by Pamela Clare
Soon, she was stopping every few feet, not to rest, but to take photos. A plant that Chaska called kinnikinnick. Delicate blue and white columbine. Purple wild iris.
It wasn’t easy taking photos without being able to stand on both feet, and more than once Chaska steadied her so that she could operate her camera with both hands.
They sat on a log bench on one side of the lake in the shade of an aspen grove, reeds and cattails at the water’s edge offering red-winged blackbirds and dragonflies a perch. A light breeze blew across the water, making small ripples.
“It’s so peaceful here.”
From across the lake came a strange cry.
Naomi looked toward the sound. “What was … oh, God!”
A black bear cub. No, two bear cubs.
She grabbed her camera bag, so excited that she nearly dropped her macro lens as she switched it out for the telephoto.
“It’s okay. You’ve got time. They’re not going anywhere. Their baby brother is stuck in a tree.”
Three bear cubs?
She drew a breath, finished making the lens switch, then held the camera up to her eye, smiling when she spotted the third cub. He was lighter than the other two, more caramel than black, and he was stuck halfway up a pine tree, bawling his little heart out.
Naomi started shooting, moving with her crutches to get a better view.
“There’s Mama.”
Naomi lowered the camera. “God, she’s big. Are we safe here?”
They were only a hundred yards away.
“She’s not going to swim across the lake.” Chaska stood beside her, a hand at her elbow in case she lost her balance. Sunlight glinted off his hair, turning it a rich shade of brown, his face so striking that she found herself wanting to photograph him.
Naomi turned her attention back to the bears, shooting photo after photo as the mother ambled over to the tree and tried to coach her cub down. “What will she do if he can’t make it?”
“He will. Watch.”
But still Baby Bear didn’t climb down, his two siblings tumbling and playing near the base of the tree. Then Mama Bear had had enough and started up the tree herself.
Naomi couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She stopped shooting and just watched as Mama reached her youngster, gave one of his rear paws a nip, then climbed down again, encouraging him with little growls. Baby Bear followed her. In a moment or two, it was over, the three cubs rolling and playing together, Mama foraging near a thicket of chokecherry bushes.
Naomi made her way back to the bench and sat, watching for a good long time, Chaska beside her, until the not-so-distant rumble of thunder caught their attention. Dark storm clouds had moved in from the west behind them, the wind picking up and driving the storm their way.
“Better put away your camera. We need to go.”
“I love thunderstorms.”
“I love the thunder, but not the idea of being struck by lightning. Every couple of years the Team gets toned out to bring down someone who’s been struck.”
“Really? Wow.”
They headed down the trail but didn’t get far before fat raindrops began to fall. Then the sky opened up, and it poured, lightning splitting the heavens, thunder echoing among the mountain peaks.
Laughing, Naomi did her best to go quickly, but the trail soon became muddy and slick, slowing her.
Chaska stepped in front of her and bent down. “Give me your crutches, and climb onto my back.”
“Are you serious?”
“I carry eighty-pound packs when I go on rescues. I can handle you.”
Camera bag slung over her shoulder, she did as he said, wrapping her arms around him, his body hard, the firearm he carried concealed at his hip pressing against her leg. He stood upright and started toward the parking lot again, thunder crashing around them, the sound almost metallic.
“The thunder is so loud!” She had to shout to be heard above wind and rain.
“You’re at nine thousand feet elevation,” he called back to her.
A doe bounded across the trail in front of them, disappearing into a thicket of young junipers, her fawn a few feet behind her.
“Look!” Naomi pointed.
Chaska grinned, whether because of the doe and her fawn or because he thought she was being silly, Naomi couldn’t say.
A blue flash of lightning. The roar of thunder. The fresh scent of ozone.
She laughed, feeling more alive than she could remember, the thunder seeming to crash right over their heads. “That was close!”
