Montana Wild

by Hall, Roni

  Trying to sit up without anything to lean on, her bruised side began to ache. She reached back and rubbed it.

  “Is your back hurting?” Kevin asked.

  “A little.”

  “Now, I’m not trying to be fast or anything, but why don’t you lean on me?”

  Jamie looked at Kevin immediately behind her.

  “Look, we’ve got these nice thick blankets.” He took them off her shoulders and laid it on his chest. “Now move back.”

  Jamie did as instructed.

  As she scooted back between his propped legs, he wrapped the warm blankets around her shoulders and arms. Then he rubbed his hands up and down her arms, trying to create friction and warmth.

  “There. How’s that? Lean back on me. I promise no cheap tricks.” Kevin raised his arms up innocently as Ben looked over and grinned.

  “Yeah, you can trust him, Jamie. And he’s got some swampland in Florida to sell you, too!” Ben laughed.

  “Ben, don’t you have somewhere to go or something to do?” Kevin asked. “Don’t listen to him. You’ve had a rough day. I just want you to be comfortable. Honest.”

  Jamie laughed at both of them. Leaning back on Kevin, she had to admit that it offered instant relief to her aching side, not to mention the warm rush of her body against his.

  “Thanks for the warning, but if I can’t trust him by now, then I’m in big trouble. You have to admit, the guy did pretty good by me today.” Jamie winked at Ben.

  “Yeah, I guess he did all right at that.” Ben admitted.

  A short while later, Kevin pulled a small flask from his pocket.

  “Jamie. I have some brandy, would you like a sip? It may warm you even more than the tea.”

  “They always give you brandy in the movies after a stressful day. Medicinal purposes, of course?” And Jamie reached for the flask.

  “Of course.”

  The brandy warmed her insides as it went down. It was strong, but tasted wonderful. She took a second swallow and handed it back. They passed it back and forth a couple more times. Nestled snugly within Kevin’s arms, she felt the rise and fall of his chest with every breath he took. With his neck only inches from her face, she inhaled his rugged manliness, igniting a slow burn deep within her.

  Wow, what am I thinking? Remember my promise to myself? No men. A hiatus, remember? This all seems good right now but do I really want a man to take over my life again? But there was no denying how she felt at this moment. The friendly chatter around the soft glow of the fire added to her inner peace. She was content and for a moment had to stop and identify this strange, foreign emotion. Jamie’s attention was brought back to reality when Tommy wandered over.

  “Can I sit next to you, Jamie?” Tommy asked, looking a bit tired.

  “I’ve been wondering when you were going to come over. Why don’t you sit in front of me? Lean on me like I’m leaning on Kevin.” Tommy snuggled in as instructed and she covered him with one of her blankets.

  Rick followed behind his son.

  “Mind if we join you?” Rick directed his question more to Kevin than to her. “I don’t want to intrude.”

  “No, not at all. Sit,” Kevin answered.

  Tommy leaned against Jamie and as if by instinct, she started running her fingers through his hair.

  “Do you mind?”

  “No. It feels good,” he replied sleepily as he nestled against her.

  Rick watched as Jamie tenderly stroked Tommy’s hair, the child’s eyes fighting to stay open.

  “I think he misses the touch of a woman,” Rick whispered and nodded toward Jamie and Tommy.

  “Don’t we all!” Kevin answered.

  Rick looked at Kevin and they both laughed out loud.

  The fireside chats continued but decreased in volume as the night progressed. A few campers bid their goodnights and slipped away into the darkness. The mixture of physical fatigue, brandy, and the warmth of the fire made it difficult for Jamie to keep her attention focused on the conversations. Tommy had drifted off some time ago but she dared not move for fear of waking him and she liked the feel of the sleeping child against her. Rick soon came over to relieve Jamie.

  He knelt next to her looking at Tommy’s angelic face and kissed his forehead. Then Rick looked at Jamie.

  “This could have been a horrific day. Thank you for making it one of the luckiest days of my life.” He kissed Jamie’s cheek and squeezed her hand. Lifting Tommy up carefully, he held the boy close and walked toward their tent.

  Jamie watched father and son until they faded into the darkness. She felt sheepish for all the credit and praise everyone was bestowing on her because she knew another entity had been in control of the whole situation. Still she was thankful for the part she did play and oh so grateful for the happy ending.

  “How are you doing?” Kevin whispered, his lips close to her ear.

  “I’m good, but tired.”

  “Ready to pack it in?”

  “I think so.” Kevin stood up first and extended his hand to help her up. “Is your side sore?”

  “Only if I move.” She stood and steadied herself before they started walking. The farther they moved from the fire, the darker it got.

  “Man, I can hardly see.” Her eyes strained to see the path.

  “Let your eyes adjust to the darkness for a minute. Don’t trip.” He held her arm to guide her as they made their way to the tents. Kevin unzipped her tent, opened her sleeping bag for her and made sure everything was just so. He stood up outside her tent next to Jamie.

  “Thanks, you didn’t need to do that.” She was touched by his attentiveness.

  “I know. I’m close by if you need anything. Just holler.” They looked at each other for an awkward moment.

