Mysterious Mountain Man

by Annette Broadrick

  Rebecca was absolutely right. She was way over her head. He had several questions that hadn’t been answered by what he’d found in the files.

  He wanted to know when all of this had started. He wanted to know what Brock had been working on when he’d died, and he especially wanted to know what had happened to the project that had caused him to leave the company. Wouldn’t it be ironic if Brock had—in the end—taken his advice even though he’d already left? Knowing Brock, he would have had too much pride to admit it. From the sound of things, it was probably that stiff-necked pride that had killed him. Rather than admit he needed help, he’d tried to do it all on his own.

  Jake stood and stretched, glancing over at the sleeping woman in his bed. She had slept soundly these past several hours, scarcely moving. He turned away and restoked the fire in the potbelly stove before spreading his bedroll nearby. After blowing out the kerosene lantern he stretched out on his makeshift bed and immediately fell into an exhausted sleep.

  Sometime later the whisper of an unidentifiable noise brought him from a sound sleep. Like an animal who had learned to survive in the wilds, his finely attuned senses had relayed an unfamiliar presence. He opened his eyes without betraying his sudden shift in consciousness and immediately recognized what his subconscious had forgotten. He had a visitor.

  In the soft light of early dawn his gaze sharpened and focused on the visible form of the woman standing beside his bed, removing her pajamas. She was turned away from him in semiprofile so that he was given the unobstructed view of her scantily covered back and hips. She wore a translucent pair of lace briefs. As he watched, she turned so that he glimpsed her breasts when she reached for her bra.

  He closed his eyes, suddenly conscious of the fact that he was staring unabashedly at her while she thought he lay asleep. What the hell was wrong with him, anyway? It wasn’t as if he hadn’t seen a well-shaped woman before, although he was honest enough to admit that it had been several months. He already knew that Rebecca’s trim body was alluring. He didn’t want to think of her as a woman at the moment, not after his decision last night. If she was going to be his employer, even for a limited amount of time, he needed to keep the relationship on a purely professional level.

  The last thing he needed, given their present situation, was to feel the strong tug of physical attraction that had hit him last night.

  He turned over onto his side, his back to her. He needed to get up, even though he’d only had a few hours sleep. He’d give her a few minutes before he let her know he was awake.

  The door to the cabin quietly opened, then closed. He rolled onto his back and confirmed that she had slipped outside. Jake forced himself out of the warm cocoon of his sleeping bag and stretched. He reached for his jeans and shirt and quickly dressed, then walked over to the stove. The wood he’d placed in there earlier was still providing enough heat to take the chill off the room. After putting coffee on, he opened one of his large storage cabinets and pulled out his luggage.

  When Rebecca entered the cabin several minutes later, he was filling his larger case with what he thought of as his city clothes.

  “Boy! Is it cold out there,” she began as she hastily closed the door behind her. “Frost is everywhere and there’re some heavy clouds rolling in.” She had reached the stove and was holding her hands over it when she saw his open luggage. “Jake?” Her voice sounded surprised and happy. “Have you changed your mind? Are you going to come back to CPI?”

  He didn’t look up. “Not on a permanent basis, but I’ll see what I can do to help you deal with what’s going on. You don’t have too many people in your corner at the moment.”

  She walked over to him and waited until he looked at her. “I can’t tell you how much this means to me, Jake. I wouldn’t have known what else to do if you’d been determined to stay here.”

  He had trouble meeting her gaze. “Hopefully it won’t take long. Someone is systematically working to destroy the company. Once I find out who it is, you shouldn’t have any trouble keeping things running smoothly.”

  She gave a small laugh. “I’m not proud, Jake. I’ll take whatever you are willing to offer.” She looked at his luggage. “I take it you mean to go back with me?”

  He paused and walked over to the window. “Yeah. I thought we could leave right after breakfast, but now I’m not so sure.” He pulled his jacket on. “I’d better see how the weather’s shaping up before making any kind of decision.”

