by Lynn James
Several hours later, after the dishes had long been washed and the fire was burning low, Elaine headed for the bathroom in her stocking feet to take a shower. Alone for the first time, Devon studied the cabin. The room was small, but cozy. Or perhaps Devon found the cabin comfortable because of the company. It had been a long time since she was able to talk to someone other than her family or co-workers about her job. The more they talked the more Devon realized that they shared common interests and the conversation was genuine and comfortable.
Maybe Elaine wasn’t a puzzle after all, but then again, what was with her kissing and running? And then apologizing?
Several minutes later Elaine emerged from the bathroom. She was wearing boxer shorts and a tank top. Not surprisingly, she was incredibly fit. Devon couldn’t help but notice her strong stomach visible beneath the ribbed tank top. Her legs were equally muscular as were her arms. She could barely smother a laugh when she noticed the prominent tan lines midway between her elbow and shoulder. They were clearly a result of the many hours she had spent in the sun wearing her uniform. Her entire body, silhouetted by the fire was divinely feminine.
Elaine seemed lost in thought as she towel dried her hair in front of the fire and sifted the long auburn locks through her fingers. The dancing flames highlighted the hints of gold that had been previously concealed in a thick braid. Devon was thankful for the dim lighting as her face grew heated and without a doubt flushed, at the sight of Elaine’s body. She was embarrassed when she noticed that Elaine had caught her looking.
“Do you want me to put some extra blankets on the bed or will you be warm enough?”
“If I take the bed where are you going to sleep? No offense, but this couch doesn’t seem like it would be particularly comfortable for sleeping.”
Elaine shrugged. “It’s probably not the most comfortable, but it will be fine.”
“You were kind enough to share your cabin, so you should take the bed.” Devon didn’t relish the idea of sleeping on an uncomfortable couch or the floor, but she would. It certainly wouldn’t be any worse than sleeping in her sleeping bag.
“No, Devon, you’re a guest and this is my job. You take the bed, I’ll take the couch. It’ll be fine.”
Devon, not wanting to argue any further, reluctantly agreed. She watched as Elaine collected a pillow, sheet and quilt from the built-in cabinets across from the bed.
Elaine threw a few more logs onto the fire to ensure the fire would warm them throughout the night.
Once the couch was prepped, they climbed into their respective beds for the night. Bidding each other goodnight, Devon settled deeper under the covers. The sheets still held Elaine’s scent and like a Pavlovian reaction, a dull throb began between her legs. The thought of being in Elaine’s bed had tantalized the peripherals of her imagination over the last several days. Now she was here, not under the circumstances she had fantasized about and her mind wouldn’t still as she lay listening to the crackling of the fire thinking about how much nicer it would be if Elaine’s arms were wrapped around her. She rolled over trying to quell the ache that built inside of her as well as her rampant wayward mind. She desperately hoped sleep would claim her soon and release her from her self-imposed torment.
Chapter 8
Elaine awoke first, thanks to the frigid temperature. The fire had consumed the logs during the night and the quilt she had counted on to keep her warm wasn’t sufficient without the warmth of the fireplace. As quietly as possible, so as not to wake Devon, she dressed and slipped outside the cabin to gather more firewood, cursing herself for not being more thorough the night before.
Distracted, much? She had only herself to blame. She knew once she had a fire going, it would take little time to warm the cabin to a comfortable temperature.
Once outside she was surprised to find that the snow had begun sooner and at a much heavier rate than had been predicted. Over a foot had already accumulated on the ground. She gathered as much wood as her arms could hold and headed up the snow-covered stairs into the cabin. She fumbled with the doorknob trying to open the door without dropping any of the logs she held. Just as she managed to open the door, she felt herself sliding. Within seconds, not only was all the wood she had been carrying on the cabin floor, but so was she, flat on her ass.
Devon flew out of bed, noticeably startled. “Oh my God! What happened? Are you okay?”
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you. I just went out to get some firewood and as you can see, busted my ass on the way in.”
“Why didn’t you wake me for heaven’s sake? I could have helped, you know?”
“There was no reason for us both to freeze our asses off.”
Devon all but rolled her eyes as she stood over Elaine, hands on hips. “Well, let me help you up. Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m fine. A little embarrassed, but fine.”
“You are you sure you’re okay?” Devon asked skeptically.
“I’ll get a fire started and then make some coffee. How does that sound?”
“Heavenly, nothing better than a nice cup of coffee after being woken up with the thought that the walls are caving in around you.”
“Yeah, sorry about that.”
Devon waved off her words. “No need to apologize. I’m just glad you didn’t hurt yourself.”
Just my pride. Elaine rubbed her backside as she continued stacking logs in the fireplace. “There is quite a bit of snow out there. Not sure how much work you will be able to get done today.”
“Yeah, I hoped that might not happen, not on this assignment. I always give myself a little extra time on assignments like this just in case bad weather comes my way but it wasn’t going to work out this time. But it’s March—we could have seventy degrees and blazing sun tomorrow. Why don’t you go put on some dry clothes and I’ll get the coffee started?”
