CHAPTER 9

 

Stacey was warmer and more comfortable than at any other time on this entire trip. She fought opening her eyes for as long as possible. If this was a dream she wanted it to continue. Finally though, she groaned as reality began to force its way in. When she opened her eyes, Stacey saw a broad black form right in front of her nose and felt a warm body under her left hand. Rain was pouring down.

Drawing back carefully, she felt for the rain jacket she rolled up and used for a pillow. Then she crawled to the end of the blanket she was sharing with Cord. The boys slept peacefully as she stuffed her feet into her boots and slid on her jacket.

Cord shifted restlessly as if missing her warmth. Stacey ducked under the moving branches and out into the cold night for a quick walk. She was wet and shivering when she returned. Stopping at the end of the blankets, Stacey slipped off the rain jacket and hung it to drip. Her boots were wet and dirty. Nudging them off, she placed them under an edge of the tarp safely out of the rain.

The large ex-soldier had turned over while she was gone and lay facing the boys, wrapped in the blanket they were supposed to share. Carefully, on hands and knees, she crawled between Cord and Don as her teeth chattered from the cold. She lay down with her back to him. Gently she raised the blanket edge and tugged slowly. Cord’s body heat felt wonderful coming from under the cover, but she didn’t dare snuggle into it. With just a tiny share of the blanket and shivering uncontrollably, she was about to reconsider her decision when his arm snaked around her middle to pull her back tightly against him. His breath blew evenly across the side of her face and he didn’t move again. Thinking him asleep, Stacey finally relaxed. It felt amazing to be held and warmed by him. As she drifted off to sleep, she unconsciously snuggled into his body.

Cord was enjoying holding Stacey immensely until she moved against him with her firm, curved hips. Laying spoon-fashion with her became a type of torture that he never before endured. Since reaching maturity, holding a woman this close was for one reason only and his body reacted accordingly. He hadn’t foreseen a problem because of the nearness of the two boys. Forcing his body to ignore its natural impulses, Cord listened to the sounds of the rain and the wind then finally to the faint sounds of her breathing. Surprisingly, he found himself watching her sleep.

This woman changed him, affected him deep inside, and it scared him more than facing an armed assassin. In a few days he shared more with her about himself than he ever told men he served with for months. She made him laugh, made him mad then made him want her all in the space of a few minutes. Not sure how to deal with it and knowing he shouldn’t touch her, he smoothed back the wild tangle of strawberry-blond curls tickling his chin. She possessed a delicate shell of an ear with a simple heart shaped earring in the lobe. He wanted to take it into his mouth to see if it tasted as sweet as it looked. Instead, he stroked the curve of her cheek gently with the tip of his index finger.

“Hmmm? Is it time to get up?” She whispered sleepily.

“No, not yet. Go back to sleep,” he answered, huskily.

She turned onto her back and blinked up at him. “Is something wrong?” Then Stacey felt his physical reaction to her closeness as she lay with the right side of her thigh pressed to him. “I didn’t mean to—well—to make you uncomfortable.” She shifted away self-consciously and yawned. Quietly she asked, “Did you sleep at all?”

“Yes. Do you have a boyfriend, Stacey? Since we’ve slept together I think I should know, don’t you?” He whispered in her ear.

“Well, there’s sleeping and then there’s sleeping with,” she answered curtly. “I sleep lots of time near lots of men, but I don’t sleep ‘with’ anyone.”

“So, I take that to mean there’s no boyfriend.”

“I have a friend I go out with, not that it’s any of your business. He wants to—um—get more serious, but I don’t think I’m ready. What about you? Any girlfriends or maybe a wife waiting at home?” Once again she turned his questions back on him.

“No,” he answered briefly. He broke off with his latest a few months ago when she wanted to move into his apartment and began making possessive noises. “What’s the name of this friend?”

“Derek Watkins. He works at the Lodge,” she answered and decided it was time to change the subject. “Has it rained like this long?”

“A while now. That’s very convenient, him being around your place all the time. Or does he just work the ski season?” Cord wasn’t ready to let it drop. He knew it was needling Stacey and couldn’t help pursuing it.

“He works there year-round, is twenty-six, six foot tall, weighs one-eighty, has blond hair and blue eyes, is the recreational coordinator and ski-instructor, and we’ve dated for a year or so.” She sat up and hissed, “Anything else you want to know?”

Cord smiled and glanced over to make sure the boys were still asleep before asking, “Do you kiss him like you kiss me?”

