by Sable Hunter
Without another word, he returned to the bathroom where he took care of his own needs. When he rejoined Jensen, he climbed into the bed next to her.
“I probably should go find my own room.”
“No.” Clint caught her arm, holding her gently but firmly. “Stay. Please.”
Torn, Jensen didn’t know what to do. She hadn’t thought this through. All she’d been concerned about was the sex – not the after-orgasm cuddle. “The rules still apply.”
“What?”
She repeated herself. “The rules still apply.”
“I can’t touch you? Hold you while you sleep?”
The words stuck in her throat. What to say? She clambered for a response. “Lie down.” She told him quickly.
“All right.” Confused, Clint did as she directed.
When he lay flat, she slipped in next to him, fitting herself into the curve of his arm. Placing her head on his shoulder, Jensen rested a hand on his chest. “Hold me. Please.”
Clint brought his arm up to rest across her back, hugging her close. “Like this?”
“Yes. Isn’t this okay?” She knew he must be frustrated as hell with her. His patience would only last so long, she could see that truth unfolding.
“Yea, it’s more than okay.” Clint was more than thrilled to have her in his bed – still…something was wrong. He didn’t know what it was. Not yet. But he was more than determined to discover the truth. “I’d never turn down a chance to hold you.”
Jensen placed a kiss over his heart. She might not be able to tell him how much she cared, but she could show him.
Chapter Ten
In all the world, you’ll never find…
Jensen opened her eyes wide, trying to make sense of what she was hearing. Oh, she understood the words that promised no one would find a love as true as the one offered. She recognized the song, George Straight’s I Cross My Heart – it was just the performance that had her baffled. As a second serving of the chorus rose in volume, she could hear the promise to give all he had to give to make all her dreams come true – but the voice…
Could that be Clint singing in the shower?
Surely not.
He had such a deep, husky, sexy speaking voice – but this singing… It was grating, unpleasant, a nails on chalkboard noise if she’d ever heard one. Sitting up, she brought the pillow with her to cover her ears. “Make it stop!”
After a few minutes, the terrible noise ceased, and she dropped the pillow.
And then it started up again. Another song. Same terrible singing voice.
“Eye…Eye…Eye…will always…luvvvvv you. Oh, Eye…will always luv yew.”
The last ‘you’ was delivered at such a screeching intensity that Jensen thought the windows might crack.
As the howling continued, Jensen rose to find a robe, then returned to make the bed. Before they left the lodge, she’d make sure the sheets were dealt with. Right now, they were in a hurry with more important things to do. While she worked, she couldn’t help but smile. In all her born days, she’d never heard a voice like Clint Wilder’s.
“Good morning, precious.”
Jensen gasped as Clint wrapped her in his arms, spinning her around for a kiss. A very thorough, toe curling kiss. It happened so fast, she kissed him back without thinking. “Good morning. You’re certainly in a good mood. I heard you…singing.”
Clint laughed out loud. “Yes. I play the guitar as well as I sing. Want me to demonstrate?”
“No. No,” she told him hastily. “That’s okay. I believe you.”
He gave her a knowing, wicked smirk. “You don’t have to say it. I know how I sound, but I sing anyway. It makes me happy.”
His answer warmed Jensen’s heart. “If it makes you happy, you should sing in the shower every day. Although…I don’t think you could ever make a career of it.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll invest in some earplugs for you to keep by the bed.”
“Uh…that’s okay.” She quickly turned away to go the bathroom.
“How about I see what I can find for breakfast while you take a shower?” He gave her a scorching hot look. “Unless…you want some company in the shower.”
“No,” she said quickly. “We’re pressed for time.”
“True.” He stole another kiss. “I’ll be in the kitchen. After we eat, we’ll load up the gear and the horses. We want to make the guys proud of us.”
“Yes. We do,” she agreed as she held the front of the robe tightly in front of her.
