by Mary Winter
A comfortable silence cloaked them. Sarah scribbled in her notebook, the scratch of the pen against paper audible. Somewhere close, birds warbled. The creek bubbled behind him. She missed so much of the world. He wished he could do more to show her his.
Say something. Do something. The Quintursa demanded he keep her here, and the longer he watched her, the more he sensed her slipping away. Events in Washington demanded her attention. He couldn’t fault her for wanting to take care of her sister. After all, he and Cameron took care of each other, just as he cared for the younger twins. His younger brother had even helped him get out of that hellish Soviet prison. Liam shook his head, not wanting such ugly thoughts to intrude.
Liam studied Sarah, wondering what it would take to convince her to return. “So what will you do once the report is written and turned in?” Liam asked.
“Whatever I’m assigned to do. Not sure what my next job will be. Mr. Hodges schedules assignments based on availability.” Though her words were casual, she frowned.
“Do you have any input in your jobs? You seem to really be enjoying yourself here. I can’t imagine what would have happened had they sent someone who hated the outdoors.” He used a pair of tongs to turn over the aluminum foil wrapped salmon.
“Usually I do. I’m sure something will come up.” For someone who loved her job, she didn’t sound eager to return.
Liam filed the information away for future use as he slid the salmon onto camp plates and passed one over to her. He handed her silverware and a napkin. Not five star, but for camp fare, pretty damn good. “Hopefully it’ll be something you enjoy,” he offered and with a nod, invited her to eat.
“Hopefully,” she didn’t sound too hopeful.
Sitting here, watching Sarah unroll the foil from around the fish and scrape the pink flesh from the skin, gave him far too much time to think. The succulent juices clinging to her lips reminded him of their kisses, of her body warm and pliant against his. Behind the fly of his jeans, his body reacted swiftly, going hard. Her breasts pushed against the sweater and parka she wore. Damn, he’d never thought of winter clothing as sexy before.
Her little appreciative noises she made while she ate turned him on. She swiped a bit of juice from the corner of her mouth with her tongue, and all he could think about was her mouth wrapping around his cock and taking him deep. He ate, though he barely tasted his meal, so focused he was on Sarah. Her eyes closed, lashes fanning against her cold-reddened cheeks.
“Good, huh?” He offered, between bites.
“Oh yeah,” she replied, the husky note in her voice making him think of other things that would be so much better.
The lack of camping gear haunted him. A quick jaunt, he’d promised her, just enough to get away from the lodge and show her something special. Now, when they returned to the lodge most likely they’d run into Cameron. No way to get her alone and see how far this attraction between them would go.
Except, relationships weren’t built on secrets.
Wait a minute! Liam reined in his unruly thoughts. No one had said anything about a relationship and he wasn’t the kind of man to give Sarah a one-night stand, even if she were the kind of woman to have one. Which he didn’t think she was. He rolled up the foil and prepared to wash their dishes in the stream. Sarah finished her meal and handed him her plate.
“Can I help?” she asked.
Liam glanced at the sky. The sun dipped toward the horizon. If he hurried, they’d make it back to the lodge before dark. “Actually if you just want to pack up and follow, we’ll be returning as soon as I take care of the dishes.”
Sarah rose to her feet. She started to put her notebook and pen back in her pack. Moments later, she followed him to the stream. She said nothing while he worked, securing their foil in a resealable bag and tucking it deep in his back. The succulent smell of salmon would tempt him all the way back to the lodge. Better that then her lavender scent. Anything to keep his mind off of her. The longer he did his job, the more he wanted her. He doubted the Quintursa would want their relationship to go any farther and part of him feared it might.
The hike back to the lodge passed in companionable silence. Almost to the front door, his cell phone rang. Liam answered it with a harsh growl.
“We have a situation here,” Butch Moore, one of the senior members of a drilling team said. “Grizzly got onto the site. Men are threatening to shoot.”
“Damn,” Liam snarled. “I’ll be there as soon as possible. Whatever happens, do not shoot the bear. Do you read?”
