Face tilted up, she waited for his inspection. His gaze touched every feature, his green eyes flecked with warm sparks of amber. He was an incredibly handsome man in a rugged, appealing, outdoorsy way. “Sorry, Steph. I don’t see anything.” He frowned. “You didn’t put makeup on, did you?”
“Why bother?”
He shrugged. “That was my thought. You’re naturally stunning and don’t need it.”
“I wasn’t fishing for a compliment,” she said. “But something is off.”
His head tilted. “Do you need to stop for a minute?”
“No, let’s keep going. Like you said, we have a lot of ground to cover today on the trail.”
Still, everywhere she looked the colors of nature seemed brighter, iridescent, practically neon green and yellow in places. Her vision became slightly out of focus in some spots, and sharp as a magnifying glass in others.
Even her hearing seemed more acute, to the point where she could distinguish between dozens of bird calls, all at once. A squirrel scampered up a tree a good ten yards away, and she heard the scratching of its nails on bark as if she stood right beside the tree.
Maybe last night she hadn’t slept as well as she’d thought, and fatigue was taking its toll. Unused to this level of exertion over long stretches of time, she had no experience to compare to these symptoms. She assumed they were side effects of a city girl breathing in the dense oxygen of a forest for days at a time.
A little disturbed, she described the symptoms to Mason.
He gave her an odd stare. “Really?” His voice sounded like a mix of awe and excitement. “Huh. I hadn’t expected that.” His smile of wonderment baffled her. “Interesting.”
“What? Do you know something I don’t?” she demanded.
“Possibly. But I can’t make a diagnosis yet.” Pride shone on his face for reasons she couldn’t fathom. “Keep me posted on the changes in your sensory perceptions.”
“Okay. You’ll let me know if something is wrong?”
“Don’t worry. What you’re experiencing is nothing to be afraid of, and it’s not a bad thing.”
“But, how do you know that, if you don’t know what’s happening to me? Am I sick?”
“Relax, honey. Whatever happens, I’ll take care of you. I told you that from the start.”
She set her hands on her hips. “I’m not some useless, helpless female, Mason. I can hold my own. And I could make this leg of the trail with or without you.”
“I know.” He grinned and planted a kiss on her lips unexpectedly, leaving her flushed. Warm sensations tickling her inner elbows and the backs of her knees. Whoa, that’s new. “It’s why,” he said, “I believe you’ll be ideal.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Ideal for what?”
“Just a hunch I had when we met.”
She sidestepped away. “Now you’re starting to sound like a creeper. Even though Dr. Tyce vouched for you.”
He brushed her chin with a forefinger. “The right chemistry can happen between two people in the most unexpected places.”
The declaration surprised her. “Are you saying you think we have chemistry?”
He nodded. “Don’t you think?”
“Yes,” she admitted, “but maybe this isn’t fate as much as convenience.”
“I tend to believe Fate defies the odds.” His smile was blinding in its certainty. “Stick with me, baby. I’ll prove the impossible does exist, and can happen.”
Hesitant to jump on the we’re-meant-to-be bandwagon, she said, “I didn’t sign up for that excursion. It sounds like it costs extra.”
“Totally free. And it’s a standing invitation.” He winked. “The slot’s open with your name on it, when you feel like straying onto the path less traveled.”
She peered at him. “Are you speaking in code? Because I left my magic decoder ring at home.”
He laughed. “I guess we’ll just have to see what happens.” The warm flecks in his eyes sparkled like sun-lit gold. “When the end is worth the wait, I don’t mind a little mystery.”
“I do,” she griped. “I’m not even sure what we’re talking about anymore.”
He caressed the back of her neck, sending pleasant chills down her spine. “What it comes down to is enjoying the journey. No expectations. No strings attached. Just seeing where it leads.”
“No matter what happens?” she clarified.
“No matter what.”
The intensity embedded in his tone left her more intrigued and less vigilant than she’d prefer. Part of her wanted to explore the potential between them. The rest of her wanted to keep her emotions safely locked away behind the gates of strict caution.
