Situation: Out of Control/Full Exposure

by Debra Webb

  Finally, after what felt like forever with him bending and reaching and making her feel more restless by the moment, he straightened and looked directly at her. She swallowed tightly and suddenly wished she had left the room at good-night.

  "I'm sorry my presence disturbs you." His voice was soft, his expression concerned. "I'll try not to overstep my bounds again."

  "I would appreciate that," she admitted, relieved to have the tension broken.

  He shrugged, the movement drawing her attention like a fly to honey. "As for the sleeping together thing, I can't say I hadn't thought about that myself." He paused just long enough for the words to send a bolt of heat scorching through her. "But I would never compromise my principles. Good night, Ms. Stephens."

  He walked out.

  Her mouth dropped open in disbelief.

  She was supposed to be the one to walk out. To have had the last word, the final warning.

  Instead, he'd left her there feeling like a total idiot.

  Not to mention she'd same as confessed that she'd thought about sleeping with him.

  Uncertainty trembled through her. But she didn't want to sleep with him. Clearly he didn't want to sleep with her. What the hell had she been thinking admitting that to him? Temporary insanity! She'd lost it. Well, he'd certainly put her in her place.

  A new blast of fury set off a minefield of outrage. Oh, he would regret that arrogant rebuke. Whether he'd in tended to insult her or not, she would make him earn every word of this story the hard way. If he wanted to know what it was like to be a member of the mountain rescue team, she'd show him up close and personal.

  Heath Murphy would rue the day he showed up in her town.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Heath poured himself a second cup of Rafe's famous wake-the-dead coffee and resumed his position at a table a few feet away from Jayne and the mountain rescue team members gathered for a weekly breakfast meeting.

  She hadn't spoken to him this morning. Rafe had banged on his door at 5:00 a.m. and passed along the info about the meeting. Jayne had either forgotten or chosen not to tell him since this was a regularly scheduled event. Considering her father's warning, he was prepared to work harder at earning her trust. Her oversight hadn't slowed down his reaction since he'd been awake already. The motion detectors already installed in her room warned him whenever she moved through any interior doors as well as the one exterior door that led into the upstairs corridor.

  The meeting had started at six o'clock sharp. In the past hour they'd covered upcoming training sessions as well as traded humorous tourist stories. It had been the same in Heath's hometown. The locals couldn't help getting a laugh now and then at some of the overenthusiastic tourists who showed up determined to portray them selves as professional skiers, snowboarders, hikers or climbers. Only when they broke a leg or got lost in the wilderness did they admit to their true amateur status.

  Aspen was considerably larger and more popular than where Heath had grown up. Tucked away in the picturesque Roaring Fork Valley at the base of a towering mountain, Aspen had it all from what he'd seen so far: an abundance of shops ranging from gourmet restaurants to bars and pubs, from discount five-and-dimes loaded with tourist memorabilia to ritzy art galleries visited by the rich and famous—most within easy walking distance to the best hotels and resorts. The nightlife ranged from glitzy and glamorous to raw and untamed.

  In his opinion Aspen was where the beautiful people came to ski and be seen in an extreme wilderness set ting that, despite the haute couture, had managed to maintain its natural raw edges. But none of that meant anything to Heath. In fact, he used every ounce of de termination he possessed to block out the insignificant details of the scene around him and to focus only on his mission. He didn't want to experience this environment.

  He had to be here but he didn't have to soak it up.

  So far, with the avalanche advisories still in place, he'd been able to avoid entirely outdoor recreation.

  "So, we'll meet at the cabin at six tonight to do a gear check."

  Heads around the table nodded.

  Heath was surprised by that. Tomorrow was Jayne's birthday. He'd expected some sort of party or get-together in her honor. Maybe that was the purpose of to night's meeting. If so, no one had let him in on the secret.

