Wilderness Girl

by Masters, Cate

  She pulled out her keys, but hesitated. His behavior had been strange lately, but tonight seemed beyond explanation. The distance between them had grown so large, almost untraversable. Perhaps not worth the effort. She’d had a deeper connection with Wilderness Guy tonight than she’d had with Sean in months.

  He hardly looked at her. “What are you waiting for? Open the trunk.”

  “What’s going on?” Things began to click into place: all the nights he’d worked late, his evasiveness, his lack of concern for her whereabouts.

  “What?”

  And now the sneer. His offensive tactic when she asked him something he didn’t want to answer.

  She waited, calculating what his next move would be. His reaction would tell her everything she needed to know.

  “You’re the one who wandered off with some other guy. Which was pretty embarrassing for me. Not that you care.”

  And there it was. The attack, meant to divert any negative attention from him to her.

  Her breath left her in a huff. “Embarrassing? Is that the only reason you don’t want me to talk to other guys? Because you’re embarrassed?”

  “Do what you want, Dana.” He rested a hand on his hip. “Are you going to open the trunk or not?”

  When they’d first begun dating, Sean had couched his arguments in a convincing way, though never sensitive. Over the past few months, and the past few weeks especially, his tone had grown less and less caring.

  And if he didn’t care for her, what were they doing?

  “Say it. Dammit, just say it, Sean.”

  “Say what?” He furrowed his brow, his mouth agape as if she were speaking some language he couldn’t understand.

  “You don’t care what I do…because you don’t care.” She scrutinized his face.

  With a wince, he nodded and glanced away. He shifted his feet. “Dana...” He ducked his head, and held his thumb to his mouth. Always a giveaway. Something more was going on with him.

  She knew what came next. “No, Sean. If you don’t want to be with me, then say so.” The sting of rejection would burn, but not as badly as the extended torture of being with someone who didn’t want her.

  He looked at her tentatively, as though weighing what to reveal. Gauging how she might react. He always avoided scenes, public or private.

  Then it hit her. The late nights. The secretive calls. Everything pointed to one thing. “You’re seeing someone else.”

  “Dana.” He swung his head away and peered at the street like he wished he could disappear into a passing car.

  Obviously, he wanted to be anywhere else, having any other conversation.

  Her stomach emptied of air, like she’d been punched. “How could I have been so blind? All those nights you were supposed to be working late. And when you do show up, practically running away after fucking me. From behind, so you don’t have to see my face – that’s what that was all about, right? You couldn’t bear to look me in the eye?” Incredulous that she had missed it till now. And what a putz he was, still not able to admit it.

  His cell phone rang. He glanced at the display. “I should take this.”

  She laughed, but couldn’t catch her breath. “Yes, by all means, don’t let me hold you up.”

  He flipped open the phone walking away. He muted his conversation, but she thought she heard him say, “Come pick me up at Wilderness Outfitters. Yeah, hurry.”

  Tears threatened, but she bit her lip. She would not cry. Not for this bastard.

  Walking back, his head hung low. “Do you want me to help you load this stuff in your car or should I take it?”

  So that was it. He wasn’t even going to admit what a creep he was.

  “Should you take it? No way. I’m returning it.” She pushed the cart toward the entrance.

  He called, “I’m catching a ride home with someone else.”

  As if she didn’t know. She might have been temporarily blind, but she wasn’t stupid. “Goodbye!” Pushing the cart faster, its wheels spun and rattled.

  “Wait, I need my wallet.”

  Halting, she turned. “What?”

  “Unlock it for a second, will you?”

  An internal debate raged for seconds. If she refused, she’d have to return his wallet later. Which meant seeing him again — something she hoped never to suffer through. Pointing the clicker at her car, the lights flashed.

  Like a game show contestant, he dove inside for his prized wallet and out again, slamming the door. He hovered for a moment, then strode toward the street.

  “Good riddance.” Approaching the entrance, she slowed. Her heart flip-flopped when a familiar figure stood by the doors. Watching.

