Wilderness Girl

by Masters, Cate

  Disappointment returned. He’d seemed so nice at Wilderness Outfitters, but here he was, acting like they were at a singles bar.

  When he arched a brow, his teasing flared her temper. She’d had enough of self-absorbed guys who thought they could get whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. He obviously knew he registered a twenty on a scale of one to ten. After putting up with Sean’s games, she wasn’t about to let this guy call the plays. “You—.”

  His hand shot out. “Don’t move.”

  Oh damn. The snake. She’d forgotten for a blessed second.

  It coiled upon itself and raised its head. Its tongue darted out.

  “Oh no….” She fought her buckling knees.

  “Stay calm.” His low voice fanned embers of the fire she’d felt that night in the store.

  He slunk toward her like a warrior stalking an enemy. Graceful as tai chi, his serpentine movements mesmerized her. No wonder the reptile watched him as though he were a snake charmer.

  As he moved nearer, her muscles tightened, imagining him melding into her embrace. When his arm grazed hers, she tensed. His touch felt electric, magnetic, as it had the night they’d met.

  He winked.

  Already in a slow boil, anger bubbled to the surface. She seethed, “Are you going to get rid of it, or play with it?”

  Mischief played in his eyes. “I love to play. Don’t you?” His gaze dropped to her lips.

  It swept away her frustration. She wanted to feel his mouth on hers, taste his skin.

  When he glanced at the ground, she remembered the snake. It wound its tail, and inched closer!

  He lunged downward. One hand below the serpent’s head, the other in the middle, he lifted it into the air.

  Man and reptile twisted in a tangled dance down the hill. Her heart raced. The scene played like a primal ritual. But wow, he made such a hot warrior.

  She followed, unsure what to do. What if it bit him? Old movies came to mind of cowboys cutting the skin of a snake bit partner, sucking the venom out. Ugh! Never again would she go camping. Her gear would go up on eBay as soon as she made it home.

  With halting steps, he made it to the creek, wrestling the snake at arm’s length. In one final twist, he bent over at the water’s edge. Like a slithering arrow, it shot from his hands and disappeared into the stream.

  She tried to steady her breathing, to fathom what she’d seen. “Are you all right?”

  “Yeah.” Wiping a forearm across his brow, his eyes searched hers.

  “I’m shaking all over.” Not just from the snake. His six-pack abs and leg muscles of a personal trainer could account for most of it.

  He watched her. Studied her.

  Her jaw hung open like a gaping moron; she realized too late, and snapped it closed.

  He bit his lip, and burst out laughing.

  “What?” Why was he laughing? Maybe he’d realized what he’d done, and hysteria had set in. She wanted to wrap her arms around him, bring him back to the moment, but he convulsed with giggles and chortles. He slowed down several times, then exploded all over again. Holding his stomach, he wiped at his eyes, but when his gaze met hers again, he chuckled.

  “I’m sorry.” He held his hand to his stomach, watching as her concern turned to confusion.

  He dipped his hands in the crystal water and splashed his face. “Oh man, I needed a good laugh.” Tendrils of damp sandy brown hair curled around his neck.

  “I don’t follow. Was that supposed to be funny?” The scent of a setup began to fill the air. And it stunk.

  He bit back a smile. “Black snakes are harmless.”

  Her cheeks burned. “Black snakes. Like that one.” So he wasn’t being careless by teasing her while the horrible thing cozied closer.

  Another chuckle bubbled up. “Yup.”

  Her teeth clenched. She debated whether to pummel him or tackle him into the water. No, the slimy snake lurked there. Harmless or not, she had no inclination to face it again.

  She turned and strode up the hill. Anything to work off the pressure building within, and put distance between her and her embarrassment.

  “Oh, now, don’t be mad.” Footsteps crunched on leaves, and he walked beside her. “Admit it. It was funny.”

  He’d swirled the ropy reptile through the air like some ancient dance of death. Or so she’d thought. Was he trying to impress her? That couldn’t be it, he’d already confessed the snake was harmless. A prankster? Great, just what she needed. To be the butt of a hot guy’s jokes.