“Too close.” Chaska moved much faster than Naomi had been able to, and soon the parking lot came into view. He set her down near his truck, unlocked the door, and put her camera bag on the seat. “Get in!”
He helped her up, stuck her crutches behind the seat, then jogged around to the driver’s side and climbed in. They looked at each other and laughed, both breathing hard, spattered with mud, and soaked to the skin, strands of wet hair clinging to their cheeks.
And then he was kissing her.
This was nothing like the kiss they’d shared on the front porch. That had been gentle and sweet. This was rough, wild, fierce, his mouth ravishing hers, his fingers digging into her wet hair, one strong arm dragging her closer.
No man had ever kissed her like this, and, oh, it was perfect. The storm raged around them, but Naomi was barely aware of it, the thrum of rain on his truck not enough to drown out the pounding of her pulse. He smelled of pine and tasted of rain, the feel of him hard beneath her splayed palms.
Desire licked through her, made her bolder. She kissed him back with everything she had, biting down on his lower lip, teasing its fullness with her tongue, drawing his tongue into her mouth. He moaned, held her tighter, wresting control of the kiss from her, doing to her what she’d just done to him—and more.
She couldn’t get enough of him. She tugged on his T-shirt, slid a hand up the wet skin of his belly, the hard feel of his abs sending shivers of excitement through her. She shifted her position, trying—
She cried out.
Pain.
“Your leg?”
She nodded, answering through gritted teeth. “I hit it against something.”
“Shit. Sorry. I think you hit it against the brake pedal.”
Concern on his face, he helped her get settled back in her seat, her leg in front of her, then leaned over and kissed her cheek. “This wasn’t the right place for this. Next time I kiss you, we’re going to be alone so that no one can interrupt us, and we’re going to have lots of room.”
Her heart gave a little knock at those words, the pain in her ankle subsiding.
Then she said to him what he’d said to her on the porch. “Don’t think I’ve gotten enough of you, because I haven’t.”
His lips curved in a slow, sexy smile. “Good.”
When the storm cleared, Chaska drove Naomi along the Peak-to-Peak Highway, pulling off the road at the best overlooks so that she could take photos. They stopped in Estes Park for hot dogs, ice cream cones—and, of course, saltwater taffy.
“Win would kill me if she knew I’d been in Estes and hadn’t brought her taffy.”
Something had shifted between them since this morning. Naomi seemed more at ease than she had since he’d known her, and there was an intimacy that hadn’t been there before, her small hand reaching for his more than once.
Well, he didn’t mind that, not one bit.
Estes was teeming with tourists, so they stopped in only one shop—a jewelry boutique.
“They carry my stuff.” She made her way to the display case. “One day, I’d like to have a shop like this. I’d sell a mix of my stuff and work by other artisans.”
“You should sell your sketches, too, and your photographs.”
She laughed as if this were an absurd idea. “I don’t know about that.”
“I do.”
Her gaze moved over the earrings, bracelets, and belt buckles in the glass display case. She showed
him the work of silversmiths she knew, then pointed. “That’s mine.”
It was a silver bracelet, and it was exquisite, semi-precious stones worked into a mosaic image of a coyote howling in front of a full moon, the edges filigreed flowers.
“I don’t think you have one like this.” The sales clerk, a young woman, stepped forward, opened the case, and retrieved the bracelet. “This is an exclusive by Naomi Archer. It’s one of a kind.”
“I am Naomi Archer.”
“You’re … Naomi?” The young woman’s eyes went wide. “Wow. Wait here! Just wait a second.”
She disappeared and returned with an older woman, the manager or perhaps the shop’s owner.
“Naomi Archer?” The older woman shook Naomi’s hand. “I just love your work. It’s exciting to have you here in my store.”
Chaska watched while the three women talked jewelry, pleased to see Naomi getting the attention she deserved. Her work truly was amazing. Why couldn’t she see that? Okay, so he’d bet that being left to die by her mother and being raised by religious lunatics who’d adopted her because God told them to but who didn’t really love her had something to do with that.
