Forbidden Trails: A Clearwater County Romance (The Montana Trails Series Book 2)

by Bonnie R. Paulson

  “Cy, you can’t just trust random men. You don’t know them.” Rachiah’s belligerence wasn’t subtle. “I don’t think you should stay there.” Her stubborn jaw was probably stuck to the side. They’d known each other all their lives. Of course it was.

  Cyan sighed, too tired to fight. They always did what she wanted in the end anyway, why did they have to pretend to fight it? “They saved me. The four-wheeler is stuck and they’re offering to go get it out and bring it back for you. They’re really nice guys.” She rubbed her eyelids, wincing as her chilly fingertips connected with the sensitive tissue.

  “Sounds more like hero worship than anything. Don’t worry about the quad. I’ll have M.T. and the guys pick it up.” She paused as if she stared at Cyan, studying her. She and Sherri were probably communicating quietly. Rachiah grunted. “Fine. What do you want us to do?”

  “Meet me at my parents’ place in a couple days. I think we need to do a little camping.” Cyan ignored Rachiah’s groans. Sherri would talk her into it. That girl loved camping more than she loved her tofu. Plus, her friends had promised to help Cyan with her thesis and this just happened to be part of the research. “And Rachiah? This isn’t hero worship. I would’ve been fine.” She would’ve, right?

  Chapter 3

  Jareth

  Jareth climbed the stairs two at a time, coming to a stop outside Stefanie’s room. He paused, his hand suspended in front of the door as he listened for something, anything. After a moment, he knocked, his knuckles connecting twice with the panel, making a sharp rapping sound. He couldn’t understand his nerves at seeing her again. He quickly chalked it up to worry over her friend and her own condition after being outside so long.

  A different version of Cyan opened the door, a towel wrapped around her curvy body, then tucked under toned arms. Damp shoulder-length black hair had been pushed off her flushed face. Her bright eyes and wide smile stunned Jareth. He forgot what he was going to say or even the urgency of his reason for being there.

  He stared at her, taking in the blue streaks of her hair at the same time she laughed. “Are you going to just stand there forever?” She lifted up a separate, smaller towel and rubbed at the ends of her hair, watching him, not the least embarrassed he’d caught her in a state of undress.

  Jareth worked his mouth. State of undress. Where was he? The 1800s? If she wasn’t embarrassed, he shouldn’t be bothered. But he was. Wait, what had she said? “I, uh, are you warmer now?” Of course she was warm, what a stupid question. Her skin had lost its pale hue and her lips were a rosy pink. He shook his head, trying to get his mind back into focus. “I mean, Emma told me you were going to find out if your friend was out there still. Did you find out if she made it back? Is she okay? What can we do? Do you need us to drive you somewhere? Is someone coming here?” He wanted to ask her to stay, especially since the creamy skin of her shoulders contrasted with the black ends of her hair. But he held his tongue.

  She shrugged, turning her back and revealing a small wolf paw print tattoo on her shoulder. The shininess of its surface suggested it was fake. Why would she have a fake tattoo on her shoulder? She glanced at him and half-shrugged. “She’s okay. I talked to her on the phone. She made it to the reservation. I’m not worried, you don’t need to be.” She peeked at him over the ends of the towel as she rubbed her hair. “I’m a lot warmer now, since my shower, thanks.”

  “Oh, that’s good.” Jareth cleared his throat. “Ahem, do you want to eat some breakfast?” Normally he was more suave, more of a lady’s man. But she had his tongue all tripped up and his lips didn’t want to work.

  And the blue in her hair… why couldn’t he stop staring at it? He’d always been more of a green man, but the longer he spent with Cyan, the more convinced he was that blue had always been his favorite color.

  He stepped further into the room. Without thinking reached out and twisted a brilliant blue lock of hair between his fingers. The damp silkiness captivated him. He slowly turned his eyes from the contrast of blue and black to her eyes. She watched his face as he stroked the shock of hair with his thumb.

  Her eyes slowly widened and Jareth slowed his touch until he was just holding on to her hair. Finally realizing what he was doing, he dropped his hand and stepped back, shoving his wayward fists into his back pockets. “I’m sorry. I’ve never seen… well, your hair is different.” He glanced up, meeting her confused gaze. “I like it. It matches your eyes.”

