Drake lugged his laundry to town the next day, called the lab for the results of the samples he sent in earlier, and found himself killing time at the library while the dryer finished. When he’d dropped in earlier, he hoped he could simply jump onto one of their computers but as it turned out, they only had one computer. Competition for the thirty-minute slots was fierce so the library wouldn’t allow anyone to monopolize the computer for a full hour. On the off chance, very slim chance actually, that someone didn’t show up to take their allotted time, Drake had stationed himself at a nearby table with a pile of books and a notebook.
He glanced up when the door opened and smiled when Charley walked in. She stopped to shove a book through the return slot and spotted him. He nodded and she sauntered over.
“Looks like you’re keeping busy,” she said, checking out the pile around him.
“Doing my best.”
She turned her head to read the cover of the book on top and made a face.
Drake laughed. “Okay, so it’s not for everyone.”
“You’re telling me.”
“What did you just bring back?”
“A book of stained glass patterns.”
“Say again?”
“I want to refinish my kitchen cabinets and I was thinking about replacing a couple of the wood panels with beveled glass.”
He looked intrigued. “Have you ever done anything like it?”
“No, but that’s never stopped me before.”
Drake laughed.
Charley smiled. “Have you been here long?”
He sighed. “Too long.” He leaned back in his chair and stretched his long frame from toe to fingertip. A deep satisfied hum escaped him.
Charley nearly shuddered with arousal.
Oblivious, Drake slouched back in his chair. “But I’m hoping for another shot at the computer.”
She snorted. “Good luck.”
“Yeah,” he turned to look at all the covetous people milling around between the shelves while trying not to look too impatient for their turn. “You’re probably right. If I don’t get out of here I’m going to go nuts.” His gaze returned to Charley and he considered her thoughtfully. “So what are you up to?”
“Not much. I’m taking the day off. I was thinking of going for a hike.”
“Can I tag along?”
“Want to see some birds?”
“Hell, yes.”
“I know the perfect spot. Why don’t you clean up your mess here and meet me at the Tavern. I was going to have Dink whip me up a picnic lunch.”
Drake shot to his feet, his stiffness all but forgotten and started to organize his stack of books. “Now you’re talking. I’ll catch up.”
• • •
Dink groaned when his sister pranced in. “Ah shit, are you kidding me? Isn’t it too early for you to be here?”
Grumbling at his welcome, Charley said, “Fine, I’ll just deal with Abby if you’re going to be that way.”
“She’s not coming in for another hour.”
Charley hopped onto her stool. “Then I guess you’ll do. How about throwing together a picnic lunch for two?”
He eyed her curiously. “Who’re you taking out?”
“Give me a break. I’m going up to Eagle Point and Drake asked if he could tag along. Don’t read anything into it.”
He punched the palm of his hand and glared. “You let me know if he tries to put the moves on you. I’ll kick his ass.”
Charley rolled her eyes. “Like I can’t handle things myself. Besides, I don’t think you have to worry about Drake. For one thing, I’m not his type and he’s not mine; for another, he’s interested in Heidi.”
“Heidi?” Dink frowned when he heard that. “He shouldn’t get his hopes up there. Anyway, he’s a guy — he’ll be interested if the opportunity arises.”
“That’s a mighty big stretch. I’ve got more testosterone.”
Dink shook his head. “You’re a hard woman, you know that?”
Charley gave a casual shrug. “You created a monster. What can I say?”
“God, you’re not going to dredge that up again are you? You were just as big a brat as I was.”
Her chin shot up. “Reactionary. You started it.”
“So now we’re the former Yugoslavia are we?”
Charley sighed. “No, I prefer our truce.”
“Me too. So what do you want for lunch?”
“How about cold sandwiches — chicken and ham.”
“Chips?”
“Yes, please.” She dropped to her feet and went around to the cooler for bottled water. Charley was just shutting the door when Drake strolled in.
“I ordered ham and chicken sandwiches,” she said, handing him one of the bottles. “That work for you?”
“Yep.”
“You want any pickles?”
“Not necessary.”
She checked out Drake’s shoes. He could climb in them.
“Where are we going anyway?” he asked, sitting at the bar next to her.
