by Sara York
“Yeah, you showed me the book before we left Colorado. Okay, I like it. Let’s go. But we need to be prepared for people who don’t like visitors.”
“I have my Glock ready.”
Mike pulled his Glock from his hip holster. They headed up the little hill. He prayed they were making the right decision. He hadn’t known Tanner for long, but the man was his team member so he trusted him. The snow fell even more rapidly as they headed up the hill. He worried if they didn’t find a place to stop soon they would be in a blizzard. If there was no cabin over the rise, they would have to build a snow shelter. He didn’t want to spend the afternoon trekking through snow in an area they weren’t really familiar with. Without the snow, they wouldn’t get to James and Brody’s place until a few hours before sunset. With the snow falling as fast as it was, possibly creating whiteout conditions, they could be stuck walking until well after dark. He didn’t know the area well enough to walk without visibility. It would be too dangerous. No one was chasing them, so walking in the dark during a blizzard or with no visibility posed too much risk.
Tanner stopped at the top of the rise and Mike moved to stand beside him, searching for movement. He spied the cabin and relief filled him. He shouldn’t have doubted Tanner.
“No smoke coming from the chimney,” Tanner said.
“I don’t see anyone walking around. No animals, no horses, nothing,” Mike said.
Tanner pointed to the cabin. “No footprints as far as I can tell. The place looks empty.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought. Empty.”
“Let’s go.”
Mike led them down the hill to the cabin, both of them approaching cautiously. When they were about twenty yards from the building, they both stopped.
“I don’t see any movement,” Tanner whispered.
“Neither do I. Maybe someone is watching us, but I don’t think so.”
“Move in low and slow, steady but speedy.”
Mike gave one quick nod and took off, moving quickly, yet judging each step so he didn’t get tripped up on anything. Fifteen feet from the house he examined the windows, not seeing any movement. Ten feet had his body clenching, then he was five feet from the building and he began to relax.
He and Tanner had their backs to the building as they stood still, waiting for something to happen. Tanner caught his gaze and lifted his brows. He pointed to his right, indicating he would head that way, and Mike would go around the other way, meeting up on the other side of the building if they didn’t encounter anyone else. He gave a quick nod and they both moved. Before he moved around the building, he checked on Tanner who was easing his head over to look through a window. They weren’t in any known danger, it was the unknown which made his blood rush.
Cautiously, he edged his way around the building, glancing in windows, glad to not see any movement. When he turned his second corner, he found Tanner waiting on him at the bottom step of a wide porch.
“See anything?” Tanner asked.
“No, you?”
Tanner shook his head before moving up the steps of the porch. The snow was coming down fast and visibility had dropped to about fifty feet. Had they not started searching for the cabin when they had, there was little chance they would have found it.
Mike knocked on the door and waited. Tanner stood off to the side, gun drawn and pointed at the ground. Ten seconds ticked off then he knocked again. This time he waited about fifteen seconds before he knocked one last time.
“Hey, anyone there? We need help. We were caught in the storm,” Mike yelled. Again, they waited. Seconds ticked by, the wind picked up and snow blew onto the porch.
“What do you think?” Tanner asked.
“No one is here. Let’s see if we can get in.” Mike tried the door. It didn’t budge. “Let’s pick it.”
“Knock one more time,” Tanner said.
“Sure thing.” Mike pounded on the wood while Tanner pulled a pick set from his bag. No one answered and no noise came from inside the cabin. But outside, the wind had started to howl. They would need to begin building a shelter if they couldn’t get inside.
Tanner lifted his pick and Mike moved out of the way. The door was open in about ten seconds. Mike had his gun and flashlight out, prepared to enter the dark building. Tanner stood and grabbed his gun too, turning on his flashlight. Slowly, they stepped in, Mike turning left, Tanner going right. The building was small with one closed door in the kitchen, and one on a far wall.
