Grace set out plates and flatware on the rustic wooden coffee table positioned in front of the sofa.
She studied Josh, cooking the fish in a blackened skillet over the flames of the fireplace. He’d rolled the sleeves of his denim shirt to his elbows. Despite the plane crash, he was the picture of robust health, his body trim, his back and arms corded with muscles. Every once in a while he paused to sip his coffee before flipping the fish. He looked at ease, natural, as though he did this every day of his life.
“What do you do? That is, when you’re not crashing a plane into the wilderness?”
He shot her a grin. “Extreme sports.”
“Extreme?”
“Instead of just taking a hot air balloon up, I take it around the world and beat the old world record in the process. If I decide to surf, I choose to do it where I’ll be the most physically and emotionally challenged.”
Her hands paused in midair. “Why?”
He grinned. “It beats working for a living. And it gets the adrenaline pumping.”
Grace gave a quick shake of her head. “I once told my father the same thing when he asked me why I had to go gallivanting around the world taking pictures. He couldn’t understand why I wasn’t content to just work at a local newspaper.”
“Hmmm.” He shot her a grin. “Does that mean we’re kindred souls?”
“I don’t know about that. I doubt I’d volunteer to circle the world in a hot air balloon.”
“I only did it once.”
That had her laughing. “How do you hope to top that?”
His smile grew and he made a formal bow. “For my next trick, ladies and gentlemen, I’m going to explore the wilderness.”
Grace couldn’t help grinning at his imitation of a carnival barker. “Were you planning on staying in one of the cottages here?”
“Not really. I’d planned on camping in the open. Along the trail.” He wrapped a towel around the handle of the skillet and removed it from the fire. “I was about to film my journey for a television special.”
“You’re a TV producer, too?”
He gave a quick shake of his head. “Just a guy who loves nature.”
“How many people are going with you?”
“Just me. The rest of the crew planned on filming me here at the beginning, and then waiting for me at the end of the journey to wrap things up.”
She flushed. “I’m afraid I don’t watch much television. I’m out of the country more often than I’m home. I’m not familiar with your show.”
“It isn’t a TV show yet. The producer was hoping this special might create enough interest to make it into a regular feature on the Sports News Network.”
“Now that’s something I’m familiar with. SNN is seen everywhere.”
The fish were still sizzling as Josh turned them onto a plate. He removed a packet of leaves from the fire and opened them to reveal a mixture of steaming roots that he’d collected from the wild vegetation growing in the woods around the cabin.
When he carried the platter to the table, Grace eyed it with naked hunger.
Josh shot her a wicked grin. “Wouldn’t you like to know what you’re about to eat?”
“I don’t need the scientific names, if that’s what you mean. As long as you assure me that they’re edible.”
“A girl after my own heart.” He settled down beside her and began to fill both their plates. “But just so you know the food is safe to eat, I’ll tell you the name of everything here.”
She chuckled. “A lot of good that’ll do. How will I know whether you’ve given me their real name, or something you just made up?”
“You won’t.” He popped a steaming green leaf into his mouth and gave a sigh of pleasure before swallowing. “Now this is what I call fresh.”
Following his lead, Grace tasted the fish and couldn’t stop the little sigh that escaped her lips. “You’re right. It’s wonderful.” She speared a green leaf. “All right. Just to play along, what’s this called?”
“Lamb’s-quarter. It’ll taste a lot like spinach.”
She bit into it and gave a quick nod. “It does.” She lifted a steaming tuber. “And this?”
“Wild yam. The Native Americans who lived here probably considered it a delicacy. It’ll stay fresh all winter if left in the ground.”
“It’s delicious.” Grace tasted yet another green. “And this?”
“Wild asparagus.”
“Tasty.” She found herself wondering if he actually knew all these plants, or was having fun with her. Testing him, she pointed with her fork. “This?”
“That’s wild mint. And that one is thyme.”
She started to laugh. “Honestly?”
“Would I lie to the woman who saved my life?” He speared a tuber. “This is orris root. And this is verbena. I’ll use some later to make you tea.”
“You’re trying to impress me with all this knowledge, aren’t you?”
“Guilty.” He grinned. “Is it working?”
“Yeah.” She shot him a sideways glance. “How do you learn all this?”
He shrugged. “The same way a city girl quickly learns which restaurant has the best carryout. I’ve spent so much time in the wild, eating from the land has become second nature to me.”
