Sam moved toward her. “Or stay here … Imagine the team we’d make, Nora. Your mother and grandmother are accustomed to the cold … bring them here. We have plenty of room —”
Her eyes stung. She hadn’t misunderstood his earlier insinuation. Sam wasn’t talking about just protecting her. He wanted to be a team … to bring her mother and grandmother … home … his home. “Sam … you don’t even know me.”
Sam moved her legs apart, scooted in between them, then pulled one of her legs over his lap. His hands tangled in her hair. “I didn’t really know you an hour ago, but now I do. And if you’ll let me, I’ll spend the rest of my life getting to know everything about you.” He pressed his lips to hers, then pulled her off the bed, back to his bedroll on the floor. He pulled back once she was centered beneath him, his arms effectively locking her in. “I love you, Nora.” He tossed a look at Arwen. The dog was still sprawled out in front of the door, but her eyes were open. Already, she looked better. “No one’s coming in here through Arwen, so we have tonight. It may be tomorrow before the storm clears. I doubt our tracker is still out there. So, let’s enjoy the time we have from the rest of the world.”
Nora linked her hands around Sam’s neck, pulling him down on her. “I can’t promise you anything yet, but I love you too, Sam. Tonight, I’m yours. Tomorrow, I’ll decide what to do about everything else.”
Chapter 17
~ Sam ~
Sam inched out of the bed he’d shared with Nora the previous evening.
Damn! he seethed silently. The sun streaming in made it clear that the blizzard had dumped its load and had moved on. This time of the year, with the sun blazing down twenty hours a day, there was zero chance that they’d be snowed in.
Sam made his way to Arwen. While she hadn’t moved from doorstop duty, he could see the steady rise and fall of her chest. She’d live, thank God, but she wouldn’t be hiking anywhere today, which meant they still had a good excuse to stay put.
“Sam?” Nora’s sleepy voice called to him, and he couldn’t help but fantasize about waking up to her every morning.
At thirty-eight, his biological clock — if there was such a thing for a man — was on a countdown. He knew he wanted more children, a house he could call his own, and grandchildren. But more importantly, he wanted someone to love. Someone who knew him better than he knew himself. Truth told, he wanted what he’d seen in his parents’ relationship.
Sam turned back to her, pulling his unzipped sleeping bag up to her neck. In the middle of the night, they’d abandoned sleeping on both and opted for sleeping on hers and covering themselves with his. Even twined together, once the fire had fizzled, the temperature had dropped.
He kissed her head. “It’s freezing in here. I need to get the fire going.”
“And coffee …”
He laughed. “Yes, and coffee.” She truly was a woman after his own heart. How could they not make it when they enjoyed the same things? Never had he met a woman who challenged him in every way: mentally, sexually, and she could even keep up with his hiking.
As much as he wanted to look outside, hoping to confirm that he was wrong and that there had just been a break in the cloud cover, he needed to get the fire going. He added kindling to the still hot embers, and then blew lightly, adding fuel via his breaths.
At first, only a tiny spark ignited, but he persisted until the twigs caught. Once the flame was stronger, he added a trio of split logs in a triangle, careful not to extinguish the flames.
Satisfied it’d catch, he slipped into his boots without tying them and donned his coat. “Sorry, girl. Gotta move you a bit.”
Arwen tried to gain purchase on the floor, but slipped.
He pressed his palm to her back. “You don’t have to get up, baby. I just need to slide you a couple inches.”
Still, she tried to follow. He gave her a command to stay, and she finally settled. No matter how old he got, he’d never understand the loyalty of his dogs. Even to death, she’d follow him if she could, he was certain.
Sam stroked her fur, then held her head up to the bowl. She lapped a couple seconds, then refused more.
“You need your strength, Arwen, but I understand. I don’t like it when my mother tries to force soup down my throat when I don’t feel good either.”
“Is she okay, Sam?” Nora had moved to an upright position. “I’ll never forgive myself if something happens to her because of me.”