  The mountain rescue cabin was located on the west end of Aspen's Main Street. The team's extra gear, topographic maps, communications system and most any thing else they needed to perform rescues would be housed here. Though the team operated under the auspices of the Pitkin County Sheriff's department, Walt Messina pretty much ran things the way he wanted to, it seemed, without any flak. Jayne was second in command in spite of being female and younger than most of the other members. No one appeared to resent her position. A couple of other women were affiliated with the team but worked in a support capacity only.

  It took guts and strength, physical as well as mental, to do what these folks did. Heath had worked, in his capacity as a member of law enforcement, with a mountain rescue team once. A long time ago…before the accident. As an experienced climber he'd fit right in with the other adrenaline junkies, but at least those guys had had a cause.

  Heath's gut twisted with remembered dread and regret and he had to look away. He'd had no cause other than utter self-indulgence. Climbing had been a hazardous hobby, an ego pump. He'd sworn he would never be a part of anything like that again. And here he was, playing along, as if he hadn't failed…as if he hadn't let someone die.

  His gaze moved back to rest on Jayne.

  He could handle this. His teeth clenched to hold back the instant denial. Holding the uncertainty at bay had been fairly easy until now. This meeting, seeing this team together and listening to them discuss rescues, hit him a lot harder than he'd anticipated. But he would get past it. There was no way around it. His assignment de pended upon his ability to fit in with this group.

  "I got the latest word on the avalanche advisory first thing this morning," Walt said, drawing Heath's attention back to the conversation around the table. "If the weather cooperates today and tonight as forecasted the advisory will be lifted tomorrow."

  A dagger of ice cut through Heath. That would mean all hiking and climbing operations would be back in business. Not everyone closed up shop for an advisory of this magnitude but some did, Happy Trails being one of them. Jayne would go back to her day job, leading visiting nature and thrill seekers through valleys and over peaks. And it was Heath's job to stay right on her heels, to keep watch for the target's appearance. The bitter dread that had coagulated in his gut evolved into heart-pumping fear. A line of sweat beaded on his brow.

  He could do this. He knew the drill, had all the right experience.

  But after over three years had he lost the feel? Should he be up front with Jayne and avoid the risk altogether?

  "I'd like to run a hut check," Jayne announced, jar ring Heath back from his troubling thoughts.

  Walt frowned. "The hut associations are responsible for spot checks. They rent them out. They do the maintenance."

  "I know," Jayne returned, "but you said there had been a couple of break-ins reported. Supplies stolen. It wouldn't hurt for me to take a look, make sure all is as it should be before the advisory is lifted." She shrugged.

  "Even if the association does the same a second set of eyes can't hurt. I'm sure the sheriff's office would be interested in any additional detail I might pick up on."

  Walt mulled over her suggestion just long enough to finish cranking Heath's tension to the breaking point. If the huts she spoke of were anything like the ones he'd encountered before, the small structures would be at higher elevations, nine or ten thousand feet at least. The huts were generally equipped with bunks, woodburning or propane stoves and heaters and other basic sup plies for survival during backcountry trips. Associations, owners rented them out for use during cross-country hauls for those who didn't care for sleeping on the snow-covered ground. Not to mention that anytime a climb
er or skier got into trouble, if he could make it to the nearest hut, his chances of survival until help arrived were greatly increased.

  "Sounds like you've got cabin fever," Walt suggested with an I've-got-your-number grin. "Hut check if you want, just be careful out there and watch out for any of those snow shelves that might be about to deliver. Might be better if you took someone with you if you're going today."

  "I'll do that," she assured her friend and boss. She jerked her head in Heath's direction. "Mr. Murphy over there wants to see firsthand what my life is like, I thought I'd give him a little preview. That competence test I mentioned."

  Curious gazes shifted in his direction. He managed a negligible nod to Walt and the others before his gaze collided with Jayne's and the blatant challenge there. This was payback. He wasn't quite sure for what just yet, but he could read the triumph in her eyes.

  "You sure he's up to the physical requirements?" Paul Rice, an EMT, wanted to know.