“I’ll do my best, but I can’t keep them away for long.”
“You better do more than your best. I have to get a chopper and get out there. Do not shoot that bear.” He flipped his phone closed with a harsh click. “Come on,” he said to Sarah. Whether she liked it or not, she was about to be plunged into the life-or-death situations that happened out here with regularity. If Butch had called him, then the situation was serious. Butch’s drilling site was a good thirty minute helicopter ride away. As the local grizzly “expert”, he was oftentimes called in for situations like this. He raced inside the lodge, dumping his gear by the door. “Cameron, we got a problem.”
His younger brother poked his head out of the kitchen, a large sandwich resting on a plate in his hands. “What’s up?”
“Need a ‘copter. Butch called me. They got a grizzly up there.”
Cameron cursed. He shoved his plate onto the counter and darted down the hall into the den.
Liam turned to Sarah. “You have five minutes to take care of things. You want to see the worst of what can happen when drilling and bears collide. You got it.” He didn’t wait for an answer, instead, took the stairs two at a time to go change into warmer clothing and grab his gear.
Sarah watched him go. Her heart pounded a mile a minute. From the sounds of the phone call, whatever happened didn’t sound good. Liam acted as if it might be the end of the line for that bear, and he took it personally. Frowning, she followed suit, dashing upstairs to take care of her personal needs. Liam returned. A cold, hard look in his eyes had replaced the protective guide who had introduced her to a grizzly up close and personal. A large rifle was slung over his shoulder, extra ammunition in a pouch at his waist. She wondered what other gear he had secreted on him.
“Just stay with me. You’ll be okay.” Liam touched her shoulder as he opened the door. Even now, in the midst of what she suspected was going to be a fierce battle, he acted the gentleman.
Sarah smiled in what she hoped was an encouraging way and stepped outside. Cameron sat behind the wheel of their truck, the engine idling. She went to the back seat and opened the door. Liam slid his gear onto the seat beside her. She eyed the weapon with distrust.
“Don’t worry. The safety’s on.” He made a show of placing the weapon on the floor, the barrel pointing away from her.
Once again, Sarah offered that smile, half afraid if she spoke her voice would tremble. Her wilderness research trip had suddenly turned into something more in the blink of an eye. No sooner had Liam climbed into the passenger seat and reached for his seat belt, then Cameron took off. He sped out of the driveway, the truck’s big wheels churning up gravel as they left.
“Where are we going?” Sarah asked. Now that they were in motion, she decided it was silly to act like a scared mouse. After all, hadn’t she faced down not one, but two bears.
“A nearby drilling site.” Liam didn’t offer any more information.
Sarah glanced at Cameron. He focused on the road and didn’t add anything further to Liam’s answer. She wished she knew how far they were going. Her notebook was tucked in her pack down by her feet. The ride to Coldfoot wasn’t that far, and she figured about the time she pulled out her stuff and started taking notes they’d be there. Then, she’d hold them up as she tried to put everything back again. No, better to sit tight, if a bit frustrated with the pace.
“What do you expect to do?” She glanced at the gun. An image of Liam wieldi
ng the weapon, firing at a bear filled her mind. She wrapped her arms around herself, not liking that mental picture of him. “You’re not going to shoot the bear, are you?”
“Not if I can help it,” Liam replied, his jaw tense.
You’re not going to shoot people either, right? The question hovered at the tip of her tongue. She’d kissed him, nearly had sex with him, how could she think he was capable of killing people? Maybe it was the remote location. Maybe it was being close to the top of the world. Something about this place skewed her world-view and made her think things she never would have thought just a few short months ago. Since coming here, she’d broken off her engagement and realized her sister had to take care of her own problems. It was like this place honed her, made her stronger than she had been before.
The truck stopped. Cameron and Liam opened the doors and stepped out. Sarah followed suit, feeling like a third wheel. A helicopter waited, its blades already turning. Liam snagged her hand, and bent over, led her toward the waiting chopper. He helped her inside, then tossed his gear in. With a nod to the pilot, the chopper took off, leaving Cameron with the truck. She guessed someone would have to come and get them when they returned. Apparently Liam’s younger brother drew the chauffeur straw.