  How had he gone from talking about her friend to touching her hair like she was a mare on display at a local rodeo?

  “That’s okay. It’s my favorite color, plus my name, so…” She chewed on her lip, watching him. She narrowed her eyes and tilted her head to the side, puckering her lips as if in deep thought. “I think I heard you guys talking in the truck – I can’t be sure, I was kind of tired, so correct me, if I’m wrong – but I thought I heard you say you guys are going up to the Kettleson Ranch tomorrow?” Cyan tugged her lower lip between her teeth again, the movement entrancing and more than a little distracting.

  Dang, that hair. He nodded, not trusting himself to pull his hands from his pockets. “Yeah, that’s right.”

  “Do you think I can catch a ride? My friends aren’t going to head that way until later and I’d really like to get to my parents’ place. I was kind of hoping I wouldn’t be stuck in Taylor Falls all that time.” She smiled, her makeup-free face fresh and appealing.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to go to the reservation? We need to go get your quad.” Jareth wouldn’t mind a little more time with her, but at the rate he was going, he might not be the most trustworthy. He didn’t want to rescue her and then act like a dirtball to her either.

  She ignored the fact that she wasn’t dressed – a fact Jareth couldn’t stop thinking about. Placing the small towel on the dresser, she said, “No, I’m not worried about it. My friend’s brother went to get it. Plus, if it’s damaged, I’ll just buy her another one. That’s why they let me borrow their stuff. They hope I’ll break it.” Her laugh tinkled like she’d never been happier.

  She said the damnedest things.

  He slowly smiled at her. “I don’t mind. I’m sure Emma and Nate won’t mind if you stay the night, either. Emma and Stefanie like having people here. As long as you’re sure, I mean, you don’t know me from Adam.” He didn’t care what her reasoning was. If he got to spend more time with her and she wanted it, he’d take it.

  Cyan padded the short distance to stand in front of him. The scent of coconut vanilla wafted off her. She tilted her head back to stare into his eyes. Pressing her hand to his chest, she murmured, “I think after today, I can trust you, don’t you, Jareth?” Her fingers moved on his shirt, just a little.

  Just enough.

  Jareth’s throat wanted to close up. He swallowed. “Um, yeah, um…” He’d never been so stupid around a girl before. Quick, what could he say to redeem himself?

  She spun, taking the warmth of her hand from his chest. “But I can’t stay in Stefanie’s room. I’ll sleep in the living room, on the floor. That’s probably more comfortable for me anyway.” She chuckled, glancing pointedly at him. “I mean, I can crawl under a four-wheeler to stay warm, right?”

  Cyan had a point. He didn’t know many girls that could do that and laugh. Most would cry at just the thought of breaking off tree limbs or riding around in the snow.

  He nodded in agreement until what she proposed occurred to him. “But, well, I’m sleeping in the living room.”

  She turned to the side and pinned him with her gaze. A half-smile curved her lips. “Then you better keep your hands to yourself.”

  Jareth had no idea what was going on, but with a girl like Cyan, he just might be in over his head.

  Chapter 4

  Cyan

  The last thing Cyan wanted to do was come across as available, but at the same time, she needed Jareth and his cousins to be more forthcoming with their information about Kettleson and the wolves.

 
After Jareth left the room in a slight stupor at her suggestion, she dressed in clothes Emma loaned her and finger-combed her hair. She didn’t have any makeup and she was fine with that. She’d learned in her fourth year of college that makeup and the outdoors didn’t mix, not that she’d ever been huge on supporting that animal testing industry.

  Somehow she had to get proof that Kettleson was directly causing the shift in the keystone predator situation in the northwest, as well as furthering the endangerment of the Gray Wolf. Just thinking about possibly losing the elegant species to extinction made Cyan clench her hands and freeze for a second. America couldn’t afford to lose any more of its native animals.

  She breathed deeply, and relaxed her muscles. She had a job to do, and not very long to get it done. Once school started again in Mid-January, she had to give the outline of her thesis to her professor, along with some kind of proof that her topic was doable. Why she had to even get approval for her thesis when Gray Wolves were already on the endangered list, she had no idea.