  Her gaze never deviated from Heath's as she pro vided a confident response. "He can handle it." She laughed and glanced around at her teammates. "If not I'll drag him out. In any case, he'll get his story, right? Without getting in the way of a real rescue."

  Laughter tittered around the group but Heath didn't find her smart-ass remark funny at all. Giving her grace, she had no way of knowing the impact of what she'd suggested and if he survived the trip he'd make sure she never found out. Knowledge was power and he had to make sure she didn't outmaneuver him when things got dirty.

  He had to stay in control of this asset, which equated to one thing: all the best cards had to be in his hand.

  * * *

  JAYNE WATCHED HEATH with a critical eye as he readied for the trek to the Alpine Hut on one of her favorite peaks. She knew the trail well, could basically make the journey with her eyes closed, so she wasn't worried. The snow cornices along her chosen path weren't nearly as worrisome as in some of the more traveled areas. If you stayed in the business long enough around here, you figured out the best routes or made some of your own. They'd check out this one hut and head back. Walt was right on that score. The huts were well maintained. But it had been as good an excuse as any to put her journalist shadow here in the hot seat.

  Heath's efficiency at the task of prepping for the cold surprised her. She didn't have to give him the first instruction. He abided by one law any climber worth his salt did, always wear synthetics, absolutely no cotton. Cotton didn't repel water. He even picked the best brands when it came to outerwear, including gloves and snowshoes. Maybe he just had good instincts, but her own instincts were humming a different tune.

  This guy had done this before.

  Her gaze narrowed with suspicion. He'd certainly left out that pertinent detail of his background. Not that she'd asked that many questions, but one would think that when in Aspen following around a mountain rescue team member a guy would mention winter hiking and/or climbing experience.

  "I'm ready," he announced when he'd pulled on the new parka that looked nothing like the elegant leather coat he'd had on when he arrived on her doorstep.

  Very interesting turn of events.

  "Let's do this, then."

  Jayne clipped her pager at her waist and led the way to her four-wheel-drive clunker. She should have washed it at some point during her downtime but then, what was the point? It would only get dirty again. Snow might look good on the mountains and in the yards of the lovely homes around town, but it turned ugly and muddy on the streets and side roads. They never showed that part in movies, she'd noticed.

  Neither of them spoke as she drove along Highway 82 until they reached the turnoff that would lead to the trailhead. The county road had been plowed recently, which made the going a hell of a lot easier. As she parked on the roadside, choosing to walk the rest of the way to their destination, the sun shone between the majestic peaks in the distance. It was going to be a beautiful day and yet the tension continued to thicken between her and her companion.

  Jayne had the sudden uneasy feeling that she'd made a mistake. She covertly studied Heath Murphy, wishing she could read his mind. Why would an investigative journalist come here to do a story on the life of a trail guide and mountain rescue team member if he didn't care for the subject? Or apparently felt uncomfortable with some aspect of it? It didn't make sense.

  Besides, she couldn't see this guy being afraid of anything. He was strong, confident, even a little arrogant at times. She shouldered into her emergency pack and considered again how he'd seemed to know just the right items to buy for his own pack. A real paradox, this guy.

  With the pack and other necessary accessories draped on his back he looked even bigger and she was no petite gal. She stood five-seven, but he had to be six-two or -three. He weighed, she estimated, a hundred eighty pounds, most of which looked to be muscle if his chest and shoulders were any indication. Add to that a face with angles and planes that the sexiest man of the year would be jealous of and you had a hell of a great-looking guy. Even his nose was the perfect cut for balancing that classic square jaw.

  Her gaze drifted down to his left hand. Why wasn't he married? Why didn't he get phone calls from a girlfriend? Of course, she supposed he could get all kinds of calls at night, but she hadn't heard his cell phone ring once and she hadn't noticed him making any calls.

  Definitely strange.

  Maybe he was a loner, she considered as she bent down and strapped on her snowshoes. He did the same. Again, his proficiency at pulling on and securing those time- and energy-saving accessories surprised her.

