by C. J. Miller
Despite her body’s exhaustion, her mind refused to settle. She ticked through the events —Nathan’s uneven behavior, her fear for her brother’s life, sadness at the loss of another hiker and terror upon finding the Huntsman’s message. The wave of emotions was overwhelming, confusing and impossible to interpret and sort.
Nathan’s actions were the hardest to understand. She hadn’t expected him to be gooey and mushy while he was working, but he almost seemed like two different men: working Nathan and Nathan in bed.
For two days, he had been attentive and warm. When they’d woken up, he hadn’t raced to get away from her. He had pulled her closer. Talking had been easy and natural. Only after Roger Ford showed up did Nathan behave distantly cool. Their relationship moved into flat-out uncomfortable. But then, at the restaurant, he had once again treated her like a girlfriend.
Confusion and exhaustion turned to anger, rage snapping in her blood. Why did Nathan think it was fine to turn on and off his emotions whenever he felt like it? She tried to put a lid on her anger, but it refused to simmer down. Thor was picking up on her mood, too, growling at the door and playing rough.
Too tired to fight it, she grabbed her keys and locked the door, storming across the grounds to Nathan’s door. She pounded on it with her fist until he pulled it open.
He appeared surprised to see her. Surprised. Yeah, well, she had things to say and he needed to listen. “Why are you pretending we didn’t spend the night together?”
Nathan’s face remained deceptively calm, relaying nothing, which infuriated her more. “I don’t know what you mean.”
He had to be kidding. “You were one way when we were together. Then as soon as people were around, you shut down and started pretending we’re just colleagues working a case.”
Nathan’s eyes darkened for a moment, a muscle working in his jaw. As quickly as the expression passed over his face, it was gone. “It was a chaotic day. I’m doing my best to find my sister’s killer and be a friend to you.”
The coldness in his voice chilled her. She was intentionally provoking him, purposefully picking a fight, and he wasn’t reacting.
She felt pressure building behind her eyes, and knowing she was overreacting, she blinked furiously to keep her tears from falling. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing he had affected her this deeply. Autumn didn’t need to tell him that she wasn’t a woman who slept around carelessly with men or that the night she had spent with him had meant something to her, even if it hadn’t to him.
She suddenly wished she hadn’t come to his cabin. What was she hoping he’d say? That he wanted her still? That he felt it, too, the electricity that never stopped flowing between them? Not likely. This would only end in more devastation—and embarrassment—for her. “Forget it.”
It was a weak phrase, but right then, dismissing him was easier than dismissing her feelings.
She turned to go and he snagged her arm, stopping her from leaving. He spun her to face him, and in the next moment, his mouth was crushed to hers and he was kissing her, his lips soft and pliant. She struggled only an instant in anger and confusion, but he held her tight, his hand pressed to her lower back, coaxing, persuading. Then, she was giving herself over to the kiss and over to him. He pulled her into the cabin. She was distantly aware of the door closing behind them and then of his bed at the back of her knees.
His teeth skimmed along her neck, nibbling, tasting. “How can you expect me to forget anything when it comes to you?”
She lowered herself onto the bed and slid back, bracing her arms behind her. He ran his hands down her legs, stopping at her feet and pulling off her shoes, letting them clunk to the floor.
He was hovering over her, his body straddling hers, his mouth dipping down at uneven intervals to kiss her, taste her, as his hands slipped along her body, sending her sensitive skin blazing.
“Tell me if you want to stop,” he whispered.
She paused and he stilled. Did she want this? She’d come looking for answers and now all she felt was...what? Lust? Wanting? In the space of a minute, he had diffused her anger and her frustration, and she was fixated on one thing—him. How it would feel to have him in her arms, moving over her and sliding inside her. She felt powerless to resist.
She skimmed her hand over the hard lines and planes of his body and he closed his eyes when her fingers made contact.
“Is that a no?” he asked.
“It’s a please-don’t-stop,” she said.
He groaned and reached for the hem of his shirt, peeling it over his head and tossing it to the floor. Her shirt came next, then her pants. He took every scrap of clothing away until they were pressed together, his skin hot against hers.
She was unable to do anything except feel. His hands skated over her body, just shy of rough. His lips moved along the column of her neck. He asked her a question so explicit, she could respond with only a nod and the release of a quavering breath.
He reached into his wallet and pulled out a condom, sheathing himself quickly. Nudging her knees apart with his, he positioned himself over her and drove inside her in one long glide.
She nearly vaulted off the bed as he filled her. She followed his rhythm, making amazing, slow love to him. He hadn’t said anything to assuage her fears, but what he was doing made her feel incredibly, unspeakably precious.
He rocked against her, working his hips into her, and they crashed together in a flurry of heat and excitement. He thrust gently as her climax eased and then they lay together, intertwined and lost in their thoughts until sleep claimed them.
* * *
Autumn awoke in Nathan’s arms and looked at the red numbers on the alarm clock. It was nearly 9:00 p.m. They hadn’t resolved anything, and the familiar sensation of self-consciousness shimmered across her chest.
How would Nathan behave now? Would his attitude toward her be as dismissive as it had been earlier that day once they were no longer alone?
