“Beautiful,” Jana murmured behind him.
“You mean, you’ve never seen this before?” Dan asked, turning his head in her direction. “I thought you hiked most trails in the park.”
“Most, but apparently not all,” she said wearily. She settled herself on a rock close to the crystal clear shallow pool below the falls, and with a sigh that sounded like she was in ecstasy, removed her boots and socks. Hiking up her pant legs, she carefully waded into the water.
Dan let his pack slide from his shoulders. His sweat-soaked shirt clung to his back. The water looked inviting, and he hadn’t had a good shower in days. He ran his hand over his rough and whiskered face, and made up his mind. Rummaging through his pack, he found the bar of soap he’d brought.
He pulled his t-shirt off over his head, and tossed it on top of his pack. The cool breeze blowing through the canyon felt good on his damp skin. He reached for the button on his pants, eager to wash three days’ worth of grime and trail dust from his body.
“What are you doing?” Jana asked, still wading in the pool. He glanced up, and couldn’t suppress a grin when he caught her wide-eyed look of . . . what did he see in her eyes? Admiration? Desire? Dan hesitated, his thumb about to push the button through the button hole on his pants.
“I could go for a shower,” he said, shrugging.
“Couldn’t you warn me before you strip?” she asked, a high-pitched hitch to her voice.
He chuckled softly. Along with the note of alarm in her voice, her cheeks glowed a rosy red. He had every intention of giving her fair warning that he meant to strip down to his birthday suit, but she’d beaten him to the punch with her alarmed outburst.
“I’m sure in your line of work, you’ve seen plenty of naked men. You’re welcome to join me if you’d like.” He flashed her a wide grin in an attempt to dispel the sudden images in his mind of Jana standing under the waterfall with him, their wet bodies entwined in a passionate embrace. Dan’s throat went dry. He sat on one of the countless boulders surrounding the pool, trying to hide his physical reaction to his thoughts. Good thing he still wore his pants.
Jana’s mouth drew together in a firm line, and her eyes narrowed. He’d definitely succeeded in making her even angrier with him. What would it take to get her to lighten up a bit? Splashing loudly through the water, she scrambled over the rocks to reach the shore. She snatched up her boots and socks, and shot him an icy look before heading back the way they’d come.
“Don’t go too far. This is a nice place to stay for the night,” Dan called after her. “I won’t be long.”
She didn’t respond, but hurried off down the trail, stumbling once over some deadfall. Dan shook his head. He had no idea Miss Jana would act all shy around a half-naked man. For some reason, the thought made his heart drum faster in his chest, and his gut clenched almost painfully. He hurried out of his pants and boxers, and stepped into the ankle-deep pool and under the natural shower, welcoming the cool spray as the water pelted the sudden heat in his body.
*****
Jana settled under a pine tree nestled against the rocky wall of the canyon. The splashing sound of the waterfall behind her did little to drown out the rapid drumming of her heart in her ears. For three days, she and Dan had taken care of their personal needs discreetly apart from each other. Whenever they stopped along a creek, they would go their separate ways to wash the day’s accumulation of dirt and sweat from their bodies. Dan’s bold move to almost undress right in front of her left her flushed and annoyed. Annoyed with herself at the sudden rush of desire flooding her senses at the sight of his beautifully sculpted body. She’d seen him nude from the waist up before, and her reaction had been the same, as she recalled.
He was right; she had seen plenty of nude men in her line of work, but she couldn’t recall any of them with such a well-sculpted physique as Dan. Not too tall, but broad-shouldered, with chorded arm muscles and well defined abs, Dan was certainly of much higher caliber than the men she saw on a routine basis in the surgery suites and recovery area at the hospital. For the most part, her patients consisted of middle-aged or older men. He was definitely a man in his prime, athletic and fit, and many of her female co-workers would surely swoon if he were lying on their operating tables.
