Staking a Claim

by Devon McKay

  This silly new side of the man was something she was going to have to get used to. What on earth had come over him? She’d just gotten accustomed to him being grumpy and serious. And now he was throwing her for a loop. Hard to believe, but, Blake Langford might actually have a fun side.

  He immediately slowed the pace. “Sorry. You okay?”

  “Yeah,” she giggled. “The trail’s not steep. You’re just in such a hurry.”

  “It will be worth it,” he encouraged, spurring her onward.

  Finally, they veered off the trail, and she was confronted by the strong smell of rotten eggs. “Really?” she voiced her opinion, refusing to hide the bitter sarcasm. This was the last thing she’d expected and would’ve much rather stayed in bed. The man had a rather odd sense of humor.

  “Really.”

  He grinned, leading her into a circle of woods surrounding a small pool of water and revealing a small slice of heaven. Steam rose off the natural hot springs and beckoned invitingly.

  Practically drooling, she couldn’t believe her eyes. At last, a lush, hot bath.

  “Really,” she sighed, smiling with appreciation. Not waiting for him, she stripped and peeled off the ace bandage. She was in the steamy pool before he could remove his boots. “Oh my God, this is incredible.” She closed her eyes, laying her head back against a rock bordering the pool and allowing the warm water to massage her tired muscles. “It’s like a spa.”

  “Yeah, this is actually my most favorite place. And it’s very private, too. Hardly anyone knows about this. Not even the year-round residents.”

  The water swirled around her as Blake slipped into the hot spring. She didn’t need to open her eyes to know he was armed with a wicked grin, and just the thought of what the smile would imply quickened her heartbeat and caused an immediate twinge from between her thighs. How could he make her want him again without saying a single word?

  “And we are just in time for the show. See?”

  Confused, Sam stole a glance at him. Following his stare, she peered up at the sky. A rainbow of colors danced across the dark velvet background. Curtains of greens, yellows, oranges, and reds floated above them in flirtatious ribbons of light. Speechless, she watched the display in awe for several minutes.

  “Is this what I think it is?” Unwilling to pull her gaze away from the miracle above, Sam was hypnotized by the moving lights. “Damn it, I wish I had my camera.”

  “It is if you are thinking the Northern Lights. And a camera wouldn’t have worked anyway. You need a special kind of film to capture it.”

  “The Aurora Borealis.” Sam exhaled an excited breath. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be in a natural hot tub staring up at the Northern Lights. I’ve read a little on the subject, but what is it exactly?” Thirsty for knowledge, she needed facts, an explanation as to why the lights moved across the sky. What caused the brilliant display?

  Blake grinned broadly. “I’m not sure. Maybe its magnetic fields or gases. Hell, I’ve even been told its energy-charged particles. I’ve heard a lot of different reasons. I couldn’t tell you for sure. It’s just beautiful. One of nature’s many creations.”

  Struggling to have the sight make sense, she reached for his hand and urged him to continue.

  “The Eskimo have a couple of explanations, but they are far from scientific. Some believe the Northern Lights are spirits playing ball in the sky with a walrus skull. At least that’s Denali’s favorite.”

  A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, and she squeezed his hand gently.

  “Yeah, I know. It’s silly. I think it’s why Denali favors the theory. McKinley believes in a more spiritual approach passed down from the elders. She believes the lights are flaming torches carried by departed souls guiding travelers to the afterlife.”

  “Departed souls guiding travelers to the afterlife…hmm poetic.” She reflected on the belief for a moment before her mind turned a different direction. She faced him, touching his cheek softly.

  He leaned back and closed his eyes.

  With a light caress, she trailed her fingers over his cheekbone and along his jawline. “I know you don’t want me asking questions about your friends, but I am curious about you, and they seem to be such a big part of your life. I mean, I don’t know anything about you really.” She hesitated, worried he’d close up again as she delved into his past.

  Those fears were brought to life as she felt the slight tensing of his jaw beneath her fingertips. Afraid she’d overstepped her bounds again, she lowered her hand into the water and moved to the side to give him space.