Last night was a blur of pleasure. Jensen felt like she was still a little high from the excitement. Lurking in the back of her mind, however, was the fact that he wasn’t going to let this go. As far as Clint was concerned, this was the beginning of something. Jensen dreaded telling him otherwise.
As she grabbed a quick shower and dressed, thoughts spun through her head. She didn’t want to hurt him again. The possibility of coming clean and telling him everything also scared her to death. But what was the alternative? She was stuck between two impossible choices.
As she laced up her hiking boots, Jensen had to admit the best she could hope for was to irritate Clint so badly he would decide for himself she wasn’t worth the trouble.
Weaving her way through the lodge, she smelled breakfast long before she reached the kitchen. A sexy, sweet man who could cook. What girl could ask for anything more? “I smell bacon,” she announced as she joined him.
“Yes, you do. There’s also blueberry pancakes and scrambled eggs.”
“Heavenly. I’m starving.”
Clint patted the table next to him. “Come and sit. I’ll dish up the food.”
“Okay.” She took her seat and poured their coffee from an already full carafe. All the while she stole glances at him. He looked good enough to eat in blue jeans and a blue checked flannel shirt that fit his ripped body to perfection. “This seems a little unreal, doesn’t it?”
“What? The rescue we’re about to attempt or the fact we’re together?”
“Both, I guess.” She tasted her food. “This is so good. Thank you for preparing it.”
“It was nothing – really. Conrad left the box of pancake mix next to the frig. All I did was add milk and eggs.” He straddled a chair and sat next to her. “Being with you was amazing. I can’t wait for more nights like that.”
“I enjoyed you very much,” she told him shyly.
Her answer seemed to please him. They ate in companionable silence, each knowing they needed to hurry. By the time they finished and cleared the dishes, the clock showed a quarter to five. “I’ll go load the horses and bring the truck around.”
“Okay, I’ll bring the gear to the front and meet you.”
“I like this. Working together.” He pulled her close for a quick kiss. “We make a good team.” As he hurried away, she watched him go, her pulse racing.
A few minutes later, they were pulling out of the lodge and heading out on a spectacular adventure. “Okay, Jensen. You’re the navigator, tell me which way to go.”
“I’m ready.” Since it was still dark, she turned on the small overhead light on her side of the truck. “Head north on Highway 2, then turn on Going-To-The-Sun-Road. Like we were told, Conrad would park his truck at some point along the road since its still closed for the season. Most likely, the Lodge at Lake McDonald.”
“All right. Here we go.” He adjusted the heater and his mirrors as the truck picked up speed.
Jensen looked out the window, knowing the views were spectacular but it was still too dark to see anything. “I hope this goes well.”
“It will. We’re going to do great.”
For the next half hour, they drove at a moderate rate of speed on the narrow roads. Gradually, the sun came up over the mountains, bathing the world in a rosy glow. “Wow, look at the lake, isn’t it beautiful? I almost wish we were here just for fun. Exploring this area in depth would be amazing.”
“There’s no reason we can’t come bac
k and do this thing right.”
With their excitement level mounting, they pulled into the parking lot of Lake McDonald Lodge, a Swiss chalet style hotel. There were several vehicles, including several of the narrow, long red buses that served as guest shuttles in the park - but there were no Jeeps at all. “Well, that blows that theory. I really expected to find Conrad’s ride here,” Jensen mused aloud.
Clint found a place to park. “There’s a restaurant here. If I were Conrad, I would’ve stopped for coffee. I think I’ll go in and see if anyone saw him on his way in.”
“Good idea.” Jensen knew this procedure would be standard for an SAR mission. Searching for clues about the victim’s movements would be critical. “I’ll come with you. Do you think it’s open?”
“I don’t know, let’s see.”
Once they were out of the truck, Clint checked on the horses before meeting Jensen at the front of the vehicle. He held out his hand and she took it, knowing she was just prolonging the façade.
