Chapter 6

Sam grabbed her camera and toiletries as she exited the cabin, ready to face her worst fears. Kids and horses. She hadn’t had much of a choice. She couldn’t hide in her temporary home for a moment longer. Not with the insistent pressure of her bladder screaming for release.

Wearily, she cast a thorough gaze over the group and noted their sullen expressions. If this was the welcoming committee, she was in big trouble. In fact, the only thing lacking was pitch forks and a burning stake to tie her against.

Not saying a word, she hurried past the surly horde and raced to the outhouse. Holding her breath, she quickly used the makeshift bathroom, then stopped for a brisk shower before returning to the waiting lynch mob.

“She can’t even ride a horse, Wolf.”

Sam heard the surly remark as she approached and tried to ignore it, but it was nearly impossible as the implied insult hit its intended target, stinging her pride. Was it so obvious she was out of her element?

The group burst into laughter, pouring salt into the open wound and answering her question. Sam was the butt of the joke. Holding her head up, she studied the offsetting balance of five enormous beasts and three small ones surrounding her and realized any attempt to fit in would be useless.

She cast a narrow glance at the dark-haired child who had pointed out the truth and advertised her fears. Ironically, his statement couldn’t be any more correct. A defiant part of her considered screaming out he was wrong, that she’d ridden plenty of horses in her time, regardless of the lie. Besides, how hard could it be? She cast a wary glance at the closest animal.

“How would you know, Keetna?” Blake stepped forward, blocking Sam’s examination. “Besides, Dixie isn’t just any horse. She’s special. Aren’t you, girl?” He patted the animal with sincere affection then turned back to the children and introduced her. “Kids, this is Sam. She’ll be joining us today. Sam, the loud one is Keetna. The shorter one is Ivan. And last, but not least, is Little Su.”

She studied the motley crew. Label her a coward, but Sam wanted nothing more than to run back inside the cabin and disappear underneath the warm, quilted bedspread. One of the children, a slim girl with long, stringy hair, floored her with a sly grin, and she couldn’t help but wonder if the child read her thoughts.

The boy on her right completely ignored the introduction, too involved with his horse, and she sucked in a relieved breath until her gaze landed on the boy who had been so vocal. At the moment, he was killing her with a death glare.

“Is this part of your job?” she asked Blake, confused and slightly intimidated by the group.

He chuckled, obviously amused by her bewilderment. “Unofficially,” he answered. “This is my real job, Langford Trail Rides. I’d prefer to work it full time, but can’t swing it yet. I’ve only got a dozen horses, which isn’t bad, considering I’m still trying to build the business. And as far as the kids go, I’m doing a favor for mankind by keeping these troublemakers in line.”

He appeared nonchalant about the children, but Sam could tell by the way he showered them with a fond smile he felt quite differently. It was evident the man cared more than he let on.

She returned her gaze to the sweet-looking girl. She seemed to be anything but trouble.

“Don’t let her fool you. She may look innocent, but she can be a real handful. On second thought…you two ought to get along just fine. You both have a lot in common.”

Sam released a shocked gasp, garnishing a smile from him as he continued with his explanation.

“I teach the kids how to ride and track animals. They seem to like it, and I enjoy doing it.”

“So, these aren’t your children?”

“Not likely,” he stated casually and tipped back his hat. “I guess I could be considered an adopted uncle to Keetna. His dad, Denali, is like a brother to me.” Blake pointed to the child with the angry glare. “Don’t mind him.” He laughed, dismissing the child’s unfriendly demeanor. “The boy is the spitting image of his father, right down to the sour disposition and distrust of outsiders…of new people.”

“Denali?” she questioned.

A tensing of his jaw hinted she had overstepped her boundaries; a silent warning she should curb her curiosity at the risk of invading his separate, secret life.

“Yeah. No more questions,” Blake rashly dismissed her inquiry, holding her gaze with a gritty stare. “And don’t start thinking I’m some kind of saint. I’m not…far from. This is as much a favor to the kids as it is to me. Two out of the six riders I had scheduled for this week’s trail ride canceled, so I rescheduled the group for next week, but the horses still need to be exercised daily.” He paused, gazing at the beasts. “You and Dixie will be taking the rear, while Captain and I lead the pack,” he informed her before facing the group. “Since you are such an expert on the subject, Keetna, you can ride in front of Sam and show her the ropes.” Without another word, Blake returned his attention back to the horse she was supposed to ride.