  “Denali and his tribe aren’t just friends. They’re my family. They were there for me. In fact, I’m not sure I would’ve survived without them.”

  “So, your friends became your family?” Sam, unable to stop the flow of words, continued to prod. “Makes sense, I…ah…I never made many friends…trust issues. I can be a little of a know-it-all.”

  Blake’s eyebrow quirked upwards, and he opened his eyes, but didn’t say a word. Simply grinned.

  Sam continued, ignoring his subtle teasing. “Besides, I never stayed in one place long enough,” she confessed with a sharp shrug of her shoulder. The gesture was meant to appear nonchalant, but she knew he saw through the disguise. “I guess my work replaced what friends couldn’t.” Uncomfortable, she rashly changed the subject. “How on earth did you find this place?”

  “Denali and I just stumbled upon it one day when we were kids. It’s not bad, huh?”

  “Yeah, I guess it will do.” Sam waved her hand through the water, pretending as if the hot spring didn’t impress her much. “If you’re into this bathing outdoorsy kind of thing.”

  He dowsed her with a handful of water. Giggling while feigning mock surprise, she returned the childish act and splashed water back at him, squealing in delight as he dove underneath to grab her legs.

  Enjoying his frisky behavior, she wrapped her thighs around the trunk of his body and pulled him into her. As he resurfaced, she read a blatant spark of desire in his gaze and suddenly playtime took a serious turn. He leaned in, and she surrendered to a possessive kiss, almost losing control. How did he have such a potent effect? Sam couldn’t get enough.

  Isn’t this what you wanted? A little adventure? A summer fling?

  This seemed so much more than some fleeting romance. The man was in her every thought. In fact, she didn’t want to start the day without seeing his handsome face. Wasn’t sure she could.

  How would something like this even work? How could it? She had a life in Miami. A career. She couldn’t drop everything she’d worked so hard for…for what? Love?

  The thought shook her to the core.

  For the first time in her life, she just might be in love.

  And it was absolutely terrifying.

  Chapter 18

  Sam stood a little above knee deep in the river testing the ice cold temperature against the thick skin of her waders. The frigid water threatened, yet failed in its attempt to make its way through the heavy duty rubber. At least she’d won this battle, so far beating the odds.

  She took another brave step. Faltering under the current’s strong pull, her tender ankle struggled to maintain balance. Heart hammering, she tried to calm herself, fighting against a surge of panic even though Blake had a solid grip stationed at her waist.

  Sam inhaled a calming breath. He wouldn’t let her fall. Like a strong oak tree, the man supported her. She steadied herself, thankful the bottom of her boot found a secure footing. Of course, she had no doubts Blake would save her even if the river had other plans.

  “The line is snagged,” he explained, releasing his claim on her right hip. She could feel him searching for the knife hanging off his belt loop.

  A dark shadow above drew her attention, and she caught an eagle swooping to the water. The large bird grasped a dolly in its talons and flew to the other side of the bank, dropping the fresh catch into the top of a tall tree. Sam, holding the f
ishing pole in one hand, fumbled for the camera hanging off her neck.

  Perhaps with a little luck, and a whole lot of prayers, she’d get a picture worthy of Stan’s praise. Fortunately, she’d been able to call him briefly before they’d started this new undertaking. Although Blake had been eager to get started, he had generously allotted for enough time so she could email Stanley her latest file of pics.

  “Look Blake,” she exclaimed, stunned by the act of nature. She managed to take a few shots with one hand while still clutching onto the fishing pole. Praising herself on the dexterity, she tilted her head back and returned her gaze to the skyline, settling on the bird’s nest.

  The eagle had flown off already in search of more prey, but she couldn’t seem to pull her attention away. Once again, she was astounded by the remoteness of the state. Here, humans were the minority.

  “I see it. Been there all morning,” Blake mumbled. “And he’s better at fishing than you are. I don’t know what you keep snagging on, but you are on your third lure,” he pointed out.