  Had he seen the whole thing? Never had she felt like such a pathetic idiot. But she had to go inside. She pushed ahead, and the automatic doors swung open.

  He fell into step with her. “Everything okay?”

  She fought against the threatening tears of rage, and shame. “Oh, sure. He just decided he’d rather be with someone else.”

  Glancing back, he stretched taller, anger filling his face. “What? Is he crazy?”

  “No, but apparently I am.” What was she saying? Just shut up, return this junk and get out of here. The sooner she left, the sooner she could put it all behind her.

  She scanned the store for the Customer Service desk and swerved toward it. Coming to a halt, she opened her purse. The receipt fluttered up like a streamer and she placed it on the counter. “I need to return this stuff. All of it.” Lifting the sleeping bag and lantern, she swiped a tear away. The jerk deserved no tears. She should celebrate. And she would. Once she stopped feeling like such a loser.

  The girl behind the desk checked the receipt. “These were Special Sale items.”

  “Yes.” Dana tensed at the girl’s ominous tone. She tried not to look to her left, where he stood. His all too palpable presence heightened her embarrassment. Why did he have to witness the ugly scene of Sean dumping her? She wasn’t a drama queen. Far from it. Maybe that was her biggest problem. Too meek. Too passive.

  The girl snapped her gum. “The tags clearly say these items can’t be returned.”

  “What?” she asked absently, until the words registered with the weight of an anvil. “But I bought them less than five minutes ago.” How could their value have disappeared in a snap?

  The employee held up the tags, still attached. “No returns on Special Sale items.”

  Dana hadn’t even thought to check. “But I….”

  The girl pushed the stuff across the counter toward her. “Sorry. No can do.”

  He helped Dana put the stuff back into the cart. “Thanks.” Her nerves unraveled. “What am I going to do with all this?”

  He grabbed the cart handle and steered it away. “You know what they say, living well’s the best revenge.” He glanced over. “So why don’t you use the gear yourself?”

  “Yeah, right.” But his good humor was infectious, and lifted her spirits.

  The doors whooshed open and he wheeled the cart through. “Where’s your car? I’ll help you unload this.”

  “This way.” She pointed, though he had to know already. He’d seen everything, after all. Nearing her car, she clicked the remote.

  He popped the trunk and stacked the items inside.

  “Thanks. You’re really sweet.” And she sounded like an idiot.

  “Nah. I’m still hoping you’ll come out for coffee with me.” After closing the trunk, he leaned against it, his legs stretched toward her.

  It put him at the perfect height. All she had to do was step between his legs, slip her arms around his neck and draw him close.

  “So? What do you think?” His deep voice made her want to lay her head against it, let it vibrate through her.

  The fantasy absorbed her thoughts. “Pardon?”

  “Coffee?” His soft tone soothed her.

  Maybe he just felt sorry for her. The loser who got dumped in the parking lot, of all places. “No, you don�
��t have to worry about cheering me up.”

  His mouth slid into a smile. “My motivations are much more selfish.” Headlights swung past and illuminated his face. The intensity of his gaze sent a thrill across her skin.

  In a blink, happiness welled up and erased her depression. “Really? Well, in that case – sure.”

  Standing, he gestured across the parking lot. “Roxy’s is open till eleven.”

  She searched in the direction he indicated. Roxy’s coffee shop stood a few doors down from Wilderness Outfitters.

  “I never noticed it before.” Not that she frequented this strip mall, but last time she’d come here with Sean, they’d buzzed in and out of the store quickly.

  He laid his hand on the small of her back. “Come on, then.” He slowed his wide gait, keeping her pace.

  When he glanced down at her, she flashed a nervous smile. This felt crazy, but in a good way. If she’d known a visit to Wilderness Outfitters could yield such benefits, she’d have gone more often.

  They crossed the lot in easy silence. Stepping up onto the walkway, her foot caught, pitching her forward.

  His arm shot around her waist and steadied her. “Oops. Careful.”

