by Mary Winter
“Changing your mind about leaving?” His hands lingered. He stood a little too close, heat from his body radiating into hers. The musk of his aftershave lingered in the air, making her think about that moment when he’d tucked her against his hard chest. Being snuggled against him kindled all sorts of emotions deep inside her, ones she didn’t want to think about. Eventually she’d return to Washington. Liam was right. She doubted she’d get to visit Alaska ever again.
Sarah shook her head. “Nat told me to stay. I don’t believe her, but I’m staying. Both of you have good points about my not returning right now.” She stepped away, afraid if she stood in his arms a moment longer she’d stand on tiptoe and kiss him. That wouldn’t be a good idea at all.
“Good. I’m glad you’re staying.” He released her and turned on his heel, presumably to head back to his den.
Sarah watched him leave, noticing the tight fit of his jeans across his rear and his long, muscled legs. Staying here was good for her job. She wasn’t sure yet about her peace of mind.
~* * *~
Two days later Liam led her down the path his brother had recommended for jogging promising something special. She still held reservations about staying, but knew she was doing the right thing. At least that’s what her conscience told her. Her heart, on the other hand, wished she were back in Washington trying to smooth things over.
If Liam had any concerns about her remaining here, he didn’t show them. Instead, he’d gone out of his way to be helpful, answering her scores of questions about his tours and how the drilling affected his business. He’d been quite forthcoming with information, including showing her some of the returns and the diminished income if increased drilling closed off access to certain parts of the national park.
She stared at Liam’s broad back, wondering what the surprise he kept mentioning was. They had minimal gear making an overnight stay in the woods out of the question. He motioned for her to stop just before a gateway formed by several low bushes. “I’ll be right back.” He hurried through the passageway leaving her alone in the middle of the trail.
She waited there, her stomach fluttering. Before she had a chance to let her mind run away from her, he motioned for her to follow.
“Quiet. I want you to see something.”
She nodded, feeling like a school girl traipsing toward Old Lady Kennedy’s house. No sooner had she passed through the bushes than a flash of brown caught her attention. She froze. A large grizzly bear stood on his hind legs pulling down ripe late-season berries from a tree.
Liam moved beside her. He placed his hand on her arm. “Just watch.”
Out of the corner of her eye she watched him, wondering how he could be so calm with such a large creature so close. The bear looked magnificent, easily weighing several hundred pounds. His fur shone, the shaggy hair tipped with lighter brown, giving him the classic grizzly appearance. This close she saw his large teeth, the gaping maw of his mouth as he devoured the berries.
She struggled to keep from shrinking away. Liam’s strong hand on her arm reassured her. Surely if something were to happen, he wouldn’t have brought her here. She hoped. Mauled by a bear would make a pretty good story for going back to Washington with, but she doubted it’d help Liam’s cause of stopping the drilling. The power of the bear captivated her. His big paws, larger than Liam’s hands, gripped the branch so tenderly not even a claw marred the bark. Though he lacked the dexterity of human fingers, the combination of his muzzle and paws did an amazing job at getting to the berries.
More people needed to see this. Not the impressions of the out-of-control bears attacking people that were on the movies of the week, but a bear, getting food, living in the environment. If she had any doubts about staying, this eradicated them. She turned to Liam and found him staring at her.
“What is it?” She glanced at his hand on her arm, the intent look in his gaze frightening her. “You’re scaring me, Liam. We’re safe, aren’t we?”
Liam glanced at the bear, now on all fours and sniffing at the base of the tree. It reached up and swiped claws along the bark, leaving long furrows. “Just stay here. Don’t make any sudden moves. We should be safe.”
“You say ‘should’?” She arched an eyebrow. The memory of her first encounter with a bear, Liam rushing it and battling it back, filled her mind. “If this isn’t safe, then maybe we ought to leave.”
He grinned, a devil-may-care smile that curled her toes. “Shh. Just watch.”