I grew up thinking there was something wrong with me.
It hurt Chaska to think that belief might still live inside her.
Naomi seemed to float all the way back to his truck. “Did you hear them? They said people come in asking for my stuff.”
“I’m not surprised.” He opened the door for her and helped her up.
He drove back toward Scarlet, listening as Naomi talked about the boutique she dreamed of owning and how she’d even thought of moving to Colorado.
“Are we going home?” There was a note in her voice that told him she wasn’t sure she wanted to go back just yet.
“Nope. We’ve got one more stop.” He turned off the highway onto Sugarloaf Mountain Road, drove to the trailhead, and parked. He grabbed a daypack from behind his seat, checked to make sure it still held a space blanket and first aid kit, then added her camera and two bottles of water. “The trail is rocky and steep, so I’m going to have to carry you on my back.”
“Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“It’s two miles there and back, so it’s no big deal.” He gave her the daypack, helped her adjust it, then bent down. “Ready?”
It was a much tougher hike with a hundred twenty pounds on his back, but it was good training. There was no telling when he might have to do this to save a life. By the time they reached the summit, he was breathing hard.
“Oh, God, it’s beautiful up here!”
“It’s one of the best places in the county to watch the sunset.” He carried her to a rocky area, then set her down, helping her to keep her balance while she hopped to a wide, flat rock and sat.
“What is this place?” There was awe in her voice.
“Sugarloaf Mountain.” He sat beside her, took the daypack, handed her the camera, then pulled out a bottle of water and drank. “I’d hoped you would like it.”
“Like it?” She looked over at him, eyes wide. “It’s breathtaking.”
“That’s Mount Meeker, and that’s Longs Peak. We’ve done a lot of rescues on Longs. Over there are the Indian Peaks that surround Scarlet. To the south, there are Boulder’s mountains—Green Mountain, Bear Peak, South Boulder Peak.”
She switched lenses, adjusted the settings on her camera, and shot a few photos. But as the sun began to set, she put the camera down. “Some things you just have to see with your own eyes.”
A chilly breeze blew from the west, and she shivered.
“Hand me that blanket in the pack.”
She did as he asked.
He opened it, scooted closer to her, and wrapped it around the two of them, the symbolism of it striking him as he put his arm around her shoulders. In a Lakota wedding, the man and woman were wrapped together just like this in a blanket to symbolize their union.
You were led to her.
Okay. Why fight it?
To the west, the sun dipped behind the mountains, turning the horizon a stunning shade of pink, transforming clouds into hues of blazing gold.
He felt her tremble and looked to see tears streaming down her face, the last rays of the sun casting her skin in a pink glow.
“It’s beautiful.”
While she watched the sunset, clearly awestruck, he found himself watching her. “Yes. Beautiful.”
Chapter 13
They arrived home to find a black SUV with government license plates parked in front of the house.
Naomi’s pulse spiked. “Do you know them?”
“It’s McBride.” Chaska parked in the driveway, then reached over to give her hand a squeeze. “No matter what he’s here to tell us, it’s going to be okay.”
She climbed out and made her way across the lawn to the front steps, Chaska close beside her carrying her camera bag. They found McBride sitting in the living room, armed and wearing body armor, Winona in the chair across from him, Shota leashed and sitting beside her, eyeing McBride warily.
McBride got to his feet when they walked in.
So did Shota.
The wolf pushed past McBride to greet them, giving Naomi’s hand a lick, then flopping onto his side at Chaska’s feet.
“How was your day?” Winona looked relieved to see them.
Naomi answered. “It was wonderful.”
Until now.
“Give me just a minute, McBride.” Chaska rubbed the wolf’s belly, tousled his fur, grabbed his muzzle, speaking to him in Lakota.
“I’ll feed him and get him settled for the night.” Win got to her feet, took Shota’s leash and led him out of the room.
