by Mary Winter
Butch muscled between her and the fence. Now, he unlocked it, rolling the gate back and motioning for several men to carry a large sling in. If they were prepared for such an eventuality, then why did they call Liam? Sarah frowned.
She watched the men surround the bear, comments about how large he was, or the size of his paws sounding far too jovial. “Wouldn’t like to meet him in the woods,” one of the men laughed. Liam scowled.
The men rolled the bear onto the sling. With three on each side, they lifted the bear, grunting with the effort, and carried it out. Sarah moved aside as the men passed through the gate. She watched, the bear close enough to touch. She could have, and she suspected none of the men would have cared. Somehow, even a light caress of the bear’s fur seemed like blasphemy.
She hurried to Liam’s side. “What’s going to happen now?” The men set the sling down on the ground.
“A team from the park service should be arriving about…” Liam tilted his head and listened. The faintest clatter of wheels could be heard. “Now.”
A big truck roared up, a large cage on the back. It made a u-turn and stopped, the engine running. Two men, bundled from head to toe in heavy parkas, emerged from the truck. One opened the back doors and grabbed a large back. They hurried to the bear.
“How come we had to fly if they just drove here?” Sarah asked. Not that she didn’t mind the helicopters. Flying above the ground always exhilarated her.
“National Forest is just over that hill. In fact, go beyond these fences and its forest land. They’re going to take the bear and release him.”
“Won’t he come back?” Sarah’s research had told her bears returned to what they perceived as good hunting grounds.
Liam shrugged. “It’s possible. The idea though is that the process of being tranquilized and moved is so traumatic they don’t return.”
“But if they do they’re killed.” She frowned. “You lied to me, Liam. You said you weren’t going to shoot. You made me believe you were going to kill that bear!” Her voice rose. Distantly, she was aware of several heads turning in her direction.
“Keep quiet,” Liam hissed. “You didn’t ask what kind of ammunition I was using, and whether it was I still didn’t want to shoot. This is the last resort. Removing bears isn’t a game. It’s a matter of life or death for them.” He turned on his heel and strode to the two men kneeling down by the unconscious bear.
Sarah watched as they drew a blood sample from the bear and placed a radio collar around its neck. Bile rose. She swallowed it down. Managing human-bear interactions was part of the picture. She sighed and watched as they completed their measurements. The bear remained motionless. If it weren’t for the shallow rising and falling of its chest, she would have thought it was dead. The image spooked her.
Finally, the men were done. Once again, people surrounded the sling and lifted the bear. They carried it to the back of the truck where they slid it into a large, metal cage. The door clanged shut.
Liam touched her arm.
Sarah squeaked. She turned to face him, not liking how jumpy she was.
“Sorry, I just wanted to let you know that we’re going to release the bear and you’re welcome to come with us. Otherwise you can stay here, and I’ll pick you back up when we return,” he said. His fingers lingered.
Sarah stared at where he touched her. Even through the layers, she felt heat radiating from him. Though this might be a routine happening for him, for her it was a shock. She exhaled, not comfortable with the idea of staying here. She figured Butch would keep anything from happening to her, but she looked like she was the only woman here. And Butch wasn’t Liam. She knew he could protect her.
“I’ll go,” she said with a nod, hoping her voice sounded more confident than she felt.
“Good.” Liam smiled. “I’m really proud of you. This isn’t easy to do, let alone to watch. But it’s an important part of the process. And it’ll be over soon.”
“What’ll happen to the bear?” She’d seen nature shows and knew that they re-released the animals.
“We’re going to take him into the national park and hope he stays there. Come on.” His caress slid down her arm, almost as if he was going to tangle their fingers together. At the last minute, he pulled away and turned toward the truck.
Sarah watched his back and she hurried to catch up with him. Her stomach fluttered, partially from watching them release a bear, and partially from sharing the back seat of the truck with him. In close quarters she couldn’t help but smell his woodsy scent, an almost natural musk for him. His heat radiated from him, making her parka and layers of clothing quite toasty.