The bear dropped its feet again. It sniffed the air and turned towards them. The bear smelled again, nostrils flaring to catch every nuance of scent. The creature stepped towards them, its head swinging from side to side. Raising a paw, it hovered there, then started walking towards them.
Sarah stiffened. She tried to remain calm. Certainly Liam wouldn’t bring her into a dangerous situation. The bear strode forward, no signs of stopping. Abruptly, it veered to the right and back to the low bushes forming the perimeter. The bear headed for a stream not far away.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Liam motioning with his hand.
“You’re a bear whisperer!” She clapped her hand over her mouth, suddenly realizing she’d spoken her thoughts aloud.
Both bear and Liam turned to face her.
“Sorry,” she squeaked. “You told me to stay silent.”
The bear huffed, almost as if it were laughing at her.
Liam succeeded in holding back his chuckles, though his eyes twinkled and a smile crossed his lips. He leaned in close to her ear, his breath warm against her flesh. He slid his hand from her arm to her back, pulling her ever so slightly against him. With the bear watching them, the creature’s movements unpredictable, and Liam’s warmth beside her, Sarah battled a need to curl into her guide for protection. He’d saved her from a bear once. Surely he could do it again, and the thought of the muscle and strength it had taken had her heart fluttering.
“You think I can talk to bears?” he whispered.
“Yeah, I do. I think it was going to attack,” she replied, turning her face to look at him.
His lips hovered over hers, so close the merest breeze would push them together. His fingers curled against her lower back. Sarah flattened her palm against his chest. Beneath it his heart pounded as much as hers did. “I think you told it to go away. And it listened,” she whispered.
“You can call me Superman,” he said.
Her grin widened at his impulsive words. She wondered if Clark Kent would look as good in heavy winter clothing. Surely the intrepid reporter couldn’t save his lady love from a bear. There had to be limits to his powers, after all. But Liam…his powers were limitless. Standing on tiptoe, she closed the space between them.
She swore the bear watched as their lips brushed with the barest hint of contact. Her gloved fingers curled into the thick knit of his sweater. His strong arms wrapped around her, lending credence to her belief that he could protect her from anything. Out of the corner of her eye, she swore she still saw the bear watching them. Voyeuristic bastard!
Liam deepened the kiss. A low rumble emanated from his chest; his tongue caressed the seal of her lips. She parted, inviting him deeper. He tasted her, drinking from her as if she were a clear mountain stream. Sarah couldn’t imagine sharing anything quite as beautiful with anyone else. Out here, in this magical place, they were the only two who existed.
The bear snorted.
Sarah pulled away with a gasp. She turned and watched the bear shake his broad head before ambling away. Liam’s strong arms around her kept her from turning and bolting. That bear had seen too much. The knowing look in his eyes made Sarah wonder if he realized exactly what had happened here. She licked her lips and turned back to Liam to find him focused solely on her mouth.
“That was close. It was like the bear watched us.” She furrowed her brow. One of her former boyfriends had a large dog who liked to rest his head on the edge of the bed while they were having sex. It’d been unnerving, and one of the
many reasons why the relationship hadn’t lasted that long. Having the bear watch them while they had kissed seemed just as creepy.
“Maybe he likes to watch.” Liam shrugged, but didn’t release her.
“You speak almost as if the bear is a person. Most wild animals don’t like to be around people. I might be from the city, but at least I know that much.”
“It’s different out here.” Liam released her.
Sarah forced herself not to move back into the circle of his arms. Though he stood less than five feet away from her, it could have been miles for the loneliness she felt. She shivered.
“Cold? I was going to catch dinner and cook out here before heading back. But if you’re cold…”
“I’m fine. Dinner sounds lovely.” Anything to distract her from the image of the bear’s deep brown eyes staring at her while she kissed Liam. Turning, she surveyed the area. Away from Liam she found it easier to focus on her surroundings. Even before coming to Alaska she believed this was a special place, one that needed to be protected from man’s influence. Here, standing face-to-face with a bear that looked far too sentient for his own good, she believed it. Her breath whooshed from her lungs.