  The scent of breakfast only got stronger, the call of bacon like a siren. She folded the borrowed bath towel and placed it on the dresser and followed her nose to the kitchen.

  A large, dark wood table manned the dining room which was attached to the beautiful and spacious kitchen. Stefanie, Jareth, Nate, and Kyle sat at the far end of the table while a smaller version of Stefanie bustled around the kitchen with Emma, scooping food onto plates and pouring drinks.

  Two similar looking blond men balanced plates, cups, and napkins as they made their way around the chairs to claim places around the table.

  Nate shoved his hand onto the seat beside him and glared at the closest blond man. “Don’t even think about it, Damon. Emma’s sitting there.”

  Damon slid to his left and claimed the next seat. He rolled his eyes. “Man, I wasn’t going to take her seat. You’re so wired.” He glanced up at Cyan, then down at his plate, then back up at Cyan as his mouth fell open.

  Nate’s gaze followed Damon’s and then it was like everyone in the room turned to look at her. All motion slowed and stopped.

  Well, everyone but Emma and Stefanie. Stefanie took the opportunity to snag some bacon from Kyle’s plate. Emma waved at Cyan and flipped more French toast on the griddle. “Come on in, Cyan. I’ll introduce you to people as we need to. There are entirely too many of us for you to even try to remember all at once.”

  Cyan joined her in the kitchen, taking the plate she was offered and nodding. “Thank you, can I do anything to help?”

  Emma crowed in amusement, wrapping a kitchen towel around her hand. She pointed at Cyan, but looked at everyone else in the area. “You hear this? Someone offered to help besides Hannah. You should all learn from Cyan. Ungrateful…” Her words trailed off as she turned back to Cyan, eyes twinkling. “Thank you, but we really do have everything under control. Go eat. Do you feel warmer at least?” She inspected Cyan’s face. “You look better. Your coloring seems more stable.”

  The way Emma treated Cyan, there was no room for being offended. She made her feel like they’d been friends as long as Cyan could remember. If only things were different, maybe they could’ve really been friends.

  But if the group of cousins was in league with Robert Kettleson IV, then Cyan didn’t know if she wanted anything to do with them, past getting what she wanted.

  Hiding her unease, Cyan grinned at Emma. “Yeah, the shower was a big help. Thank you again.” Turning as Emma patted her shoulder, Cyan faced the table, her hands full. The group of good-looking men would have Rachiah and Sherri drooling in their boots.

  With all the strong jawlines, broad shoulders, and full heads of hair, any woman anywhere would consider herself lucky. They’d all resumed eating, except Jareth who watched her as she moved further into the room. He slightly nodded toward the chair beside him, which sat empty, as if waiting for her.

  She couldn’t help nodding back, a flirtatious smile crossing her lips. Something about the man dragged out her fun side and warmed her serious activism-side from its normally chilly exterior. The fact that he had information she needed might be the draw. She wouldn’t be surprised. Sometimes what she wanted and what she needed were in constant battle with each other.

  Lowering herself into the seat beside him, she murmured. “Thanks for the seat. Am I going to have to fend off anyone, if I don’t eat fast enough?” She came from a small family and hid her jealousy well, envious of the large family number.

  Jareth rested his forearm against the table and looked around at everyone while holding a piece of bacon aloft. “I don’t think anyone will attack you for your food. Not that it hasn’t been a problem before, but you’re sitting by me. I think you’re safe.” He grinned, shoving the bacon in his mouth and pointing his fingers at the listening Damon.

  Damon’s own mouth was full and he grinned, pointing toward the other blond. Around the food in his mouth, he mumbled, “That was Ryland, man. I’d never take someone’s food from their plate without at first…” He chewed and looked toward the ceiling. After swallowing, he continued. “Nope, that’s a lie. I take food all the time.” A group chuckle resounded at his comments.

  Leaning forward over his plate, Ryland peered at Cyan. “Everyone is saying Jareth pulled you out of the blizzard this morning. What happened? Why were you out there?”

  Damon kicked his brother under the table, the thump loud, but not as conspicuous as Ryland exclaiming, “Hey!”