  She infused her voice with cheer, though she knew her face belied her anger. “Sure. You should work that into a standup routine. You’d bring the house down.” But not with her as his foil.

  He looped a finger in her belt and tugged her to a stop. “Hey.” He stepped in front of her and laid his hands on her shoulders. “I’m sorry.”

  She wanted to melt into him. He looked at her with more warmth than she’d ever felt before. To feel betrayed by him was silly. She didn’t even know him. “You seemed like such a nice guy before.”

  “Hey. I got rid of it, didn’t I?” He raised his brows, no trace of teasing left.

  Damn, he was adorable. Tussled locks framed his face to his sleek jaw line. Chocolate eyes so beautiful, they would have been feminine if it weren’t for his nose, a tad on the broad side. Beneath, those full lips, open in an easy smile, made her want to lick her own.

  So the snake hadn’t been dangerous. Except for the danger of a heart attack. She gave in to a smile. “I guess it was pretty funny.”

  His stance relaxed. “And I’m a very nice guy. Didn’t I tell you about my favorite spot? I don’t share that with just anyone, you know.”

  “True. Though you may have had ulterior motives.” She hoped so.

  “I may have.” When he slid his hands away, disappointment pricked at her.

  He planted one foot uphill, then turned. “Come on, I’ll help you get set up.”

  “It’s the least you can do after scaring me half to death.” She strode past him, but her sandal caught on a stone.

  He caught her as she fell forward, his hands firm on her hips. Firm and warm.

  His low voice curled around her spine. “It’s so nice of you to be concerned about my well-being.”

  She loved the way his smile mingled with his teasing tone. She could be in real trouble out here. Mostly of her own making. And it would be the most fun she’d had in months.

  They walked to where the tent lay crumpled and defeated on the grass. A sign of her naiveté.

  “What a mess.” He assessed her from head to toe.

  Her skin tingled wherever it touched. She wrinkled her nose. “I suck at camping.”

  “You’re still at the bottom of the learning curve, that’s all.” His slow grin unnerved her.

  “What can I do to help?”

  He placed a rock a few feet from her tent. “Gather sticks and throw them here. Grab more stones from the stream bank.”

  “What for?”

  “You’ll need a fire later. The nights can get chilly out here.” His gaze assessed her. “I hope you brought some warmer clothes.”

  “Sure. I have a sweatshirt.”

  “No jeans?” Looking at her legs again, something like pain mixed with pleasure crossed his face as he looked at her legs again.

  No one ever made her feel so naked while fully clothed. “I have flannel pants to sleep in.” Short ones. He didn’t need to know that.

  “Oh. Good.” He turned to the work of setting up the tent. He tugged the poles outward, and used a rock to pound the four stakes into the ground.

  She carried several large stones to the spot he indicated and arranged them in a circle. Harvesting loose branches and twigs, disappointment welled within her. She glanced at him frequently; he seemed intently focused on everything but her. Within minutes, the tent took shape.

  She stood at his side. “How did you do that?”

  “Years of practice. Where’s the rest of
your gear?”

  She dragged her backpack and cooler from a nearby tree. “I don’t have much.” She yanked out her sleeping bag.

  He unrolled it. “Oh yeah. The two-fer. “At least you’ll have plenty of room to stretch out.” He arranged it inside the tent and popped his head out. “Anything else?”

  She pulled out the lantern and handed it to him. “As you recommended.”

  “Excellent.” He attached it inside the tent frame with one click. “Is that all?”

  She pulled out the last item. “Just this.”

  He held out a hand, then thumbed through the pages. “Poetry?”

  She rubbed her arms. “It puts into words things I feel, but don’t know how to say.” She expected him to laugh again, so changed the subject. “Did you get your own camp set up okay? Do you need any help?”

  “That’s very sweet, but I’m all set. My camp’s just beyond those trees.”

  “Oh. With the bears? Or the snarky raccoons?”