Sam appreciated her words, but he couldn’t blame Nora for her ex. “It’s not your fault, honey. I’m just thankful that whatever that person gave her wasn’t enough to kill her. And I’m just praying that Vince got to Strider in time.”
Nora tilted her head. “What do you mean?”
“The same thing happened to Strider. I just thought it was rabbit fever. I texted Vince before I left, though, so I’m sure he took care of him immediately. Vince loves them as much as I do. We all do. They’re team members — family.”
“I can understand that. To me, Arwen is my savior. I know you brought her here; but if she hadn’t taken off from you when she did, no telling what would have happened with that bear.” Nora sucked in a breath as she tried not to yawn. “Sorry. I’m just so tired.”
Sam smiled. “You’ve been carrying a great weight on your shoulders for a long time. That’s not easy. Stress’ll kill you. Go back to sleep. I’m going to check outside, then I’ll make breakfast.”
She offered him a sleepy smile, then curled herself up beneath the sleeping bag.
Sam wanted nothing more than to crawl back into bed, but nature called, and he wanted to check out the camp.
Picking up his rifle, he nudged Arwen back a few inches, opened the door, then quickly pulled it closed. Outside, the world was cloaked in white. But as he suspected, the only flakes were those fluttering off the limbs. And the sky was clear to the heavens.
“Well, at least I kept my promise.” He’d take Nora to the river today, and not only could she fish while he watched her back, she’d be able to see The Great One in all its glory.
Instead of trudging through the snow, Sam carried the bucket to the edge of the porch. He scanned the area surrounding the cabin. Other than a few bird tracks, nothing had ventured near the cabin overnight. Of course, that depended on when the snow had stopped. The way the snow had been coming down last night, it would have easily masked an intruder.
Sam’s gaze fell on the washhouse, at the tracks outside the door. Hmm … guess the snowfall slowed right after Nora finished.
While the scenery was amazingly beautiful, Sam scuttled back inside. It was damn cold.
He stoked the fire, then set up both their burners to boil water. One for oatmeal, one for coffee. He was going to have two cups of coffee this morning and a double portion of oatmeal. After all, they wouldn’t be staying in Denali for another two weeks. That would be foolish.
Nope, today, he’d show Nora a great time. Then tomorrow, he’d insist that they return home — his home.
~ Nora ~
Nora tried to sleep, but the scent of coffee was overpowering — and enticing. Her stomach growled. She hadn’t been eating nearly enough. Partly because she’d hoped to catch some fish. She’d been rationing her supplies. She needed more protein … and fat … good fat that only fish could provide.
The planks squeaked, so she opened one eye, squinting to protect herself from the onslaught of light. It’d been so dark the previous evening that she hadn’t bothered to wear her blackout mask.
Through narrowed lids, she watched Sam’s approach. Her heart skipped a beat. With the start of a beard lining his jaw and his dark ruffled mop of hair, the man looked more enticing than the coffee he held. And that was saying a lot. Nothing trumped her morning coffee. Even sex. Sex with Sam had been amazing, though. Not only had he taken her to heights she’d never experienced, but he’d also been tender afterward. Entwining her in his arms, he’d caressed her, dropped tiny kisses on her head, and whispered promises of forever.
Of course, that had been after their second round of lovemaking. After she’d aimed a loaded rifle at him … and then confessed secrets she’d never shared with a living soul.
He sat on the bed, a cup in each hand. “Good morning, sunshine.” She closed her eyes as he kissed her forehead.
“Morning. I see we’re not snowed in. Well, it didn’t make it to the windows anyway.” She struggled to sit up without exposing her breasts. While the firelight had allowed her to appreciate every sexy inch of Sam and for him to view her completely, she didn’t want him to see her in the stark morning light. As fit as she was, she was still thirty-one, with blemishes and too many fights under her belt. Flickering orange and red light was much more forgiving of her scars than sunlight.
Sam stood, allowing her full access to the sleeping bag. “Unfortunately, we’re not snowed in, but it’s a beautiful day. In fact, I was thinking of taking you to the river to try your hand at fishing again.”