That did it. Stacey threw back the blanket, crawled to the bottom of the pile of pine needles, and roughly pulled on her boots. He could almost hear her teeth grinding. After grabbing her rain jacket, she stomped off in the mud. Chuckling softly, Cord slid out and clipped his holstered gun inside his waistband at the center of his back. Stretching his stiff muscles, he stood up and looked over his surroundings. Just before daybreak, it was the quiet time when the night animals went home and the birds had not yet come out. In spite of the cold wind and the rain, he meant for them to start at first light.

If Stacey came back, he grinned. Cord wasn’t sure why he kept on until he made her angry. He didn’t start out with that in mind, but finding out there was a man in her life rattled him. He wanted to get a reaction from her, to make her take note of him the way he noticed her. To make

her pay because he couldn’t sleep with her? Maybe, he admitted honestly.

In the pre-dawn darkness, Cord heard her before he saw her. Stacey muttered as she came toward camp. He thought he caught the word, ‘jackass,’ and the phrase, ‘pin his ears back,’ before deciding it would be prudent to scout out the area to make sure no one followed them. Slipping away into the trees, he told himself it would be better to let her calm down and even wake the boys before he returned to camp.

Ten minutes later Stacey sat under the shelter, wrapped in a blanket, sipping coffee when she saw him walk toward her. Staring into her cup, she said quietly and solemnly, “I never felt with him what I feel when you kiss me.” Passing him the cup without meeting his eyes, she turned to shake the boys and call their names until they woke up.

Don pushed at Ricky complaining, “Get off me. I think you had your feet on me all night.” Together they crawled out of the shelter and stood, stretching and squabbling. “Would you heat another cup of water for the boys? I’ll get them some food.” She tried to sound businesslike.

“Take some food for yourself. You can’t last if you don’t eat,” Cord ordered. He wasn’t over the shock of her admission and wished she had waited to wake the boys. But what else was there to say? He kissed better than her boyfriend. Big deal. He’d probably had more practice, and he was definitely older. It didn’t matter. She couldn’t be anything to him, anyway. But she seemed sad and unhappy about it. Well, she’d have to deal with it. He couldn’t do it for her.

“I could tell you the same,” Stacey said as she tossed him a packet of coffee and laid out the food.

Realizing she was talking about him eating, he agreed, “Okay. We each take a power bar and half a bar of chocolate. If we have to, we can skip lunch better than breakfast.”

“Alright, I guess so.” Stacey was inventorying their meager food supplies. “There are two apples, four nutrition bars, one bag of trail mix, half a bag of raisins, six power bars, and the berries we picked. These are the last two chocolate bars and there are only four packets of coffee. I should have set some snares last night. We’re going to have to supplement our food supplies.”

“Give the boys a nutrition bar, half an apple, and some berries each. Save their chocolate for lunch. If you see anything edible or a stream with fish, we’ll just have to take the time to stop and take advantage of it. Okay?”

“Okay,” she agreed as the boys tumbled into the shelter. They were in fairly good spirits after a long night of rest.

“Here’s breakfast, guys. Chew slowly so it seems like more. And even though you don’t like coffee, Don, you should try a few sips to warm you up.”

“Yuck,” Don made a face, but she noticed he took several drinks when Ricky passed him the cup. They really were good boys who had been through a lot. She and Cord were going to get them out of this and back to their family. If she must miss several meals to do it, she would see that they ate. Hopefully they wouldn’t have to resort to bugs and grubs as their survival instructor forced them to do on one trip. Shuddering at the thought, she slipped her power bar into her pocket for later. She took out her toothbrush and hair pick to take care of her morning toilette.

Stacey felt what she really needed was a pressure washer and a gallon of soap. Her hair was almost beyond help. The continuous dampness made it curl even more and pine needles had become so tightly ensnared she pulled out some of her hair with each one. Doing the best she could, she finally pulled the thick jumble into a ponytail then went outside the shelter to brush her teeth. When the boys finished eating, they worked together to pack up and were ready to head out by the time the weak morning light filtered through the trees. Stacey tried to give Don her rain jacket, but all of the ‘men’ insisted she keep it.

They climbed and descended several ridges and hills before the terrain finally began to be less steep and more rounded. They entered dense pine forests with only scattered glens of undergrowth and thickets. As the morning passed, the small group endured several downpours and a constant cold wind from the northwest.

Without the sun to guide her, Stacey relied on her small compass to keep them traveling southwest. She let Don and Ricky show her what they knew about reading the compass as they hiked. They talked constantly and questioned everything. The boys shared some of what their father taught them on their camping trips. Stacey didn’t mind their chatter. It helped keep their minds off the cold and the damp and how tired they were.

