Unleash the Passion

by Karen Kelley

  Rachel was at least five feet, nine inches. The sleeveless shirt she wore showed off her biceps to perfection. Not that she looked like Popeye or anything. Actually, she was stunning. Kind of like an Amazon warrior.

  She took my hand in a firm grip. “It’ll be good having another female along. Sometimes too much testosterone can be a real pain in the ass.”

  I smiled. I had a feeling I was going to like Rachel. “My thoughts exactly.” I unzipped one section of my backpack and pulled out a pouch about the size of a small loaf of bread and began opening it.

  “Don’t tell me that’s your tent,” Rachel said.

  I detected a hint of disbelief in her tone. I knew exactly how small it looked. “It’s top-of-the-line. My partner and I came up with the design. We own a few outfitting stores in Texas. We haven’t actually used this one yet. I guess you could say this is a trial run.” I chuckled. “Let’s just hope it keeps the rain out.” Even though it was very compact, it was as roomy as any of the others, and the great thing about this tent was that it only took a few minutes to set up. When I finished, I looked at Rachel.

  “Amazing,” Rachel mumbled.

  I pulled the door flap back, and fastened it open, then squatted down in front of the tent. “Now watch this.” I crossed my fingers this would work. Like I’d told Rachel, we’d never actually used the tent while camping. I pushed a button, then breathed a sigh of relief as the floor began to inflate.

  Rachel knelt beside me, feeling the bottom of the tent. “Can you walk on it?”

  “Absolutely. No more throwing a sleeping bag onto hard ground. This gives you a lot more cushion. Now, check this out.” I reached into my backpack and brought out another package. This one was about the size of a business envelope. I removed the plastic wrapping, and after I set it on the floor, I pushed a small black button. The silver square began unfolding, getting larger as it inflated. The bed stopped when it was the size of a single, about 2 inches deep.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Rachel said. She eyed the silver bed with trepidation. “But is it comfortable?”

  I waved my hand toward it. “Try it out.”

  She didn’t wait to be asked twice, but pulled off her boots, and moved into the tent. “Wow, the floor feels great.” She quickly laid down on the bed. “Oh my gosh, this is so much better than my sleeping bag. I swear, I’m going to be so jealous of you.”

  “No you’re not.” I smiled. I’d had a feeling this might happen, and I didn’t want everyone pissed off at me. “They’re so small that I packed several extra.” I reached into my backpack, then tossed her one. “If you like it, just tell your friends. Word-of-mouth is the best advertisement. Now, look at this.” I reached inside and pushed another button. The inside of the tent lit up with tiny star-like lights. “The batteries are so small you don’t notice the weight.”

  “Amazing.” She came out of the tent, and then slipped her shoes back on. “I think I’m going to like having you around, Mac. But now you gotta tell me, are the tents and beds just as easy to deflate?”

  “Even easier. You’ll find a black button on one side that will inflate, and deflate. The battery that operates it should last at least a year, and they’re really easy to change out. It’s the same for the bottom of the tent.”

  My stomach chose that moment to rumble. We both laughed.

  Everyone carried their own eating utensils and plates, so we grabbed ours before we joined the others.

  Nash already had a plate for himself, but he stopped eating long enough to introduce me to everyone. I could see the question in their eyes. Would I slow them down? Sheesh, too many people liked to judge a book by its cover. Except for Rachel. She’d accepted me without question.

  Rachel showed me where everything was, then we fixed our plates. Seating was any spot on the ground you wanted. Rachel and I sat next to each other. I could already tell we were going to be friends. I took a bite of the fish and closed my eyes. Sure, I’d eaten fresh fish before, but nothing like this. It was out of this world delicious.

  “This is absolutely wonderful,” I said. I only hoped we stayed close to the river. It would be nice having fresh fish every evening, rather than the dehydrated food a lot of hikers carried.

  “You can’t really cook fish wrong when you catch it right out of the river,” Don said.