Sam spared a glance at the boy. A scowl altered his face, and she couldn’t hide the smug smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Obviously, babysitting her hadn’t been a part of the kid’s plan today. Unable to resist, she stuck her tongue out.

Keetna, more of an adult than she was at the moment, ignored her behavior. His earlier words came back to haunt her. The boy was right; she didn’t know a darn thing about horses.

“The kid’s on to something,” she confessed, nearing Blake’s side.

He didn’t acknowledge her admittance. Instead, he checked a strap on the horse’s underside. Pulling it snugly, he made sure the buckle held and was clasped in its keeper before locking her in an intense stare.

She continued, completely out of her comfort zone. “I don’t know how to ride a horse. And furthermore, I know even less about taking the rear.”

Blake chuckled. Coming up behind her, he wound two thin straps of rawhide into her resistant hand. Surrounded by his warmth, her senses swirled. She breathed in his trademark scent, leather and manliness; the bawdy mix made it difficult to concentrate.

“I’ll teach you,” he whispered into her ear.

A shiver ran up her spine as his lips brushed against the tender area, and she tried to ignore her body’s response. It wasn’t easy.

“First rule…don’t show fear. Kids smell it. I think they feed off it. And so will your horse. Riding a horse is the easy part. And this is just the basics…riding 101.”

He pulled away, and she immediately missed the heat against her backside.

“First, we gotta get you on her. A few things to remember…I always mount the horse on the left side. Most people do. It’s just easier if you are right handed. Are you?”

She nodded.

“Good. Hold onto the reins in your left hand.”

Sam did as instructed.

“That’s right. Now grab onto the saddle horn,” he encouraged and pointed to a makeshift handle on the saddle.

Unsure, but game, she followed his direction.

“Steady. There you go, foot in the stirrup…now, pull yourself up.”

He helped, lifting her onto the horse’s backside as if she weighed little more than a ten pound sack of potatoes. She adjusted her position in the seat, fighting against the unsettling aftermath his hands on her hips inspired.

“Good. Now, the reins will be what you use to steer her.”

Heeding his advice, she glanced down. Shocked by how far off the ground she was, Sam reached out an unsteady hand and grasped the saddle horn in a tight grip. After a minute, she braved her situation, running her fingers through the horse’s dark, chocolate mane.

Dixie neighed in response, tossing her head back and causing Sam to lose hold on both the thin straps and the saddle horn. The small group erupted into a bout of laughter at her expense again as Blake returned the reins. This time, she gripped the leather so tight it cut into the soft flesh of her palm.

“Try to keep a hold of those. If not, you have to control Dixie with your thighs. A lesson I haven’t shared with you yet.”

A warm flush crawled over her skin as his words hinted at a double meaning. Her gaze caught hold, and he captivated her with a roguish wink. Spiraling, her thoughts traveled down a wanton road again.

Was the man flirting with her?

Refusing to fall prey to his charms, she glanced away. But the off-color statement had hit its mark, awakening lustful images and ways she could control the man with only her knees.

“Oh, I almost forgot, every cowgirl needs a hat,” Blake said in a casual tone. He walked to the back of his horse and untied the headgear off the saddle bag. “Here you go.”

She bent forward and allowed him to place the worn, brown hat on the top of her head. A perfect fit.

“Cowgirl, huh?” She welcomed the new title, relishing for the first time the fact he hadn’t insulted her with his usual city girl insult and the sneer which always accompanied the reference.

Blake left her side to jump on his mount, ready to lead the pack. As if on cue, the horses formed a line behind the large, black monstrosity he claimed.

Keetna commandeered an equally enormous horse to her side and peppered Sam with a shrewd, dark glare. “Let’s go.”

The kid made it seem easy. He had a natural confidence, maneuvering the huge beast with ease. Perhaps this wasn’t going to be as difficult as she’d imagined.

“Are you ready yet, cheechako?”

Sam had no doubt the word hadn’t been meant as a term of endearment, and wished like hell she had her laptop to look it up. Not one to back away from a challenge, though, she refused to let the child intimidate her.

“Oh, I’m ready, Mowgli,” she retorted, pulling the name from a faded memory of the Jungle Book. It just so happened the boy bore a remarkable resemblance to the wild child character.

He responded with a questioning glance.

She quickly focused her camera and snapped a picture.