Cord didn’t take part as he walked a distance behind to protect them from being unexpectedly overtaken. He often dropped back to check their back-trail.

As Stacey predicted, they crossed several streams too small for fish. She explained to the boys that these were just runoffs and would dry up as soon as the snow and wet weather were gone. But she and the boys managed to pick several edible leaves and stuff them in a bag as they walked through the woods.

At noon Cord called a halt for lunch and a much-needed rest. Instead of eating and resting with them, he hiked back even further to make sure they weren’t being followed. He didn’t really think the criminals could catch them now, but it didn’t pay to take chances. Plus this way Stacey wouldn’t insist he eat food she and the boys would need later.

Even though the terrain was getting easier, the cold and damp were draining their energy by forcing their bodies to work harder to stay warm. Not knowing how much longer they could keep hiking, he hoped Stacey was right about finding a logging camp. There had been no sign of a chopper or plane in days. They were well away from the area the chopper pilot was told to fly over and the bad weather likely grounded him, anyway. Cord would just have to trust that Stacey knew what she was doing.

At almost three that afternoon, the cold, weary bunch came to a very wide stream. Stacey showed the boys how she caught the trout they ate their first day together. These fish were smaller, but large enough to eat. After catching one for each of them, she left the boys to try for a few more while she put the others on to cook.

Cord scrounged some nearly dry wood and built a fire. Sitting down beside him, she put the fish on a spit and kept an eye on the boys.

“You surprised me again this morning,” Cord said quietly.

“Really?” Stacey refused to look at him.

“I wouldn’t have been surprised if you had lied or just not said anything.”

Stacey knew at once what he was referring to. “One thing you should have already learned about me, McConnell, is that I always try to be honest, even when it hurts. I detest lying.” She reached out to rotate the fish over the fire. “You did a good job with the fire, considering how soaked everything is.”

“I do know a few things about survival. This, however,” he gestured toward the trees and mountains with one hand, “is slightly out of my usual element.”

“What is your element?” Cord opened the door and Stacey wasn’t going to miss the chance to find out more about him.

“Most of my training was in the jungle, then in foreign embassies and large cities. Lately I’ve even spent some time in the desert. I go where the job takes me and that seems to be the Middle East or South America recently.”

“Where is home for you?” She turned the fish again while he added more wood to the fire.

“If I told you that I’d have to kill you.” He said it straight-faced, but she caught a slight twinkle in his eyes. He seemed reluctant to share any details.

Stacey laughed out loud and punched the arm nearest her. “Come on, McConnell, where do you live when you’re not on a job?”

“I have an apartment in New York and another in Dallas.”

“I see,” she spoke softly. Then Ricky and Don interrupted to show them the three trout they caught.

“If I can borrow your knife, Stacey, I’ll clean them,” Ricky offered.

Stacey dug it out of her pocket and handed it over.

He went back to the stream bank to work on the fish.

“Ricky caught two, but mine was the biggest,” Don boasted as he sat down near the fire. “Here’s your line. I wound it up carefully, just like you said. Are they done yet?” She lifted the cross stick off the spit and poked the largest trout. Putting it back over the fire, she told him, “Just a little longer unless you like sushi.”

“I’ll wait, thanks.” He got up and went to see how Ricky was doing.

“How do your clients find you if you have two apartments?” Stacey asked Cord curiously. “Do you have an office?”

“I have a special number with an answering machine at both places. I return the calls that I’m interested in. I don’t advertise and usually only take referrals. I work out of the apartments.”

“Do you enjoy what you do?”

“Sometimes. Depends on the outcome.” Uncomfortable with how much he had already revealed, Cord stood up and moved slightly away. “Those are done enough. We need to eat and get moving. There’s not much of the day left.”

Stacey lifted the stick holding the fish off the fire and let them cool a few minutes before calling the boys. She put the other three on to cook while they ate. Ricky and Don wolfed down another trout each while she and Cord divided the third one.

After breaking camp and refilling the canteens, they prepared to cross the stream. The rain slowed to a drizzle and the wind wasn’t blowing as hard, but it was still fairly cold.

The water reached Cord’s knees and came up to mid-thigh on Stacey, Ricky, and Don. Holding hands and walking carefully, they managed to get across without falling in the swiftly moving water. Their feet were soaked completely and Don shivered continuously as they hiked on.

