* * * * *
Dani was freezing cold. The portable shower was handy, but the ice-cold water she'd pulled from a pond was not an easy thing to take this early in the morning. Her teeth were chattering as she dried herself vigorously, hoping her goose bumps would subside once she got dressed. She fled to her tent, struggling to get it unzipped as she stood freezing in her towel. Finally, it gave way, and she rushed in, diving back onto her bed and burrowing under the blankets until she stopped trembling with cold.
Finally, she felt warm enough to brave dressing, which she did clumsily from underneath her sleeping bag. She then scooted out of bed and unzipped the center divider in her tent, a thin wall that separated her "bedroom" from her "office." She went directly to the table she'd set up yesterday and the propane stove that lay atop it. She filled her camping coffee pot with her favorite brew, lit the stove, and put the pot on the burner to boil.
Dani opened the two windows within the tent to make sure there was proper ventilation. Before long the water was boiling, and she could see the coffee percolating through the glass dome on top.
Pouring her first cup of coffee she smiled, adding a sugar cube and a packet of creamer. If there was one area in which she accepted the label obsessive, it was in regards to her coffee. Dani sat down, put her feet up on the table, crossing one leg over the other, and took her first sip.
She gave a choked gasp and spit the coffee out in an arc that sprayed all over her legs. She hissed, being careful to set down the cup before she stood and wiped up the mess. It tasted like pond water, pond water and frog shit.
It took a minute for Dani to recover her confidence, but she wouldn't let a cup of terrible coffee destroy her excitement. She needed to scout out the area and determine the locations of amphibian colonies. Maybe she could even place some of her cameras if she got lucky and spotted some frogs.
Gathering her supplies, she placed them carefully into her backpack. Dani made sure to input the location of her campsite into her GPS so that she wouldn't get lost while exploring. Finally, she stepped out into the sunlight and sped down the slope, heading off to the ponds and adventure.
By lunchtime, Dani was sweaty and miserable. She'd found no evidence of her frogs and felt the first tendrils of doubt beginning to climb her insides. Having read about a colony not five miles from this park last year when she'd been crafting her grant proposal, she knew this area should be home to the species as well. But she couldn't find even one frog, despite her best efforts.
She swatted at the gnats that flew around her face as she splashed through yet another puddle. Having placed no cameras, she plodded back towards her camp, burdened by all of her gear and the weight of failure.
In the distance, she heard the sound of a motor. The idea that it might be Caleb's ATV made her quicken her pace, and she almost jogged back to camp. He was nowhere to be seen, but something seemed off about her campsite. She was sure that she'd zipped up the tent completely when she'd left, but it was now partially unzipped, as were her shower and bathroom.
Dani wondered if Caleb had come to call and been snooping while she was gone. She approached her tent, attempting to determine if anything had been disturbed, but she could see nothing out of the ordinary. Unzipping her tent, she slipped inside.
Although her "office" was necessarily small and low-maintenance, it was clear that a few things had been moved around. Papers that had been neatly stacked slid haphazardly across her desk. Her laptop, which she had closed down before departing this morning, was now propped open. Even her coffee cup had been moved and set down in a different position. Strange.
Stepping back outside, she listened for the motor sound that she had heard heading back. It was gone. Dani sighed, wondering what to do about this invasion of privacy. If Caleb wanted to know something about her research, why didn't he just ask her? What was with the snooping? She remembered that she was alone out in the woods, the closest human a couple mile's hike away. And that human was not necessarily someone she trusted. She barely even knew him.
Dani hated feeling afraid, and her anger at the invasion of her privacy quickly burnt the thin thread of apprehension to an unrecognizable crisp. There were still several hours left before the dusk, more than enough time to make the hike to his cabin. Dani took a moment to refill her water bottle and secure her campsite, then set off down the overgrown hunting trail.