She didn’t have too much time to think because the helicopter swooped low over trees, then rose as it headed for the oil field. Liam wore a headset, conversing with the pilot, and she couldn’t hear what they were saying over the roar. Ear protection kept most of the noise out, but it also kept out their conversation and she wanted to know what was happening.
Liam frowned. Whatever it was, it didn’t look good. Then, the helicopter swooped toward the ground, and she knew, in moments she’d find out.
As soon as the chopper’s doors opened Liam gathered his belongings and rushed out. Sarah followed, gluing herself to his side. In this unfamiliar environment, he was her lifeline. A tall man, graying with a slight paunch, met them at the gate.
“Butch,” Liam said with a nod.
“He’s this way. We got him cornered.” Butch didn’t acknowledge her. He rolled back the chain link gate to admit them, then took off at a jog.
Liam followed.
Sarah stretched her legs to keep up, quickly realizing she was the only woman at the entire drilling site. Normally that wouldn’t bother her. In the good old boys world of Washington she was used to being seen for her legs or her breasts, rather than her intelligence. Out here, in a rugged world so far removed from her own, she hated the fluttering of her stomach and the prickling stare of too many eyes looking in her direction.
Butch stopped at another tall chain link fence. “He’s in there,” he said as he reached for the heavy lock securing the gate.
An angry roar vibrated through the air.
“Stay here,” he barked.
As if Sarah would be willing to step in a locked pen with a wounded bear. “Not going anywhere,” she muttered.
Liam gave her an odd look and dashed through the open gate. The bear roared again. Butch slammed the gate closed, locking it.
“What are you doing?” Sarah reached for him and curled her gloved fingers around his. “You can’t lock him in there.”
“Liam knows what he’s doing.” Butch slammed the padlock closed with a clang.
The bear roared again a brown blur visible just beyond her vision.
Sarah curled her fingers into the chain link fence, a part of her thinking that probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do and watched. Her heart hammered in her chest. She saw Liam, his rifle butted against his shoulder, held at the ready. He said he wasn’t going to shoot the bear! Her heart leapt into her throat. He’d lied.
The bear ducked and turned, racing away from the fence. Liam lowered the rifle and ran. Sarah willed the bear to flee, even as she wondered where he’d go. The locked pen tilted the odds in favor of Liam. He said he wasn’t going to shot the bear unless he had to. Locking him in the pen didn’t give him much choice, and she feared the bear would lose.
~* * *~
Sarah’s glare burned holes in his jacket as Liam darted after the bear. Damn it, she needed to see this. Needed to see the harsh realities of what happened when bear and man collided. He wished he hadn’t said a single word about the gun. It was loaded with tranquilizers. Relocating a bear was preferable to killing, even if many returned because of their good memories. The dumpsters, one lid propped open, and the sloppy management procedures at the site had probably called the bear here. They’d been lucky enough to drive it into this fenced off space.
He planned to give Butch a piece of his mind. Somewhere the perimeter fence was broken or deliberately cut. He’d seen it before, anti-bear factions luring the creatures in closer so they had to be shot. A dark scrape along the bear’s shoulder leaked blood. Probably got the wound when he tried to break through the fence. The bear roared. He limped, occasionally hobbling a few strides on three legs. If nothing else, the animal needed the wound cleaned, maybe even a few stitches.
Had he been on his own property or out in the woods he would have shifted, perhaps even cajoled the bear into a safer area. Here, with the drillers gawking at him even as they were supposed to be working, he had to do this the human way. The hard way. I’m sorry, buddy. He hoped the bear understood the sentiment, if not the words.
What Sarah must think of him. Even now, when all his attention should have been focused on the bear, he thought back to her pressed against the gate. She’d curled her fingers into the mesh, her defiant defense of him echoing in his ears. Butch knew the score. They’d done this several times before. Let Liam have his chance. If he didn’t come out, and he always did, then Butch would send his men in with the deadly weapons.