Stacey insisted Don put on her rain jacket for a while to keep the wind off him. They warmed a little climbing up to the top of a small ridge where Stacey stopped for them to catch their breath. She scanned the valley below and stared across to the next hill. “Cord, come look. Tell me if that’s what I think I see,” she pointed across to a slope on the other side of the valley. Her eyes watered from the wind and she didn’t want to get everyone excited only to find she made a mistake.

He joined her and looked where Stacey indicated. Freshly felled trees, a large trailer partly filled with logs and some kind of hoist were visible from where he stood. “Yes, I see it. How long to reach it?”

“Not before dark, I’m afraid. From the sounds I hear, there’s a fairly large river we’ll have to cross. By the time we reach it the light will be going. I think we should find a safe place to camp near the bottom of this ridge and cross tomorrow when it’s lighter and we’re rested. What do you guys think?” Stacey turned to include Ricky and Don in their discussion.

“If it’s a logging camp, can’t we just yell and let them come get us?” Don asked through chattering teeth. He was all for getting warm and dry as soon as possible.

“I don’t think so. It’s where they’ve been logging, but they don’t usually work in the rain.” She moved to hug Don’s shoulders as his face fell. “Their camp is definitely there somewhere, but with the river and the distance I don’t think they’ll hear us no matter how loud we yell. Don’t worry, we should be able to follow their tracks and find someone tomorrow. Can you handle one more night of camping out?”

“I think so, but it sure would be nice not to need to hike anymore,” Don agreed. He was still shivering and Stacey grew more concerned about him.

“We should probably do what Stacey says,” Ricky added quietly. “Trying to cross the river while we’re tired and in the dark sounds dangerous.”

“I agree,” Cord made it unanimous. “We also don’t know how far it will be to the logging camp and we don’t need to go stumbling around and miss it. Maybe when it gets dark we can pinpoint its location by seeing their lights. Why don’t you find us a good place to camp, Stacey, and we’ll start early in the morning? We might even meet those guys as they come to work tomorrow.” Cord was trying to build their morale for the hike down the ridge. He knew they were tired, wet, and cold because he was also feeling the effects.

“Wouldn’t that be great?” Ricky poked Don. “We might scare them out of a year’s growth.”

Don laughed a little then followed as Stacey led the way down the slope. He moved closer and held her hand. “I wouldn’t mind so much if I just wasn’t so cold, Stacey,” he whispered. His hand felt like ice in hers.

“I know and I promise we’ll take care of it as soon as we find a place to camp, okay?” she whispered back.

Just over an hour later and almost halfway down the steep slope she found an outcropping of rock with a twisted white pine growing from the top. The roots of the tree and the trapped rocks and dirt created an overhang similar to a shallow cave. With huge boulders on each side it would provide more shelter than they had slept in since they started. Stacey just hoped that it wasn’t already occupied. Taking a flashlight, she carefully checked each nook before declaring it varmint free.

Even though there was a bit of daylight left, Cord agreed this was the best place to spend the night and they began to set up camp. Cord left to check the back-trail and gather dry wood for a fire.

Stacey sent Ricky in search of dry pine needles for bedding and kept Don with her to move sticks and rocks from the sleeping area while she made the fire ring. Noticing his teeth still chattering and his lips looked a little blue, she told him, “I’ll be back in just a minute, Don.” Behind one of the large rocks, Stacey stripped off her jeans and boots then peeled off her thermal underwear. They were only slightly damp in spots, having mostly dried on her while she hiked. After pulling her jeans back on and stuffing her feet into her boots, she walked quickly to where Don was flapping his arms and stomping his feet to generate some warmth.

“Go in there and undress,” she ordered. “We’ve got to get you into something dry to get you warm. I won’t look when I pass you these to put on. Hand out your wet things and we’ll dry them when we get the fire going.”

Don went into the shadows of the shallow cave and she heard the rustle of clothing. Taking a blanket from her pack, she used her pocketknife to cut a slit in the middle. “Okay, Stacey,” Don called and held out his wet clothes. Backing up, Stacey held the thermal bottoms out to him by reaching behind her. He took the thermal pants and placed his wet clothes in her hand. She held her other hand behind her to pass him the blanket. “See that hole in the middle? Put your head through there and wear it like a poncho.”

“Something wrong, Stacey?” Ricky asked when he returned with an armload of pine needles. He dumped them at the mouth of the cave to stay dry.

