by Joan Hohl
His camp was surprisingly close to where she herself had stopped. Tanner had it set up, a fire going in a stone-ringed pit. A three-man domed sleeper tent was set up to one side. A log much like the one Bri had found the night before had been rolled near to the warmth of the fire.
“Home away from home,” she said softly, sure he wouldn’t hear her. He did.
“Yeah,” he drawled a bit sarcastically. “Only we’re not on vacation. You shouldn’t be here at all.”
“But I am, so deal with it,” she retorted every bit as sarcastically. “As I told you I would be. You can’t say I didn’t give you an option.”
“Okay, let’s forget it. You’re here and that’s that.” He turned to the fire pit. “Could you use a cup of coffee?”
“Oh, yes.” She sighed. “I’d love one. But I have to wash up before it gets dark.”
“I’ll have the coffee and supper ready when you get back.”
“Thank you.” She made a beeline for the stream, energized by the promise of hot coffee and food.
After two days on the trail she felt so uncomfortable she stripped to the buff and rinsed herself all over, sorry she hadn’t brought her shower wash with her. Freezing but refreshed, she rubbed herself dry and quickly dressed, unfortunately in her same clothes. She practically ran back to the camp to warm herself by the fire.
Tanner was nowhere in sight when she entered the campsite.
“Ah, there you are,” he said, ducking his head as he exited the tent. “Hungry?”
“Starving,” Bri admitted, hearing a low rumble in her stomach at the mention of food. “What can I do to help?”
“Not a thing,” he answered, moving to the fire to stir a pot set on one of the flatter rocks. “Everything’s under control.”
“So I see.” Bri glanced around the site. “How did you get it together so quickly?”
Tanner looked up. “I had started it when Boyo dashed into camp, to clamp his teeth onto my shirt and tug at me to follow him. Somehow I knew he was urging me on to find you.” He actually smiled at her.
“Hmm,” Bri murmured vaguely, her attention centered on the fluttery sensation his smile caused inside her more than on his explanation.
“How does soup sound for supper?”
“What?” Bri blinked herself out of bemusement. “Oh, soup, yes, that sounds good. What kind?”
“Vegetable. Hawk sent it along. It’s dried but good. I’ve had it on other hunts. It shouldn’t take much longer to get hot.”
“You said something about coffee?” she reminded him.
“Yeah, there’s some left in the thermos. Help yourself.”
Bri wet her lips in anticipation, thrilling to the way Tanner’s gaze followed her tongue. “Thanks.” The last word came out in a dry croak that had more to do with Tanner’s hot-eyed gaze than thirst.
He stood very still for a moment, staring into her eyes, then moved abruptly, striding for the gear to dig out the thermos when he realized she had no idea where it was. Pouring out a small stream of the coffee into the metal lid cup, he set it on the flat rock next to the soup pan. “Only take a minute.”
The dry sound of his voice made Bri feel a little less vulnerable. Apparently she wasn’t the only one affected by their proximity.
It was twilight by the time they ate their soup with chunks of dry day-old bread. For dessert, Bri took out her stash of chocolate and counted out four pieces each, to Tanner’s obvious amusement.
As night began to fall, tension was a living entity between them. Every nerve in Bri’s body quivered in a mixture of expectation and trepidation.
“There’s a little coffee left. Would you like it?” Tanner watched her over the rim of his cup.
“Yes, please,” she answered, grateful for an excuse to prolong the time to turn in. “What about Minnich?” she asked. “Do you think he might have crossed the stream with the idea that we would do the same?” Before he could reply, she rushed on, “I’d think he knows we’re looking for him. What do you think?”
Tanner handed her the hot coffee before answering. “I think you’re right.”
Taking a careful sip, Bri nodded, swallowed. “So, then, how do we proceed? Do we cross the stream?”
He gave a quick shake of his head. “No. That’s what he’ll think we will do. We’ll find out whether or not he crossed.” His voice was mild, his tone confident.
Bri wasn’t that certain. “How?”
