to him in a way she didn’t expect. She’d run her fingers through his thick brown locks as he’d slept. Murmured soothing words when he’d suffered bad dreams. Dreams that made him toss and turn and grunt strange things. She’d pressed a cool washcloth to his forehead when his temperature had risen as well. How was it possible to care about someone she didn’t even know?

  He had an air about him that made her nervous to be around him, to trust him, yet the way he looked at her, as though she confused him as well, made her want to know him.