  He looked upward abruptly, his fingers stilling in their work, his gaze colliding with hers.

  "Something wrong?" he asked, his tone telling her he'd been aware that she was staring at him for some time now.

  "Actually—" she dragged out the word long enough to recover her mental balance "—I was wondering if you'd done this before. You seem to know the routine though I kind of got the distinct impression you weren't looking forward to floundering around in the snow."

  He straightened, smoothly shifting his gaze to the rustic beauty ahead of them, all around them really. "I'm no virgin," he deadpanned, his attention moving back to her, "but it's been a really long time."

  "Should I be concerned?" She had to ask though part of her wanted him to suffer, especially after that smart-alecky comment. God, where had that come from? She wasn't usually so heartless. But he made her angry…or something. Still, she couldn't let her annoyance at him get in the way of safety.

  "I'll be fine."

  His expression closed like steel doors slamming on a vault and she knew that the discussion was over.

  Towering firs dotted the white landscape, their branches loaded with day-old snow. With several feet of compacted snow covering the plant life, the going should have been easier, but the fresh layer of fine powder made trail-breaking necessary. Every step she took sank in a foot or so—even with state-of-the-art snow shoes—ensuring maximum physical effort was involved.

  To keep her mind off her companion, she mulled over the idea that tomorrow was her birthday and so far no one had mentioned a party. No one had mentioned her birthday at all. Her father hadn't even said anything. The possibility that maybe no one remembered that her birthday was less than twenty-four hours away only served to drive home the loneliness that gnawed at her from time to time. Usually she didn't let her lack of real family bother her. After all, she had Rafe and the guys.

  But it wasn't the same. There were times when she had to admit that painful fact.

  Admitting it and dwelling on it were very different animals and she refused to dwell on things she couldn't change. She forged forward, making a path in the deep, loose snow. Family was overrated anyway.

  It was cold—around twenty degrees. But it didn't take long to warm up. Jayne paid close attention to her instincts. Even an experienced guide lost the trail from time to time. Definitely something she wanted to avoid. Losing the trail meant possibly going through
deadfall from the surrounding firs and possibly crossing gullies shielded by the snow cover. There could be numerous other trip hazards hidden beneath the blanket of pristine white. Definitely something to avoid.

  The farther they climbed the stiller the air became. The lack of breeze gave the peaceful environment a kind of surreal quality. The quiet was broken only by the breath that steamed in and out of their lungs. Heath hadn't lied about one thing—it had definitely been a while since he had done this. Though he'd stayed close on her heels when she took her early morning runs, this was an entirely different kind of workout. They had been moving at a good pace up this sharp ridge. She considered slowing down but knew they'd never make it to the hut and back before dark if she did.

  "You okay back there?" She glanced back at him for the first time in almost an hour.

  "Great," he insisted with a nod of his head.

  But he didn't look great. Physically he appeared fine. Tough as the fresh powder made it, this wasn't the kind of climb that would endanger anyone who was in good physical condition and he met that qualification hands down. Not to mention she was the one doing the trail-breaking, all he had to do was follow in her compacted footsteps.

  No, it wasn't his outward appearance that gave her pause; it was something in his eyes. A dullness she hadn't seen before. That jarred her.

  "We'll keep going then." Her instincts warring, she turned back to the trail and pushed forward. A couple more hours, tops, and they'd reach the false summit where the Alpine Hut stood. They'd replenish their fluids, eat, take a short break and then head back down.

  Piece of cake.

  * * *

  HE WASN'T GOING TO make it.

  By the time the hut came into view, after three and one half hours of steady climbing, Heath knew with dead certainty that he should have told her the truth up front.

  Snowshoes and ski poles lashed to her pack, Jayne hustled up to the small, rustic cabin and unlocked the door. Heath made the final few steps a bit more slowly. He was in no hurry for her visual examination to confirm what she had clearly suspected two hours ago.