The boy, thrown off by her actions, failed to hide the flicker of surprise in his hard glare as he tried to maintain an expression of indifference. “Your horse will follow mine. Dixie is used to following Midnight anyway,” he said with a snort.

Another implied insult, she had no doubt. But the kid was right. Her horse trailed his without hesitation.

As they delved deep into the woods and she became a bit more comfortable atop the mare, Sam took advantage of the untouched beauty, snapping pictures of the wilderness. After an hour, Blake veered off the makeshift trail and into an open field. Jumping from his horse, he let the reins fall to the ground. Keetna followed his lead, as did the other two children, climbing down without fear. Sam, however, found the descent far more formidable.

The warmth of Blake’s hand on her hip made her startle. The heat glided over the outside of her thigh as he guided her leg free off the stirrup. He lifted her off the horse’s back and pulled her into his chest as she slid to the ground.

Dizzy from his touch, she heard herself thank him in a breathless voice.

He touched the brim of his hat and walked toward the kids, who were now gathered in a circle looking at something on the ground. Clinging to the reins, she attempted to join them, but Dixie refused to move. Stubbornly, the horse’s head was positioned against the ground eating grass.

“Just release the reins. She won’t go anywhere,” Blake said, turning back to her.

Sam readjusted her cowboy hat and stared at him for a minute before glancing at the other horses. Realizing they were all doing the same, she dropped the leather straps and joined the group.

“It’s a moose print. The horses are over there dummy,” Keetna shouted, garnishing their attention. “‘Sides, a horse track looks different. Like this…” The insolent boy drew an invisible horse shoe in the air.

The other child, still holding his ground, shook his head. Frustrated, Keetna clenched his fists as if ready to fight to prove his point.

“Well, Ivan,” Blake said in a soft tone as he walked over to his horse. “A horse print would look like this.” He grabbed the front leg underneath the knee, slid his hand down the mount’s leg, and pinched the backside. The animal lifted its hoof, displaying the underside to the kids. Blake motioned the children to come closer before releasing Captain’s leg and showing the imprint left in the dirt.

“I told you, dummy,” Keetna screeched, taking the other boy to the ground in a heated fury. The two kids rolled around in the grass, each landing an occasional, lucky punch while Blake stood off to the side and watched.

“Do something,” Sam demanded, unable to stand idle.

“I am,” he stated in the same calm tone he used while describing the different prints. “I’m watching.”

“Watching? Are you serious?” She stepped forward in an attempt to separate the boys, but he pulled her back with a firm, yet gentle grip.

“Calm down. I’ll stop it before one of ’em gets hurt. They’re just being boys. You know, letting off a little steam.” He waited a few more minutes before pulling the kids apart and directing them back to the print. “Just for the record, you were both wrong. This print belongs to a caribou.” The group gathered around to examine the print again; Blake made sure the two boys were placed on opposite ends from each other. “See, it’s wider spread than a moose hoof. It’s so they can swim. There’s another way to tell if it’s a caribou print or not.”

“How?” The small girl inquired. She broke free from the circle to get a closer view. “Oh.” She smiled. “You mean because there are all these other prints, too?”

“Yep. Good, Little Su. As you all know, caribou run in herds.” He spared a glance in Sam’s direction, and she knew the extra input had been for her sake. “If you look around, you’ll see plenty of tracks.” He kneeled. “These are pretty fresh. I’d say they went through yesterday or the day before.”

Fascinated, Sam began taking pictures. Her actions captivated the children’s interest. Keetna, although wary, stepped closer, glued to her every move.

“Do you want to try?” she offered, unleashing the camera from around her neck.

The boy hesitated.

“It’s okay. Here.” She placed the bulky 35 mm into his hands. “You just point it at what you want to picture and press this little button on the top. Just be careful. What you are holding is extremely valuable to me.”

The boy nodded in silent understanding and cradled the camera with a ginger touch. He took a picture of the sky, then rewarded her with a slight smile. He shot several more pictures before catching her attention and motioning if he could let Ivan try.

Sam nodded her head, and Keetna handed it over to the other child. After the boy took some shots, he shared the camera with Little Su.

“See? Now they are best friends again,” Blake observed with a smirk. “But I doubt you’ll get your camera back.” He walked over to his horse and grabbed a thermos and small pouch out of his saddle bag. Returning, he settled himself on the ground.