“Boyo’s got his scent. If he’s crossed the stream, the dog will pick up his trail. And if he doesn’t cross, he’ll still follow it, because he knows damn well he’ll need water.”
“Of course.” Bri felt like a dullard. Hadn’t she seen Boyo finding the scent? Her only excuse was that she was so tense, so shaky inside about the deepening night, she wasn’t thinking clearly. She lingered over the quickly cooling drink, drawing out the inevitable for as long as she possibly could. But she could procrastinate only so long.
Tanner stood up. “It’s getting late,” he said, stretching his arms over his head, giving her a peek at the ripple of his shoulder and chest muscles displayed by his open jacket.
Bri shivered. It was time for them to crawl into the tent. Would he expect a replay of their first wild and lingering kiss of two nights ago?
Did she want that to happen again?
Yes.
No.
At the moment she was too scared to decide. She ached from wanting his kiss, wanting him. But he was becoming too important to her, his smile, his laughter, all of him too necessary.
Tanner spoke, jarring her out of her introspection. “I’ll clear away here and take care of the fire. You crawl into the tent and get undressed. I’ll be with you shortly.”
Bri froze for an instant. Undressed? Now was the time to tell him she wouldn’t…she couldn’t…
“Brianna, don’t freak on me.” His voice was soft, soothing. “I give you my word I won’t try anything you tell me you don’t want.”
“Yes, but—”
“Sweetheart, I have some control,” he said, shaking his head at her suspicious expression. “All I intend to do is sleep.”
“But you said get undressed.” Skepticism colored her tone and shaded her eyes.
“Down to your underwear. You do have long underwear, don’t you?
“Yes.” Bri hesitated another moment, staring into his eyes. Seeing nothing but caring there, she gave in with a quick nod and slipped inside the tent.
The interior was dimly lit by a small battery-operated lantern. The tent was roomy, plenty big enough for the two of them. But her breath caught when she looked at the sleeping bags already laid out for them. Tanner had zipped them together into one large sleeping area.
Oh, jeez.
“Brianna, I’m not going to be asking for anything you’re not willing to freely give. Not now, not ever,” he called to her as if somehow he knew she stood there, stock-still, staring at the bags. “Deal?”
“Y-yes,” she said, carefully laying her rifle and handgun along one side of the sleeping bag, as he had placed his weapons on the other side. Then she raised her hands to her blouse to begin unbuttoning it. It was sheer relief to get out of her trail-grimy clothes. Naked, she picked up the damp towel she had used to dry off at the stream and rubbed her body down once more. Now she felt much cleaner. Tossing the towel aside, she dug into her pack for her long underwear.
Bri was snuggled inside the surprisingly roomy and comfortable bed of sleeping bags when Tanner lifted the flap and stepped inside, ushering Boyo in after him. Murmuring, “Down, boy,” he pulled the zipper around the opening, enclosing the three of them inside.
Bri lifted her head. “Boyo is going to sleep in here with us?” She recognized the relieved tone in her voice.
Tanner’s smile told her he recognized it, as well. “Yeah, it’s getting cold out there and will likely get a lot colder by morning.” With that, he began to undress.
Brianna’s eyes flew wide, and he laughed out l
oud. “Don’t panic. I’m only stripping to my underwear, and it’s long underwear.”
“I have silk.” The words slipped out without thought. Bri was appalled at herself. She had sounded like a snit, the spoiled brat he had called her.
This time Tanner roared with laughter. “Okay, big deal. So have I.”
Embarrassed, Bri turned onto her side, away from him, groaning softly at the sheer warmth, comfort and sense of protection she was feeling. In the next instant, she stiffened when his body slipped in beside her in the makeshift bed.
“Relax, kid, I’m not going to attack you.”
She laughed; she couldn’t help it. He sounded oh so amused beneath his serious tones. “I’m glad to hear it. I wouldn’t want to have to hurt you.”
His laughter was drowned out by Boyo, who stood, whining.
“I think he needs to go out,” Bri said.
