The Beginnings: Babe in the Woods

by Lorelei James

  “Probably a deer.”

  “No. Listen.”

  Then she heard it. A sputtering motor.

  “You were right to have us follow the river. Come on.” Becker raced toward the sound.

  Her energy level was rock-bottom. By the time she reached the source, a humble aluminum fishing boat nestled in the rushes along the shore. Sam and a wrinkle-faced fisherman were deep in conversation.

  “Hey! There’s your missus.”

  Sam didn’t correct the old man. “Lacy, this is Jeb. He says we’re only seven miles upstream from the lodge.”

  “The lodge we started out from five days ago?”

  “Hard to believe, isn’t it? Anyway, Jeb’s got cell service and I’ve left a message for my partner Dave to meet us there. We’ll be docking within an hour. Isn’t it great?”

  “Yeah. Super.”

  His eyes narrowed. “What’s wrong?”

  “Just hungry. And tired.” And heartsick at the thought of saying goodbye to you.

  Sam stepped closer, shielding her from Jeb. “Everything will work out.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “Fate.”

  “B-b-ut. You don’t believe in that crap.”

  “Yes I do.”

  “Since when?”

  “Since the moment I set eyes on you. I didn’t want to believe it or admit what it means because it scares me. And proves my mother was right.”

  Lacy was stunned into silence.

  The boat engine whined. Jeb shouted, “Let’s get you folks back where you belong.”

  Sam helped her aboard the narrow boat. He sat in the rear seat, Lacy in the middle. Jeb steered the craft into the center of the river and offered Lacy a package of jerky. She ate it, but she might’ve been chewing bark her mouth was so dry.

  Luckily the spectacular scenery kept her distracted from her tangled emotions. Sam didn’t speak as they putted down the twisty river. He clasped her hand, absentmindedly stroking his thumb over her knuckles.

  Black-tailed hawks dove into the silvery water, spearing fish with sharp beaks, then soaring off into the cloudless blue sky to enjoy their meal.

  Seemed they’d been trolling for hours when Sam’s breath tickled the back of her neck. “Lacy?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Before we get back, I have to admit I haven’t been completely honest.”

  A fission of fear crawled up her spine. Followed by visions of a rustic cabin in the woods, a pregnant wife and little tykes running out to greet “Daddy”.

  Wrong image. She didn’t know everything about Sam Becker, but her heart knew he wasn’t the type of man who’d cheat. Or share. He’d be loyal and demand the same from his mate. Hadn’t he shown her his protective and possessive streak ran as wide as this river? “What?”

  “I’m not who you think I am. I—”

  The engine revved loudly, cutting off his declaration. Jeb swerved around a floating log, nearly tossing them overboard. He yelled, “I’ll be. Your party’s already waitin’ for ya!”

  Lacy and Sam looked at each other then at the wooden dock in a sheltered cove.

  Five horses and five men waited. Dave, the main guide, Clarence, the cook…and her ex-boyfriend Ross, plus Ross’s two smarmy friends.

  Great. Ross had tagged along. No. He’d probably insisted on going along hoping to witness her humiliation.

  Sam clutched her hand. “What?”

  She didn’t want Sam’s pity. Besides she was no longer Lacy Buchanan, city mouse—she was Lacy Buchanan, outdoor adventuress.

  Dave shouted, “You all right?”

  “We’re fine,” Sam said.

  Jeb helped her off the boat. Sam stuck to her side like pinesap.

  Ross, that self-important asshole, stepped in front of Dave before Dave spoke again.

  “Should’ve figured you were the one who’d screwed this up, Lacy. I’m surprised you went through with the hike after I dumped you.”

  “Hah! I dumped you. I’m surprised you’re here. Isn’t this the time of month when you get your back hair waxed?”

  His face turned cherry-red. “Still got a smart mouth. This poor schmuck got stuck with you?” He gave Sam a pitying look. “I would’ve left her there as wolf bait.”

  Lacy started to retort, but Sam draped his arm over her shoulder. “We were stuck together a couple of times, but it was completely consensual, right, cupcake?”

  She froze.

  “Or should I say sensual,” he amended, nuzzling her crown with his cheek.

  It was quiet enough to hear a pine needle drop.