  “Can I do something that I’ve wanted to do since we fished you out of the water?” Kevin asked.

  “Sure, what?”

  He reached for her and hugged her. “I’m so relieved that you’re safe.” He held her for a long time.

  The intensity of his embrace took her by surprise but she returned it. She reminded herself of how he’d risked his life for her and she hugged him back, resting her face against his chest. Hearing and feeling the beat of his heart against her cheek combined with the security of his arms circling her, time stopped and she wished she could stay there forever. A branch cracked underfoot as another camper walked by, disrupting their moment. They pulled apart and Kevin brushed back some loose hair from her face. Leaning in, he kissed her cheek. Suddenly shy, Jamie felt her face flush and ducked into her tent. Kevin zipped her tent closed and she could hear him lingering outside before his footsteps faded away.

  What a day! Even though she was exhausted, her thoughts drifted back to Roseanne. Feeling an internal bond with her spirit comforted Jamie in a way she could not express, as if Roseanne’s essence filled part of the loneliness in Jamie’s being. Jamie smiled as she turned over in her sleeping bag. They would’ve been great friends.

  As Kevin settled into his tent, he had a sensation of physical, mental, and emotional peace. It had been a hell of a day but it had ended well, everyone was safe. Just a few moments ago, Jamie had been lying against him, wrapped in his arms. It scared him to death to think he’d almost lost her. Having met her in person only four days ago, he struggled to comprehend his strong feelings for her.

  Now that they had spent some time together, he wasn’t ready to let her walk out of his life connected only by late-night telephone conversations. That wasn’t going to be enough anymore. On the phone she had told him that she’d recently ended a serious relationship and he didn’t want to scare her off, but he couldn’t let her go. Not yet.

  Chapter 10

  Jamie delayed getting up because she knew she would have to face the fact that h
er trip was over. It meant she had to put closure on one of the best overall adventures of her life. Instead, she lay there motionless, staring at the minute drops of moisture nesting on the nylon ceiling of her humble tent. But as she did so, she heard more and more campers stirring and knew she could not put off the inevitable any longer.

  God, I must look awful. When was the last time I washed my hair? Hell, when was the last time I brushed my hair? She searched around the tent for her brush and gave her hair a good stroking, swept it into a low ponytail, then covered it with her baseball cap. Grabbing her toothbrush, she unzipped her tent and made off toward the latrine. On her way back she met Kevin.

  “Morning. How’s your side?” His face full of concern.

  “Good morning. Not too bad, surprisingly.”

  “You look pretty in the morning. Want to grab a cup of tea and go for a walk?”

  “You’re too kind, but yes, I’d love to. Good idea on the tea.”

  They grabbed their morning caffeine, and Kevin led her toward a trail. As they left the crowd near the mess tent, Tommy and Rick strode toward them.

  “Hey, Tommy. Good morning, Rick.” Jamie hugged Tommy affectionately. The four exchanged morning pleasantries then Rick took on a serious look.

  “Jamie, I know we’ll all be packing and scurrying around to leave soon. I wanted to catch up with you before the madness of breaking camp. I will never ever forget what you did for Tommy and for me.”

  Jamie started to protest but Rick firmly shushed her.

  “Let me finish. You saved my son’s life. Please don’t ever minimize what you did here. You had help and I do believe that. But still, you played a major part in all of this and I want you to know that I’m indebted to you for the rest of my life. Whatever you need, whenever you need it, I’ll be there for you. I could never repay you for what you did.”

  “Thank you, Rick. That means a lot.” Rick reached for her and they hugged. She felt so tiny in his brawny arms.

  Tommy had been on his knees toying with a dried snakeskin but now stood beside Rick. He looked at Jamie and his dad with a quizzical look but quickly got on to more important matters. “Are you going to eat now, Jamie? We are.”

  “No, not right now, but you better not eat all the pancakes.” She tousled his hair.

  Tommy laughed. “C’mon, Dad, let’s get to those pancakes!” and he pulled his father’s arm.

  Rick waved at Kevin and Jamie as he was being pulled away. “See you later.”

  Kevin led Jamie toward the path and they began an upward climb. “If this trek gets too rough for you, let me know.” To steady her, he took hold of her hand as they climbed.

  “I’m good,” Jamie answered. She followed Kevin on a gentle uphill path for about ten minutes until they reached a narrow clearing on one side. Shoulders touching, they stood looking through the tree-framed opening that delivered a breathtaking view of infinity. The sky was bright blue and cloudless. The morning dew painted a glistening coating on Mother Nature’s picture perfect forestry and Jamie could hear the symphony of wildlife playing in the background. Regal mountains completed the backdrop and Jamie stared in awe.

  “I hope you never take these views for granted.” She could not take her eyes off the vista, a slight breeze twirling her stray tendrils of hair.

  “Never,” Kevin answered firmly.

  Jamie wanted to etch all the details in her memory and take it back with her to New York. Once home, she wanted to be able to close her eyes and draw this image vividly on command, but she knew that was impossible. There was no way to capture the sight, sounds and fragrance that were so vibrant at this moment. Kevin broke the silence.