Tanner moved to the far wall, placing his hand on the knob as Mike lined up. Tanner opened the door, pulling it wide. No one was in the bathroom. They headed to the kitchen, but based on where the door was located, he assumed it was a pantry. Tanner pulled it open and sure enough, it was a tiny pantry with shallow shelves.
“Cleared,” Tanner said.
“I consider this cleared. We’re good, I think. I don’t think anyone will be coming out here during this storm.”
“No, I don’t think so. I looked at the map, and I think this is the only other place out this way. James and Brody’s cabin is a bit more hidden in the tree cover. Anything else is small, like a shack. So yeah, I don’t think anyone else lives out here.”
“I saw wood outside. I’ll go get some and we can start a fire in that contraption.”
Tanner glanced at the cookstove and lifted his brows. “Interesting. I’ll see if there’s water.”
Mike paused before he went outside. “They may have a pump, though I didn’t see a utility area where the pump would be on my side of the house.”
“I saw one, but it would take electricity or a generator, and we didn’t bring any fuel. I didn’t see any power lines either.”
“True, so we may not have water. I’ll check what type of pump is out there before I get the firewood.”
“I could check on the pump,” Tanner said.
“Don’t worry about it. You stay inside and stay warm. Maybe you could find us something to eat.”
“Sure. I’ll see what’s available. Maybe try to find some candles too.”
“Yeah, we’re probably going to be here a while if how it’s coming down is any indication.”
Mike stepped out onto the porch and was hit by blowing snow. He shivered and slapped his gloved hands together. The cold was working its way into his bones. They at least had somewhere they could hunker down and stay dry. He found the pump house and checked, they needed power to pump water from the well. There was a generator, but no fuel to run the generator.
If it continued to snow, they could heat snow and drink the water. Now they just had to figure out how to use the cookstove. He headed to the other side of the house, struggling in the deep drifts. It was really coming down. He gathered wood, and surveyed the area. The snow in the drifts would be clean enough to use for water. If they heated the snow to boiling, it should be okay. Later, after the snow was deeper, he’d feel a little better about grabbing snow from the ground and drinking the water from it, for now, they could use the drifts.
He carried ten pieces of firewood into the house. “Hey, we need to get some snow for water.”
Tanner grabbed his coat and a pan from under the counter. “I’ll be back.”
Mike followed him out, propping the door open so it didn’t shut. He grabbed more firewood until he felt they had a good supply for the night. After staring out the window at the snow, he went out to the firewood stack and retrieved fifteen more pieces. He made a stack on the porch where the wood would most likely stay dry. Eventually the snow would soak the wood in the stack, making it unusable. He didn’t want to bring too much inside since their space was limited. If they didn’t use the ones he’d put on the porch, he’d just put them back on the stack before they left.
Tanner had the snow on the stove with the burner box open as he fed in logs. He used a long match to light the stove then closed the burner box as the fire took.
“You ever use a wood stove?” Mike asked.
“No, have you?”
> “No, I guess we just let the pan sit. Did you find anything you think we could eat?”
“I did. There’s some soups, beans, a package of spam,” Tanner’s voice rose on the last word and he chuckled. “Really, I think we should conserve our food. We only packed enough MREs for the walk up, a day there, and a walk back. The storm is going to throw us off and we don’t know how long we’ll be snowed in.”
“True.” Mike turned and looked around the small space. He turned back to Tanner, his throat going dry at his next thought. If Tanner answered no, that meant they might end up in bed together. “Do you want to sleep in shifts?”
Tanner shook his head. “Do you think it’s necessary?”
Mike pushed away his panic. “No, I think we’ll be fine. No one is coming out in this. The cabin is winterized and hasn’t been opened for the season. No one in their right mind is going to risk coming out here tonight. We would have heard or seen someone parking at the trailhead since we had a view of it for at least a mile. This place is too remote to just head out during a storm like this.”