“Really, but what about —”
“No sign of man or beast outside. If … someone was really following us, he would have high-tailed it to shelter or stormed down our cabin. No, I think Arwen just found something rotten. She’d ventured off the porch, so who knows what she dug up.”
Instead of responding, Nora took a sip of coffee. Sam had been so convinced their lives were in danger that she’d spilled her secrets. Now he was backtracking. What did that mean? Was he trying to throw her off again?
She gave her head a mental shake. How could she keep thinking that way? Even Sergio, as fake as he was, couldn’t fake being tender. No, she had to believe that when Sam had murmured forever, he’d meant it.
Sam touched her cheek. “Something wrong? You worried about fishing?”
“No … Fishing sounds like fun, as long as you got my back.” She quickly changed the subject, since she did care. No matter what, Arwen was an innocent in all this. “How’s Arwen?”
Sam peered over his shoulder. “Still not great, but her eyes look clear. Her heart sounds strong. She’s just weak and doesn’t want to eat.”
“I can understand that. I’ve had food poisoning … Not from rats or rabbits, but chicken. Not a fun forty-eight hours.”
Sam patted her leg and stood. “Well, if you’re up for it, let’s get an early start. Fishing’s best in the morning.”
“Will you hand me my bag, please?”
Sam turned back to her. “Why? I had to get out in the cold. It’s not even cold in here now. You should have felt it this morning without the fire.”
“Sam …” she groaned.
He lifted an eyebrow. “Yes?”
She huffed out a breath. “I told you … I’m not as confident as you think I am. Please hand me my bag.”
“Oh, all right.” He carried her backpack to the bed, but then gently tugged on the top sleeping bag.
“Sam!”
“What? I have to store my bag. It’s not like I’m going to attack you or anything.”
That comment brought her up fast. “Why not?”
He rolled his eyes. “First I can’t see you, but then you want me to attack you?”
“No … I’m just wondering why you said that.”
He released the sleeping bag and pushed her backpack closer. “Because it’s not like I brought a box of condoms with me.” He turned and headed toward the kitchen shelf. “I’ll keep my back turned, so make yourself comfortable, Nora. I shouldn’t be looking anyway. The last thing I want is to get another woman pregnant who doesn’t want to stay with me.”
Nora pulled on her panties and jeans, and then an exercise bra and a sweatshirt. She crossed the cabin, wrapping her arms around his waist. “I don’t want to leave, Sam.”
He turned in her arms. “Then don’t.” He lowered his forehead to hers. “We can stay here till they kick us out if you want. I don’t need to go back. Someone else can be responsible for a change.”
Nora sighed. “If only …” Again, she wanted to kick herself for thinking poorly of Sam. He’d told her over and over that he wanted her. That he’d protect her. That he wanted her forever … But so had Sergio … Damn Sergio for ruining her. For making her not trust.
Sam turned to the burners. “Hungry?”
He’d sensed her reluctance. In the short time he’d known her, he could already read her. Hell, he’d been able to read her on the first night. Her mind slipped to her doubts, and she tugged back, refusing to give in.
Sam is real! she scolded herself internally.
He scooped out two bowls of oatmeal and set them on the table.
After they finished eating, he tried to coax Arwen into eating, but she still refused.
Nora gathered her fishing gear. Other than a few scratches, the bear hadn’t damaged it. As Sam had said, the bear only wanted the fish.
She carried her gear outside and waited as Sam outfitted himself. Per his suggestion, she pulled on her gaiters. Apparently, they still didn’t need their snowshoes, but with the powdery drifts reaching their knees in some spots, he highly recommended they protect their legs.
As he started to close the door, Arwen struggled to stand. “It’s okay, girl. We’ll be back soon.”
“What if something happens to us, Sam? What if we can’t make it back?”
Sam scoffed, but then relented. “You’re right. I never leave her chained up, so I shouldn’t leave her locked up either.”
He lifted Arwen and set her outside, and then placed her bowls next to her. He gave her a hand command that Nora now recognized as Stay.