“Eagle Point. It’s one of my favorite spots — great overlook and a nice place to watch hawks.” She sighed. “I usually try to get up there once the snow melts and before the bugs get too bad. I’m late this year.”
He picked at the plastic sleeve on the bottle thoughtfully. “I wonder if I flew over it.”
“I’m sure you did, but I doubt Tucker pointed it out. There are higher ridges to look at but I like Eagle Point because it’s fairly accessible by road, if you know where you’re going. Plus the view is spectacular.”
Suddenly keyed up about the prospect of a vigorous hike and time alone with Charley, Drake smiled. “I can’t wait.”
Dink came through the swinging doors carrying two paper bags.
“Hi Drake,” he said then looked back and forth between them. “So who’s treating, because it’s not me?”
• • •
Charley followed Drake up to his cabin so he could drop off his car and grab a few things first.
She stood at the door, tapping her foot impatiently while he bustled around, collecting his camera and binoculars.
“Come on, time’s a-wasting,” Charley nagged as Drake zipped everything into his backpack.
“I better leave a note for my roomies too,” he said, turning back around.
Charley groaned. “My god, you’re just as bad as my mother.”
He chuckled and tossed the pen down on top of the notepad sitting on the table. Sliding his hand through the loop of his pack, he gave her a nod. “Ready.”
“About time.”
Grinning with amusement, Drake swung his pack by the straps right into her ass and knocked her out the door ahead of him.
“Watch it,” she warned, but she was smiling.
• • •
It was Drake’s first time riding with Charley and now, if asked, he’d rank the experience right up there with climbing that flimsy ladder of hers. He gripped his “oh shit” strap so hard his knuckles were white.
“You’re taking these roads a little fast don’t you think?”
She smirked at his anxiety, loving the sense of control. “Nope. I know these roads like the back of my hand and this is the best truck on them. This fine vehicle is an extension of my body so you can relax and let some of the blood back into your fingers.”
“Right, that’s going to happen. I hate to break it to you but this pickup of yours is an antique. It’s a wonder it’s still running.”
“You … know … nothing,” she said. “It’s what’s under the hood that matters, not the pretty package. There’s nothing I can’t fix on this truck if it breaks down. I’m never gonna get stranded in the middle of nowhere because of a computer glitch or sensor problem. It doesn’t take a team of technicians to fix my baby. Nope, it’s hands-on, just the way I like it.” She patted the dashboard affectionately.
He couldn’t help chuckling at that, even under duress. “You shouldn’t tease a guy about liking things hands-on.”
Charley raised her eyebrows and gave the wheel a sharp jerk, sending him against his door.
He righted himself. “Fine, just do me a favor and slow down when we take corners.”
Charley wasn’t unreasonable but she was playful. She eased up at the next curve then gunned the engine on the way out of it, throwing him a wicked grin.
The bitch is out to kill him!
Drake scowled back but didn’t say another word. Of course, it was only when he stopped making an issue of her speed that Charley actually slowed down and he was finally able to enjoy the passing scenery. He watched greedily for the unexpected gaps through the trees that suddenly exposed one stunning vista after another.
The road deteriorated steadily the higher they climbed, eventually narrowing to one lane of cracked and pocked pavement, yet still they drove on. Finally, Charley turned onto an overgrown two track and the going got even tougher.
That’s when Drake really began to worry. What if they met someone coming from the other direction?
Deep, dry puddles mingled treacherously with enormous protruding boulders making every yard of progress a challenge yet Charley didn’t seem fazed at all. She just directed her tires where they ought to go and drove up and around and occasionally through small trees when necessary.
They jolted and bounced along the ever-darkening tunnel as trees closed in around them.
A quarter mile away a smoldering tree trunk, blown apart by lightning the night before, belched flames from its hollow core and ignited the dry tinder and leaves around it.
• • •
Charley hit the brakes and looked at Drake. “Time to fold in the mirrors.”
“What?”
“It’s going to get narrow now. I don’t want to lose my mirrors.”
“Narrower? How can it possibly get any narrower?”
“Just wait,” she said rolling down her window.
Drake shook his head and started cranking.
Charley stopped him before he rolled his window back up. “Could you pull in the antenna? It unscrews.”
He stared at her.
“Just do it.”