No matter how angry she was with him for deceiving her, she couldn’t stop the undeniable attraction she felt for him. He’d been nothing but kind and polite with her the last few days while they made their way through the wilderness, asking for her input in everything from where to set up camp for the night, to whether she needed a rest, to what she wanted to eat. He’d produced some lure and hooks from his pack the second night, and proven himself rather adept at catching fish from one of the many streams that meandered through the valley. He also seemed to know all the edible plants to be found along the way.
Dan fit as easily into this uncharted wilderness as he no doubt did leading a group of modern-day hikers on an expedition along a well-marked trail. Often, he would carry on a running commentary about the landscape, pointing out differences in the land in this time from modern times. His continued enthusiasm reminded her so much of Aimee, that Jana often found it hard to hold back the tears. Why did the man she’d thought was Mr. Right less than a week ago have to turn out to be a liar and untrustworthy?
He hadn’t brought up the events leading up to their time travel after the first night, when he confessed everything to her. He conversed with her about neutral things, acting as if everything was okay between them, and completely ignored the fact that she tried to ignore him. He hadn’t made any more attempts to apologize, nor had he tried to touch her.
Jana expelled a loud breath of air through her mouth. It was all so annoying. He was annoying. It irritated her that she was so completely aware of him, and that her emotions were in such a jumble. The fact that he hadn’t tried to make physical contact with her, reach for her hand or touch her in a subtle way as he had done on numerous occasions while they were still in the twenty-first century, annoyed her. When he walked ahead of her on the trail, she was preoccupied watching the muscles along his shoulders and arms move underneath his shirt. When he walked behind her, she felt self-conscious, and listened for every move he made.
Jana groaned. Why had she given in and pushed her initial reservations aside, and opened her mind to the possibility of a relationship with him? She’d exposed her heart, and now it hemorrhaged freely. With jerky movements, she pulled her socks and boots back on. She could survive these few weeks in his company, she told herself firmly. Once they got to Aimee and Daniel’s cabin, she would simply have to ignore him. Depending on what date it was, Aimee might be close to giving birth, or maybe she already had her twins, and Jana would be too busy helping her friend to even think about Dan.
She refused to allow herself to believe she would never be going home again. The man who had the time travel device would show up. Dan was convinced of it. Somehow Dan would figure out how to stop him from carrying out his intended plan of killing an innocent child. Daniel wouldn’t let any harm come to his family, she was sure of it. And after she returned safely home to the twenty-first century, she’d hurry her butt back to California, and put this entire mess, Dan Osborne included, behind her and out of her mind once and for all.
Tired from a long day of hiking over rough terrain, she sat on the cool ground, and leaned back against the trunk of the tree. She lifted her head to look at the sky. Evening would soon be upon them, and Jana knew she should be gathering wood for a fire. For a moment, she just wanted to sit here, and soak in the peaceful sounds of the forest. Birds chirped loudly amongst the branches of the trees, and the wind rustled gently through the high canopies of the lodgepoles that reached their limbs from the forest floor high up into the sky. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deep breaths of fragrant pine scent, the quiet tranquility of this slot canyon lulling her into a state of relaxation.
Something hard tapped her on the shoulder, and the sudden murmur of deep voices sta
rtled her out of her reverie. Her eyes flew open and she stared up into three of the most feral-looking faces she had ever seen.
Jana gasped, and braced her palms against the tree behind her, slowly pushing herself up off the ground. Her shirt snagged in the rough bark as she scraped against the trunk. She swallowed hard, and drew in a deep breath.
“Dan!” she screamed at the top of her lungs.
Chapter 14
Dan shook the water from his hair like a wet dog. The cold shower had done little to extinguish the fire inside him. The look of desire in Jana’s eyes, although fleeting, stayed engrained in his mind. She might be mad at him, she might not ever forgive him, but she couldn’t hide the fact that she was as attracted to him as he was to her. He’d noticed it over the last few days, how she watched him when she thought he wasn’t looking. He was acutely aware of everything she did, his entire being tuned in to her. Would her attraction have led to feelings of love at some point? If he hadn’t deceived her?