“No kidding,” he grumbled. Getting up, he shrugged into his jacket, pulled on his boots. “Okay, okay,” he said to the dog. “I’m coming.” Unzipping the flap, he let Boyo outside. Pausing at the opening, he said, “I may as well check on the mare while I’m out.”
“Chocolate.”
He turned to stare at her through the dim lantern light. “You want chocolate now?”
“No.” Bri had to laugh this time. “The mare. I’ve temporarily given her the name Chocolate, as I never asked Hawk what her real name is.”
“Oh.” He dipped his head and exited the tent. She heard his chuckle as he walked away.
Tanner was gone for some ten or so minutes, during which Bri shimmied around inside the sleeping bags. Once again she turned onto her side, this time facing the side he’d been sleeping on.
When Tanner did return, he zipped up the opening and shrugged out of his jacket and boots.
After turning around in a circle several times, Boyo settled down across the opening of the tent. If anyone tried to enter during the night, they were going to have to walk over the big dog to do so.
Bri smiled at the very idea of anyone getting past the wolfhound and living to tell about it, possibly even if that someone were a bear. Her thoughts scattered when Tanner, smiling with her, slid in next to her.
“Are you warm enough?”
She nodded. The bed warmed her skin, but Tanner’s smile warmed her body inside and out. “What are you doing?” she blurted when he drew her close to him, cradling her in his arms.
“I just want to hold you, Brianna,” he said, his breath fluttering over her forehead. “Comfortable?”
“Hmm,” she murmured, snuggling closer, so close she could feel his chuckle before she heard it.
“Good. Sleepy?”
“Not really,” Bri said, stifling a yawn. “I’m just happy to stretch out, be warm and relaxed and off the back of a horse for a while.”
This time he laughed aloud. Bri loved the sound of his laughter. It seemed to surround her with a sense of warmth and security.
“So you’re not as tough as you thought you were,” Tanner said, teasing her.
“Yes, I am,” Bri said, pulling her head back to glare at him. “It’s simply that I haven’t been on a horseback trek in some time. I can handle it. It’s only a little stiffness.”
“I never doubted it.” Tanned did his best to look serious. The gleam in his eyes gave him away.
“Yeah, right.” She scowled.
He laughed again, cupped her head to draw her face closer to his and planted a gentle kiss on her temple. “I really didn’t doubt it, Brianna.”
Bri melted. She loved the way he said her name. “Okay, you’re forgiven.” Her temple was tingling where his lips had touched.
“Thank you.” Laughter danced along his voice. “Is that a blanket forgiveness, covering my having left Hawk’s without you?”
She hesitated long moments, smothering the anger she had been nursing since she had discovered him gone. “I suppose so,” she said, giving in, but only because she really wanted to do so.
“Grudging, but I’m grateful for it.”
They were quiet a moment, his breath teasing her skin, sending tingles from her temple to every nerve ending in her body. Desperately hanging on to her desire to have him kiss her, maybe make love to her, Bri raked her mind for something to say to break the feeling of sensual intimacy curling around them, seemingly drawing them closer to the precipice of no return.
To defuse the volatile intimacy, she said, “Tell me about yourself, Tanner, your life.” Her voice sounded ragged even to her own ears.
“Why do I have this sneaky suspicion you don’t trust me?” His tone was drily amused.
“It—it’s not that,” she said. “I do trust you.” Bri realized she truly did, that she would trust him with her life. Odd, she mused, after having known him such a short amount of time. But there it was. Then again, he had saved her life only hours ago.
“If it’s not that,” he said, “what is it?”
“Me.” Bri’s throat felt suddenly parched. “It’s myself I don’t trust, Tanner.”
“I don’t get it.” He sounded more than a little confused. “You don’t trust yourself about what?”
Once again Bri hesitated, unsure if she should explain her feelings. “You. I don’t trust myself with you,” she admitted, glancing up at him, her confidence bolstered by the fact that his face was in the shadows.
She could feel his body go completely still, feel the tautness in his arms around her. What must he be thinking? Had she unwittingly insulted him?