  Her face flushed with heat, and not just embarrassment. Being with him made the air come alive with electricity, made everything stand out in sharp relief. Details popped out at her, subtle nuances she’d missed before.

  He opened the door and stepped aside, waiting for her to enter.

  They walked to the counter. The menu of coffees stretched the length of the wall.

  Unable to concentrate with him standing so close, she laughed nervously. “So many choices.”

  When he inclined his head toward hers, their shoulders bumped. “I know what you need.”

  “You do?” If so, he would be the first guy who did.

  “This one’s on me.” He rested his hands on the counter.

  The girl behind it smiled coyly as he ordered.

  He winked at Dana and pulled his wallet from his back pocket.

  Mesmerized, she stared at his full mouth, how it curled so easily into a smile. Sometimes only one side slid crookedly into a half-smile. Or his lips would part in a broad grin, so relaxed, it immediately put her at ease. His strong jaw made her want to trace her finger along its edge, to his ear, where his sandy brown hair curled around it.

  When he set some bills down, she snapped to reality. “Here, wait.” She opened her purse.

  He handed her the paper cup. “No, I said it’s on me.”

  Something inside her released. At least she could act gracious. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.” He led her to a table by the window.

  Sitting across from him, the evening’s turn of events struck her. She’d never have guessed the night would have ended here.

  She sipped. “Mm. What is this? It’s really good.”

  “Chai Frappacino Blended Crème. A little spicy, but mellowed with sweetness, too. Like you.” He raised his cup to drink, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

  Warmth crept up her neck. “You’re too nice.”

  “Not at all. I say what I think.”

  “Well, that’s refreshing.” Especially after being with a guy who required a mind reader to know what he really thought.

  He settled his elbows on the table. “So. When are you going to break in your gear?”

  How about never? “I don’t know. I’m pretty hopeless when it comes to the outdoors.” Even parking lots, if her less than graceful stumble was any indication.

  “You’ll do fine. I’m going next weekend.” He eased closer across the table. “If you were to go, too, I could help you.”

  “Help me?” Their initial encounter in the store flashed vividly in her mind. Oh, yes, he could help her.

  “Sure. Give you some pointers. Whatever you need.”

  Whatever she needed. Like those muscular arms wrapped around her, that tantalizing mouth working its magic all over her. Before she knew what she was saying, she responded, “Yes.”

  “Good. Saturday. Miller’s Mountain. Let me give you directions. Got a pen and paper?”

  She pulled the Wilderness Outfitters receipt from her handbag. At least it would prove useful for something. Her heart skipped a beat. Camping as a first date? Something new for her, but she liked unconventional things. And people.

  Besides, he never said anything about a date. She’d keep her expectations low. In the reality zone. Right now, she was floating somewhere in the fantasy realm.

  He wrote, explaining the directions in detail, as though he wanted to be sure she didn’t get lost. He pushed the pad across the table. “Sound good?”

  “Yes.” Almost too good. Another clue to keep herself in check. “I guess I better get going.” Her cup empty, she had no good excuse to linger.

  “I’ll walk you to your car.” He rose in tandem with her.

  “Okay. Nice.” She should stop speaking, or at least stop saying stupid things, before she drove him away with her awkward idiocy. They walked through the lot in an easy silence. Too soon, they reached her car. He stood near, hands in his back pockets, while she searched for her keys.

  His attentiveness made her fumble, embarrassing herself further. “Sorry. I’m usually much more organized. I never lose my – ah ha.” Fingers finding the cold metal, she held them up in triumph. “Do you need a ride?”

  “No. My bike’s over there.” He nodded to the end of the lot.

  “Your bike?”

  His eyes crinkled at the edges. “My Harley. I’ll take you for a ride some time.”

  Her breath left her just imagining her legs fitted against his, her chest nestled into his back. She could ring her arms around him, inhale his scent. “I’d love that.”

  He backed away slowly. “See you Saturday, then.”