Dan sighed and pulled his hiking pants on. He would probably never know the answers to those questions. The most he could hope for was that she might think of him as a friend after their little sojourn through time ended. Could he settle for a mere friendship with her? He ran his hand through his hair. Not a chance. How could he pretend to feel nothing for her, when his mind was consumed by this one woman?
A sudden loud scream filled the air. Jana’s terror-filled voice echoed through the canyon, reverberating off the cliff walls. Startled ravens took to the air, their loud calls of protest adding to the bone-chilling sound. She’d called his name in terror. Fear pulsed through him.
Dan fumbled quickly in his pack, and pulled out his can of bear spray and the large hunting knife he’d brought with him.
“Jana,” he shouted. Barefoot, he raced over the moist earth, leaping over logs and shrubbery. He suddenly wished he had brought his .45 Magnum, a weapon he chose to leave behind in the future. He had wanted to bring as little modern-day equipment with them as possible, and he’d hoped he could ward off a grizzly with bear spray, should they encounter one.
Around a bend in the canyon, three figures suddenly came into view. Dan’s mind raced wildly. Over the last couple of days, he’d often wondered if they would meet any Native Americans on their trek through the wilderness. His eyes quickly scanned the surrounding area. Jana stood backed-up against a tree, the men surrounding her in a half-circle. Their heads turned in unison when he came running toward them. Each man’s long black hair hung in two braids past his shoulders. One wore two raven feathers at the back of his head. They were all dressed in leather breechclouts, their legs encased in leggings. Knifes and clubs hung from belts at their hips. None of these men wore shirts.
Dan slowed, his heart racing. He knew he was no match against all three of them at once. They not only outnumbered him, they were also well armed. Along with the weapons on their belts, they each carried bows, the quivers on their backs filled with arrows. His hand gripped his bear spray firmly in one hand, ready to release the trigger, his knife clasped in the other. The bear spray might just be his weapon of choice. Much more potent than pepper spray, it could buy him and Jana enough time to escape from these Indians if he needed to use it.
The three stepped away from Jana, their full attention on him. They murmured, and gestured with their hands. Dan shot a quick glance at her, relieved that she didn’t appear to be hurt. Her terror-filled eyes sent him a pleading look. He stopped about ten yards from the men, and waited. They hadn’t raised their weapons, and stood conversing with each other. They seemed to be as baffled at his appearance as he was about them.
Dan slowly raised his hand in a gesture of greeting. He couldn’t be sure, but he was fairly convinced these Indians were not Sheepeaters. He knew enough about their history and customs, even spoke a little Shoshone, to think these were not the band of Indians that made Yellowstone their permanent home. He’d seen bows made from elk antler and mountain sheep horn, and the bows these men carried looked to be made from wood.
Another thought entered his mind. If these were Blackfoot, Jana wouldn’t have had a chance to even scream. The Blackfoot were a warring tribe from what he knew, and would most likely kill them before asking questions.
He came to the conclusion that these men had to be from another tribe that traveled through the Yellowstone region. He named off several tribes in his mind. Bannock, Flathead, Crow. His eyes rested on the raven feathers adorning one man’s hair. He’d bet money these were Crow Indians. The trouble was, he had no way of communicating with them.
One of the men raised his arms forward, extending his hands in a beckoning gesture. His mouth curved in a slow smile. Dan’s mind searched wildly for even the tiniest scraps of information he could recall about the natives of these parts. Chances were good that these Indians had never laid eyes on a white man before, and if they had, it was probably to trade. Most of the historical accounts he’d read of early trappers and the native Indians told of friendly relations between the two cultures. It wasn’t until years later, when more trappers and fortune seekers came to the Rockies, that relations between the whites and Indians began to sour.
Dan approached the three. He stuffed the hilt of his knife into his back pants pocket, and clipped the bear spray canister to his belt loop. He held out his own hands, just like the Indian was doing. The three all nodded approval, wide smiles on their faces, and surrounded him. He clasped hands with the first man, while another slapped him on the back like a comrade would do in greeting a long-lost friend. He grinned and nodded at them while they spoke words he couldn’t even begin to guess the meaning of.