But if she did decide to explore their potential, she liked knowing there were no expectations. A fling. Hot sex with a gorgeous man she might never see again. Something she’d never considered, and she was gradually warming up to the benefits of such an arrangement.
When they resumed hiking, she noticed the fantastical colors had faded a bit. However, she now picked up plenty of compelling scents each time she inhaled. The earthy decay of decomposing logs. The rich dampness of moss. Crisp pine needles and gooey sap. Most gripping of all was the male scent of her companion. He smelled like fresh-tilled earth, the salty tang of sweat, and the musk of virile masculinity. The combination struck her as outrageously sexy, a little too intimate, and completely distracting. There was no way she smelled anything close to pleasant or feminine.
The sound of rushing water came from the valley to her right. She suspected her quick cleanse back at the cave that morning would prove insufficient to stand up to the muggy heat of high noon along the North Carolina/Tennessee state border, in spite of deodorant.
“I need to wash my hair,” she blurted. And myself. “Can we stop at the river below?”
Mason inclined his head. “Not a bad idea. It’s pretty damn hot out today. I could use a cool dip in the river myself.”
“Great.” Thank you. “So, how do we get down there?”
He glanced at the downhill terrain. “Have you ever been skiing?”
“A few times, but what does that have to do with getting to the river?”
“It’s a steep drop. You’ll need to take it sideways, like tackling winter slopes on skis. Following the downward momentum, you shift left or right depending on the roots and rocks in the way.”
She chose to ignore her nervousness. “Okay, I think I can handle that.”
Thinking back, she recalled Kyle preferred summer over winter sports, but the few times they’d gone skiing she’d loved the exhilaration, speed, and control. The one outdoor activity where she’d excelled over Kyle. Probably why he’d hated it.
Granted, she hadn’t grown comfortable with her new, fuller body yet, and she faced leaves and mud instead of snow. But she wanted to regain her former abilities. She needed that old sense of daring to spike her veins again. Hey, if she lost her footing, she had extra cushion on her bones to soften her landing. She would own this hill, damn it.
A touch of vertigo hit her as she peered over the steep drop. She took a steadying breath.
“Ready?” he asked.
Shaking out the stiffness in her limbs, she nodded. “Let’s do this.”
With the first step, she skidded down the embankment. She found purchase and careened around boulders, ducked under branches. She kept her knees bent, feeling for dips and ledges in the terrain, anticipating when to shift left or right.
Her partner maneuvered like a pro, catapulting over logs with grace, levering his toned frame around rocks with the agility of a gymnast. He mastered the topography at a quick glance and warned her of obstacles ahead. He offered his hand to her a few times, but she refused, needing her arms free for extra balance, needing to accomplish the feat on her own.
Halfway down her hamstrings and thighs burned like she’d performed a hundred squat exercises. She continued her descent, letting gravity do the work. Taking the last fifteen yards on a diagonal, she ran t
he rest of the way until she leveled out along the river rocks, a grin stamped on her lips. Yes!
Mason slowed to a stop in front of her and pivoted in her direction. She tried to slow down, too, but the weight of her pack propelled her further than expected. She landed against his hard chest with a thump.
To his credit, he absorbed the impact without a cringe or grunt, and without stumbling backward or falling on his fine ass. Cripes, the guy was solid as a tree trunk.
“I did it,” she said through winded breaths.
“How about that.” He smiled like he’d never had a doubt. “Want to go again?”
Sure, Mr. Endless Stamina, she thought to herself. Hot. “Nope, I got it out of my system. I’m good.”
“Yes, you are.” His glance appraised her with a slow, sexy sweep. “You earned a cool bath in the river. Though I like you all tousled and sweaty.”
With his comment rose images in her mind of them rolling around on the ground, making out passionately, bodies entwined and dripping with exertion, him tearing off her disheveled clothes. It held more appeal than she’d admit out loud to him. “This isn’t the good kind of sweaty and tousled, but thanks.”