“Okay, then let’s see what we can do about sleeping arrangements.” Mike stared around the room, not seeing a bed. He convinced himself he was obsessed with the sleeping arrangements because they needed rest, not because he wanted to be close to Tanner. “Pullout couch, you think?”
“That’s what I was thinking.”
Mike shot him a smile. “At least we’ll fit. It could have been a twin bed.”
“That would have sucked.”
Mike laughed. “I’d have to fight you for rights to the bed.”
“True, I would have won though.”
“What makes you so sure you would have won?”
Tanner gave him a cocky grin that melted Mike a little. “I’m younger.”
Mike shook his head and moved to the stove, looking at the now melting snow. “Were there any glasses?”
“Mugs. We can use those.”
“Well, the water is warming, we have food planned out, and we’ve got somewhere to sleep. I suggest we take a count of our supplies, repack if we need to. Maybe check your gun and ammunition.” He was grasping at straws, trying to come up with any activity to keep them busy. If Tanner was just standing around looking gorgeous, he would want to touch him. Good God, this was going to be hard.
Tanner set to work and began pulling items from his pack like a good little soldier who was given a command. He started counting his MREs, and taking stock of his supplies. After a moment, Tanner removed his boots and Mike thought it would be wise to take his off too. With his jacket off, he pulled off his boots and found his sock on his right foot wet. The place had warmed enough he could walk around barefoot for a while, though he might get chilled if he did it for too long. He moved to place his socks and boots by the stove so they would dry.
“Wet socks?” Tanner asked.
“Yeah. How about you?”
“No, I’m good. If we leave before the snow is melted, we’ll have to watch your boots. I’m not happy with your feet getting wet.”
Mike grimaced. He wasn’t happy either. He shouldn’t have wet feet. Maybe that was why he had been cold.
The snow picked up, swirling by then pelting the window. He moved to stare out at the winter wonderland. It was colder here and he rolled his feet as he watched the world turn white. Visibility had dropped to almost zero. He worried they’d made a critical mistake. They shouldn’t stay here long, but they would have to until the storm eased up. He worried about how deep the snow would get. Would they be able to walk out? Could they make it the rest of the way to James and Brody’s place? The trail would be obscured if the snow didn’t melt. They would have to use their compass and maps, which would work, but it would take more time.
Tanner had just finished lighting a candle when he moved close. “What’s got you worried?”
He shook his head, unsure how to tell Tanner everything. They worked as a team and that meant trusting his team members, even if it made him look weak. And that was the issue, looking weak in front of Tanner made him feel weird. He wanted to be the one who could solve everything, make their mission work, get them to the location safely and back home, and this wasn’t a planned detour. They’d broken into a cabin and were stalled.
“I don’t like the snow. We didn’t see it, no one knew. We can’t talk to the ranch. I don’t like flying blind. I…I don’t like not being able to solve this.”
Tanner shrugged. “It’s the weather, it happens.”
“Not to us.”
Tanner leaned against the wall and Mike turned to face him. The candlelight played on the flat surfaces making shadows stretch. Tanner’s skin glowed golden and Mike wanted to reach out and touch him.
“We’re safe, the mission isn’t compromised. Once the storm clears, we’ll head out and complete our task.”
Tanner sounded so logical. Mike turned to stare out the window. It was going to be a rough couple of days. He sighed and moved to the pantry, and pulled out a can. Tanner gave him a wide grin at his choice.
“Soup sounds delicious.”
He couldn’t help the smile on his face though they were in a really shitty situation as far as the mission was concerned. They ate the soup and repacked their bags. Everything they could do was done. The sun had gone down long ago and the clouds obscured the moon. He saw Tanner yawn and his dick twitched at the thought of sleeping with him.
“I’m going to turn in,” Tanner said.
Mike glanced at Tanner, desire snaking through him. “If we wake in the morning and it looks like it’ll clear, we’ll contact the ranch and see what they say the weather looks like. I’d like to get moving early.”
“Sounds good. I’m going to use some of the water and clean up a little.”