Elaine nodded in agreement and once the fire was going, she padded off to the bathroom to change into much warmer and dryer clothes. When she emerged, the aroma of coffee had permeated the cabin and the fire had warmed it considerably. Two cups of coffee sat on the kitchen table and Devon was whipping up a quick breakfast.
“Hope you don’t mind. Thought I’d make some eggs and toast for breakfast.”
“That’s perfect, thank you. And again, I’m sorry for waking you.”
“Don’t worry about it; I would have woken up at some point.” They exchanged a quick smile.
As much as she tried, Elaine couldn’t tear her gaze away from Devon. She was, by far, the most beautiful woman Elaine had ever seen and the most amazing part was that she doubted that Devon even knew how remarkably attractive she was.
Elaine kept replaying their kiss over and over in her mind, like an old black-and-white movie. Elaine’s gaze traveled the full length of her body. Her tongue unconsciously wet her dry lips as her gaze finally settled on Devon’s full breasts. It was clear that Devon wore no bra and her erect nipples strained against the shirt that covered them. Elaine felt the now familiar wetness flood her body as she imagined her lips and tongue on Devon’s nipples, pulling each one deep into her mouth.
Elaine forced her eyes higher but her breath caught when she saw the slightly parted lush lips that were begging to be kissed. When she finally met the dark gray eyes, she half expected to see irritation at her blatant appraisal. Instead, what she found sent another wave of desire crashing through her. Devon’s dark gray eyes were glossy and unfocused and filled with the same carnal desire that Elaine was sure her own eyes reflected.
Elaine quickly looked away, searching for any excuse to escape the moment they had just shared. Fire, yes, I will stoke the fire. She rose quickly from the table and headed to the fireplace.
Elaine forced herself to shake off the thoughts. There was no way she would be able to get through the day if she continued to let her mind run rampant this way. She just needed to focus. Just because she and Grace hadn’t had sex in what seemed like forever and her attraction to Devon was
relentless, that was no reason for her to act like a horny teenager. Not to mention Grace had just moved out. It didn’t really matter that Elaine had accepted the relationship had been over long ago. There were still very good reasons for her not to get involved with another woman any time soon. But then again Devon McKinney was unlike any other woman she had ever met.
When Elaine could find no other reason not to return to the table, she slowly made her way back to the cup of coffee awaiting her. As she watched Devon stare blankly outside into the pure white wonderland that nature had created overnight, she wondered what she might be thinking. She wondered if perhaps Devon was wishing she was someplace else.
“Are you going to have to postpone your research now?”
Devon turned her gaze from the cabin’s front window toward Elaine, but she couldn’t bring herself to make eye contact. “No. Once the snow ends, I’ll be able to brush it aside and get what I need.”
She was relieved by Elaine’s question because it shook her from her own musings. She had been staring blindly at the snow wondering why every part of her body longed to feel Elaine’s touch. Why had it felt so right when Elaine had pulled her close and kissed her so passionately? Even more importantly, why had Elaine dismissed the kiss so easily, when Devon felt like it awakened in her something she had not felt in a very long time, if ever?
Maybe she was just lonely. Maybe it was the setting, a remote cabin in the woods in the midst of a snowstorm with an extraordinarily gorgeous woman. Oh God! How cliché is that?
Deep down she knew that wasn’t true. The very first time she had laid eyes on Elaine, she felt her chest constrict and just the sight of the woman had taken her breath away. She had met beautiful women before, but not like Elaine. Most women use makeup to cover their imperfections and highlight their attractive qualities, but Elaine was a natural beauty. She wasn’t dressed in designer clothes created to accentuate every curve. She was completely authentic and the most amazing woman Devon had ever seen.
Elaine was far too attractive to be single, if indeed she was. Devon couldn’t imagine that there was any woman out there stupid enough to let Elaine get away, unless Elaine wasn’t the type to commit to just one woman. That thought disturbed Devon more than it should as did the realization that Elaine better damn well be single after laying such an unbelievable kiss on her; a kiss that left her not only throbbing and wet, but weak in more areas than one.
Devon’s answer about her research served as a much needed reminder that she was here to work. She had a deadline, her superiors were waiting for her report and she needed to get home to her sister—her very pregnant, very alone sister. She mentally scolded herself for focusing on anything other than work. She had planned ahead, as usual and given herself a little extra time in case of snow, but she would still have to use the time wisely in order to finish on schedule.
So what if Elaine had given her the most remarkable kiss of her life? It didn’t matter that Devon could still remember every curve of Elaine’s body, or that she could still feel the way her own nipples had swelled in the palm of Elaine’s hand. No, there was no reason at all that she should lose sight of her purpose for being up here in these mountains. Unfortunately, all she could think about was why she was in this cabin.
Since there was no way that Devon could actually work while the snow was falling, she chose to spend the day in the warmth of the cabin, taking advantage of the electricity to write out notes and focus on work, though at times it was hard not to simply watch both the snow falling and Elaine catching up on her field reading. If she kept her focus on work after the snow, there was no reason she shouldn’t enjoy Elaine’s company.