She breathed the crisp, unpolluted air. The trouble in Washington seemed so far away. Her sister’s job difficulties, her boss’s pressure, all the political and economic machinations…they all might as well be occurring a world away. Deep in her heart, she knew the truth. No matter what happened, she had to protect this place at any cost. Her throat tightened and she swallowed hard, not wanting Liam to see her emotions.
A heavy hand landed on her shoulder. “You okay? That bear did get pretty close.”
She nodded. “Why would I be concerned? I have the bear whisperer to keep me safe.” She noticed he’d removed his pack, setting it down not far away. Already, a small camp stove stood on a large, flat rock. Smaller rocks formed a circle around it, and it looked like the perfect place for dinner.
Her stomach rumbled. “You said something about food?”
“If you wouldn’t mind staying here for a bit, I’ll go catch us some dinner, clean it, and bring it right back.” Liam gestured to a clear space. “I’m sure you probably want to write in that notebook of yours. I won’t be gone long. I promise.”
“As long as you’re sure the bear won’t come back.” She glanced at the area he indicated, thinking it would be a nice place to take some notes. She slid her pack from her back and sat on the ground, already rummaging inside for her notebook and a pen.
“I talk to bears, remember?” He waited a beat. “Seriously, I’m sure that grizzly is miles away by now. We’re people, and we’re usually scarier to them than they are to us. I’ll be right back.” He waited a moment.
“Go. Bear whisperer bring back food for hungry woman.” She waved her hand at him, then turned her attention to her notebook.
She watched him over the edge as he walked away, loving the view of the jeans over his taut backside. Leading EcoTours certainly gave him a fine physique, and even beneath the layers of clothing she wore, her body still hummed from their kiss. As she jotted down notes, she had to believe there was a way to fix things for everyone. The bears, her sister, her employer…everyone deserved a chance. It was up to her to decide how to give it to them.
Sarah scanned the tree line, half afraid she’d see the grizzly once more. Outside of the occasional nature program or movie, she’d never seen a bear so up close and personal. The intelligence in their eyes called to her, reminded her that humans weren’t alone on this planet, no matter how much they thought they were. Our actions affect everything around us. Her spiritual beliefs made her think about the wheel of the year and the cycles of nature. Staring at the trees, waiting for Liam to return, she wondered what the ramifications of her kiss with Liam were and why she was so anxious to find out.
Chapter Ten
Liam walked until he couldn’t see the clearing or Sarah any longer. He sensed his brother waiting and moments later, Cameron walked out wearing nothing but a pair of jeans. “You’re going to hell, big brother,” he said with a jerk of his thumb toward where Sarah waited. “You’re a bad, bad man.”
Liam flinched, his brother’s words way too close to his own thoughts for comfort. Use any means necessary, the Quintursa had told him and like a good little cub, he’d done exactly that. Involving his brother hadn’t been his first choice, but it had been his only one. Tensing his jaw, he battled the rebuke riding on his tongue. He glanced back to make sure that Sarah hadn’t decided to follow him, then pulled his sweater over his head.
“Taking chances, aren’t you?” Cameron asked. He jerked his chin back to where they’d left Sarah.
“I told her I’d catch dinner. Since I didn’t bring a fishing pole with me…” He gave his brother a pointed look.
“This was your idea,” Cameron reminded him. He crouched by the side of the stream and cupped water in his hands. Bringing it to his mouth, he drank. “You’re the one who wanted her to get an up-close look at a bear. I’m just the most convenient one around.”
“I know,” Liam sighed. He couldn’t be mad at his brother, not when Cameron said the very same thoughts that circled through his head. He was taking chances, foolish ones, and if they didn’t bite him in the ass, he’d be lucky.
Cameron finished dressing. “I’ll play lookout for you, then I’m going back to the lodge.”
Liam nodded at his twin’s neutral words. He hastily stripped. In his human form, the chilly Alaskan air bit at his nose and cheeks. His skin prickled with goose flesh, every hair on his body standing on end in an attempt to keep vital warmth in. He glanced behind him one, final time to make sure Sarah was safely out of sight, then focused. He awakened his inner bear, the massive male grizzly rising to life with the slow, pondering form of one used to being the king of his environment. Bending forward, Cameron dropped to all fours.