It led up a series of hills and back down through pleasant green valleys. The short climbs had her heart pumping, but the adrenaline in her veins was fueled by her anger. It hadn't been easy, fighting her way through graduate school, sometimes not being taken seriously because of her gender, size, and appearance.
She'd worked hard to prove that big brains could come in small packages, and still jerks like Dean Fischer ignored her intellect in favor of her more physical charms. She couldn't stand being taken advantage of, which was exactly what Caleb was doing by invading her privacy. He thought she was just a weak and witless woman, one who'd let him walk all over her while digging through her personal stuff with impunity, Well, she'd show him, she'd...
Her anger petered out as she crested a hill and took in the view around her. It was stunning, the way the rays of sunlight pierced the clouds and shone down on the forest laid out around her. Trees in every shade of green carpeted the valley, a clear blue river making its way between them, its fast-moving water bubbling up white in spots. Dani could make out a couple of eagles circling the treetops, and she smiled without thinking. It was magnificent, and she felt some of her tension fade.
After a few moments of absorbing the view, she resumed her trek. Cresting the last hill, she looked down into the small valley holding Caleb's cabin. As she drew closer, Dani could hear a repetitive thwack coming from behind the building. She peeked around a corner to determine the source of the noise, and her breath lodged in her chest.
The ranger was shirtless in the waning sun, his strong arms moving rhythmically as he raised an ax and brought it down on a log. The log split like butter and he stooped to set up another one.
His muscles were slick with sweat, rippling as he swung the ax over and over. Dani wasn't sure how long she stood there staring, until she finally inhaled heavily and closed her eyes.
She wanted to rub herself against him like a cat in heat. She imagined her tongue tracing the line of muscles in his abdomen and up his chest, tasting his sweat and male essence. He was so hard as if his body were sculpted from marble, but she imagined if she touched him, his skin would be warm.
So he's hot. Big deal. He's also been snooping around your campsite. So get those bulging muscles out of your mind and get back on task. With one more deep breath Dani rounded the corner to confront the handsome snoop.
His blue eyes met hers as she came forward and electricity seemed to shoot through her body directly to the apex of her thighs. One eyebrow rose in surprise, and Caleb stopped his chopping and set down his ax. He grabbed a towel and began wiping himself down, stalking over in her direction.
She inhaled sharply and forced herself to focus on his face and not the towel that was rubbing so intimately against his body.
"Professor Greenhorn," he drawled with a lazy half-smile that said he knew the effect he had on her. "I didn't expect to see you again so soon."
"Really?" Does he want to pretend he hasn't been poking around in my stuff? Or does he actually think he'd gotten away with it? Whichever it is, two can play this game. Dani raised her brow, mirroring his inquisitive look and deciding to make him confess.
The lazy smile faltered, and Caleb looked confused. "Was there something you needed?"
"Not particularly," she replied. "How about you? Was there something you needed?"
* * * * *
Caleb shook his head, trying to puzzle out her question. "I don't follow you." He flipped the towel over his shoulder and stared down at the petite woman before him.
"You don't follow me, huh?" A smug smile covered her face. "You sure?"
Caleb didn't understand what she meant. For a moment he thought she might be a mad scientist, one who'd use the power of lightning to reanimate her dissected frogs. He throttled the laughter that image provoked before it could escape. She didn't seem crazy, just strange. "What are you talking about?"
"Why don't you tell me?"
He wanted to groan but instead shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know what you mean. If you need something, let me know. Otherwise, I'm going to take a shower and change."
She seemed to swallow nervously. What was going on in her head? "Look," he said quietly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'm here to help. Why don't you just tell me what's going on?"
She sighed then shook her head as if to suppress a thought. "So you want to play innocent, huh? Are you really going to pretend that you didn't rifle through my stuff while I was in the field today?"
"What?" He removed his hand from her shoulder and ran it through his hair. Caleb's mind was blank for a moment, confused by her statement. Suddenly he recalled Brice's call, and his mouth snapped into a line. "Let me put a shirt on and grab a jacket. We'll take the ATV back to your site." He walked around her and headed for the door to his cabin.