  Her eyes widened. “You mean we may have to stay here longer?”

  He glanced over his shoulder and saw that the idea didn’t please her any more than it did him, but he was sure her reason wasn’t the same as his. She didn’t care for the primitive facilities, while he didn’t need to be reminded that he was sharing an isolated cabin with a very attractive woman. If there were any way possible for them to leave today, he’d do it. However, an unexpected storm at these higher elevations could cause havoc. There was no sense in risking their lives.

  “I’ll know better once I’ve checked,” he muttered as he stepped outside, closing the door behind him.

  Rebecca saw that Jake had made coffee and gratefully poured herself a cup. Then she began to gather ingredients to prepare breakfast.

  She’d slept wonderfully well. In fact, she couldn’t remember when she’d had a better night’s sleep. If Jake was willing to come back to Seattle with her, then she hoped they could leave before he changed his mind.

  Yet, it had been all she could do to get out of bed that morning. Every muscle in her body had protested each movement. So she really wouldn’t mind having a chance to rest up before starting the arduous trek back to the truck.

  She had bacon frying and biscuits in the oven when Jake came in along with a flurry of cold, damp air. He stamped his boots and hung his coat on one of the knobs along the wall.

  “Doesn’t seem to be warming up, anyway,” she offered, pouring him a cup of coffee and handing it to him.

  He shook his head in disgust. “No. It’s beginning to sleet.”

  “Oh.”

  He looked around the room, then back at her. “I don’t want to take a chance on getting caught on the trail in this kind of stuff.”

  She nodded. “Okay.”

  “It should clear in a few hours. Maybe by this afternoon we will be able to get out of here.”

  “Fine.” She motioned him to the table and set a plate filled with steaming food in front of him.

  “You don’t appear too worried about getting stranded up here.”

  She smiled. “I’m not.” She looked around the warm room and added, “We should be safe enough here.”

  He looked disgruntled. “Of course we’re safe, but we’ll be wasting time sitting here. I wanted to get to El Paso today. We’ll need to book a flight to Seattle. I want to show up at the company before anyone has an idea I’m coming.”

  “Don’t worry. After Woody’s unsuccessful trip looking for you, nobody will be expecting you to show up so quickly after I left.”

  He leaned back in his chair a little. “That’s a point.”

  “Do you think it’s someone in the company, Jake?”

  “Absolutely. Have you had any offers to buy you out?”

  She rubbed her forehead. “No.”

  “Then they’re still trying to set you up, so that by the time a low offer is made, you’ll be only too willing to accept it.”

  “Is that what all this is about?”

  He finished everything on his plate before responding. “Count on it. Someone figures that now that Brock is out of the picture, the company is ripe for picking up for next to nothing.”

  “But you’re not going to let them, are you?” She knew her relief showed in her voice.

  “Not if I can help it.”

  Before she allowed herself to think about what she was doing, Rebecca moved around the table and hugged Jake. Placing a quick kiss on his cheek, she said, “I knew I could count on you. No matter what happened betwee
n you and Dad, I knew that you’d understand and would help me.”

  He stared at her, obviously surprised at her enthusiasm and actions. “I’m not going to stay, though,” he repeated. “This is only a temporary thing, even though I don’t want you to let anyone know that part of the agreement.”

  She nodded. “Whatever you say.”

  He suddenly shoved his chair back. “I’ll go check the weather again,” he announced quickly before he grabbed his coat and hat and left the cabin.

  Rebecca stared after him, puzzled at his hurry. Hadn’t he just been out there? What could have changed in such a short time? She shrugged and began to clear the table. Cleaning up the kitchen and looking at supplies for lunch should keep her busy for a while, at least.

  * * *

  Jake stood in the clearing, sleet striking his face like needles, wishing he hadn’t been so damned smart about bringing her up there. What the hell was he going to do if they had to stay another night?