  “Neither. Other than an owl last night – and the snake today – it’s been pretty quiet.”

  She couldn’t read him – he said it without humor, though he looked as if he’d wanted to say more, and held back. He looked so adorable unshaven.

  “Are you hungry? I have some hot dogs we could roast.” She tried to keep the hope from her voice.

  He rubbed his thumb along his bottom lip as he considered. She imagined herself taking hold of his hand and sucking on that thumb.

  He looked away. “I don’t want to eat all your food.”

  “I have plenty.” Dragging the cooler to the fire, she pulled out an unopened package. “This way, I can repay you for helping me. Plus you’ll save me having to haul it home again.”

  “Okay. Since you put it that way. You do know you’re not supposed to bring food out here. It attracts wild animals.”

  With any luck, she’d attract more than wildlife. “The cooler masks the smell. And I was going to hang it in a tree away from my tent. If the animals want to open it up and have a party, I don’t want to be in on it.”

  He chuckled. “You did your research.”

  “I’m pretty good at taking care of myself.” She pulled out two kabob sticks. “Hypo-allergenic. We don’t have to use dirty old sticks.”

  He speared a hot dog onto the kabob. “Going all natural is half the fun.”

  She swallowed hard imagining him going all natural. Naked in the stream below, his rippling muscles with a sheen of wetness.

  Get a grip. Sitting cross-legged, she held her stick into the flames. “Not for me. I like a little more control over my germs.”

  Firelight played across his sun-burnished face. “Germs are good for you. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

  “Ah. Kind of like relationships.” The second she said it, she wished she hadn’t. It sounded more snarky than any raccoon. Plus it dredged up sour memories of Sean. The last person she wanted intruding on this moment.

  Turning the hot dog over the fire, his expression grew pensive.

  Now she’d ruined the good mood. To lighten it again, she sighed. “What a gorgeous day.”

  He nodded.

  She popped the cooler top, removed the buns and handed him two. “So what do people do out here for fun?”

  “Depends. Some people hunt, or fish. Or hike. Others might just like to sit back and read on the grassy hillside.”

  She glanced up from her plate and smiled. “Now there’s a possibility.” How nice it would be to kick back and read. Such a luxury. Especially if he were lying next to her.

  He shrugged. “Or you could come for a hike downstream with me.”

  A hike. The stream looked like it went on for quite awhile. “How long of a hike?”

  “Why? Do you have an appointment or something?” Bemused, he stared, waiting, though he gave the impression he could wait a long time.

  No pressure – how nice. She ducked her head and smiled. “As a matter of fact, no. I’m not much of a hiker, though.”

  “We can take it slow.” He slipped the roll between his lips.

  She watched, open-mouthed, trying not to drool. Oh, to be that hot dog, vibrating with the timbre of his deep voice. “Yeah.”

  His lips parted, the ends curling. “Is that a yes?”

  His voice flowed softly, so velvety. It made her want to roll in it, wrap herself in it.

  “Yes.” She couldn’t take her eyes from his mouth. The way it moved, his lush lips. Her nerves froze. “Wait. What did I just agree to?”

  He brushed crumbs from his hands. “A hike.”

  Warmth crept up her neck. “Okay.” She stood, determined to make the best of it. “So we wash these in the stream, huh?”

  “Rinse them. No soap.” He followed her down the hill.

  “Right. The fish don’t need a bubble bath.”

  He chuckled. “No.”

  “Do you think they mind toothpaste? Because I seriously need to brush my teeth.”

  Laughing, he shook his head. “Sorry, no toothpaste either. It’s better to use bottled water anyway. If you need some, I have spares in my tent.”

  She tsk’d. “So much to learn.”

  They rinsed their plates and strolled back to her tent. “Do I need to bring anything on a hike?”

  “Maybe a bottle of water or juice.”

  Drinking would necessitate relieving herself, which might become problematic now that he’d arrived. She’d taken advantage of the rest rooms by the parking lot, but couldn’t keep hiking back there. She’d deal with it when the situation arose. He’d probably be long gone by then.