“Is this when you tell me your amazing tale of having been raised in the wilderness by wolves, and that you’re actually an untamed mountain man?”
That had them both laughing.
It occurred to Josh that he was having a grand time, feeling more relaxed and carefree than he had in years. “I spent a lot of time with my grandmother. She used to tell me stories about my dad, and I wanted to be just like him. I was keen for any adventure. I was on skis as soon as I could walk. Climbing mountains when other kids were riding their bikes.” His tone lowered. Softened. “Gram told me that there wasn’t anything my father wouldn’t attempt. When I was a kid, I thought he could walk on water.”
Grace heard the affection in his tone and felt a sudden ache around her heart at the thought of all she’d missed with her own father. “No wonder you need to get the generator up and running. He’ll be worried sick until he hears that you’re safe.”
“My father died when I was ten. Until then, I was a military brat, moving all around the world. Though my mother hated it, I was having the time of my life.” He crossed to the fire, retrieving the coffeepot. “I think, if my father had lived, my parents would have gone their separate ways.” When he’d topped off both their cups, he set the coffeepot aside before returning to the sofa and stretching out his legs toward the heat. “Within a year of my dad’s death my mother remarried, and I was allowed to move in with my grandmother. It was a good move for all of us. My grandmother was an amazing woman.”
Intrigued, Grace turned to him. “In what way?”
He shrugged. “She’d buried a husband, a son. Since I was the only family member she had left, it would have been natural for her to lock the doors and cling to me as tightly as possible.”
He saw Grace’s sudden frown and wondered where she’d just gone in her mind. “Instead of holding on too tightly, she seemed perfectly content to allow me to follow my heart, no matter where it took me. When I was fourteen I told her I wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail the way my dad had. She offered to come along, but I told her I wanted to do it alone. And I did.”
“But you were only a kid.”
“I grew up fast. I found out a lot about myself that summer. After that, I spent every summer doing the things my father had done. Hiking in Wyoming. Snowboarding in Colorado. Fishing in Montana.”
“So young. Weren’t you afraid and awfully lonely?”
He smiled, remembering. “There were times when I thought I’d taken on a challenge that was bigger than my talent. But I can’t say I was ever afraid. As for feeling lonely . . .” He stared into the fire. “I’ve always felt the presence of my dad in my life.”
Again that quick tug at her heart before Grace nodded toward the gloves in his breast pocket. “Your good luck charms.”
“Yeah.” His grin was quick and easy as he removed them and set them on the table. “These were the only things left. They arrived in a box with a typewritten note saying my father had been wearing them when his plane went down.”
“A plane crash?” She was so startled, she sat up straighter.
“Didn’t I mention it? He was a soldier in Special Forces.”
Grace went very still, wondering how he could speak of such a thing without emotion.
“You’re quiet.” He reached over and caught her hand in his. “I’m sorry if I upset you. But if you’re thinking I was trying to emulate him by crashing my plane, you’re wrong.”
She absorbed a jolt, but when she tried to pull away, she found herself held firmly. She stared at their joined hands, then up into his face. “I wonder how your grandmother found the courage to allow you such freedom after dealing with something so violent and unexpected?”
He moved his thumb along her wrist and felt the way her pulse jumped. Was she feeling it, too? The heat? The adrenaline from this simple touch? “Gram told me that whenever we give in to our fears, the bad guys win. It’s become my mantra. Never let fear rule.”
“I like that. Though I never heard it put into words, it’s pretty much my motto, too.”
“Really?” He looked at her with new interest. “Most people I know prefer to avoid risks and live their lives quietly.”
“It’s what my father wanted for me.” Grace’s tone grew pensive. “I was always sorry that I couldn’t be what he wanted.”
“We can’t always be what other people want us to be.” Josh continued holding her hand. It felt good, he realized, to be connected with someone, if only for the moment.
Was that part of the reason for his wanderlust? Was it because he’d never felt as connected to the living as he was to the dead?
Uncomfortable with the silence, Grace withdrew her hand and got to her feet. “I’d better tackle the dishes.” As she gathered the plates she smiled. “You were right.”
“About what?”
“That was every bit as good as any big city restaurant. Maybe even better. Especially the weeds.”