  From the looks of things, there wasn’t a choice. Ignoring the sleet, he strode across the meadow toward the other end where the narrow path led up to the cave entrance.

  Of course it was too slippery to attempt to climb out of the enclosed valley. He’d known that before he’d checked it out.

  It was time to face some truths. Number one—he’d been too long without a woman. Two—the Rebecca Adams he’d gotten to know these past couple of days was a far cry from the spoiled rich girl he’d always thought her. Three—he ached with wanting her.

  Nothing like a good old-fashioned case of lust on a stormy winter day to add to an already awkward situation. All right. So he found her attractive. Big deal. He could handle it. He wasn’t some green kid with no self-restraint.

  So why was he standing out in an ice storm talking to himself rather than inside his cozy little cabin? Somehow that damn cabin had managed to shrink since Rebecca had arrived.

  He couldn’t seem to get far enough away from her. He could smell the light floral scent she wore from anywhere in the room. The lighting was never so poor that he didn’t notice how her dark hair framed her face, giving her an innocent, almost otherworldly look.

  Like an idiot he’d filled his view and mind with how she looked stripped down to next to nothing, so he didn’t have to strain his imagination. Hell, no. He could just call up the memory in nothing flat now. No effort needed.

  As if all of that wasn’t enough. In her gratitude she’d had to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him! He could still feel the soft pressure of her lips against his unshaven jaw.

  He hunched his shoulders, adjusted his collar and turned back toward the cabin. He couldn’t stand out here all day or he’d catch pneumonia. Of course, there was a certain similarity between the weather and a cold shower, he supposed. Effective enough to make him clench his teeth to keep them from chattering and hurry his steps to the remembered warmth of his home.

  As soon as he opened the door, he realized he’d blundered again. It hadn’t even occurred to him to tap on the door first. So he caught her clutching a towel that she was hastily wrapping around her body—her bare body—while she explained.

  “Oh! I’m sorry. I probably should have asked first, but I wanted to clean up a little, so I took some of the heated water for a sponge bath. I thought I’d be through before you returned.”

  He leaned against the door and pushed the brim of his hat up with a sigh. Shaking his head, he said, “You don’t owe me any apologies, ‘Becca. That’s what I do when it’s too cold to swim in the creek.” He pushed away from the door and removed his hat and coat. Keeping his back carefully turned toward her he determinedly stared out the window. “Go ahead. Don’t let me stop you.”

  He heard her sigh of relief. The fool woman obviously trusted him more than he trusted himself. He could hear water splashing while she asked, “Is it clearing up any?”

  “There’s no way we’re going to be able to get out of here today. The ice isn’t melting. One thing about the weather in these parts—it’s so quick to change that we could be under a heat wave by morning.”

  “Really?”

  He allowed himself a small smile while he continued to face the window. “Maybe that’s a slight exaggeration. Another thing we’re noted for in Texas.”

  Now he heard a rustling of clothing. “Well,” she said, her voice muffled through material, “let’s hope we can leave soon. I didn’t bring much to wear.” Another pause. “You can turn around now. Thanks.”

  She was brushing her hair when he turned around. The dull light from outside was augmented by one of the lamps. She looked like a little girl freshly scrubbed, at least her face did. Her complexion glowed with youth and good health.

  Jake rubbed his jaw. “Guess I’d better shave. I forgot all about it yesterday.” He poured more water from the container at the back of the stove and gathered up his gear.

  She sat down to watch him.

  He raised a brow when he saw what she was doing, and she grinned.

  “I haven’t watched anyone shave since I was a little girl, when I used to tag along behind my dad.”

  Great. At this rate he’d probably end up nicking himself out of self-consciousness. Trying to get his mind on another subject, he said, “Surely you’ve had occasion to watch the men you’ve dated sometime in your past.”

  She straightened her spine. “Afraid not. Somehow they manage to pick me up at the door with that chore already accomplished.”