She moved to get out of bed, sliding his arms from around her and holding the blanket close to the bed to preserve the heat.
“Hey, where you going?” His sleepy masculine voice carried straight to her heart.
He’d noticed she’d left his bed. That was something. “I need to go back to my cabin. Thor needs to be let out.”
“Give me a sec. I’ll come with you.”
Her heart soared and she stifled the smile that sprang to her lips. She was letting her heart run away with her, and it wouldn’t happen again. She wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. Losing her heart to Nathan wasn’t an option. She didn’t know what they had, but she knew it wasn’t a future.
Chapter 7
The sound of scratching at the front door and the jiggling of the front door handle woke Autumn. Thor growled from the foot of her bed and Nathan bolted upright beside her. Autumn looked at the clock. 3:00 a.m. Nathan was tugging on his pants, gun in hand, when the front door opened.
“Don’t move,” Nathan growled, stalking toward their intruder.
The intruder’s hands went up. “If you hurt my sister, you son of a—”
“Nathan, stop. Don’t shoot,” she said. The intruder was Blaine. Hearing her brother’s voice, relief and joy fogged her brain. Autumn raced to him. “Blaine?” She threw herself against him. He was home. He was safe. He smelled awful and his clothes were grimy, but she didn’t care. He was alive. Thor bounded over, shoving his nose in between them, barking and trying to get attention.
Autumn released Blaine and fumbled for the light in the kitchen. Blaine closed the door behind him.
He and Nathan sized each other up, long and hard. Thor paced the kitchen before settling near his food bowl.
“Who’s he?” Blaine asked, shrugging off his backpack and letting it slam to the floor. He stood with his feet spread apart, his arms c
rossed over his chest and his bright blue eyes narrowed. He was in need of a shave and haircut, his brown hair long and curling around his ears and his beard scruffy.
Autumn scrambled for a believable answer. Blaine wouldn’t buy that Nathan was a federal agent watching out for her. First, his jeans were unbuttoned, hanging low on his hips, making it obvious he was naked beneath them. She was wearing Nathan’s T-shirt and her pajama pants, the only articles of clothing she had been able to find in the dark.
How could she describe Nathan?
Friend. A nice neutral word. “This is my friend Nathan. He’s been staying with me.”
Blaine’s gaze sharpened on her. “You just broke up with Daniel. What do you mean by ‘staying with you’? For how long has this been going on? Is this a rebound?”
She dreaded answering his questions. She and Nathan hadn’t known each other long enough to garner her brother’s approval for what they were doing, and despite her age and the fact that neither of them were virgins, Blaine’s acceptance was important to her. She couldn’t tell him the truth, which was that she knew Nathan was leaving and she was along for the ride until that happened. She changed the subject. “Sit down. We need to talk. I’ve been trying to get ahold of you for weeks.”
Blaine took the chair closest to the door, looking between Nathan and Autumn. Mercifully, he didn’t press her for an answer about their relationship. Yet. “Satellite phone broke and I fiddled with it, but I couldn’t get it working.”
Next time, she would insist he check in with her every few days. Borrow a phone. Go into town and pay for one. Whatever it took. “What about the Huntsman? Have you heard about the problems on the trail?”
Blaine scratched the back of his neck. “Sure I did, but I assumed it was a rumor. Wasn’t until the last few weeks I started to believe it. Found a couple of newspaper clippings on it posted in one of the trail shelters.”
Though he was safe and in front of her, she couldn’t ignore the stab of fear that Blaine had been alone. “Are you hungry? Do you want something to drink?”
They fell into a familiar pattern. She started heating water for tea and preparing food for an early-morning breakfast and Blaine told her about his trip. Nathan watched this exchange from his position leaning against the counter. He’d found another shirt and had buttoned his pants, but his presence was no less distracting.
“Do you want me to sort your pack?” Autumn asked. Besides his needing a shower, Blaine’s pack was likely filled with muddy, damp clothes and his equipment would require a thorough cleaning.
“Nah, I’ll take care of it at my cabin.”
Autumn refilled Blaine’s cup with hot water, leaving his tea bag floating. “You’ll want to shower here. I turned down the water heater at your place to save a few dollars.”
Blaine let out a sharp bark of laughter. “I must smell like I’ve rolled in trash. You should have said something. After two days on the trail, the smell stops bothering me. I forget civilized people aren’t used to it.”
Nathan moved to take a seat at the opposite end of the table from Blaine. His posture was relaxed, nonthreatening, but Autumn saw the telltale glint in his eyes. He’d given her and Blaine time to talk, and now he’d want to know about the trail. “What are hikers on the trail saying about the murders?”
Blaine’s fork paused midway to his mouth. He set the fork against the plate. “Not too many hikers are on the trail, but the ones I spoke with are saying to be careful and stay close to the main path. And sleep with one eye open.”
“Have you spoken to any federal agents along the trail?” Nathan asked, leaning forward in interest.