I wanted this. I wanted to see how bears and man interacted and what additional drilling would mean. In spite of her mental reassurances, she battled a flutter in her stomach. This was Liam’s world, as harsh and untamed as hers was civilized. She held back a smile, doubting anyone could call politics civilized.
The two Department of Natural Resources officers climbed into the front seat. They started the truck, keeping up a conversation with Liam about bear activity this year. Sarah listed, mentally taking notes. The men discussed territories and regular routes, hibernation, and number of cubs they’d seen. More bear sightings near people this year, and Sarah worried for the fate of the creature in the back of the truck. If he couldn’t stay away from people, he’d die.
The scenery rapidly changed, the road going from something akin to gravel to just a track through low grasses. Trees grew on either side of the path, thick pines and hardy conifers. In the distance, mountains rose, creating a vista that would put a postcard to shame. The truck stopped in a clear area ringed by trees and high, rocky outcroppings.
The bear banged his paw against the side of the metal cage.
“He’s waking up,” Liam said. “We’ve got to get him out of there. Stay back by the truck and if the bear doesn’t cooperate, get inside, okay?”
He waited for her nod before opening the door. Sarah followed, scrambling out, not wanting to miss a moment of it.
The two officers hurried to the back. Flipping the huge pin securing the door, they opened it. The hinges creaked.
The bear clanged in the cage as he turned around. He gave almost a woof, then with low grunts, jumped down. At the base of the truck, he stopped. Turning his head, he sniffed the air. A few more grunts, then he took off running. His massive body rippled as he loped across the clearing and into the forest.
Tears gathered at the corner of Sarah’s eyes. Now, with a radio collar around the bear’s neck and a bright orange mark between his shoulder blades, he showed the world that he’d been touched by humans. She dashed them away, but not before Liam turned to look at her.
“Looks like he’s heading away,” one of the officers said. “Good work today. We’ll take you back and you can catch your helicopter back wherever you need to go. Thanks for your help, Liam.”
“Anytime. Just glad to see one get back to the wild,” he replied.
Sarah followed mutely to the truck. She said nothing as they returned back, trying to process. Liam acted as if he worked with these guys as some kind of bear expert. He’d certainly been able to get her close enough to grizzlies, probably far closer than safety dictated. Who was he? What was he? The more she stayed around him the more she realized he was far more than just a tour guide.
The helicopter ride back to the lodge passed in a blur. Her mind whirled with thoughts about the bear, Liam, her report, her sister. She rubbed the back of her eyes, more tired than she felt from the mental jumble. She helped Liam carry his gear inside and stowed her jacket and a few layers back in her room.
She found Liam downstairs in the living room. He stood at a large window overlooking the front of the lodge. With his hands in his pockets, and a frown on his face, he appeared lost in thought.
She stopped next to him.
“You did well out there.” He didn’t move.
Not that she expected him to and she shoved her
hands in her own pockets to keep from reaching out to him. “Thank you,” she replied, unsure of what else to say. Swallowing hard, she remained next to him. Inside her pocket, her fingers curled. Her lips tingled. Deep in her gut she longed to reach out to him, to kiss him, to fully explore whatever this was between them. Because when she went back to Washington, she doubted she’d ever come back here again. At least not for several months, and the thought of leaving without knowing exactly what sparked between them left her with a melancholy ache.
“Sarah.”
“Liam.” They had spoken at the same time, and as he turned to face her, she saw a smile forming on his lips. “You first,” she said, finally pulling her hand from her pocket and laying it on his arm. It felt good to rest her fingers on the strong muscles beneath his sleeve. To know that he was more than capable of protecting her. Maybe it was some sort of feminine response to a strong, alpha male. Maybe it was that she was just so sick and tired of taking care of everyone else and the thought of someone caring for her was so damn refreshing.
“I suppose you have enough information to write your report now. You’ve seen the best of what nature offers and the worst.” His gaze dropped to her lips and he moved closer.