Jensen noticed quite a few bicyclists. “I guess that’s a good way to get around.”
Clint made a scoffing noise. “I’d rather ride a horse and let them do all the work.”
After mounting the steps, they wandered through the lobby with its massive beams and rustic décor. “Over there, I see the entrance to the restaurant.”
Once seated, a waitress came to take their order. “What can I get you?”
“Coffee and information,” Clint announced with a heart-winning grin.
The smile was returned in full measure. “For you, Mr. Wilder, I’ll research through my old set of Encyclopedia Britannica.”
“Oh, you recognize me, Sybil?” Clint read the little woman’s nametag. “Way up here?”
“We do have television and I do love my football.” She poured them both a cup of coffee from a pot off a nearby cart. “Now, what can I help you with? Directions? Recommendations? Warnings?”
“Warnings?” The idea intrigued Jensen.
“Yea, you won’t believe how many folks come up here expecting to drive straight through the park. They don’t realize Sun Road is only open, on average, ten to twelve weeks a year. As for me, I don’t venture out on it very often. I’m not fond of those dizzying heights.”
Clint nodded. “I hear you. Well, what we want to know is if you know Conrad Billings, the foreman from Golden Bear Ranch?”
“Oh, sure! Everybody local knows old Conrad. In fact, he was in here yesterday – or was it the day before?” she mused, then laughed. “I heard him tell Trixie he was taking off into the park to hide from a couple of greenhorns who’d be flying in to get their SAR certification.” Once she voiced the thought, Sybil blushed. “Don’t tell me…”
Raising his hand, Clint grinned. “That’s right. We’re the greenhorns.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be. Did he happen to mention where he was heading and how he planned on getting there?”
Sybil frowned. “Well, wouldn’t it be cheating to tell you?”
“No, not at all,” Jensen told her. “In fact, he probably gave out the information on the possibility someone might inquire. If this were a real emergency, SAR people would be interviewing everyone for any clue they could possibly find as to his whereabouts and plans.”
“All right.” She replaced her coffee on the cart. “Let me get Trixie for you and we’ll see what she has to say.”
“Thanks,” Clint told her with a grateful smile.
Once they were alone, Jensen took out the map. “This was a great idea you had, stopping here.”
“Let’s withhold judgment until we see if we gain any useable information or not.”
A few minutes later, a little woman with snow white hair joined them. The name TRIXIE stood out plainly on her nametag. “I hear you’re looking for information on Conrad?”
“Yes, ma’am, if you don’t mind,” Clint muttered with an affable smile.
“Well, he told me he was heading to the Trail of the Cedars first. After that, he wasn’t sure if he’d angle toward Avalanche Lake or go off-trail toward Red Rock Point.”
“That’s in two different directions.” Jensen frowned. “How will we choose?”
Trixie tapped her order book with her pencil. “I guess that’s why they call it Search and Rescue, sweetie,” she quipped with an emphasis on the word search.
This tickled Clint and he held his hand in front of his mouth as he laughed. “You’re right, Trixie – and that’s what we’re here for. Did he say anything else?”
She squinted her eyes and looked up toward the ceiling. “Yes!” She brightened. “He said to tell Clint to hurry, he has a date for the church social on Wednesday night.”
“We’ll give it our best shot. Won’t we, love?” He covered Jensen’s hand with his own.
Trixie eyed their joined hands. “What have we here? Is the famous Clint Wilder part of a couple? What’s your name, honey?”
Before Jensen could say, Clint spoke up. “This is Jensen Wilder.”
“Jensen. Clint.” Trixie gave them a wink. “Oh, so you’re. Clintsen. You know, like Brangelina or TomKat.”
“No…” Jensen protested.
“Oh, I like that.” Clint chuckled.
“We’re not a couple.” Jensen pulled her hand back, ignoring Clint’s surprised expression.
“Sure looks like it to me.” Trixie giggled. “Wait until I tell Verna, she loves football and TMZ, she’ll get a kick out of this.”