  “You…and s-she…” Ross sputtered and pointed to Dave. “H-he said you were lost without supplies.”

  “Technically, we were lost after an accident with the compass. We managed to entertain ourselves…food wasn’t a big priority.” The sexual heat in Sam’s eyes made her thighs tingle. “But our delay getting back to base camp was my fault.”

  “Your fault?”

  “Mm-hmm.” Sam brushed kisses across her temple. “I wanted Lacy all to myself.”

  Her back snapped straight. He didn’t have to lie for her. Pretend he felt more than he really did. “But Sam—”

  “Who are you anyway?” Ross demanded.

  “Sam Becker,” Dave supplied. “He’s my cousin and business partner.”

  Ross’ jaw went slack. “Partner? I thought you said your partner was some big time stockbroker from New York City?”

  “Yep. He is. They’re one in the same.”

  Lacy’s eyes went wide.

  “Trust me. I’ll explain everything later,” Sam whispered to her, praying she didn’t bolt before giving him a chance.

  “So you’re telling me this hiking outfit left two city dwellers alone in the woods? For three days?” Ross sneered. “When word of this gets out, you might as well close-up shop. Nobody will trust you. I sure don’t.”

  “Wait a minute—”

  Ignoring Dave, Ross directed his comments to Sam. “How did you find a way out without a GPS?”

  “I didn’t, Lacy did. She has great instincts. We’d still be wandering around in the trees if not for her.”

  Ross flashed his teeth. “Must be hard on your ego to realize a powder-puff like her is a better outdoorsman than you.”

  “No, but it’ll be hard on your ego if I let Lacy kick your pansy ass in front of your buddies, like she wants to.” Sam mock-whispered, “I saw what she did to a rattlesnake. It was ugly. I wouldn’t stick around for a personal demonstration if I were you.”

  Ross looked torn—act macho or save face. He cleared his throat. “Well, I don’t care. I want my money back.”

  “Fair enough.” Becker motioned to the cook. “Clarence, take these guys back to the office. Dave will be along to write him a refund check. Good luck finding another outfitter, Ross.”

  Ross opened his mouth to protest, but thought better of it. He and the two stooges scrambled on their horses and trailed behind Clarence into the forest.

  “I’m glad they’re gone,” Dave said. “Okay. ‘Fess up, cuz. What really happened out there?”

  “Later. Right now Lacy and I need to clear up a few things.”

  Dave nodded and moved to tend the horses.

  Lacy held up a hand, stopping his explanation. “Thank you for making me seem tough and capable in front of Ross.”

  “You are tough and capable.”

  “That means a lot coming from a fellow New Yorker. Bet you’re having a big laugh about pulling one over on me.”

  “Stop thinking I’m secretly laughing at you.”

  “Then why didn’t you tell me the truth?”

  “Because you gave me your trust. You made me feel I could protect you. I wanted prove to you and to myself that your faith wasn’t misplaced.”

  “So that’s why you assured me ‘everything would work out’ and spouted that speech about fate?”

  “Not entirely.” Becker reached into the pocket of his backpack, pulling out
her missing charm bracelet. “I believe in fate because of this.”

  Lacy gasped.

  “When I found it, I realized not only had fate led me to it, fate had led me to you.”

  “But—”

  “Let me finish. Yes, I’d planned on dropping by your apartment with the bracelet and then confessing the truth. I thought we could have a fresh start. But I don’t want to start over with you, Lacy. I want to go forward on what we’ve already built together.” He let his heart show in his eyes. “The last three days have been the most amazing and enlightening of my life. I don’t want this to end.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.” He fastened the bracelet, tenderly kissing the inside of her wrist up to her elbow.

  “Oh, Sam. I’d hoped you felt it. I was afraid you’d blame this strong connection because we had no choice but to rely on each other.”

  “True. The sex is pretty rocking too. But somewhere between the name-calling, the snake scare and sharing secrets by firelight, I fell hard for you.”

  Lacy blushed.

  It charmed the hell out of him. If he had his way, she’d spend the next fifty years charming and exasperating him. “What do you say we get out of here?”

  She nodded.

  Dave waited in the clearing, probably making sure they didn’t get lost again.

  “You afraid of horses?” Becker asked after he mounted.