Frustration was sharp in his voice when he spoke. “Brianna, I told you, I won’t—”
“No, Tanner, please listen. You don’t understand,” she said, burrowing closer to him. “I know you won’t.” She sighed. “The problem is I’m not sure I won’t.”
“I see.” Enclosing her again in his arms, this time even more tightly, he kissed her ear, whispering, “You know something, Brianna? You’re a little nuts.”
No one had ever said anything like that to her before. Her reaction began with a giggle and grew from there to laughter that spilled out from deep inside. Burying her face in the curve of his neck, she laughed harder than she could recall having laughed in a very long time. Partly because she thought it funny and partly in sheer relief.
“You know something, Tanner?” she gasped through her dying laughter. “You’re right.”
His lips brushed her cheek. “That’s okay, kid, because I’m a bit nuts, too.”
Eight
She loved this man. The realization flashed through her mind like a sudden bolt of lightning.
Bri’s insides seized. What was she thinking? Love? She couldn’t have fallen in love this quickly. Could she? Abruptly her laughter died in her throat, but she kept her face pressed against his shoulder, inhaling the spicy, male scent of him.
“Amuse you, do I?” Tanner asked, laughter dancing on his own voice. “I really didn’t think it was all that funny.”
“Oh, Tanner, you have no idea.” Bri had to pause to take a breath, collect herself, get her thoughts back in line. “That’s one of the reasons I don’t trust myself with you. You’re so up-front and straightforward. So few people are today, it’s refreshing to find someone who is.” She was chattering, making it up as she rattled on, determinedly blanking all thoughts of Minnich and the L word from her mind. At least that’s what she told herself.
“Despite your PC phrasing, why do I get the idea you’re impugning my gender?”
Bri couldn’t help it; she smiled. If he had been trying to sound offended, he had failed completely.
“I’ll plead the Fifth,” she said, shooting a quick look at him.
“Right now I wish I had a fifth.”
At that, her laughter erupted. Even Boyo lifted his head at the happy sound of it.
Within seconds, Tanner joined her. The sound was music to Bri’s ears.
“What exactly are we laughing at, do you know?” he asked as his laughter subsided.
“At ourselves,
I think,” she answered, drawing a deep, sobering breath. “It was fun, though, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah.” Tanner was quiet a moment, doing some deep breathing of his own. “What do you want to know?”
“What?” His sudden question threw her.
“You said before that you wanted to know more about me,” he said. “So what do you want to know?”
“Everything.” The word burst out before she could hold it back.
“Oh, is that all?” He lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. “That should take no longer than…oh, five, six hours. Of course, if I remember correctly, we went over our respective favorite things at lunch in Durango. Didn’t we?”
“Yes, I know, but I meant…well, other things.”
“Like what?”
“Have you ever been in love?” Oh, damn, why was she having trouble with that darn love word? Nevertheless, she waited, not breathing, for his answer. If he would answer.
He didn’t hesitate. “I thought I was once.” His shoulder shrugged and she breathed again. “I was wrong. Have you?”
Bri wouldn’t allow herself to be less candid than Tanner. She even took it a step further. “Once. I was wrong, too. He was a handsome, charming snake, a cheat and a user.”
“Gee, could you be a bit more specific?” he said, his voice teasing.
“He was a rat,” she said, deadly serious. “I came back to the dorm one night from the library to find him in bed with my roommate. I threw him out first. Then, without a shred of remorse, I used my father’s influence to get her out of the room and into another dorm.”
“You are tough.”
“I was mad.” Memory anger colored her voice. “At least I didn’t do either one of them bodily injury.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” he said. “For an instant there I was afraid you were going to tell me you punched her out and took a skinning knife to him.”
“Son of a gun,” Bri deadpanned. “Why didn’t I think of that at the time?”
Tanner let go of a smile right before he brushed his lips over her mouth. “Next question?”
His breath bathed her lips, stole her breath, tangled her thoughts.
“Did you fall asleep?” His lips were now at her ear again, teasing, tormenting.