  “I’ll grab a bottle and be ready to go, as soon as I brush my teeth.”

  “You should probably wear your long pants.” When his gaze ran down her legs, something twinged in her belly.

  “But it’s going to be really warm today. Warmer than yesterday.” And she liked the way he looked at her legs.

  “Yes, but there could be sticker bushes, and there are always hungry bugs.” He looked even more adorable when he tried so hard to be serious.

  She shrugged. “I’ll chance it.”

  He winced. “All right.”

  She liked a guy who didn’t challenge her every decision. “Great, let’s go.”

  On the way downhill, she glanced at the tent. “You know this area, right? So we can find our way back?”

  “No worries.”

  Usually when people said that, a knot tightened in Dana’s stomach. Not this time. If he said he could find his way back, she believed him.

  He looked at the opposite hill. “There’s a nice trail on that side. But we’d have to cross the stream.”

  “How deep is it?”

  “Mostly shallow, but the middle gets to be about two feet.”

  “That’s about….” She looked down at her legs. At five foot five, she wasn’t exactly statuesque. “…above my knees?”

  “I’ll carry you.” He turned and crouched. “Hop on.”

  “If you insist.” She lifted one leg to his side, held his shoulders and climbed on his back.

  He looped his arms around her legs. “All set?”

  “I’m not too heavy, am I?”

  He blew raspberries. “Please.”

  “I don’t want to drown us both, that’s all.”

  “Trust me.”

  “I do.” She slid her arms around his neck. How could he smell so good when he hadn’t showered? Natural, like sweet grass. Oh, how she’d love to take him down in it.

  His loping strides into the water made her giggle as she bounced on his back. He had a firm grip on her legs. His wide shoulders curved to a slim waist. Beneath his T-shirt, his muscles rippled when he moved, breathed.

  This camping trip was turning out to be one of the best decisions she’d made in a long time.

  Forget horses. She’d ride him any day.

  Facing the back of his head made her wonder why Sean had preferred doggy-style. Fun once in awhile, for a change, but she l
iked to see the guy’s face, whether he was enjoying it enough so she could pump up the action, so to speak, if necessary. Although she had to admit, having this guy’s back between her legs felt more exciting every moment. Feeling his muscles ripple, the contour of his body, made her want to slide her legs around him so she faced front, could cup his face in her hands…. A prickle between her legs caused her to shift.

  “Are you all right back there? You’re awfully quiet.”

  “Oh, yeah. Just enjoying the ride.” She giggled.

  He made a noise deep inside, a combination of chuckle and groan.

  Her unconscious reaction was to tighten her grip around his neck, let his wavy hair caress her cheek. “So what do you do, when you’re not rescuing hapless women?”

  “I’m a woodworker. I build furniture.”

  “Do you design your own?” She asked whatever came to mind to keep him talking, feel his voice vibrate into her chest.

  He shrugged, then adjusted his hold on her leg. “A few pieces. I’m also a kind of entrepreneur, I guess.”

  “Really? Doing what?” His hand on her bare skin tantalized her, made her wish he’d forget the hike and explore her instead.

  “I make art from found objects.”

  “Oh, cool. Like wall art? Lawn sculptures?” The rhythm of jostling up and down his strong back made her cling tighter.

  “Yeah, and stand-alone stuff. The things I find sort of guide me toward the finished product.”

  “I’d love to see them.” She wished this stream were wider, so she could hold him longer. In a few more steps, they’d reach the other side.

  “I’d love to show them to you.” He sounded pleased.

  “Do you have a web site?”

  He glanced back. “Nope, no clue how to do that.”

  She loved when he turned his head, so she could see his eyes. They spoke volumes, revealing his thoughts. “You’re in luck, then. I design web sites. I’d love to help you launch one. It would be a way to pay you back.” And a way to spend more time with him.

  He stepped carefully up the stream bank to dry grass, and set her down. “Pay me back for what?”

  “For everything. I’d have been sleeping on my tent instead of in it, and who knows what else.”