  I chuckled. “You’ve never tasted my cooking. I can’t even boil water. Literally. I put some water on to boil once, and when I went back to check it, the pan was dry.” Everyone laughed, but I could see they didn’t quite believe me. “No, seriously, I cannot boil water. The Susie Homemaker gene stopped at my grandmother, who happened to be a fantastic cook.”

  “So what do you do?” Chris asked, then frowned. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be nosy.”

  I shrugged. “No biggie. My partner and I have stores in Texas. We’re looking to branch out to Colorado. We’re outfitters. We carry everything from kayaks to fishing supplies, and everything in between, but we’re not just stores. We have a team of people who work with us, and we’re always trying to come up with ideas and products for the outdoors.”

  “Wait until you see her tent and her bed,” Rachel said.

  “If you wouldn’t mind,” I began. “I brought extra beds if anyone would like to be a guinea pig and try one out. We want to make sure they’ll work as designed.” Everyone except Rachel stopped eating to stare at me. I only thought I’d seen skepticism before.

  “You carried more than one bed in your backpack?” Nash asked.

  Rachel glanced up, looking around at the men. “It’s true. I saw it before she inflated it. It’s about the size of an eight by ten picture. I even tried it out. You should get in her bed and see what you think, Nash.”

  Nash’s gaze swung to me. I saw the flash of passion flare in his eyes. I immediately knew he was not thinking about just testing the bed.

  “I’d like to try her bed out,” he casually stated.

  No one else seemed to notice his double entendre, but I certainly did, and it turned my insides to hot liquid. He was challenging me. I cocked an eyebrow, ready to take his challenge. I bet I could show him a thing or two under the sheets. In fact I could...

  What the hell was I thinking? I immediately knew the answer. He was goading me, and I was falling for it. When had I become so gullible? Like I didn’t know the answer to that one. It was about the time I got married. Dammit, no more. I would not fall for another man’s charm. No matter how hot he looked.

  I dragged my gaze away from his. “Great. As soon as we finish eating, I’ll give everyone a bed, and you can let me know what you think in the morning.” When Nash didn’t say anything, I glanced back up and saw the twinkle in his eyes. I squared my shoulders. He could think what he wanted.

  He only grinned. I wish he wouldn’t do that. The guy had a killer smile. It was the kind that tilted up at one corner. Damned sexy. The kind that dared any female to kiss him into submission. Yeah right, like that would be difficult. The guy oozed sex appeal. He had the kind of body that said he probably got laid every time he snapped his fingers.

  Well, he could snap his fingers all he wanted, but I wasn’t going to be part of his harem.

  Chapter 4

  Nash

  “I thought we were supposed to keep relationships with the hikers platonic, boss?” Don asked as he cleaned and packed away his cooking utensils.

  I’d been watching Makenna—I know she said to just call her Mac, but that seemed too mannish, and she definitely wasn’t that as she went in and out of her tent. Her moves were slow and sensuous. I wondered if she even knew how sexy they were. I had a feeling she didn’t. She stepped back inside her tent, and I turned my attention to Don. What had he said? Something about platonic relationships with the hikers.

  “Yes,” I told him. “We’re always in close proximity. Starting a relationship with one of them could get a little sticky.” I’d seen the way he looked at Rachel sometimes. I wondered if Don was asking if
he could take it to the next level. I liked them both, so I wasn’t sure exactly how I should answer. “Why do you ask?” I wanted to make sure my instincts were right.

  “Just seems to me that you’re pretty interested in Mac.”

  I laughed outright at that, but stopped when I realized he was serious. I better put a stop to that kind of thinking right now. “She’s cute.” When he raised his eyebrows as if questioning my words, I clarified. “Okay, she’s sexy as hell, but believe me, the last thing I want to do is get involved with her. I can smell trouble a mile away, and she’s trouble.” Don was still staring at me as if he didn’t know whether to believe me or not. “She just went through a messy divorce. I don’t even think she likes men right now.”

  In fact, she seemed pissed off around me most of the time. I frowned. I hadn’t done anything to her. Maybe it was men in general. I should’ve asked more questions when I’d spoken with her cousin.