“I’ll get some more snow from outside and bring in more wood. We’ll probably be cold in the morning, but I don’t know this stove or the cabin so I can’t say how cold it will get.”
“We’ll survive. We’ve both camped in worse situations.”
“True with that.” Mike pulled on his now dry socks and boots, spying a split in the leather he hadn’t seen before. Maybe he’d run into something in the snow, or perhaps it had been there for a while. He trudged outside and filled up a large pan with snow. After setting the pan inside, he grabbed some wood. He noticed Tanner had placed the pan on the stove and had added two logs to the firebox.
The room wasn’t hot, but it should stay warm for a while. He undressed and used the restroom, washing a little with the water and rag Tanner had brought into the bathroom. Once he felt clean, he hung the washrag over the shower door then pulled on his underwear and shirt. He stepped into the main room and paused.
Tanner had the bed out and was under the sheets. Mike moved quietly, making sure the door was locked before he climbed into bed. The sounds of the storm whipped around the cabin and he was thankful they’d found this place to hunker down in. Though he felt a twinge of failure because he hadn’t predicted the storm, he had kept his team member safe. He drifted off knowing they would be okay until morning.
Mike woke to the sound of the door scraping on the floor. He reached around for Tanner, feeling nothing other than warm sheets. Mike jumped up, grabbing his Glock before racing over to the door which was wide open. Tanner was walking barefoot to the edge of the porch, only boxers and a thin t-shirt he’d worn to bed covered him.
Mike stayed still until Tanner began walking down the steps. He raced out, jumping a little as his feet landed on the cold snow. He caught Tanner’s shoulder and stopped him. Tanner didn’t look back and Mike walked around him, the cold making his feet ache. What the hell was Tanner doing?
“Hey, what’s up?” Mike asked.
“The goat.”
Mike turned and stared out in the yard. The snow had abated a little, opening visibility, but it still fell at a good clip. “Goat?”
Tanner started to walk again and Mike stopped him. It was too cold, but Tanner seemed oblivious t
o it.
“The goat’s inside,” Mike said.
He turned Tanner and guided him up the stairs and to the door. Heat had escaped while they’d been outside and he felt chilled. He closed and bolted the door. Tanner stood still, like he didn’t know what to do.
“Let’s get you to bed.”
“Goat.”
“What goat?”
“I’m so thirsty I could drink a goat,” Tanner said.
Mike chuckled then sobered quickly. He leaned in, staring at Tanner’s face, wondering if he was pulling his leg. The man was out of it. Had he taken anything? Was he sleepwalking? Why hadn’t they known he was a sleepwalker? And how the hell could he have survived war if he sleepwalked?
He grabbed a mug and filled it with water before lifting it to Tanner’s lips. Tanner drank a little then stepped away, letting water spill down his shirt. Mike grabbed his shoulder and guided him to the pullout bed and told him to lie down. Tanner did as Mike requested and stretched out, staring up at the ceiling for a moment before closing his eyes.
Mike stared at him until he was uncomfortable and felt scummy for lusting after his buddy. He turned to the stove and added a couple of logs. He placed their packs in front of the door, blocking the exit before moving to the bed. He stretched out next to Tanner and stared at him for a long time. The man was beautiful. The slope of his nose, the sharpness of his jaw, it all combined to make Mike’s insides twist and his heart squeeze.
How had they not known Tanner was a sleepwalker? How would his sleepwalking change things on missions? The storm picked up and he thought they would probably be stuck here tomorrow too, waiting for the snow to stop. Great, just what he needed, more alone time with this beautiful man.
Chapter Seven
Ryan ran the towel over his head, scrubbing the water away. He was growing out his hair again, trying to figure out which way worked best on missions. If he lost his disguise, he would look less like himself with longer hair. In the Marines, he’d stayed clean cut. He hadn’t been one of those guys who got to grow a beard and shaggy hair. His military buddies wouldn’t recognize him if he wore it longer.