"Wait!" She jogged after him, her shorter legs pumping hard to catch up. She tried taking the front steps two at a time as he did and tripped, stumbling into his back and latching onto his waist, her small fingers gripping him tightly. Her touch brought a flash of warmth to his cooling skin, and for a second he relished that heat.
He could feel her breasts through her shirt against his naked back, and he wanted her to mold herself against him. But now wasn't the time to act on urges, so he immediately hardened himself against her and pulled away.
"Be careful," he said without turning around. He thought he felt her stiffen behind him as he entered his cabin.
Chapter 4
Dani's face burned with embarrassment. Even her ears felt flushed. Stupid klutz, she berated herself, remembering vividly the heat she'd felt when she'd grabbed his muscular body when she'd momentarily been pressed against his broad back. His skin was moist with sweat but softer than old leather, which was totally unexpected of a man who worked all day outdoors.
Her thoughts did nothing to cool her ardor, and she shoved them from her mind, rubbing her hands over her face in the hopes of banishing her blush.
She could hear Caleb moving around in his bedroom, seeking a clean shirt, and she took a moment to study her surroundings. The cabin was rustic but homey. It consisted of an open area, one end containing a kitchen with a table and four chairs. On the opposite wall was a stone fireplace, in front of which lay a woven rug and a small couch. There was also a bedroom, currently occupied by the ranger, and a bathroom. She wondered how long this cabin had stood in these woods. It was in good repair, but the propane lanterns and vintage furnishings lent it an air of age.
Her survey was interrupted when Caleb strolled out of his bedroom in a crisp white t-shirt that hugged his muscles in a way that did nothing to relieve the warmth she felt inside. He passed her and grabbed his jacket off the coat tree near the front door. "Let's go," he said, stepping out on the porch and expecting her to follow.
Dani was exasperated as she hurried after him. "What the hell is going on here? Did you snoop around my campsite or not?"
He didn't bother to answer, his strides easily outdistancing her own. He slid into the ATV and motioned for her to take the seat beside him. Dani blew out a gust of frustrated air that caused her bangs to fly up from her forehead. She climbed in beside him and crossed her arms over her chest. Caleb started the ATV and pulled out onto the trail, putting on speed. Dani had to grab the handhold in order to not fly out of the vehicle as he sped around a curve.
"Look, this macho silent act isn't working for me," she said after regaining her balance. "Tell me what's going on. By your response, I assume you weren't the one invading my privacy."
Caleb scowled but didn't look at her. "No. But I have an idea about who it could have been."
"Poachers?" Dani asked, her concern ratcheting up. She had been worried about encountering strangers while tucked away alone in the woods. She'd even gone so far as to purchase a small handgun before departing. While she doubted the .22 would put a stop to a bear or cougar, it might convince a poacher to leave her alone.
Caleb exhaled heavily before answering. "That's a possibility, but unlikely. The surrounding populace has been made aware on several occasions about changes in hunting policies at the park. Besides, poachers wouldn't bother to snoop. They'd most likely avoid your campsite altogether. The fines for hunting in the park are heavy."
He took another curve in the trail at speed and Dani couldn't brace herself in time. She slid across the seat and rammed into his side. His body was hard and hot, and she couldn't right herself for several seconds as they continued around the curve. As soon as the ground leveled out, she scooted back onto her side of the vehicle, cursing her body for tingling fiercely at even an accidental touch.
Her reaction to him was like nothing she'd ever felt before, and it both disturbed and excited her. She frantically pulled her thoughts out of the bedroom and back into the conversation. "Well if not poachers, then who?"
His mouth tightened. "I received a call this afternoon from the park donor."
"Brice Masterson?" She'd never met the eco-conscious millionaire, but she had received a nice congratulatory note from him when been notified about her grant. She wondered what he could have to do with the ransacking of her campsite.