Kiss me. She swayed against him, her lips parted in invitation. Desire stirred low in her abdomen. This close to him, she thought only of how his lips would feel against hers. The fact that Cameron could come in at any moment barely crossed her mind. “Probably,” she admitted. “But I don’t have to go back yet.”
She should. With her sister’s job in jeopardy and something strange happening at her firm, she should hightail it back to Washington without a backwards thought. This close to Liam she only thought about him and this beautiful, wondrous place that needed her help.
He cupped her chin.
Sarah shivered.
“But you should,” Liam said, his voice barely a whisper. He dipped his head.
Sarah closed her eyes and lifted her face towards his. Their lips brushed with the hesitant caress of someone discovering something rare and precious and afraid that it would go away. Liam cupped the back of her neck, tangling his fingers in her hair. He slanted his mouth across hers, deepening the kiss.
She opened her mouth, inviting him deeper. His tongue slid along hers, stroking, caressing. She curled her fingers into his arm, her other hand creeping up his shoulder. If only she could stay here, locked in his embrace. His muscled legs bracketed hers. His free hand slid along her back to rest just above her waist. Touching from mouths to knees, he enfolded her in his embrace.
Like heaven. Like ambrosia. Like good Swiss chocolate she wanted to nibble at bit by bit. That was Liam’s kisses. Her sex dampened, her nipples hardening as her body telegraphed in no uncertain terms what it wanted and needed. The slight whirr of the furnace serenaded the kiss, and when the need for air parted them, he dipped his head back to hers immediately.
Sarah welcomed him. She arched against him. A wild hunger rose from deep within her, driving her to stroke her tongue along the length of his, inviting him deeper. The hard press of his arousal against her stomach drove her even higher. Right here, at the top of the world, nothing mattered except the two of them…and the bears.
Please. Her mental whimper didn’t reach her lips, but as his hand dipped lower to cover her rear, she relished him pressing her closer to him. A hard thigh slid between hers, and had she not been pouring her heart and soul into the kiss, she would have shouted her triumph. Instead, she flattened her breasts against his chest. The press of his body against hers reminded her of the time he’d stepped in front of the grizzly to save her. The folds of her pussy opened for him, slick with her desire.
Her hand fell from his arm, down to the waistband of his sweater. Grabbing the hem, she slid her hand beneath and flattened it across taut, male skin. She whimpered against his lips, her fingers tracing a path across sinew and muscle to his pectorals. The flat beads of his nipples teased her fingers, and she stroked them, evoking a moan from him.
The back door slammed.
Her hand stilled, as did his. He lifted his lips just enough to part them. “Cameron’s here.”
The words acted like a bucket of cool water on her overheated libido. Swallowing hard, she forced her eyes open. “We could go upstairs,” she offered. Her ragged breathing sounded too loud to her ears, the need in her body so acute she ached with it.
“We can’t.” Regret echoed in his voice.
We shouldn’t. The unspoken words hovered between them. Drawing a deep breath, Sarah pulled away, determined that she wouldn’t cry out or reach for him. She was a big girl and could handle herself. “All right.” She let her eyes dip south just enough to see the press of his erection against his jeans, and the physical evidence of her effect on him sent heat flushing through her.
“Sarah,” his voice warned her that he was a man hovering on the edge of self-control.
She balled her hands into fists and shoved them in her pockets, once more in an attempt not to touch him. Clattering in the kitchen warned her she didn’t have much time.
“I’m sure you have work to do,” Liam said, once more sounding like himself.
“I do.” She wasn’t anxious to get to it. “Though I’ll admit, I want to see as much as possible before I have to go back to Washington.”
Cameron stepped through the door, a loaded plate in his hand. “You’re going back to Washington?” He stared at his brother, not her.
Sarah looked at the two men. She hadn’t made any decisions yet, at least not anything concrete. Suddenly, by speaking the words aloud, she’d feared the choice had just been made for her. “I’m not sure,” she said, not liking the frown on Liam’s face.