  “Okay,” Don finally said and changed the subject. “She says she’s an experienced hiker. Do you believe her?”

  “I’m not sure. She did pretty good getting to the camp. Never once asked to take a break.”

  “Yeah, but that was a walk in the park compared to where we’ll be going. I’m sorry, but she just doesn’t look as if she has the stamina for this kind of hike. I kind of wanted to explore some of the areas where we’re going. I’d hate to cut it short and have to take her back. I know it’s part of my job, but I’m just letting you know that I don’t like it.”

  He walked off, having said his peace. Not that I could blame Don. Neither one of us was into babysitting. We always hit the trail knowing we could depend on the people who were with us. Why had I brought her?

  She stepped out of the tent again. Okay, maybe I knew. When she’d gotten out at the resort looking all pissed off and glaring at me, I’d been turned on. That night, when she’d confronted me in the bar, I knew I wanted to fuck her, but then she’d taken a bite of the chip she’d dipped in hot sauce, and out of pure stubbornness, went back for more. That’s when I knew for sure I wanted to fuck her. Hell, I was thinking with my damned dick.

  I let out a deep sigh as I wandered over to her tent. Normally, I left chasing girls to my little brother, Layne. He was a paramedic/firefighter and fell in love at least once a month. Well, I wasn’t about to start chasing them now. No matter how hot Makenna looked.

  She’d gone back inside her tent, so I said, “Knock, knock.”

  Makenna poked her head beyond the flap. “Oh, hi. I’ll get your bed.” She disappeared inside again.

  I pulled the flap back and stepped closer, looking at the interior of her tent, then whistled beneath my breath. There were softly illuminated lights built into the walls and on the ceiling. The inside was roomy without being too large. Just right for one person. Maybe two. Two sounded good to me.

  She abruptly turned, and we almost bumped faces. Her warm breath tickled my cheek. For a moment, she didn’t move. I couldn’t help myself, I leaned forward slightly, but before my lips could brush hers, she quickly moved back.

  “Here’s the bed I was telling everyone about.” She nervously tucked a strand of loose blonde hair behind her ear as she thrust the small package toward me.

  I gave her the space she silently asked for and turned the package over in my hand. “This thing will turn into a mattress like that?” I pointed to her inflated mattress.

  She nodded. “We have larger sizes, too. Ones that will sleep two adults. All the way up to a queen-size bed.”

  As soon as the words were out of her mouth, her face took on a rosy hue. I wondered if she was thinking the same thing I was thinking. Like, how nice it would be to wake up in the same bed. Yeah, I knew women, and Makenna wanted me as much as I wanted her, even though she was in the denial stage.

  “We’ll be gone at least three or four days, you know,” I mentioned.

  She wore a confused expression. “I’m always prepared to stay out for at least a week. What are you getting at?”

  “Just that I make it a policy to keep all my relationships platonic when I’m working as a guide.”

  She opened her mouth, then snapped it closed. I could see the anger building inside her. Damn, she was sexy as hell when she got pissed off.

  “That’s good to know,” she said between gritted teeth. “Then I won’t have to worry that you’ll be bothering me, now will I?”

  “Hey, I call it like I see it, and the signals you’re putting out are pretty strong. I know you’re divorced, and you’re probably pretty horny by now, so you just need to rein in your emotions. I mean, I don’t want any of the other guys picking up on the fact that you want to get laid.”

  When she moved forward just a little, I stepped back. Her face was only inches from mine. It was all I could do not to pull her into my arms and kiss her until she begged me for more. When she slowly ran her tongue over her lips, it was almost my undoing.

  “I don’t think I’m the one you need to worry about, hot shot. I’ve yet to get involved with anyone when I’m on a hike, and I don’t plan to start now.” She reached to the side and unsnapped the flap, letting it fall in front of me.

  It was as effective as if she’d slammed the door in my face. I stopped myself just short of chuckling. I had a feeling she was right about dynamite coming in small packages. She was definitely a firecracker, and I definitely wanted to light her fuse.