"Yes," he said, eyeing her sternly at the interruption. "Masterson informed me that he has knowledge of a plot to mine portions of the park for gold. Apparently, a relative believes he can sneak a criminal operation into my park." The ranger all but growled the last words.
Dani repressed the shiver that ran through her at the sound of his growl. He was obviously possessive about the park. She wondered whether that possessiveness might extend to other things.
"So you think some rogue miners have been snooping around my stuff?" It seemed unlikely, even far-fetched. But he nodded, causing a spark of fear to shoot through her. What if she'd been in her tent when they'd stumbled upon her campsite?
* * * * *
They crested the final hill that overlooked her campsite, and soon Caleb pulled up next to her tent and shut off the ATV. He turned and glanced at the woman beside him.
She was pale; her fingers clenched tight. He knew her nails must be digging into her palms painfully, but her eyes were far away. Clearly, his revelation had startled her. For a fleeting moment, he wanted to pull her into his arms and comfort her, soothe her.
Caleb climbed out of the ATV and wandered over to her tent, trying to compose himself. He had never let himself get close to anyone, never really cared about anyone's feelings before, especially a woman's he barely knew. But somehow the professor had momentarily penetrated his defenses.
He couldn't understand this eruption of feelings, and he brutally shoved them back down. You want to fuck her, that's all, he reassured himself. You're not used to spending so much time with a woman before you seal the deal. It's just nervous energy.
Caleb bent to unzip the tent and stepped inside, returning his focus to his surroundings. There seemed to be very little disturbance. Danielle followed him in, placing her hands on her hips. He turned to face her, one brow rising in inquiry. "How exactly did you know someone was snooping in your tent?"
The professor cocked her hips to one side. She was certainly a spitfire. A woman like Danielle clearly liked a challenge, and what bigger challenge would there be than taming an unrepentant asshole like him? He forced away a smile, pasting on a scowl before turning back to her.
Professor Greenhorn caught his scowl and Caleb watched as an attractive, albeit angry, flush lit up her cheeks. She stomped over to him, shoving him out of the way to get to her laptop. She pointed. "I left this closed, and it was open when I came back." She scooted around him to the other side of the makeshift desk,
picking up a stack of papers and thrusting them at him. "And these papers were in a different order. I know Miller's Pacific Choral Frog Populations in Central Oregon was on top."
Caleb almost laughed but caught himself. Some hint of his intention must have remained in his eyes because when she looked at him, her cheeks were red.
"This isn't funny," she snarled, balling her fists at her sides. "The tent was unzipped as well, and I know I wouldn't leave it like that." She stomped past him and back out the tent, bending close to the ground. He followed her, wondering what she was doing.
"I'm looking for footprints," she answered his unasked question. "Aren't you some kind of policeman? Shouldn't you be leading this investigation?"
She was such a fucking know-it-all. But little did she know he had her right where he wanted her. Next, turn up the sarcasm. "I'm not a cop; I'm a forest ranger. If you wanted me to identify an animal based on its spoor, no problem, but I'm not a crime scene investigator. Although I don't know if 'crime scene' really fits this situation."
She froze, slowly bringing her eyes up to his, then just as slowly straightening out of her crouch. "You don't believe me?" Her voice was eerily quiet.
"I'm not saying that," he replied in a tone that said quite the opposite. "I just don't think we've got enough evidence to say that a crime has occurred."
* * * * *
Dani wouldn't have thought it was possible to be this angry. The ranger sounded so damn condescending. Her temper made her voice rise an octave, her words fire in rapid succession.
"Oh, I get it. This city-slicker chick has already gone hysterical in the deep, dark woods? If that's what you think, then head on back to your little ranger station and ignore the paranoid professor." She bent over and jerked up her pant leg, exposing a little holster strapped to her calf and the small pistol it held. "I can take care of myself."
Doctor Feelgood: (A Bad Boy Doctor Novel) Page 30