“That’s a beautiful animal. Winona tells me the wolf led them to you, Ms. Archer. That’s an amazing stroke of luck.”
“Yes, it was.” Naomi sat beside him, propped her crutches against the sofa, her heart beating a little too fast. “You have news?”
Why else would he be here?
“I do, and I wanted you to hear it from me.”
That didn’t sound good.
McBride grinned. “We got him.”
Relief washed through Naomi in a wave, her eyes going shut, the breath leaving her lungs in a rush. She inhaled, opened her eyes. “How? When?”
“Our search teams located him hiding in an abandoned vehicle several miles west of Crestone. We surrounded him, and that was it. He tried to rush one of our officers, probably hoping we’d shoot him. The officer decked him instead.”
Naomi’s stomach sank. “He’s … he’s still alive?”
If he was alive, he might escape again, and then…
“Any chance he’ll escape again?” Chaska stood at her end of the sofa, arms crossed over his chest, his gaze on McBride.
McBride shook his head. “Not a chance. He’s in lockdown—disciplinary segregation. I can understand why you’re worried, Ms. Archer, but I wanted to bring him in alive for a reason. Suicide-by-cop would have been the easy way out. I want him to pay for the two correctional officers he killed in Texas—and for what he did to you.”
Naomi heard the suppressed anger in McBride’s voice and knew that he meant what he’d said. “What will happen to him?”
McBride explained that Texas would have Arlie extradited so that he could face trial there. “I’m betting he’ll get the death penalty. He was already serving a life sentence, so until then, he’ll spend his days in maximum security. The state of Colorado will have to wait for a long time to prosecute him for the crimes he committed here.”
Naomi didn’t care about that as long as Arlie was behind bars. Then it hit her. “It’s over.”
“Yes, it’s really over.” McBride got to his feet, reached for Naomi’s hand, shook it. “You deserve the lion’s share of the credit, Ms. Archer. Because you fought back, because you got away from them, we learned they were in Colorado and were able to bring them down. You’re a brave woman.”
Naomi stood, balancing on on
e foot, and gave McBride a hug. “Thank you. Thank you for not giving up. Thank you for catching them.”
He hugged her back, his body armor rock hard. “You’re welcome.”
Chaska walked McBride to the door, leaving Naomi to sort through the maelstrom of her emotions.
Chaska took a shower to wash off the mud and sweat. He dried himself and slipped into a pair of jeans and a clean T-shirt. He found Winona alone in the kitchen drinking a cup of tea. They had argued this morning about her meddling in his relationship with Naomi, and it had gnawed at him all day.
Winona spoke first. “She showed me her photos of the bears. It sounds like you two had a great afternoon. I think she’s in the shower now.”
Chaska walked over to his sister, rested his hand on her shoulder, and switched to Lakota. “I’m sorry about this morning. I was wrong to be angry with you.”
“No, you weren’t. Sometimes I push too hard. I like her, and I can’t stop feeling that this is meant to be—the two of you together.”
He weighed his words carefully. “I believe we were meant to find her. Whether she and I have a future ahead of us—who can say? But you were right to think we need to see where this leads.”
Chaska had no real choice at this point anyway. He was drawn to Naomi in a way that was more than physical, more than sexual. He wouldn’t get her out of his system by sleeping with her. He knew that already. Somehow, his emotions had gotten tangled up in her. He couldn’t let go of whatever there was between them—not yet.
He sat with his sister, listening while she told him about her day. Then he heard Naomi make her way from the bathroom to his bedroom. “I’m going up to her. Please, don’t come into my room.”
“Not even if I hear screaming?” Win gave him her best innocent look.
Chaska glared at her. “Especially not then.”
He wished his sister a good night, then took the stairs two at a time, and knocked on his bedroom door. “Naomi? Can I come in?”
He heard her gasp, heard a crutch hit the floor.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes. Come in.”
He opened the door, felt a jolt of raw lust.