Don’t think about that. Just do your job. Easier said than done. The bear rose onto his hind legs. He yawned, his great teeth clacking together. A sign of nervousness. Liam didn’t like it.
Dropping to all fours, the bear charged.
Liam ducked to the side. He leveled his rifle and squeezed off a shot.
The tranquilizer dart went wide, burying itself in the ground.
The bear loomed closer.
This was not how he wanted things to end. Sarah. He’d brought her here, left her in the middle of a drilling field with a bunch of hardened men who hadn’t seen a woman for months. Surely Butch would keep her safe. Except that was supposed to have been his job.
He aimed again.
The bear brushed past, so close his musky aroma wrapped around Liam. He stepped back, not wanting the bear to scent he was anything other than human. Whirling, he aimed again, but the bear bounded over the rise back towards the fence. With a snarl, Liam followed.
Chapter Eleven
Sarah squeaked as the bear charged over the rise straight toward the fence. Releasing the fence, she skittered backward. A big hand on her back stopped her and she looked at Butch. “Liam, is he—?”
Butch pointed behind the bear where Liam raced, the rifle held in both hands. “Watch. Liam’s the best.”
The best at what, Sarah wanted to scream. She didn’t. Instead, she did as Butch told her and turned her attention back to the enclosure. The bear lurched against the fence, rattling the chain link mesh. Blood smeared from his cut onto the metal. Sarah stared at the bear’s blood. If we weren’t here, it wouldn’t be wounded. She exhaled.
The bear rose onto its hind feet. Sarah scurried backwards. Separated from the creature by only a thin fence, she looked around for something more secure. Not finding it, she waited, hoping that Liam would keep the creature from bursting through the fence. Butch certainly wasn’t. He stood next to her, a wide grin on his face. Had she not been there, Sarah suspected he would whoop and holler like a rodeo cowboy at the interaction between man and bear.
Neanderthal. Sarah kept her mouth closed, not wanting to tell Butch that she suspected he wouldn’t do half as good in the enclosure with the bear.
Liam raised his rifle. He sighted down the barrel.
Don’t shoot. Sarah curled her fingers into fists, digging her nails into her palms even through her gloves. He’d promised he wouldn’t shoot the bear.
Liam squeezed the trigger.
Sarah flinched at the loud pop.
Something flew from the end of the rifle, too large to be a bullet. It hit the bear square in the upper shoulder, a small tag hanging out from it. A tranquilizer dart? Was that what he meant when he said he wouldn’t shoot the bear unless he had to? He wouldn’t tranquilize the bear? Sarah shook her head and raced to the fence. She curled her fingers into the mesh, not caring anymore that the bear was less than five feet away.
The bear swung its head.
“Sarah, get back!” Liam yelled.
She released the fence, but didn’t move.
The great beast wobbled, sweeping its muzzle from side to side. It lifted a massive paw. Sarah stared at it, the claws at least six inches long and not that far away from her. Swiping it, the bear stumbled. It fell, hitting the ground so hard that it shook beneath her boots.
The bear roared.
Sarah’s heart bled for the creature. It struggled against the drug taking effect in its system. The end of the tranquilizer dart protruding from its shoulder waved like a surrender flag. This massive creature had been laid low, all because it blundered into human-controlled territory. Her stomach churned to think that on countless days, countless bears went through this same process. Whether they entered drilling areas or came too close to a camp site or someone’s backyard, it probably didn’t matter. Not to the bears and not to the humans who simply wanted them gone.
On the ground, the bear gave a huge, shuddering breath. Its eyelids dropped. A back paw twitched, almost as if in its drug-induced sleep it was still trying to run. Then, it lay still.
Liam’s gaze locked with hers over the bear’s prone body. His dark eyes held sadness, a bone-deep sorrow that told her that what he had done affected him as much as hers. He dropped his gaze to the bear and hurried forward.