“Don’s freezing. We’re trying to get him a little dryer so he can get warm. Will you take my belt and fasten that blanket around his waist? He’d probably rather you do it. And would you hand him the other blankets to wrap up in?” Stacey handed the canvas belt to Ricky then moved over to the fire ring. She hastily started a small blaze. “His skin is really cold, Stacey, so I told him to stay in there where it was dry. That’s okay isn’t it?” Ricky came back to warm his hands at the small fire.

“I think that’s best for now. If he wants to help, he can arrange the bedding. I’m going to make him a cup of coffee. When Cord gets back, I’ll go down to the river and see if I can catch some fish to eat.”

“Grilled trout really sounds good. Course we would probably eat grilled hippopotamus about now.” He grinned at Stacey. “I need to go back for more needles. Now that I found them, it shouldn’t take as long this time.”

“Okay. Be careful.” Stacey soon had water heating in her tin cup. They were a bedraggled group, she couldn’t help thinking. The only reason they weren’t offensive to each other was because they all smelled. The animals left them alone because they couldn’t stand the stench, she decided with a slight smile as she stirred one of the precious packets of coffee into the water. Using her sleeve as a potholder, she carried the cup to Don. “Use the corner of the blanket so you don’t burn your hand. Are you getting warmer?”

Don accepted the cup, took a sip, and made a face. “Yeah, I’m a lot better now.” He looked around the inside of the cave before taking another sip of the warm liquid. Then he handed the cup to Stacey. “I don’t like that stuff, but it does help get you warm. You need to drink some, too. This place is kind of neat, huh?”

Don was so covered in blankets she could only see his face. “Yeah, pretty neat. I had a place sort of like this—well—me and my brother did. It was our secret place when we were about your age.”

“Where’s your brother now?”

“He died several years ago.”

“Bummer. Do you still miss him?” Don asked and accepted the cup for another drink.

“Every day.”

“That’s the way I’d be if something happened to Ricky. Don’t tell him though. He’d think it was sappy.” After a minute, Don looked down and went on, “Thanks for getting me warm and for not making a big deal out of it in front of the others. I never had that happen before, not being able to warm up, I mean. Once we get back—do you think I could write to you?”

“I don’t see why not. I might even write back,” she teased. “Or better yet, do you have e-mail? I really need to practice on the computer.

“Yeah, me too. That would be way cool.”

Ricky came in with a larger armload of pine needles. “Cord’s back with firewood. You doing okay, squirt?”

“Yeah, I’m okay. You want some of this coffee?” Don offered the cup to his big brother.

Stacey went to talk to Cord. The rain had stopped altogether while she talked with Don inside the cave. She saw that McConnell brought a load of wood back with him and was busily breaking the largest sticks to build up the fire. Gathering Don’s clothes, she placed his sneakers on their sides near the heat to dry out.

“I should go down to the river and see if I can catch some fish. Maybe find some more edible plants. Don is better, but we’re going to be a blanket short tonight,” she told him.

“We’ll manage. I’ll go for more wood while you take care of supper. We’ll need to keep the fire going most of the night if we’re going to dry out everything.”

“I’m going to rinse Don’s clothes out while he’s got them off then spread them out to dry. They feel like they could stand up by themselves if I don’t.”

Ricky brought the cup and handed it to Cord. “Do I need to get more bedding?”

“No, we’ll make do with what you’ve already brought. I have to get more wood and Stacey needs to work on supper. We need you to stay with Don and get warm yourself. Why don’t you take off your shoes and put them by the fire so they can start drying?” Cord told him.

“Okay. Is there something I can give the squirt to eat? I know he’s hungry. He can have my share if there’s not enough.”

“Get some trail mix and the raisins out of my pack for both of you to munch on. Here’s a power bar you can half until I get back with something to cook. I’ll make it as quick as I can,” Stacey handed Ricky the bar she stashed in her pocket that morning.

After Ricky turned back to the cave, Cord grabbed her arm and whispered, “Parker, you were supposed to eat that. How do you think you can keep going without eating?”

“I ate fish. Besides, I know my limitations. I’ve skipped several meals before without swooning,” Stacey answered pertly.

“One thing about you, Parker, I can’t imagine you swooning.” Cord hid a smile and let her go. “Just be sure you eat tonight.”

“Yes, Great Leader. May I go now?”

He turned his back without answering and stomped off uphill. She is definitely a handful. Cord pitied her poor father trying to keep her under control these past years. That boyfriend of hers was either a very patient guy or let her run all over him. Oh well, it wasn’t his business. Once the boys were back to safety, he probably wouldn’t see her again. Of course, if things were different she would definitely make life interesting. Shrugging, he reached the deadfall providing the dry wood. This trip should provide enough to keep them warm for the night.