  He removed his left hand from her hip in order to put a flashy, shiny contraption on the end of the pole, and instantly she became aware of the missing heat.

  Rod, she amended, recalling the many times he’d corrected her this morning. It wasn’t a fishing pole, it was a rod, and no matter what happened, she was not to lose grip of the long stick. A naughty grin tugged at the corners of her lips, conjuring up several images of yesterday and the way they’d explored each other’s bodies.

  “You ready?” Blake asked.

  The heat of his arms surrounded her again, and she nodded.

  He whipped the rod back and then forward in a swift cast. “This is called flossing. Basically, all we are doing is letting the line out, and when a fish swims by with their mouth open, the lure simply gets lodged in and you pull. It’s fishing by default. Kind of like flossing their teeth…thus the name. The reds aren’t actually searching for food, seeing how their lifespan is almost over.”

  Sam nodded again, biting her tongue to keep quiet. She already knew the tragic turmoil of the red salmon’s swim upstream to spawn, only to die, but didn’t want to spoil his explanation. Not this time. Besides, this was his territory, and she felt a little out of her element with the large pole in her hand.

  A slight tug on the line caused the tip of the rod to bend and she tightened her grip.

  “Looks like your luck just changed, Sam. I think we’ve got one.”

  Surprised, she took an unsteady step forward. Her ankle was better than yesterday, but despite being tightly wrapped with an ace bandage, it still folded beneath her on the uneven surface, and the sudden motion caused her to break free of Blake’s hold. Immediately she was aware of her mistake; her foot glided, failing to make solid contact as the bottom slipped away.

  The arctic water enveloped her within seconds. Held under its relentless, icy grip, she fought to save herself as fleeting visions of her life flashed by. First a bear and now this? Her last possible moments on earth spent in a freezing river clutching tightly to a fishing rod while her new found love was unable to save her?

  Frantically, she clawed toward the blue sky, contesting the impeding frozen death. The current kept her at a steady level beneath the water’s surface with a pull too strong to fight. The river held her in its clutches for what seemed like hours before Blake’s strong hands encompassed her, releasing Sam from its possession.

  She struggled for breath, gasping as her strained lungs worked overtime to suck in large gulps of the crisp morning air. Blake pulled her to the shore, and she felt him tear at her clothes. Bewildered and confused, she fought off his persistent, adept fingers.

  Through her shivering and chattering teeth, she could hear his calm, voice of reason explaining the symptoms of hyperthermia. The definition got lost, muddied in her head, and Sam was only able to focus on a few key words.

  Cold, she heard clearly, as her body shivered in response. Strange. Her skin was on fire, yet as frozen as ice. The odd frigid burning increased with the rapid motion of his hands, shimmying up and down her arms. She was cold, Sam agreed, but the words got trapped somewhere between her mind and mouth.

  Blake tugged off the hip waders, and she heard the sloshing of liquid pour out of the rubber sheath. Small raindrops of ice splashed the rocks beside her.

  The water had won. It penetrated. The thought came and went as more arctic slush hailed, and the useless rubber sheath was tossed to the side.

  Before Sam knew it, her pants were removed and she was wrapped in the warmth of Blake’s flannel. He stood before her, hastily shedding his clothes. Confused, she tried to make sense of the situation. How could the man possibly be thinking about sex at a time like this? Didn’t he realize she almost died?

  An expression of concern graced his features as he laid his pants on the rocks. Without a word, he settled down beside her, and the unyielding muscle of his arms pulled her against his hot skin. His mouth, warm and searching, crashed down on her lips, while his hands ran up and down her spine, prickling the numbness with the friction.

  If his intent had been to keep her attention diverted, he was successful as her body ardently responded to his touch. She eagerly returned his kisses, and a husky, throaty moan escaped her lips. Somewhere in the distance, she heard pleading for more.