  “I’m not afraid of anything when I’m with you.”

  God. He adored this woman.

  Lacy grabbed his hand. He hauled her in front of him on the saddle, nuzzled the side of her neck, losing himself in her sweet scent and the sense of rightness of having her in his arms.

  Becker yelled to Dave, “Call Clarence and have him send our things to the honeymoon suite in the Lodge.”

  “Honeymoon suite?” Dave repeated. “Something you wanna tell me, cuz?”

  “Not yet, but I’m working on it.”

  Lacy relaxed against his chest. “Riding off into the sunset with you is much more romantic than making love in a field of wildflowers.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Probably snakes in the flowers anyway.”

  “True.”

  After awhile Sam asked, “Maybe on our next outdoor adventure we can find a bed of wildflowers?”

  “Definitely next time.”

  “Although, I can’t wait to make love to you in a real bed.”

  She sighed dreamily.

  The horse meandered down the trail, content as his riders.

  Finally Lacy spoke. “You really didn’t mind being lost in the woods with me?”

  “I was lost, Lacy, long before we entered the woods. It was you who found me.”

  “You sure talk romantic for a stockbroker.”

  “I liked it better when you thought I was a wild man.”

  She looked up at him and smiled. “Can’t you make this horse go any faster, my wild mountain man?”

  He grinned. “Hang on, cupcake.”

  About the Author

  To learn more about Lorelei James, please visit www.loreleijames.com. Send an email to lorelei@loreleijames.com or join her Yahoo! group to join in the fun with other readers at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoreleiJamesgang

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  Beginnings: A Touch of Magic

  © 2006 Cassandra Kane

  A race against time to save a planet—will the price be too heavy to pay?

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  Beginnings: A Warrior’s Witch

  © 2006 Mackenzie McKade

  Legacy bonds them—betrayal will test them—but, love and a little bit of magic will keep them together.

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  After his father’s death, Conall returns to Scotland to take his rightful place as chieftain. Fate steps in and unleashes his hot-blooded lust on one obstinate woman resolved on defying destiny.

  A forced marriage binds them. Desire and their animalistic nature draw them together. But someone is threatening to destroy the fiery love growing between them. Salt in the water, poison in the wine has everyone looking askew at Sabine, including her husband.

  When the clan demands Sabine’s death, Conall must choose between family and the woman he loves.

  Beginnings: Babe in Woods

  © 2006 Lorelei James

  Animal attraction takes on a whole new meaning…

  Manhattanite Lacy Buchanan is out to prove she’s a tough cookie by signing up for a survivalist hiking trip in Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains. The last thing she expected was to get lost, forcing her to spend the rest of the hike alone with surly, too-sexy mountain man, Becker, who blames her entirely for their predicament. After Becker saves her from a rattlesnake, and gently calms her fears, Lacy feels lucky to be in his experienced hands.

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  As Sam and Lacy attempt to find a way out of the treacherous mountain passes, their natural instincts take them…farther away from civilized behavior and straight into the mating calls of the wild.

  Beginnings: Night Music

  © 2006 Charlene Teglia

  When death marked her, he offered her rebirth…

  Meghan Davies has been living a dream as the bass player for the all-female hit rock band, The Sirens. But the dream becomes a nightmare with the discovery that cancer, undetected and now too far gone, heralds the end of everything.

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  Beginnings: Ritual Love

  © 2006 Kate Davies

  A lost woman. A hunted man. On a night of forbidden rituals, the veil between past and present lifts—and their worlds will never be the same.

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  Despite their differences, sparks burn between them as brightly as the Samhain bonfire. Now captive and captor must find a way to bridge the centuries before the magic disappears with the dawn...

  Beginnings: The Last Prophecy

  © 2006 Jennie Andrus

  Hours before being murdered Maddy gives her last prophecy—her sister’s death and salvation.

  The MacElwain sisters had always been different. In search of a “normal” life, Lottie did her best to ignore her crazy sister, until Maddy predicts Lottie’s death. Suddenly Maddy is dead and Lottie has a very short shelf life and, according to Maddy, she’s going to need to find a moose if she wants to survive. Unfortunately, moose aren’t too plentiful in downtown Toronto.

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  Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

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