  Side glances and nudges gave Cyan the impression they didn’t want her to know they’d talked about her. Of course they talked about her. She was new. If they weren’t talking about her and the situation around her, she’d be offended.

  She laughed. “Yes, Jareth and Kyle saved me this morning. I was stupid and went out in the woods unprepared. I was tracking a wolf pack and got carried away and then I let my arrogance snag me between two trees. My friend, Sherri, went for help while I stayed with the four-wheeler.” She used her fork to cut into the steaming French toast lightly dusted with powdered sugar.

  The smell of the maple syrup alone was enough to make her moan, but she contained it. Taking a bite, she listened as people in the room reacted. She would save the bacon for last.

  “That’s incredible you didn’t freeze last night.” Emma shook her head and settled into the seat Nate saved for her.

  Damon and Ryland shook their heads, shoving more food in their mouths.

  Kyle and Jareth made humming noises as they too worked on their breakfasts.

  “It’s a good thing you had the wherewithal to get out to the road for help.” Nate handed Emma a napkin, smiling when their skin touched.

  Stefanie pushed the syrup toward Cyan. “Why didn’t you leave with your friend?”

  Cyan tried not focusing too much on Stefanie’s pointed question. How could the young woman know that Cyan couldn’t follow when she was so close to finding the wolf pack? Not that any of them probably even cared about wolves in general. But if what Kyle and Jareth had spoken about in the truck were any indication, the entire group of men was going up to ranch hand for Kettleson. If the two brothers knew about the bounty on the pelts, the others probably did too.

  With money so short for so many in the state of Montana, how many of them took part in the animal slaughters? She wasn’t certain yet who she could trust and who she couldn’t.

  Nobody spoke as they waited for Cyan to answer. She sipped her milk and then lowered her glass. “Well, to be honest, I was absolutely certain I could get the four-wheeler unstuck before she got back. The reservation wasn’t more than a couple miles back and we’d four-wheeled out that way numerous times before.” Cyan shrugged. “Honestly? I didn’t think any of it out very well.”

  “Wow, that’s big of you to say that like it’s not a blow to your pride.” Hannah, the only girl in the room who hadn’t been directly identified except in passing by Emma, claimed the last seat beside Damon.

  Jareth nodded beside Cyan, glancing at her from the si
de. His gaze caught Cyan’s and she ducked her head. Nudging her arm, he muttered low, just enough for her to hear. “That was pretty cool of you to say.”

  “It’s not a big deal.” Cyan answered Hannah. “I was wrong. Nothing hurts my pride when I admit that. It’s the knowing I’m wrong and not accepting it that would bruise my ego, you know?” She took her first bite of heaven and tried not to groan in appreciation. She hadn’t realized how truly hungry she was. The French toast and syrup melted in her mouth and she wanted to lap the rest of it up. Unable to hold out anymore, she lifted the bacon and closed her eyes as she chewed the salty meat.

  “All I know is, not many people acknowledge when they’re wrong to family or friends, let alone strangers.” Hannah giggled, pointing her fork at the group in general. “Especially in this family.”

  Jareth leaned over and murmured toward her ear. “You really like that bacon.”

  Cyan glanced at him, their faces in close proximity. “I’m a vegetarian at home. This might be my last taste of deliciousness until I go back to school.” She tore off another piece, reveling in the flavor.

  He sat back, surprise knitting his brows together.

  “What do you do, Cyan?” Ryland asked, ignoring the slight insult from his younger cousin. “Do you work or anything?”

  Swallowing, Cyan nodded. “Yeah, actually, I’m working on my Masters in Fish and Wildlife Management at MSU. My friends and I are home for Christmas break and I’ve just been busy doing research on my topic.”

  “That’s really neat.” But the glazed look in Damon’s eyes suggested they were ready for a new topic.

  While Cyan could talk about her thesis all day and all night, she understood not everyone liked talking school. She took pity on the others and didn’t delve further into the topic. Besides, how else was she going to be able to concentrate on eating with her attention divided between a conversation focused on her and the subtle touch of Jareth’s knee to the side of her thigh every time he shifted on his seat?