  “I’m not ready.”

  “Pardon me?” She turned to look at him.

  “I’m not ready for you to go back. It seems like you just got here.” Leaning on a large bolder, he focused on her.

  “In some ways the time went by so fast, but in other ways it seems like I’ve been in Montana longer. It’s like I’ve known everyone forever, like old friends.”

  “I know, it seems like I’ve known you longer than a few days.” He paused, his brows furrowed, then spoke again. “I don’t want you to leave. Please stay.” The sun’s warming rays were peeking through the pine branches, spotlighting them.

  “Stay? The trip’s over.” Looking down at her dusty sneakers, she rolled a pinecone under the sole of her shoe, trying to distract herself from an awkward conversation. She hated good-byes.

  “It’s true, the rafting’s over, but your time doesn’t have to be. My home’s only a few hours from here. Come with me.”

  “What?” Jerking her head up, she looked at him, stunned.

  “Come with me. You’ve come this far, come see my home. If you think this scenery is beautiful, wait until you see my neighborhood.” Eyes wide with hope, he took a step toward her.

  “Oh, Kevin, my flight’s tonight. I need to get back.” Looking at him against the majestic backdrop, she had to admit that the idea was tempting, so why was her voice betraying her? Because I’m on hiatus, that’s why.

  His face sobered. “Why? Why do you have to get back so quickly? You’re off work. What’s the rush?” Kevin grabbed her hand with both of his. “Jamie, I mean it. I’m not ready for you to go back. It’s been so great having you here. We’re just getting to know each other, and to be honest, I’d like to get to know you better.”

  “I-I need to get back, but thank you. For everything.” I don’t want to leave him. Why am I saying this? Turning to him, she encircled him with her arms, whispering into his ear, “Thank you.”

  Kevin sighed heavily as she embraced him. Initially he hugged her back with both arms but then he grabbed her shoulders and gently pushed her to arm’s length, not letting go.

  Shaking his head, he stated firmly, “No. You don’t have to go. Stay. Stay for a while.”

  They stood face to face. The chatter of birds seemed to mimic their disagreement.

  “I appreciate the offer, but . . .”

  Challenging her, he cut her off, “Why? Why can’t you?”

  She looked at him, then looked away and remained silent. Yeah, why can’t I?

  He waited patiently. “Jamie?”

  She looked at him, but still could not answer. Finally she admitted “I don’t have a reason. It just doesn’t seem . . .” She stopped, and he waited.

  “It just doesn’t seem . . . I don’t know. I told you, I’m not ready for another relationship, if that’s where you think this could be leading.” She heard the words coming out of her own mouth but she was not convincing herself. Turning away from him, she hardly noticed the ongoing show Mother Nature was providing as doubt now clouded her vision, dulling the bright sun.

  “Truth is, I don’t know where this is leading. Maybe we’re destined to be friends, maybe something more. I just know that we need more time together. Come back with me. Come to my home. There’s plenty of room. Your first reaction was to say no to this trip and look how much you’ve enjoyed it.”

  Not feeling so firm in her rejection of the initial idea now, this conversation seemed like déjà vu. He was so right last time . . .

  Kevin interrupted her thoughts. “There are workers at the ranch that live in guest cabins on the property. There’s some that are vacant, and you could stay in one of those, if you’d be more comfortable with that. You’d have your own space. I have horses, I could teach you to ride. We could spend some time together, stay a week, two weeks or longer. You decide. Please.”

  He looked at her again, his kind blue eyes pleading under long eyelashes.

  “Don’t you think it would be kind of weird if I went home with you?”

  “No. I’m inviting you, I am asking you to come with me. Friend to friend. Why is that weird?” His eyes searched hers. She m
et his gaze and her willpower melted.

  “Well, how would we do this? I’d just go home with you today?”

  “Yes.” Kevin’s whole face lit up. “Yes! Come with me today. You can go home whenever you want. You decide.”

  Again she searched his eyes and her gut told her he was the real deal. “Okay.” She exhaled as her stomach tightened, hoping she was making the right call.

  “Yes!” He picked her up, twirled her around once and set her down. “You won’t regret this, I promise. Now that we’re leaving together, let’s go!” The elation in his voice was obvious.

  Once back at camp, Rick heard the news and looked at Kevin, grinning. “She’s a real catch, Kevin.”

  “We’re friends, Rick, just friends.”

  “Sure, Kev.” Rick’s grin grew.

  “No really, we’re just friends. I want her to come back and see the ranch, since she’s already in Montana.”

  “So, nothing else? Just friends? No sparks?” Rick’s gaze did not waver.

  Kevin grinned. “I’m not ruling anything out at this point. Let’s see where this goes.” And with this Rick slapped him on the back.

  “Though, I must say, she’s quite different from your usuals. She’s in a different class.”

  “What do you mean, my usuals?” Kevin asked, annoyed.

  “You know what I mean. Admit it, she’s different. I’m going to have to warn you, I’m going to be looking out for her. I am indebted to her now, you know that. I’ll be her protector, so don’t mess with her if you don’t have honorable intentions,” Rick said quietly.