Stacey took her fishing line and Don’s clothes with her to the river. The water ran high and flowed fast. Going downstream, she found a spot where the water pooled and she could fish. After catching five good-sized trout and cleaning them, she rinsed out Don’s clothes.

Desperately craving a bath, she looked around carefully then stripped. Holding her breath against the cold, she slipped into the edge of the freezing water. Using sand, she scrubbed lightly then dipped down to wash it off before hurrying out. Stacey rinsed her clothes several times and wrung them out before tugging them on. Her teeth chattered and she shivered continuously, but at least she felt cleaner. Finding some plants with edible salad-like leaves on her way back upriver, she picked enough for all of them. Then she happened upon a plant with edible roots.

She washed them carefully before climbing uphill to the camp with her arms full. The climb helped warm up a little and she expected the waiting fire to finish the job.

Cord bent over the fire putting on more wood when she arrived. Both boys sat nearby and Ricky was wrapped in a blanket. His clothes were spread out on the rock directly behind the fire drying.

“Did you fall in, Parker?” Cord stood up to take the fish and Don’s wet clothes from her.

“Not exactly. Let’s get those fish cooking. I’m out of seasoning so we’ll have to be purists tonight.” She got as close to the fire as she could without getting burned.

Ricky helped Cord put the fish on a spit.

Stacey peeled and sliced the roots she had dug and passed them to the boys along with some of the leaves. “They’re better if you eat them together,” she told them.

Cord accepted one leaf and one small slice of the root. Taking a cautious bite, he commented, “Tastes kind of like a radish and raw spinach. It wouldn’t be too bad smothered in Italian dressing.”

Ricky and Don laughed and agreed with him. “The first night back home I want some of mom’s meatloaf, a huge baked potato, and I’ll even eat her green beans,” Don told them.

“Stacey, you’re smoking,” Ricky pointed to her sleeve nearest the fire. Steam rose from her thermal shirt as moisture evaporated in the heat.

“It’s okay. I’m just drying out, but maybe I should move back a little.”

Cord reached over and turned the fish. “Here,” he handed her a cup of coffee. “We’re all sharing. That leaves two packets for morning. Are you sure you didn’t fall in and just don’t want to tell us?” He quirked an eyebrow at her.

“Yeah, how did you get so wet?” Don joined in. “We won’t give you too hard a time if you fell in.”

“If you have to know, I took a bath while I was down there and washed out my clothes,” she confessed as she sipped from the cup then passed it on.

“Man, you females really like that stuff. Wasn’t it freezing?”

“Yes, but I was already wet and cold. I was even more tired of feeling dirty. I figured a little scrubbing and rinsing definitely wouldn’t make it any worse,” she explained.

“A little dirt never hurt anyone, huh, Cord?” Don grinned as he chewed happily on a leaf.

“A little maybe, but I’m beginning to see Stacey’s point after a week’s worth,” he replied as he lifted the front of his sweatshirt and sniffed. “We’re all becoming very—odiferous.”

“In other words, we stink, squirt,” Ricky chimed in. “The loggers won’t have to hear us, they’ll be able to smell us coming.”

They all laughed as Stacey checked the fish then turned her back to the fire to warm that side for a while.

The boys took turns staring across to the other side of the river to see if they could spot lights from the logging camp. They never saw any and finally gave up. “What’s the first thing you want to eat when you get back, Cord?” Don asked.

“An inch-thick steak, fries, Texas toast, and a gallon of iced tea. Add chocolate cake for dessert. What about you Ricky?”

“I can’t decide between pizza and a cheeseburger, but I have to have a strawberry shake. Maybe I’ll have both,” he smiled and jabbed his younger brother with his elbow. With several cans of soda to wash it all down. Your turn, Stacey.”

Stacey closed her eyes and pictured the food she wanted. “A hot fudge sundae with nuts to start. Some barbecue ribs and yeast rolls dripping with honey butter. A huge helping of crab salad, crispy fried okra, and then another hot fudge sundae for dessert. Then cups and cups of gourmet roast coffee.”

“Wait, Stacey. You can’t start and end with a hot fudge sundae,” Don argued.

“Sure I can. I’m an adult. I can eat however I want to,” she retaliated.

“That sounds real adult,” Cord winked at the boys. He got up to move the fish off the spit. He held them up to let them cool before sliding them from the stick.