Nora knelt next to the wolfdog who’d been so full of life the previous days. She certainly hoped Sam was right and that no one was after her — them. She’d hate to live with the fact that she’d been responsible for not only Arwen being poisoned, but also Strider. Nora stroked the dog’s silky smooth coat. “We’ll be right back, Arwen.”
Sam led her in the direction he’d gone for firewood the previous evening.
Nora had never been hiking in such a quiet place. Even as a child, the mountain where her father led tours had been crowded. She suspected summiting Denali would be the same. But out here, in the middle of the wilderness, especially since snow blanketed the forest, nothing but birdsong filled the air.
Sam led the way through the trees. As before, he seemed to know exactly where he was going. To Nora, one tree looked no different from the rest. He’d looked to the sky a few times, though, so maybe he knew the direction based on the cabin’s position.
Nora pushed through the fluff, occasionally scooping up a handful. If only she had brought blue raspberry flavoring, they could have had snow cones. Eating snow in a life-or-death situation, if you didn’t have fire, was a big no-no. But she had her canteen on her hip pack, and Sam was an expert fire builder, so they were good.
As Nora followed, she noticed the area around Sam was brighter where fewer trees blocked the sun. A cliff. The closer they got to the clearing, the more she realized how vast the valley ahead was.
A cliff … Her heart thumped loudly again. How much had Sergio offered as a final payment? she wondered. Was it enough to turn a man like Sam into a murderer?
Sam exited the tree line, then turned to her, a broad smile on his face. Her heart raced faster, but his smile comforted her. She had to get over this debilitating fear. After all, she was a trained fighter. Even if he could overpower her, he’d have to get the drop on her first.
She stopped at the tree line, and he reached for her. “Didn’t I tell you?”
Confused, she tilted her head, then actually looked behind him. Past the valley. Past the river below.
“Oh, Sam …” Emotion overtook her as she witnessed what she’d only seen in magazines. Sam had been right. The range stretched from north to south in either direction, farther than she could see, but directly in front of her, straight up, was a mountain on top of the range.
Sam laughed. “Come here.” He pulled her in front of him, wrapping his arms around her as they stood next to the steep ledge.
“Isn’t it magnificent?”
“It’s … there are no words.” Nora swiped one lone tear off her cheek. One, because she was staring up at the most incredible backdrop she’d ever seen. But also because she’d doubted Sam — again.
He kissed the side of her neck. “As much as I enjoy hiking it, truly, I think I enjoy this more. While summiting Denali is breathtaking, especially when you stare out at all of Alaska and its grandeur, I still enjoy viewing it from here.” He turned her to him. “Nora, please … let me show you everything about Alaska. In the winter, the northern lights … glaciers. Together, we could lead hikes everywhere.”
Nora stared up at him, doing her best to force the stupid smile off her face. He really wanted her forever. “Sam, let’s start by you showing me where to fish. Tomorrow, we’ll discuss the rest of our lives.”
He pressed his lips against hers. “Deal!” He took her hand and led her east. “There’s an easy way to get down to the river. I just wanted you to see Denali from here.”
Nora followed, feeling giddy. Maybe Sergio hadn’t sent anyone to follow them. Maybe it was all coincidence. He’d wanted Sam to make sure she was safe, so maybe he wasn’t aware that she knew about his illegal dealings. If Sergio wanted her brought home safely, maybe he really did care … about his investment anyway. Hopefully he cared enough not to order her murder.
For the first time since she could remember, she felt hope.
Today, she’d get to fish in the Alaska wilderness because she wanted to, not because she had to. Tomorrow, they’d head back, and she’d start her new life — without Sergio.
No, she wouldn’t start her new life tomorrow; she’d start her new life today — with Sam.
Sam quickly led her to the river. Without her heavy pack, it was easy to keep up.
Yes, she could see herself doing this. Guiding, as she’d planned to do when she settled back home in El Chaltén. But now … she had a partner. Sam wanted to team up with her … lead vacationers.
Sam's Folly (Midnight Sons Book 1) Page 17