  “Yes. Saturday.” She stood watching as he held up a hand, then turned and strode away.

  Saturday. Six more days.

  ****

  All week, sleep eluded Dana. At work, she struggled to concentrate, images of him constantly interrupting, derailing her thoughts. At night, she flipped through channels, but no matter what station she turned to, nothing distracted her mind. All she saw were those dark, sparkling eyes. Tanned skin over taut muscles. Wide mouth and easy smile. For six days, he consumed her thoughts. She fantasized about how his arms would feel around her. Those incredible lips, kissing her, caressing her skin.

  Until she remembered how the girl at the coffee shop looked at him. Like so many other girls, she imagined. He could have any girl he wanted. He couldn’t possibly be interested in her that way. He was only being nice.

  When she awoke on Saturday, she dressed in shorts, a T-shirt and sandals. She’d considered buying new sneakers, but no way was she spending any more money on what would likely be a one-time excursion into the wild.

  The drive to Miller’s Mountain only took thirty minutes. Dana never realized the wilderness could be so accessible. Dragging all that stuff into the woods proved another matter. Setting up a camp site presented an unexpected complication. She probably should have read the instructions earlier. But then, she’d never taken the gear out of her trunk until today. Now the tent lay in pieces across the hilltop. Pieces appearing not to fit together in any logical manner.

  For the fifth time, she tried to fit pole A into pole B, and failed. She threw them on the grass. “Arrghh! Stupid tent! Why can’t instructions be simple?”

  She designed web sites, for crying out loud. A techie who couldn’t interpret instructions on setting up a tent touted as beginner level? How embarrassing. Luckily, no one else was here to see.

  A sharp breath escaped. Yeah. Lucky.

  Holding her palm to her forehead, she closed her eyes and forced herself to inhale deeply a few times. The scent of the pine trees and pure air unwound her tangled nerves.

  The guy at Wilderness Outfitters had been right. This seemed an excellent spot. The slope offered a perfect view of t
he stream at the bottom of the hill. But where was he now that she needed him? Probably having a good laugh, imagining her here by herself. The only other vehicle in the parking lot was a motorcycle. Obviously not another camper. Perhaps he’d never intended to show up at all. Maybe he’d gone back to the coffee shop that night, and made plans with the Frappacino Girl.

  Should she head back to the car? She’d have to gather everything up again, trek back through the woods…. No. Going back meant giving in to failure. Next, she’d be sitting home on weekends, flipping through cable channels, crying in her popcorn. She’d never been that girl, and she wasn’t about to start now.

  The instructions. Though they read like something translated from Japanese to Greek to English, maybe the illustrations would be of some use. She bent to retrieve them. When she reached for the pole, it moved.

  She froze, every nerve tightening. Oh good God. A snake. Four feet long, maybe five. Hard to tell, after panic set in. It slithered its tail, looked at her with its beady black eyes. Flicked its awful tongue.

  Why, of all things, did it have to be a snake? She’d rather have wrestled a grizzly. Happy to leave the city-dwelling man-snakes like Sean behind, she hadn’t thought about the possibility of facing the real thing.

  She should have known better than to take off into the mountains alone. Her cell phone had zero reception on this hill. If the thing bit her, she’d die out in the wilderness. Alone. Might as well tattoo loser on her forehead.

  “Oh, fuck me till I’m blind.”

  Behind her, a twig snapped and leaves rustled. She didn’t dare look. With her luck, the bear had arrived to take on her challenge.

  A husky voice asked, “If I get rid of that snake, will you ask me again?”

  She turned her head ever so slowly.

  It was him! Wilderness Guy. He looked even better than the night they’d met. His sparkling gaze danced across her. The way he looked at her made her feel appreciated. Wanted.

  She struggled to regain her composure. “You’re here! Can you please help me before I’m eaten alive?” Relief gushed over her, her earlier disappointment forgotten.

  He rested his hands on his hips. “I told you I would be.” He shifted his feet. “But you didn’t answer my question.”