Rising stiffly, Stacey moved around the campfire to turn the clothes on the large boulder. When she sat back down, Cord handed her a trout and they ate hungrily, picking the meat out with their fingers. The boys halved the last fish and ate more of the greens. Even though they ate in the middle of the afternoon, keeping warm and hiking quickly depleted their resources. It would take days, possibly weeks, to replace the stores of fat they were burning. Stacey knew she dropped several pounds already and assumed the others had as well.

Once they were all finished, Stacey took a spool of cord from her pack, picked up the remains of their meal, and disappeared into the dark. She set several snares on a small rabbit trail and placed the scraps on a rock a good distance from camp.

Cord and the boys were missing when she returned to the fire. The thinner clothes on the side of the huge rock were dry, but the jeans and thick socks would take longer. She folded the dry things then sat down to remove her own boots and socks. Placing the boots on their side with the openings facing the flames, she noticed that the boys’ sneakers were gone. Stretching her cold, wet feet out to the fire, Stacey moaned as the heat began to thaw out her toes.

She felt a light breeze blow over her face and hoped it wouldn’t get colder.

When they returned, the boys were tired and ready for bed. Stacey handed them the dry clothes then they went into the shallow cave to lie down.

Don was back after a few minutes to hand her the thermal bottoms she loaned him. “You can have these. I think I can manage, now. Night, Stacey.”

“Goodnight, Don. If you wake up cold, you can have them back,” she offered.

Cord waited until Don settled back down and then told her, “You should get the other blanket and take off your wet things. I’m going down to the river to clean up a little while I have a chance. I’ll call out before I come back to the fire.”

“Be careful down there. The bank drops off steeply in several places,” she warned.

“I’ll watch it,” he said over his shoulder continuing down the hill.

Stacey slipped quietly into the cave and retrieved the blanket Don spread over the pile of pine needles for her and Cord. Outside she shook it then slipped to the other side of the large boulder to remove her damp clothing. Wrapped securely in the blanket, she used one hand to spread her things in the vacant spots on the rock. The boys’ jeans were finally drying, she found as she turned them again.

Feeling the heat reflecting from the largest rock, Stacey decided to sit down and prop against it. There should be just enough room if she folded her legs and sat Indian-fashion between the rock and the edges of the fire ring. Holding the blanket firmly around her, she sank down onto the ground and leaned back. It was so nice to be surrounded by warmth. Not as good as when Cord held her, but still pretty darn good. Before long, drowsiness overtook her. She dozed with the warmed rock at her back and the fire warming her front.

Cord stopped on the edge of camp after calling out softly. He smiled at the picture she made. The flicker of the firelight cast a soft glow over her face. Her curls were a wild, loose tangle around her face and neck. The blanket hung off her right shoulder and one long, elegant leg lay exposed almost to the top of her thigh. He took a deep breath and swallowed hard before he could move. He should turn, run back down the hill, and plunge into the icy water. But facing facts, he knew it wouldn’t do any good if this sight awaited him when he got back. Not nearly as beautiful as some women he had known, she was infinitely more desirable, gutsy and real, with a unique sexual appeal all her own.

Most women he escorted would rather die than go without their make-up or weekly hair appointment. They wore thousand dollar gowns and screeched if they broke one of their expensively manicured nails. Cord discovered he much preferred Parker’s natural, untamed appearance—especially the way she looked right now.

“Um-hmm,” he cleared his throat loudly, but she didn’t stir. “Stacey—Stacey, wake up.”

She lifted her head to blink at him with sleepy eyes. “What? What’s wrong?”

You should go lay down,” Cord tried not to look at her. He didn’t want her to see what was in his eyes or on his mind.

Stacey’s mouth fell open as she took in the sight of the man in front of her. He hadn’t put either shirt back on, but carried them in his hand. His broad, muscular chest glistened in the firelight. Tiny drops of water shone like diamonds as they beaded on his skin. The chest hair he sported, though sparse, was dark and curly forming into a narrow line pointing south. Cord’s skin was taut, sleek, and almost bronze in color.

“Do you ever shave?” The question slipped out without her meaning it to. She had wondered for days.

“Sure, for special occasions, but I don’t grow a lot of facial hair,” he answered and almost groaned in desperation. “Please, Stacey, go to bed.”

“I’m comfortable right here. The fire is nice.” She carefully readjusted the blanket to cover her leg and her shoulder. “Besides, I have to keep turning the clothes so they’ll dry quicker. Why don’t you sit with me?” Stacey drowsily patted the ground beside her.

“I’ll turn the clothes. You’ll be safer in there with the boys,” Cord insisted through gritted teeth still not looking at her and refusing to move closer.