Finally calling it quits on her notes for the day, Devon joined Elaine on the couch in front of the fire.
They talked more about the spill and shared their own personal experiences during the emergency. Devon was grateful for the distraction that the pleasant conversation provided. She learned that Elaine had stubbornly refused to leave her post in spite of the fact that man after man was forced to rotate off the line. Exposure to the toxins and the danger to her crew had been at the forefront of Elaine’s mind throughout the cleanup. Despite their hazmat suits, many rangers had fallen ill.
Her respect for Elaine continued to grow, but so did the alarm that Elaine had put her life in jeopardy. There was absolutely no doubt that Elaine was dedicated to both her crew and her job, a quality that Devon understood completely.
“I’m surprised that they let you into the contamination zone so early.”
Devon smiled. “I can be very persuasive.”
Elaine gave her a look that said she didn’t doubt Devon’s powers of persuasion, but she still asked, “So how did you get access to the spill site so early?”
“Actually this was the third incident I had worked. Through cooperation with the Forest Service, Park Services, Bureau of Land Management and the Department of Transportation we were finally able to come to an agreement. By having someone dedicated to the environment come in right away, a lot of harm to the plant life and wildlife could be avoided.
“No offense, but rangers are trained in botany. We had to be here anyway. Why not just have one of us handle it? Why expose more people than necessary?”
“If you were fighting a fire, would you stop to take a core sample of a tree?”
Elaine frowned. “Of course not.”
She smiled with satisfaction. “Exactly. You were focused on putting out the fire so to speak. The response crew was focused on their job. There is no way that any one of you would have had time to examine the shrubs and soil when you were busy trying to stop the spread of the pollution.”
Elaine’s nod seemed to concede the point. “So they let you in. How close did they let you get?”
She knew that Elaine wasn’t being condescending. A ranger was trained for every aspect of forest management and during a crisis they didn’t like anyone that they considered a “civilian” getting in their way and making things more difficult. Over the years she had learned how to thwart their objections and get the job done.
“I was right there in the thick of it. Smack-dab in the middle so-to-speak.”
Elaine’s eyes widened. “Only a few select, well-trained crews were allowed that close to the disaster site that early on.”
She lifted a brow and asked with amusement, “Do you doubt me?”
Elaine grinned. “No, I don’t doubt you. I’m just confused.”
“I’ve been through the training. It was part of a coordinated effort that Congress implemented. I guess they figured if they had more versatile people who were cross-trained to fill multiple roles, they would have to employ less people overall.”
“That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“I totally agree, but unfortunately we don’t get to make the rules. They do.”
Elaine’s brow furrowed. “Don’t they know how many people would lose their jobs?”
God, she’s adorable. “You know how it is. They would rather save a buck than save the environment. That way they have more money to play war.”
Elaine’s voice rose slightly. “Don’t they know that we’re fighting a war out here?”
She placed her hand over Elaine’s and said softly, “You don’t have to convince me. We both know that they only consider it a war if there are human casualties. The death of our forests and its wildlife, well that’s just not important to them in comparison. As far as I’m concerned, preserving our land and wildlife is paramount, but well, the big boys just don’t always agree.”
The feel of Devon’s hand on hers was warm and gentle and strangely comforting to Elaine. She knew that she should probably pull her hand away, but she was loath to do so. Instead she redirected them to the topic they had veered from.
“I guess the Department of Transportation let you into the spill site, because I know the rangers wouldn’t have let you in. It was too dangerous.”
Devon’s laughter filled the room.
Elaine loved Devon’s laugh.
“I pulled rank.”
“What do you mean?”
“Yes, the DOT did let me in and yes, the rangers were against it, but because of my standing with the EPA, they didn’t really have much of a choice.”
“Aren’t you a little young to have such power?”
“How old do you think I am?” Devon’s eyes revealed her amusement.
She studied Devon for a long minute. Her skin was flawless, showing no signs of aging or sun damage, even though Devon had told her that she spent a lot of time working in the field. There were laugh lines around her eyes, but that was just evidence of someone who enjoyed life, a trait that Elaine adored.
Okay, so maybe Devon was a genius. “You can’t be a day over twenty-five.”
Devon chortled. “Don’t I wish! I just turned thirty a few months ago.”
Elaine, mumbled, “If it makes you feel any better, you’re just a baby. I’m thirty-eight.”
Devon poked Elaine in the ribs. “That explains a lot.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, grandma, I knew there was something I liked about you. I’ve always had a preference for older women.”
“Thanks, I think.” She lightly threw a playful elbow in Devon’s direction even as she wondered if Devon was serious that she liked older women.
“Seriously, you certainly don’t look thirty-eight. I never would have guessed that in a million years. I hope I look as good as you do when I’m thirty-eight.”
Not sure what to say, she decided to let the comment slide. “It’s impressive that you are held in such high esteem at your age.”
“When I was a freshman in college I applied with the EPA. A couple of years later I was offered a job so I finished college early. I was promoted when I got my master’s and again when I received my Ph.D. Let’s just say, I worked my ass off.”