Muscles burned. Bones lengthened, mass increased. His skin burned, the heat driving away the chill of his environment. Shaggy fur warmed him. His nose and mouth lengthened into a muzzle, the sharp teeth a reminder of just how deadly a predator he could be. At last, his transformation snapped into place. He raised his head back and yawned, stretching ligaments and muscles. If he were alone, he would roar his triumph. He clacked his teeth together and jerked his muzzle at his brother.
Liam shook his heavy fur. The thick ruff kept him warm, the long guard hairs good at keeping him dry as he plunged into the stream. His sensitive ursine nose picked up the scent of many prey. Moose grazed not far away. An injured calf broadcasted its state through the tang of blood and torn flesh. In the stream, fish swam, occasionally rising to the surface with the slap of a fin. His brother’s odor came to him, strong and pungent, and over it, the lavender scent of Sarah.
He drank it into his lungs, remembering the feel of her lips beneath his, her body pliant against his. Food for Sarah. Food for his mate. The bear gave a gape-jawed grin as it splashed in the stream.
It waded to a deeper part, then stilled, letting the eddies and sediment slow. A large trout swam upstream.
Liam waited.
The fish came closer, never imagining the death that lay just a few feet ahead. Liam stood still as a statue, his attention never leaving the fish. He lunged. A snap of his jaws and the fish hung in his muzzle dead. Liam threw it onto the bank and waited for a second.
It came closer, following much the same path its partner had. A quick duck of his head beneath the water and Liam had a second trout for supper. He splashed from the bank, shook the water from his fur, and quickly shifted back into human form. He dressed and carried the trout back to Sarah.
He found her where he’d left her, sitting there jotting notes into that spiral bound book of hers. She didn’t even look up. He grinned, thinking if it weren’t for his and Cameron’s presence, a real bear might have snuck up on her in the woods. She’d never know the danger she might have been in and he certainly wouldn’t tell her.
Liam grabbed his knife out of his pack. “I’m going to clean the fish and be right back.”
She nodded and didn’t even look up.
It didn’t take him long to return to the stream, especially since he caught sight of Cameron not far away, keeping an eye on Sarah. With sure strokes he gutted the fish and cut off their heads, tossing the remains into the stream to be washed away. He brought them back to camp and with Sarah still engrossed in her writing, he built a fire and wrapped the fish in aluminum foil to bake.
He sat next to the fire, one eye on Sarah, the other on their dinner. She barely even looked up when he returned. She frowned, a tiny little crease forming between her eyes. Whatever she wrote in her book, it demanded all of her attention. He wanted to ask, wanted to stand up and peer over her shoulder to see what commends she made about him, about this place, about the bears. He didn’t. His mother might have raised four boys who were also bears, but she also raised them to be gentlemen. He wouldn’t eavesdrop no matter how much he wanted to know.
Just as the fish were finishing cooking she closed her book and tucked the pen back into the spiral binding. “I hope you weren’t bored. I lose track of time,” she said with a grin. “The fish smells good.” She made a show of smelling the air.
Liam bit back a chuckle, thinking of Sarah scenting the air like a bear. His brother had left some time ago. Though he’d done nothing but watch her and tend to their supper, the silent time together drew them closer. The subterfuge required by his people wore on him. Introducing her to “a bear” as if his brother were some kind of wild creature may have enhanced her admiration for the wilderness. It did nothing for his integrity. Cameron was right; in human terms, he was going to hell. For him, the great bear mother would chastise him like an unruly cub. And the human version of hell had nothing on a pissed off mother bear.
“Thanks, it should be ready soon.” He made a show of checking their meal, though his enhanced ursine senses would tell him when it was done. Done for a human, anyway. He still preferred his meat raw. He wondered what Sarah would think if he told her he’d visited some of the best sushi bars around the world.