“Safer? What’s wrong, Cord?” Stacey quickly looked around to see what danger he meant. Had he kept something from her?

“Safer from me. I know you have nothing on under there and I want you. I’m trying extremely hard to be a gentleman, but if you don’t want to be made love to, then you’d better go in there away from me for a while,” Cord said in a low, tightly controlled voice. He felt proud of the way he calmly spelled it out for her.

Without a word she stood and headed for the sheltering overhang. Then, having second thoughts, she walked back and stopped just out of reach. “Judging from my response to your kisses, you know I want you too, but I don’t know you well enough. Besides, I’ve always wanted my first time to be in a huge bed in a honeymoon suite with a wedding band on my finger. Night, McConnell.” Smiling a strange little smile, she went into the cave and lay down near the boys.

After a few hours of dozing fitfully, Stacey became cold and needed to move around to keep from getting too stiff. She also wanted to see if her clothes were dry. No way would she risk wandering around in the woods in just a blanket. The fire was still burning. Cord had taken her position against the rock. Probably the whole thing about him wanting her had been a lie to get her warm spot, she decided grumpily.

Even with his eyes closed and half-asleep, Cord knew when she got close to the fire. Her last announcement made it essential he stay away from her. If she had been willing they could have had a relationship, maybe even a long-term affair. But he didn’t do first times and he didn’t do marriage. His line of work wouldn’t allow it and he would not make a commitment he didn’t intend to keep. No security, no structure, and no always for any woman who chose to be with him. He refused to take on the responsibility that would come with Stacey.

Cord didn’t move as she quietly pulled her clothes from the rock then went behind the boulder to change. But he heard every rustle and every whispered curse as she fumbled in the dark. He tried not to imagine her garments sliding on over her creamy, silken skin.

Glad to be in her clothing again, Stacey dropped the blanket on Cord’s chest. “Here. You probably want to dry the rest of your things. Stiff, but dry is definitely an improvement,” she told him as she dropped to the ground to pull on her socks and boots. “I have to walk a bit so don’t take long to change.” Leaving the fireside, she walked quickly away.

Cord stood and shucked his pants and briefs. Wrapping the blanket around his waist, he spread his stuff out to dry. His boots and socks were already partially dried by the fire. Returning to sit and lean against the rock, he was well covered when she returned.

“Can I stay now?” she asked softly. “I’m sort of cold, but I’ll go if you want me to.”

“Stay. I think I can control myself, now,” he replied flatly.

Sitting down across the flames from him and hugging her knees, Stacey stated, “You’re angry with me.”

“No, I’m angry with me.” Cord took a deep breath and wished she hadn’t brought it up. “I don’t usually let things get that close to being out of hand. It won’t happen again.”

“Okay. I’ll try to remember to be more careful, too. The men I’m usually around tend to see me as a—well, a kid sister, I guess. Morris is pretty strict about calling down anybody who gets out of line with me when we’re on a search.”

They sat in silence staring into the flames until Cord asked, “Did you say you’ve dated the ski instructor for a year?”

“Yeah, off and on.”

“And you’ve never been tempted to...?”

“No,” she answered shortly and he saw a pink color stain her cheeks. Then she sighed and decided to explain. “Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve loved stories that end happily ever after. From what I’ve seen, women like my mom and my friend, Cathy, who waited for their special man have that. Women who are—freer with their affections and go from man to man, never seem to find the happy ever after type of love. They’re never satisfied with what they have and get bored easily. I’ve seen lots of them come through the lodge over the years. I’m willing to wait. I’m probably like my mom more than I want to admit.” Stacey smiled as she thought of what her mother would say to that admission from her.

Cord raised an eyebrow. “And what if he never shows up?”

“Oh, he will. I’m sure of it.” She laid her head down on her knees. “What about you, McConnell? No plans for someone to have kids with or to hold your hand as you grow old?”

“In my line of work, I probably won’t be around to get old. I’ve learned to take life moment to moment and job to job.”

“But are you really satisfied that there’s nothing more? If you do survive to a ripe old age, you’ll be all alone. I don’t want that,” she pushed up. “I think I’ll try to get some more sleep,” she yawned and went into the cave to stretch out on her bed of pine needles.

Cord couldn’t immediately dismiss what Stacey said. No one in his life cared for his needs except those he paid and the women who came and went. He wasn’t going to let her play with his mind and make him want something he couldn’t have. Family life or even a long-term relationship wouldn’t suit him. But she definitely got under his skin. He wasn’t sure he liked it. As a matter of fact, he positively didn’t like it.