  “I’m trying to warm you up, you fool,” he said on a chuckle. “Not make love to you. If you keep it up…”

  Realizing his intent, Sam came to her senses, and noticed warmth flowed through her body again, crawling up her spine to her face in a heated rush. What was wrong with her? She damned near attacked him…and on a bed of rocks no less.

  “You okay? You scared the shit out of me.”

  The worry in his stare bombarded her, and she refused to let the embarrassment of her actions filter in. She never had anyone look out for her, and she’d much rather remain under the spell of his concerned gaze. When he stared at her like that, she almost believed he loved her, too. At least, she could cling to the delusion for now.

  After all, it was a beautiful dream.

  Chapter 19

  Sam knew Blake was no longer lying beside her before she even opened her eyes. She quickly glanced around the master suite, finding herself alone in his bedroom. She reached over to his side of the bed, and could tell by the cold sheet he’d been gone for a while.

  The fairytale couldn’t last forever could it? Ever since the fall into the river, Blake had refused to let her out of his sight. However, last night, after two decadent days in bed with the handsome, attentive man and several assurances she was fine, she had finally been able to convince him she was ready to get back to work.

  Sam released a loud sigh and reluctantly slid out from beneath the warm, cozy covers.

  Gingerly, she placed weight on her ankle, thankful it no longer hurt as much as it did. She slipped into his discarded robe draped over the foot rail and tied the front closed with a loose knot as his trademark scent drifted up from the fleece material. Sam inhaled deeply, unable to get enough of the woodsy, masculine fragrance.

  Glancing around the room, she noted her white shoulder bag and a neat pile of clothes folded up on the dresser. Her lap top, tucked in its black case, sat beside them. McKinley’s hiking boots completed the ensemble and were stationed on the floor. She peeked into the purse and let out a girly squeal. Everything she needed to work lay in the bag. Apparently, Blake had made a visit to her cabin while she’d been sleeping. A grin pulled at the corner of her lips. She’d have to thank him later.

  After a hot shower, she dressed and then grabbed the large tote on her way downstairs. She laid the bag on the couch and walked to the kitchen. A pad of paper on the counter caught her attention.

  Babe,

  Out on a trail ride. Didn’t want to wake you. Coffee’s ready to go. See you soon.

  Blake

  Sam read the note again, repeating the endearment, Babe, out loud. Although just a word, she felt as giddy as
a schoolgirl. Turning the coffeemaker on, she then scoured through two cupboards before she found a mug and waited while the coffee brewed.

  Sam poured a cup of the hot beverage and walked outside to the small table and chairs on the porch. Sitting on the rocking chair and sipping her coffee, a calming sensation swept through her.

  This place was really starting to grow on her. In fact, it felt more like home than her apartment did. Not missing the hustle and bustle of Miami, nor the heat, she sank back into the chair and allowed the gentle rocking motion to continue to relax her.

  Surrounded by the sounds of the forest, birds chirping, and the scuffling of leaves here and there, she imagined what it would be like to live here all year round. If she wanted to, she could spend the entire day sitting in this chair and drinking coffee.

  She could even work out here at the table.

  Work.

  She scrunched up her nose at the word. The fairytale really had come to an end.

  At the moment, she was at a standstill. She had a great idea, but there was so much to do on the brochure, it was almost intimidating. Of course, she had been in this position before. In fact, every time she’d had a huge ad.

  She glanced at the couch to the tote Blake had brought from the Hilton. She had no excuses. A sketch pad, notebook, pencils, and even her work camera were neatly tucked into the white shoulder bag. Everything she needed for work.

  Knowing what needed to be done, she pushed herself forward. Deciding the perfect way to begin would be a few sketches of the mountains and the wilderness, she jotted a quick note to Blake of her plans and placed it on the counter.

  She threw the large purse over her shoulder and headed out the door. Sam chose the same trail to her cabin, but headed in the opposite direction. Treading lightly through the forest, she was careful not to stray from the path, even though the thick, heavy foliage made it difficult at times. Taking notes from Blake, she intentionally made a racket by calling out to the bears to make her presence known.