She stood for a few more minutes before sitting, a little shaken by his words. After watching how the kids handled her camera with care, she brushed off her worry. The 35 mm was old and valuable to her, but it was also solid and built to handle an occasional mishap. Not like the garbage they made now. She was already on her second work camera this year, proving the point.

“Are you hungry?” He offered her a sandwich. “All I have left is ham and cheese. The kids took their pick and ate while I saddled the horses earlier. I guess they preferred turkey.” He shrugged. “It’s not breakfast, but it’s easy to pack. And I do have coffee,” he confessed with a slight smile. Uncapping the thermos, he poured some into the lid and handed over the makeshift cup.

“Thanks.” She bit back a smart remark as she accepted the sandwich.

Taking off her hat, Sam tossed it on the ground and settled down beside him. Once positioned, she welcomed the strong scented brew and brought the cup to her nose, inhaling deeply. Nothing smelled as heavenly as a strong cup of coffee.

She took a sip while returning a keen eye on the kids. If only he’d given her a shot of this earlier, the morning might have started more smoothly. Regardless, the hot beverage was helping to adjust her mood now.

Sam began to spout off recently learned facts. “Did you know both male and female caribou have antlers? Every year, they grow a new set. The antlers can grow up to an inch every day.” She removed the meal from its wrapper and tore off the crust before biting into it as she realized how foolish it was to share information he more than likely already knew. She swallowed her bite. “How long have you worked for Fish and Game?” she asked as a quick change of subject.

“Four years,” Blake responded, stopping the flow of the conversation with a curt tone. “Pretty clever.” He motioned toward the kids. “Getting them to do your dirty work.”

She followed his gaze and then released a surprised gasp when the meaning of his words cut her to the quick. How could he think she would do such a thing? Giving the children free rein to take photos had been for their pleasure, not for her own selfish benefit. She had simply thought they would enjoy taking pictures.

Sam gritted her teeth, holding back her simmering anger. The attempt was futile as her emotions took charge. How dare he insinuate something so terrible?

“That’s right. How could I forget? Anything to do with me or my work is for some reason the worst thing in the world,” she unleashed without taking a breath as her temper got the best of her. “The camera the children are playing with happens to be my personal one. This is what I use for work.”

She pulled a small, digital version out of her pocket and held it up so he could see as she glanced back to the kids. Blake might not have appreciated the sacrifice she’d made, but they did. To prove her point, she used her work camera to capture several pics of the children laughing and posing.

“What they’re using is considered a dinosaur. A relic in my line of work.”

It was also priceless. The cumbersome 35 mm being the only thing she had left of her father, but Blake didn’t need to know that.

Irked, she handed the thermos lid back to him along with the rest of her uneaten sandwich and grabbed her hat before rising to her feet.

“I’ve lost my appetite. And just so you know, I’m not some evil person who takes advantage of children.” Sam crammed the weathered Stetson on her head and then placed her hands on her hips. “I’ve never even handed my camera over to anyone else before. Much less a child.” She inhaled a ragged breath. Could he possibly think so low of her? “However, you may be on to something. Perhaps they’ll take a great photo and I can cash it in. Maybe I’ll make a million bucks. Later, I can fatten the kids up and eat them for supper.” She paused, catching her breath. “Really? Is that the kind of monster you think I am? No, don’t answer.” She waved her hands in the air. There was no way she’d give him the opportunity to hurt her with more words. “What exactly is your problem with me anyway?” He stood, towering over her, but Sam held her ground, refusing to take a step backward. “You agreed to this. In fact…this was your idea,” she spat.

“You’re right…my idea. A stupid one. Alaska is my home. I love it here. I’m very protective of the state. Of the children…and the wildlife. Maybe that’s something you’ll keep in mind when you print your stupid brochure.” He stared at her intensely, then took a deep breath. Gritting his teeth, he continued, “Listen, Sam, I agreed to this for one reason only…so you wouldn’t exploit Alaska. Do you have any idea what people like you do to this state? Your pretty little pictures and nice flyers—”

“People like me?” she interrupted, not letting him finish. She refused to be battered by one more insult or condescending remark.

“Yeah, people exactly like you.”

He spun away, storming toward his horse and leaving her to deal with the anger his statement had inspired. Fury rushed through her veins like an impending tornado as she seethed in silence, not wanting to make a further scene in front of the children.

People like me?

Just what the hell was that supposed to mean?