  But not while I’m out here. I’d known my words would piss her off, but it was the only thing I knew to do that would keep her at arms-length, at least while we’re in the wilderness.

  Now, when we returned, all bets were off. I figured I could have her in my bed the first night back. Just thinking about what I would do to her gave me a hard-on. I glanced up at the starry night. There was only one thing I knew that I could do to find relief before I crawled into Makenna’s bed.

  I groaned.

  Not Makenna’s bed. I couldn’t think about the bed she’d given me as hers. It created too many fantasies.

  I knew damn well she’d be trouble.

  Chapter 5

  Makenna

  How was I supposed to get any sleep when Nash had brought sex to the forefront? Yeah well, I wasn’t the only one who was horny. I could tell he wanted me. Hell, he didn’t even attempt to disguise the flair of passion in his eyes every time he looked at me. No way was I going to let him put a guilt trip on me.

  I grabbed my phone and looked at the signal. Zilch. Damn, I really needed to talk to Sam. She was always able to calm me down when I was stressed. Since I couldn’t call her, I pulled on a pair of cotton shorts and a t-shirt, not bothering with a bra. After slipping on my water shoes, I pulled a candy bar from my backpack and stepped out of the tent. One could only live on so many protein bars, then there was chocolate.

  The sun had gone down hours ago, so I turned on my small Mag light. The other tents were all dark. Apparently, I was the only one having trouble sleeping.

  Small spaces made me feel a little claustrophobic, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to go to sleep right now, so I headed toward the river. Earlier, I’d noticed a large boulder near the river’s edge that I could sit on. Water always had a calming effect on me. My parents had loved deep-sea fishing, and had owned their own boat. They’d been very adventurous. Damn, I missed them a lot. I could always talk to them, and they’d always listened.

  There were two small boulders next to a large one. I turned off my light and slipped it back into my pocket. The moon was full, so I didn’t really need the light that much anyway. I made my way carefully to the top boulder. I certainly didn’t want to slip and twist an ankle. Nash would love to tell me, ‘I told you so’. Well, that wasn’t about to happen.

  I peeled back the wrapping on my candy bar and took a big bite. God, I loved chocolate and creamy caramel. I swallowed, then took another bite and slowly chewed.

  The top of the rock was fairly flat. I brought my legs toward me and crossed them in front. I closed my eyes and took
a deep breath, listening to the water rushing over the rocks. My mind began to empty as I let the musical sounds of nature fill my soul. Peace and relaxation washed over me.

  Of course, the chocolate helped a lot as well.

  This was what it was all about. Being beneath the stars at night and soaking in everything that the universe had to offer. Nash irritated the hell out of me, but we both had a love for nature.

  Breathe in, breathe out.

  Calm. Quiet.

  Something splashed in the water. I frowned and opened my eyes.

  An animal?

  I scanned the river bank. When I was just about to think it had been my imagination, Nash shot out of the water.

  One eyebrow quirked up. Did he not realize the water was cold? Why the hell was he swimming this late at night anyway?

  I shoved the rest of my candy bar in my mouth and thoughtfully chewed.

  I should go back to my tent. I didn’t want another exchange with him in case he spotted me.

  I was just about to do exactly that when he started toward the bank. The moonlight cast light and shadows across his very bare muscular arms and chest. It should be illegal for one man to look that damned good.

  The water slid to his waist, then his thighs. Nash had decided to go skinny-dipping.

  I swallowed and realized I should’ve chewed my candy a little longer. I finally got it down without sliding off the rock and running to him so he could do the Heimlich maneuver. That would’ve been interesting. My body pressed against all that naked male flesh...

  Yep, I should go back to my tent. Except my body wasn’t listening to my brain.

  When I realized I wasn’t breathing, I drew in a deep, ragged breath. Good Lord, the guy was hung like a stallion. I quickly uncrossed my legs and clamped them together. He stepped to the bank and grabbed a towel, raising his arms to dry his head.