He licked his lips. “We all have our opinions.”
She released her pack with a groan of relief. When Mason didn’t budge, she crossed her arms. “I take baths alone.”
His chest rose and fell on a sigh. “That’s a shame.” Wicked temptation smoldered in his eyes. “I could help you with the hard-to-reach places.”
She shook her head. “I have a bar of biodegradable, nature-friendly soap I bought from your store. I’m all set.”
“Damn,” he said, looking painfully disappointed, like she’d shown him a trove of Christmas presents under the tree but forbid him from unwrapping them.
The reaction made her smile inwardly. “Okay, bye. See you down river in twenty minutes.”
He appeared crestfallen. “I can’t convince you to let me stay?”
She mouthed the word no.
“Even if I promise not to touch?”
The man had a gift for making her feel desirable. She gave him props for that. However, she pretended to check an invisible watch on her wrist. “You haven’t left. I’m waiting.”
“Why can’t I appreciate your body?”
If only she could shut down the sun, and engulf the surroundings in darkness. Even then she might not say yes…but what if she could?
Kyle had insisted the lights go out before she emerged from the bathroom after a shower, so they could make love. Mason asked for zero requirements. Just her, naked and daring.
The problem was, she was entirely afraid to show her body in broad daylight to a man who might judge her. “Sorry. You need to go away.”
“I’m sorry, too.” He sent her a yearning glance, which she found utterly sexy. “Fine. I’ll go,” he said, sounding none too happy about it.
She wiggled her fingers at him in farewell. He kicked a stone and walked away down the riverbank.
Several minutes passed before he disappeared from view. Then she began undressing. The ties of her boots were knotted and caked with crud. Pretty much like the rest of her, she figured, eager to wash the grit and grime away.
Okay, she had showered and shampooed just yesterday morning at Mason’s lodge, an option many AT hikers didn’t have or didn’t bother with. But she ranked cleanliness up there with Godliness. She kept herself, her wardrobe, and her home immaculate.
After coming to terms with her new shape, it had taken her a month to find a shop in California that catered to plus-sized girls. When she had, she’d stocked up on sharp, professional attire to fit her curvy body and taste in fashion. She’d refused to dress like a slob, hide her form, or act like she didn’t care, no matter what her size.
Minus those luxuries, right now, her hair required the most attention. Sadly, she had no access to a straightening iron, but she wanted to keep her mass of long red curls shiny and clean if not tamed.
She’d removed all her trappings of civilization when she reached for her left ring finger to take off her engagement ring. Then she remembered it wasn’t there.
A swell of emotion gripped her chest. Leftover anger clogged her throat and welled in her eyes.
The surge of feelings surprised her. Still? Seriously?
That part of her life, the part where she doubted herself every second, needed to go away, for good.
Waist-high in the water, she dunked her hair. She used the sliver of nature-friendly soap to lather her hair. A better option than the Pert 2-in-1 she’d brought with her. She had no desire to pollute her surroundings.
The more she slathered the suds through her hair, the more irritated she became with herself. Damn, she thought, Kyle had chosen everything. He’d picked out her wedding dress—after he’d put her through hell trying on dresses she’d felt uncomfortable in, and he’d made her feel like a whale while trying them on. He’d picked out their wedding cake. He’d picked out their wedding location. For God’s sake, he’d even chosen their honeymoon destination. Didn’t he imagine she’d want to go backpacking someplace sexy, like Paris? Or even—gasp!—stay in a luxury hotel in an exotic location?
No, he’d chosen the Appalachian Trail.
As she lowered her head back, swishing her hair in the river water, she looked up at the resilient blue sky.
How could I have been such a doormat?
Annoyed, she gave a curt sigh. Then she glanced up into the beady eyes of a bear.
Every fine hair stood up on her neck.
Come on. Another bear?
She didn’t squeal. She didn’t scream. Only called out in a trembling voice, “Mason. I need you.”