“Thanks.” With a grin, Josh drained his cup and leaned his head back, enjoying the warmth of the fire and puzzling over the fact that he wasn’t feeling any stress over this abrupt change in plans.
Seeing his sudden stillness, Grace called, “I’m sorry about your friend.”
He lifted a brow and turned to her.
“Your passenger.”
“Oh. She wasn’t a friend.”
She. For some strange reason, that simple word had Grace’s full attention.
Before she could ask more his tone became brisk. “In fact, I didn’t even know her name.”
Grace struggled to mentally shift gears. One moment she was thinking that his traveling companion had been someone important in his life, and the next he was telling her his passenger was a stranger. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
“It didn’t make sense to me, either. I was busy flying the plane, and the next thing I knew, she was there beside me.”
“A stowaway?”
He nodded. “Apparently. I certainly didn’t invite her along for the flight. Still, I can’t help but feel responsible. How could she vanish without a trace?”
“There was an explosion on impact. If she couldn’t get out of the plane, she would have been incinerated. Maybe when the ashes cool, you’ll find some clue.”
“Maybe.”
She saw the puzzled frown and decided to pursue another topic. “You say your friends were right behind you?”
“Yeah.” Josh ran a hand through his hair. “We were in communication until just before I went down. But even after my systems failed, they had to be close enough to see everything.”
“Maybe there were clouds shielding your plane from view.”
He shrugged. “Maybe.” But he could remember nothing except a clear, cloudless blue sky before all hell broke loose.
“If they saw the crash, they may have decided to fly back to civilization and bring help.”
“That’s what I’m thinking, too.” He fell silent, mentally willing his friends to be unharmed. He couldn’t stand to think that if their plane went down, too, they may have suffered a very different fate from his.
Her voice interrupted his thoughts. “You have to be exhausted from your ordeal. Would you like to lie down?”
Josh shook his head. “It just occurred to me that for the first time in years I have nowhere to go and nothing to do but wait until my backup crew arrives.”
It had to be the result of the crash. It was the only explanation for this strange euphoria. Ordinarily he’d be pacing like a caged tiger at the thought of all the unanswered questions. But for tonight, for whatever reason, he intended to put aside all the troubling questions and simply enjoy this unplanned freedom from his relentless schedule.
Without a word Josh tore himself from the comforting fire and got to his feet. “I’ll give you a hand.”
“You’ve done enough.” Grace removed a kettle of water from the fireplace and poured it into a basin. “I think it’s only fair, since you did the cooking, that I wash the dishes.”
“Just to satisfy your sense of fairness . . .” He crossed to her. “We’ll do them together.” He picked up a towel and began to dry. “This way, we’ll have them done in half the time.”
“Don’t you want to tackle the generator tonight?”
“I wish I could.” He glanced out the window. “But it’s already dark outside.”
“I brought along a battery-operated lantern. Feel free to use it.”
“I appreciate the offer.” He dried the first plate and set it down before reaching for the next. “But I’d hate to use up all your batteries on something that can be tackled just as easily tomorrow.”
“What about the people who are worried about you?”
“I’m sure they’ll be here by morning.” He was rewarded with a rare sense of peace. He couldn’t work up any anger at these odd circumstances. He was alive, unharmed, and in the company of a beautiful woman. Life didn’t get much better than this. And in the morning, when Marty and the others got here, he’d have a great tale to tell them.
He set aside the towel and lifted the plates. “Where did you find these?”
Grace gave a nod toward the cupboard above her. Josh reached up and opened the door before stowing them on a shelf. As he did, their bodies brushed. He glanced down at the same instant that Grace’s head came up and he knew, by the look in her eyes, that she was feeling exactly the same quick sexual tug that he’d just experienced.
He lowered his hand to her hair and trailed his fingers through the tangles. “Soft.” He didn’t even realize he was speaking aloud. “I knew it would be as soft as an angel’s wings.”
“Josh . . .” She lifted soapy hands from the basin. Before she could resist he dipped his head and his mouth covered hers.
The jolt to his system was instantaneous. At the first touch of his lips to hers, he felt his mind empty of all thought but one. He’d wanted this more than anything. Just the chance to taste her. Touch her. Hold her.
Though he hadn’t planned it, there was no way he could back off now. The feelings rocketing through him were more shattering than his plane crash.