Drake crawled halfway out his window to remove the antennae. Pulling his head back inside he dropped it onto the dashboard and she let off the brake, rolling forward before he could get his window up. Branches slashed and slapped at the glass as he cranked as fast as he could.
“You couldn’t wait?” he snapped.
“You had it.”
He grumbled and brushed the torn leaves and twigs off his lap.
The left front tire suddenly dropped off a large boulder and Drake was thrown into the air. With one hand braced on the dash and the other on the ceiling he grumbled, “Are we there yet?”
“Ten minutes, give or take.”
Drake raced to buckle his seatbelt but it didn’t stop his skull from cracking into the rear window on the next jarring hop of the front bumper.
“Damn it!” He rubbed the back of his head and glared at her.
Charley smirked with amusement but kept her eyes focused on what passed for a road up ahead. She was having entirely too much fun with him.
The deciduous trees were slowly crowded out by pines as they continued to bounce their way down the green tunnel. The forest was so dense now that direct sunlight seemed a thing of the past and temperatures felt cooler in the deep shadows.
Charley pulled the truck onto a slab of bedrock near the trail and cut the engine.
“We walk from here,” she said throwing her door open.
“Good, I don’t think I can take your truck for another minute.”
Drake hopped out and slammed the door on a tangle of thorny weeds. When it failed to latch, he grumbled and tried again, stomping down the weeds first. Turning from the vehicle, he pulled a couple of thorns out of his pant leg, shaking off the sting.
“Hey! Are you coming?” Charley called, already dousing herself with insecticide.
Drake slid an arm through one of the shoulder straps and hoisted his pack, then headed over. He could barely make out the overgrown trail behind her. There was a possibility he might not have found it on his own. A person could get into trouble up here if they weren’t familiar with the area or at least armed with a map and a GPS.
To Charley’s relief, Drake had no trouble keeping up. In fact, his longer stride was an advantage, at least for him, but maintaining their pace got more difficult for her as they went on. It felt like he was driving her from behind, not that he was, but it made her climb faster than she would ordinarily. Too stubborn to ease up, she kept at it, hoping it didn’t kill her.
The more challenging the trail became however the more irritated she grew with him. The bastard wasn’t even winded and here she was, on the verge of a heart attack. She pushed herself even harder, ignoring her body’s objections. This was her territory, her spot and she wasn’t going to be humiliated by a summer transient.
Charley was trying to put up a good front but Drake wasn’t fooled. He could hear her labored breathing; see her almost frantic effort to race them up the mountain trail. It was getting ridiculous. When he couldn’t take it anymore, he simply stopped.
“I need a drink of water,” he announced and dropped his pack to pull out a bottle. He shot a stream into his mouth then held the bottle out to her.
Her legs felt like rubber when she walked back. Nodding weakly, she accepted the bottle of water.
As Charley’s ragged breathing slowly evened out, Drake made a request. “I’m not getting a chance to look around. We’re blowing past everything too fast. Could we slow it down a little?”
She nodded heavily. “Sorry, I’ll try to remember you haven’t been here before.”
Drake crouched to put the water back into the bag, hiding his smile from her. “I appreciate it.”
She swung a floppy arm ahead of her. “Whenever you’re ready.”
He decided to stall a little longer. “Just a minute, nature’s calling.”
He wandered off, leaving Charley to find some cover so she could relieve herself too. Drake was waiting on the path when she got back.
“Ready?” he asked.
She nodded and they set off again, slower this time. She chatted more now. Obviously, she wasn’t fighting for every breath anymore.
Following Charley was rather enjoyable. She’d used a twisted bandana to tie her hair back into a long ponytail. It swished back and forth across her shapely derrière like a wiper blade as she walked, giving Drake’s cardiovascular system an even harder workout at every tantalizing peek of cheek. Her blue jeans were so worn he could see the shamrock pattern on her panties right through the fabric. Just below the left pocket was a slit where the thin denim had pulled apart in white strands. It offered provocative glimpses of bare skin when Charley bent forward as they climbed the steep grade. That’s where Drake’s eyes were glued when she turned unexpectedly. He brought his eyes up — now — hoping like hell she didn’t bust him.
There’d be hell to pay if she did.