Apparently, he didn’t hear. The bear above her stared at her with astute attention.
Drawing from her very basic bear knowledge, she knew they had no fear of water. They’d swim up and downstream for salmon or fish, no matter what stood in their way.
“Don’t eat me,” she exclaimed. “Please.”
The bear’s ears perked, and it cocked its head to the side. As if he’d heard her?
“You’re not interested in me,” she insisted, swimming in the opposite direction of the bear. “I’m not important. I probably don’t even taste good.”
She darted a glance at her clothes, opposite her on the rocky shore of the basin. At least, she thought weakly, the bear wouldn’t shred the insurance card with her full name, address and personal information in it.
A flicker of dread reached into the deepest recesses of her, followed by bleak recognition. Who would Mason call on her behalf, if he found her body floating in the river?
The lightning flash of self-realization struck her. She’d clung to her relationship with Kyle because she hadn’t wanted to be alone. Even when she’d seen the signs of him pulling away, she’d ignored them.
Sure, she’d kept in touch with the Hendricks, but after she left for college with several scholarships to the University of California, the Hendricks technically were no longer her family. What she feared most in this world was ending up, and dying, alone.
Hot tears leaked from her eyes, streamed down her face, and quivered on the tip of her chin.
She had no one.
No one knew where she wanted her gravestone to be, or what she wanted it to say. No one would set flowers there at memorable occasions or holidays. Ashley might, until she became wrapped up in her own future and family. Stephanie admitted she might be missed, but she wouldn’t be mourned.
Tremendous sadness seeped from her heart. She didn’t want things to end here. She wanted the opportunity to love, really fall in love, and be loved.
An overwhelming sob nearly choked her.
High above, the great bear stepped closer to the ledge and cocked its head to the other side.
Digging her toes into the mud, she swam until she hit solid stones beneath the water. Her terror forced her to cling to a steep ledge of stone.“Just leave me alone. Go away.”
> Without a sound, the bear lowered its head as though humbled. It gave her a long stare, like it had understood her words. Go away.
Then it pivoted and loped off into the woods. She clung to the rocks and sent a glance heavenward. “Thank you.”
Relief washed over her. Her spirits lifted. Maybe creatures in the wilderness had a more conscious awareness of emotion than she had ever considered.
Regardless, for another ten minutes she stayed glued to the rocks. Then, when she believed enough time had passed, she returned to the stream and swam forward, treading water, worried the beast might come back.
It didn’t.
She had no idea if bears understood human terror, but she didn’t discount that the creature had sensed her fear and left her to her own devices.
If only her ex-fiancé had exhibited the same respect. Without the leaving part.
As she swam toward a bear-free shore, she tried to shed her anger in the wake of her movements. By the time she left the water, her fingers and toes were pruned. She air-dried her body and slid on her clothes. Hiking boots and socks in hand, she carefully picked her way barefoot along the rocks, downstream, toward Mason.
She felt like nature had reminded her how to appreciate her life in ways she hadn’t been, and she looked forward to sharing that with him. Because, amazingly enough, she knew he would care.
7
Head hanging low, Mason approached a spot downstream where he’d told Steph he’d wait for her. He felt like pond scum.
At the sight of him in bear form, she’d burst into tears. Each tear that fell from her eyes had tortured him. The terror frozen on her face had shamed him.
All he’d wanted was to catch a glimpse of her naked. To feed his senses by soaking in the beautiful sight of her nude form. Instead, he’d terrorized her into a meltdown.
Way to go, jackass. His bear had no remorse, but he had plenty to last him a good long time.
The fear he’d caused her bothered him greatly. Despite knowing he was nearby, she’d felt alone and unprotected. As her destined mate, he’d done a lousy job of making her feel safe. An alpha werebear’s highest purpose was as a protector. He’d trained for decades to achieve Master Guardian status. Yet his own mate lacked faith in his ability to safeguard her.
Dare to Bear (Book 1 Trail Guardians Series) Page 7