Blaine normally provided one-word answers when it came to strangers. That his answers were a couple of sentences was remarkable. Whatever technique Nathan was using to disarm Blaine, it was working. Autumn didn’t like the idea of Nathan working her brother, but she wanted the Huntsman caught and Blaine could have good information. Hiking alone, he wouldn’t have the distraction of other people to absorb his attention. He’d have walked the trail, his thoughts and observations keeping him company. He might have noticed something that could help them.
Blaine shook his head. “Haven’t seen any federal agents.”
A sudden coldness hit her core. Agents were posted along the trail for miles. How had Blaine missed them? Was he hiking the backcountry, staying off the main trail? The backcountry was the Huntsman’s primary hunting ground.
Nathan raised his eyebrow. “The FBI has people stationed in the area.”
Blaine returned to his food, lowering his eyes to his plate and offering no response.
“You should be careful. We have reason to believe the killer is in this area now,” Nathan said.
Blaine took another bite of his eggs and shrugged. “I’ll be fine. I know what I’m doing.”
How could he know that? Maybe Blaine thought he’d been on his own long enough that he didn’t need anyone to look out for him. Maybe he felt safe at the Trail’s Edge or on the Appalachian Trail, where his skills and wits would keep him alive.
“Blaine, I’m not trying to scare you, but you need to be careful. I found a body on the Trail’s Edge grounds. The FBI’s lead investigator has been looking for you and asking me about you. Daniel told them about you, and whatever he told them has the FBI very interested in your whereabouts.”
Blaine looked between Autumn and Nathan. He let go a curse. “Daniel’s a lying snake. He has it out for me. Forget him and his lies. Tell me more about what you found.”
Autumn told Blaine what she and Thor had discovered at the Trail’s Edge. “What’s worse is that the victim is someone you know.”
Blaine’s eyes grew wide. “Who? Tell me.”
“Sandra Corvaldi,” Autumn said.
Blaine closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. “Not Sandra. Her poor family. She didn’t deserve to die that way. No one deserves to die that way.”
“It’s awful. Absolutely terrible,” Autumn said. From Blaine’s reaction, it was difficult for her to imagine he was lying or that he had known about Sandra.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you needed me,” Blaine said. “Are you doing okay?”
Autumn continued to see the image of Sandra hanging from the tree. An image that terrible didn’t go away completely. “I’m handling it. It helps to have Nathan close. Being alone up here can be difficult. There’s more you’ve missed,” Autumn said. “Mom showed up.”
“Mom? Here? Why?” Blaine asked with equal parts anger and confusion.
His emotions echoed her own. “I didn’t talk to her long. She wanted to speak to me and have lunch, but I put her off.”
“I think we made it known we don’t want her around. Whenever she calls, we’re clear about that. What does she want? Another chance with us?” Blaine asked.
“She said she wanted to explain,” Autumn said.
“Forget it. I don’t want to hear anything from her,” Blaine said.
Autumn’s initial reaction had been similar. After having a few days to cool off and after talking it over with Nathan, Autumn was beginning to think her mother’s arrival presented an opportunity to get answers to long-held questions. “I might talk to her again.”
Blaine inclined his head. “You know what Dad and Uncle Ryan said about her. She’s a liar and a manipulator. She’ll hurt you all over again.”
“I’m not a child, Blaine. I am not planning to accept everything she says as fact. I am capable of making my own decisions about whether what she tells me rings true,” Autumn said.
“Don’t meet with her. You’re making a mistake,” Blaine said. “You let people do this to you. Tell you their sob story and you believe them when they’re obviously lying.”
“Obviously?” Autumn asked. Was he talking about Ben and Daniel here, as well? Blaine knew her dati
ng history.
“Come on, Autumn. Do you think a woman who walked out on her children is someone you want in your life?” Blaine asked.
“I didn’t say I wanted her in my life. I said I wanted to hear what she had to say. It’s my mistake to make,” Autumn said. “I would like if you came to listen, too, but I understand if you don’t want to.”
“I don’t want to,” Blaine said.
Autumn didn’t want to fight with her brother. He had been gone for so long and her gratitude at having him safe was still fresh. “Why don’t you stay with us here?” Autumn asked. She wanted to keep Blaine close.
Blaine blinked at her several times. “I’ll pass. I’ll be fine.”
Autumn sighed in frustration. “You need to take this seriously. The Huntsman is in this area. We’ve also had a break-in at one of the cabins.”
Blaine shrugged. “We’ve had break-ins before.”
Autumn tamped down her frustration and tried again to convince him of the danger. Was he in denial? “Not a break-in by someone who left blood in the entryway.”
Blaine was quiet.
Autumn added the last critical piece of information, hoping it would sway Blaine. “The Huntsman killed another victim less than two miles from here.”
Blaine swallowed his food. “I know.”
She darted a look at Nathan. Lines had formed around Nathan’s eyes. “How do you know?” she asked.
They’d found the body only the day before, and public information hadn’t been released yet about the killing or about the victim.
Blaine set down his fork and pushed away from the table. “You hear things on the trail. I want to get to my cabin, take a shower and hit the hay. I stopped by to tell you I was home.”
“Are you planning to stay for a while?” Autumn asked.
“No,” Blaine said.