  He paused while lathering his face and looked at her. “You know what I mean. Haven’t you had a weekend or two when you and a—” He stopped speaking when she began to shake her head. “No?”

  “No.”

  “Never?”

  “Never.”

  “I find that hard to believe.” He concentrated on his face in the mirror and began to remove the shaving cream and whiskers with his razor.

  “Why?”

  “Because you’re a very attractive woman. You’re a very intelligent woman, and at the risk of sounding crass, a very wealthy woman. I’m sure that all kinds of men are—”

  “I didn’t say I haven’t received any offers.”

  “Oh.”

  “If I thought those offers were based on the fact that they found me attractive or intelligent I might have considered them. However...” She allowed her voice to trail off.

  “Not every man that looks at you sees dollar signs, I’m sure.”

  “Probably not. I guess the truth of the matter is that I’ve never met anyone that I wanted to spend that kind of time with.”

  He glanced around and saw that her cheeks were glowing.

  “That kind of time?” he repeated.

  “You know. Spend a weekend with.”

  “I see.”

  He said nothing more. Neither did she. The silence that lingered felt charged with tension. Whether either one of them wanted to verbalize it or not, the fact was that they were in a similar situation—alone in an isolated cabin—even though they hadn’t set out to do more than spend a few hours up there.

  Of course, Jake reminded himself, she hadn’t chosen to spend the time with him because she was attracted to him. She’d made it very clear from the beginning that she had come seeking his help with regard to the company.

  He couldn’t allow himself to take advantage of the opportunity that had presented itself.

  He wiped the remaining bits of shaving cream from his skin, splashed water on his face to make certain he’d gotten all of it off, then looked over at her.

  “So what do you want to do for the rest of the day?”

  He watched in astonishment as her face turned a fiery red.

  * * *

  Hours later Jake looked toward the window that proclaimed darkness had well and truly set in, glanced at his watch, then said, “Would you like me to accompany you outside once more before we turn in? Hopefully we can get an early start in the morning.”

  He watched Rebecca uncurl herself from the small rug he’d p
laced in front of the stove, stand and stretch. “I guess so. I can’t believe how quickly the time’s gone today. I can’t remember when I’ve had so much free time to read and relax.”

  He’d shown her his collection of books, both nonfiction and novels, as well as some of his magazines. She’d discovered his enjoyment of mysteries and they’d discussed their favorite authors in the genre over lunch.

  He’d spent as much time outside as possible, trying to maintain a necessary distance between the two of them. And now the day was drawing to a close.

  Maybe he’d be able to get a little sleep.

  They followed the routine set up last night. He accompanied her back to the cabin and stayed outside long enough to ensure she would be in bed. He even tapped on the door before he came back inside.

  After making certain there was enough wood in the stove to keep the place warm all night, Jake crawled into his sleeping bag and finally allowed himself to relax.

  “Thank you, Jake.”

  He raised his head but couldn’t see her across the room. “For what?”

  “For being such a gentleman. Some men might have taken advantage of our situation.”

  “Maybe.”

  “No. They really would have.”

  “Don’t try to hang any haloes on me, ‘Becca. They won’t fit.”

  He heard her giggle. “Good night, Jake.”

  “Night, ‘Becca.”

  But it was a long time before he finally was able to fall asleep.

  * * *

  Jake woke up the next morning to sunshine. Glancing over at the bed, he saw that Rebecca was still asleep. Hurriedly he got out of the sleeping bag and pulled on his jeans and shirt. As soon as he had his socks and boots on, he reached for his hat and coat and eased out the door.

  The meadow glistened with rime. He took a deep breath and smiled. The sky was blue, and the sun had already started its work of melting the frost around them. Since the path to the cave had gotten the early-morning sun, he would be willing to bet that it would be dry in a couple of hours.

  Then they could get out of there.

  Rebecca was just stirring when he came back in to put on the coffee.