“We’re not a couple,” Jensen repeated emphatically.
“You heard her, Trixie,” Clint sat stoically. “We’re not a couple. How much do I owe you for this coffee?”
“Oh, it’s on the house.”
“Thanks.” He stood up. “Daylight’s burning. Let’s get this over with.”
Jensen dug a tip for Trixie out of her wallet. “Thanks so much.”
The older woman accepted the bills. “I think you’re making a mistake, sweetie. That’s one handsome hunk. He seems nice too. I’d rethink this situation if I were you.”
“You’re probably right.” Jensen didn’t know what else to say. She followed Clint out of the restaurant. By the time she reached the front entrance, he was halfway across the parking lot.
Stepping up her pace, she reached the vehicle a few seconds later. He’d already fired up the engine. She felt a bit lucky that he hadn’t driven off without her. No doubt about it, she’d said the wrong thing.
But it needed to be said – right?
Probably not in the way she’d handled it. Crap.
Once she was sitting beside him and buckled in, he eased the truck toward the highway. “Which way?”
“Trail of the Cedars. Straight ahead about five miles.”
They drove in tense silence. Finally, Jensen spoke up. “Clint, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. You said it was a game. Not a marriage proposal. I just forgot. Too many hits to the head, you know.”
She could hear the pain in his voice. “Clint, please…”
“No worries. It’s not like you haven’t made your position perfectly clear. Repeatedly. I’m just dense. Let’s just forget it. Okay?”
She could see the hurt on his face, but he wasn’t the only one hurting. Jensen felt like she’d been kicked in the chest. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” He gave her a wide, fake smile. “We had fun. I have to admit, you’re the best lay I’ve ever had.”
“Clint…”
He waved his hand. “No more. As far as I’m concerned it never happened. Forgotten.”
Jensen stopped trying to talk to him. They finished the five miles and arrived at the Trail of the Cedars. Clint whipped into the parking lot and flung open the door.
All right. Enough.
“Clint. Wait.” Jensen fell into step behind him. He wasn’t waiting. He wasn’t looking. He was plowing ahead. “We’re not going to do anyone any good with this mindset. Please.”
He stopped dead in
his tracks, but he didn’t look around.
“I apologize. I like you. I really do. I know you think I’m the worst person in the world, but there’s something you don’t know.”
He turned around. “What?”
She swallowed hard and shook her head. The words of truth were on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn’t bring them forth. “I can’t tell you.”
He shook his head. “There’s something wrong with you. Seriously wrong.”
“Yes, there is – but I’m not ready to talk about it. Not yet. Not with you.”
“Not with me?” He looked down at the ground, then back up at her. “We’ve been intimate. As close as anyone can be to another person. If you can’t tell me – who could you tell?”
She couldn’t answer his question. “Please. Let’s try to get along. At least until this is over. And know – that I never intended to hurt you.”
He wagged his finger at her. “I once told you that you didn’t hurt me, but I lied. You did hurt me and…” Throwing his hands in the air, he exclaimed, “And I’ve let you do it again! How big of a fool does that make me?”
“You’re not a fool. You’re a wonderful, decent man and any woman would be lucky to love you.”
“But not you?”
She shook her head, unable to say more.
“I’m done. Fool me twice – shame on me.” Again, he turned to walk off.
“Okay. Hate me. That’s fine. Let’s just put this aside long enough to do our mission justice.”
“Damn the mission,” he muttered, but he covered his face with his hands and took a long breath. “Fine. What do you think our next step should be – I can’t think right now.”
“Let’s take the horses. Even though this trail’s only a mile long, if we see tracks to indicate he went this way, we’ll already have our gear and continue on.”
Without saying anything else they loaded their packs onto the horses and set off together. As she rode next to Clint, Jensen took a series of deep breaths, attempting to clear her mind enough to complete the task at hand.