His eyes darted to Jana, who still stood motionless by the tree. She’d lost some of the terror in her eyes, but fear and wariness remained evident on her face. He couldn’t blame her for being scared. She was the only female here, and he was sure she was aware that women were regarded much differently in this time than in the twenty-first century.
After several minutes of friendly handshakes and back slapping, the men moved aside. The one with the crow feathers – Dan assumed him to be the leader – motioned for him to follow. He pointed toward the opening of the slot canyon, from where he and Jana had come earlier. The man held his partly fisted right hand to his mouth and brought it down past his chin, then nodded his head at Dan. He pointed once again in the direction leading out of the canyon.
Dan shook his head, not understanding. The leader spoke to one of the other men, who quickly took off at a fast jog. The man tried again to communicate, repeating his earlier gestures.
Dan’s eyes sought Jana, and he finally pointed at her. The Indian smiled. He gestured at Dan, then made a motion with his slightly hooked fingers down the side of his face along his hair. Then he directed a finger at Jana. Dan could only guess at the meaning, but he assumed that the Indian made the connection that Jana was with him.
“I think they’re friendly, Jana. Why don’t you come away from that tree,” he called to her. He stepped around the man, and headed toward her.
“What if they’re not?” she asked suspiciously.
“We’ll have to take our chances.” Dan tentatively reached for her hand. Would she try and balk at contact with him now? He felt her reluctance when she slipped her hand in his, and he pulled her away from the tree. He offered her a smile of encouragement. She didn’t smile back.
Dan led her to the two men standing by, watching him and Jana intently. The leader spoke, and made a sweeping gesture with his hand, out and to the right of his chest. Then he pointed again, first at Dan, and then at Jana. Dan had the distinct feeling he was asking if she was his woman. He nodded firmly, and gripped Jana’s hand, pulling her up next to him. He ignored the heated look she shot him.
“I left my pack by the waterfall. If I stay here with these guys, would you mind going and bringing it back?” he asked gently. He didn’t want Jana to assume he was ordering her around, and hoped she wouldn’t argue with him. It might look out of
place if he went to collect his gear, rather than sending his woman to do the work.
Jana opened her mouth, her eyes narrowed on him. She must have thought better of it, and rather than protest or argue with him as he feared she might do, she pulled her hand from his grasp. Skirting around the two Indians, she walked briskly further into the canyon, disappearing behind the bend as the canyon curved to the right.
Time passed excruciatingly slow while he waited for Jana to return. The Indians pointed at the canister of bear spray dangling from his pants, and Dan offered it to them to inspect. The trigger’s lock mechanism was in place, and he was reasonably sure they wouldn’t figure out how to unlock it. Preoccupied with the canister, the two men ignored him for the moment. He stood, gazing intently up into the canyon, waiting for Jana to come back.
She emerged at the same time as the man who’d been sent away returned. He carried a small deer on his shoulders. Dropping the carcass in front of them, Dan noticed him glancing at Jana with keen interest when she wordlessly held his pack out for him and dropped his boots at his feet.
The Indian with the feathers in his hair pointed at the carcass, then made the same fisted gesture in front of his mouth as he’d done earlier. He pointed off into the distance again. Comprehension finally dawned.
“They want us to go with them, I think. They’re offering food,” he said to Jana.
“How do you know they’re not wanting to scalp us?” Jana asked skeptically.
“If that was their intent, they would have done it by now. These Indians seem genuinely kind and hospitable. We might even offend them if we refuse.”
“Well, I don’t like the idea,” she said between gritted teeth.
Dan shot a quick glance at the Indians. Their exchange was being watched with some interest. He knew he was about to make Jana mad at him all over again, but he grinned and jutted his chin out at the Crow leader. Everyone smiled, and heads nodded in approval.
Yellowstone Deception (Yellowstone Romance Series Book 5) Page 10