“Really?” Cameron looked from her to his brother and back again.
She battled the flush of embarrassment creeping over her cheeks. The heat contrasted with the cool window. She tried to tell herself it was just the warm air from the heating vent above them. She knew better.
He’d seen them kiss. Though Liam had pulled away, enough tension still sparked between them, Cameron would have been deaf, dumb, and blind not to know. She swallowed hard. “I’m not sure what my plans are to be honest, Cameron. I feel like there’s more for me to see and do here.” She spoke firmly, putting on her best political voice, that same voice that had urged Congressmen to action and swayed the views of those in power. She smiled.
Liam’s frown deepened.
“I see,” Cameron replied. He arched an eyebrow at his brother, an unspoken signal Sarah couldn’t miss. Her relationship, or lack thereof, with Liam was none of his business. Just because there were way more men than women up here in Alaska, didn’t mean he had to get all macho at the thought of her kissing his brother. And truly, that’s all it was, a kiss. It couldn’t be more. No matter how much they wanted it.
“Actually, I was going to offer Sarah a camping trip before she left. We’ve been out and back, but never really on a camping trip. It’s up to her whether she goes or not, though.” Liam said. He grinned at her. “What do you say? Are you up for roughing it for a few days out in the wilderness?”
Sarah paused with indecision. Alone, in the woods with Liam…After the kiss they’d just shared she had no doubts what would happen. No matter how much she might crave closer physical contact with him, fear fluttered in her stomach. She swallowed hard.
“Sure,” she said, mustering more courage than she felt. With Cameron staring at her, almost as if he weighed her against some invisible standard to which she never had a hope of measuring. “When did you want to leave?”
“Probably wait until morning. I’ll go over your gear tonight and make sure you have everything,” Liam said, stepping toward his brother. “Was there something you needed, Cameron?”
“Yeah.” He glanced at Sarah. “Can we talk in the den?”
Sarah started for the stairs. “I’ll go upstairs right now and pack. Just let me know when you’re ready.”
Liam reache
d out and caught her arm as she passed. The look in his eyes told her he was ready, and for more than checking her gear. “You won’t regret it.” He flashed a smile, and as she stepped away, Sarah wondered if he was talking about the camping trip or something else.
~* * *~
Liam herded his brother toward the den. How much had Cameron seen? Closing the door behind them, he turned and stared at his younger brother. “What did you think you were doing?” He leaned against the door and crossed his arms over his chest.
“What the hell did you think you were doing?” Cameron countered, keeping his voice low enough to stay within the confines of the room. “You were kissing her. She’s human.”
“I know,” Liam growled.
“We’re supposed to keep our abilities a secret. You aren’t supposed to convince your brother to turn into a bear just so you can introduce her to one the same way you’d introduce someone to a new neighbor. I don’t know what’s going on here, Liam, but you’re getting in very deep trouble. I’m sure the Quintursa wouldn’t like it if they found out you were endangering all of us. Sarah isn’t stupid. She’s going to figure it out sooner rather than later. Put her on the next plane and ship her back to Washington where she belongs.” Cameron dropped into the chair in front of Liam’s desk.
Liam straightened. Sighing, he crossed the room and went to his desk. Sinking into the leather chair behind it, he regarded his brother. “You act as if I don’t know all of this,” he said, struggling to keep his voice even. “And the Quintursa isn’t going to find out.”
“The hell they won’t. They know everything.” Cameron countered.
Liam grinned. “You forget, that I’ve been the eldest brother for a while. There are a lot of things that you don’t know.”
“And plenty more that you won’t share, that we do know,” Cameron replied. He leaned forward, bracing his elbows on the desk. “Look, I’m not saying it’s not about time you found a woman. We’re worried about you living all alone out here in the lodge. But her? She’s from a completely different world. No one wants to see you get your heart broken. I’m sure one of the women in Coldfoot would be happy to warm your bed.”