He felt the slight trembling of her lips and swallowed her little gasp of surprise. As she started to back away his arms came around her, molding her to the length of him. The thought of devouring her was nearly overpowering. The need to kiss her until she surrendered was so strong, so compelling, he wondered how he could resist. It took all his willpower to go slowly, nibbling her lips until they softened beneath his and opened. Then he was feasting on her mouth. There was such sweetness here. Such goodness.
Grace couldn’t think. Couldn’t move. Could hardly breathe. As he took the kiss deeper, she brought her wet hands to his chest. She could feel the strength in him, and she had a desperate need to cling, at least for a moment. Instead of pushing away as she’d intended, she found herself giving a shaky sigh before wrapping her arms around his waist. With his mouth on hers, there was no thought of holding back. For this one moment, she would give him everything, if he but asked.
Her simple act of surrender rocked Josh as nothing else could. He’d never known anything to compare to the feelings that spiraled through him as she offered her lips. He took them with a raw, deep hunger that startled them both. He could feel his blood heating, his heartbeat racing, as his mouth moved over hers, kissing her with a thoroughness that had them both trembling.
Grace had no defense against these strange new emotions. She could feel her body burning for his touch, her bones beginning to melt like wax. She’d never known a man’s kiss to have such a devastating effect. The floor beneath her feet seemed to shift and tilt as his mouth moved over hers. When he drew her closer, she could feel his heartbeat thundering inside her chest, its wild rhythm matching her own.
In some small corner of Josh’s mind a warning bell sounded. He knew he was very close to crossing a line. Who would have expected one simple kiss to take him to the very edge of reason? But this was far from simple. The woman in his arms had awakened a hunger, a craving that was threatening to take them both down a dark and dangerous path.
One of them had to be sensible.
Head spinning, chest heaving, he drew on every last ounce of willpower and managed to lift his head.
Unwilling to completely break contact, he kept his hands at her shoulders and looked down into her eyes while he waited for his heartbeat to settle. “I hope you’re not expecting an apology. The truth is, I’ve been wanting to kiss you like that since I woke earlier and saw you lying beside me.”
“I suppose I should at least thank you for your honesty.” She gave a shaky laugh, wondering if her heart would ever return to its normal rhythm. Just standing this close, his hands touching her, had her pulse thundering out of control.
“All right. Time for true confessions.” He was studying her through narrowed eyes. “I wanted to act on that impulse sooner, but I was afraid.”
“You?” She tossed her head. “Fearless world athlete? I find that hard to believe.”
“Maybe I was afraid you weren’t real. That you were a figment of my overwrought imagination. Or that you’d run away before I had a chance to know you better.”
With that glint of humor in his eyes, she couldn’t tell if he was serious or having fun with her. Either way, his smile was contagious. He was far too tempting. And too close for comfort.
She took a step back and picked up the dish towel before drying her hands. “Sorry I got your shirt wet.”
She tried to appear casual as she picked up the basin of hot water and crossed to the door before tossing the contents outside. When she returned it to the kitchen table she was aware of the way he was watching her. His gaze swept her, lingering on her lips. It was as tempting as any kiss. And had the same strange effect on her, leaving her feeling more aroused than she cared to admit.
He turned away abruptly. “I think I’d better take you up on that offer of a lantern and work on the generator.”
“Why the sudden change of heart?”
His tone was gruff. “I don’t think it’s safe for us to be together just now.”
She felt a quick flutter around her heart and realized that she’d been thinking the same thing. “No need to go on my account. Now that it’s growing dark outside, it’s time to earn my keep. I’m taking my camera to the end of the dock to watch for spirit lights.”
“Better dress in layers. I have a feeling that once the sun goes down, it’ll feel more like winter than autumn out there.”
As Grace watched Josh pick up the lantern, she struggled to keep things light. “While you wrap your mind around rusted machinery, I’ll wrap mine around my assignment.”
He paused and shot her a wicked grin as he turned toward the shed. “I’d rather just have your arms wrapped around me the way they were a minute ago.”
She managed a laugh. “It’s a good thing we both have something important to do. Too much spare time on our hands is definitely dangerous.”
As she made her way by moonlight to the end of the dock, she stared out across the darkened water and found herself desperately hoping to see a light. That was the one thing that would keep her mind off what had just happened.
But what about later tonight? How could she and Josh possibly get through the night in such close quarters?
This cabin was beginning to feel much too small for the two of them.