Trails of Love

by Melissa Foster

  He continued staring at her, smiling just for her. “I think you’d better get your hands out of my pants first.”

  She gasped and pulled her hands out, instantly missing the feel of him. She couldn’t believe she’d even done that right there in the middle of the festival. She tried to take a step back, though it was the last thing she wanted to do, but he kept her close and said, “Tonight it’s all yours.”

  What could she do but grin like a dizzying fool?

  After her legs stopped wobbling, she found a clean dress and slipped it over her bathing suit, moving as if in a dream. Graham looked at her differently as she put clothes in one of her bags to bring with her to his…tent? Like he wanted to devour her, but there was something much deeper and more meaningful in his eyes, something she could feel as he touched his fingers to hers and kissed her shoulder.

  “Ready, sunshine?” He slung the strap of his bag crosswise over his body, then reached for hers.

  “I can carry it.”

  Those killer dimples appeared as he tugged her against him and kissed her slowly and tantalizingly perfectly.

  “Didn’t you ever have a guy carry your books in school?”

  She shook her head. “Guys weren’t interested in touching my books.”

  He made a growly noise in the back of his throat, as if he didn’t like what she was implying, and then he said, “I want to touch your books.” He kissed her again. “Your bags.” His lips captured hers, longer this time. “And everything else you’ll let me touch.”

  Hearing him say it brought the truth of where they were headed rushing at her. She wasn’t a virgin and she certainly wasn’t a prude, but what if she changed her mind? What if he did? God, I hope he doesn’t.

  He took a long look at her stuff. “You sure you want to leave all this here?” He touched one of the cloth stars. “This is really cute. Someone might walk off with it.”

  “You like those? Most of the guys I know think I’m really out there for putting up stuff like that.”

  “You’re obviously hanging out with people who have bad taste. Why don’t we take whatever you don’t want stolen?”

  She surveyed her belongings and said, “If someone needs my stuff more than I do, that’s okay. They can have it.”

  He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it, looking over her things again. “You don’t want the tie-dyed blanket or those funky pillows?”

  She shrugged. “I can make more.”

  “You made them?” He took off his green bag and set it on a chair. Then he put the blanket in his bag. He unhooked the string of cloth stars and carefully put them in, too. He slung the bag across his chest again and grabbed the colorful throw pillows she’d brought to sleep with. “Okay, I think that about does it.”

  “They’re not that special,” she said as he draped an arm over her shoulder.

  “Clearly your friends are wearing off on you. You made them, and in my book, that means they’re special.” As they walked across the muddy ground he said, “Mind if we stop by my truck so I can get out of these wet pants?”

  She felt her eyes widen at the thought of him naked and tried to school her expression. “Um…no.”

  He laughed and dropped a kiss on the side of her head.

  A few minutes later they arrived at Graham’s campsite, or rather, his cool old Land Rover, which he’d converted into a camper’s dream. He’d built a bed that fit between the cushioned bench seats in the back and hidden compartments for storage. Shelves were built around the windows on one side, chock-full of books and other items, and a guitar was strapped to a contraption on the interior of the roof.

  “You play guitar?” she asked.

  “Mm-hm.”

  “That makes you a hundred times hotter. I hope you’ll play for me later. I play, too.” She touched the bed cushion, which looked like something she would make. Batik curtains covered the windows, and when he hung the stars she’d made from the end of the curtain rod, they looked like they belonged there. “This is all so amazing.”

  “It’s got four inches of memory foam on a thin mattress. I made the bed cover from wall hangings I picked up in India when I climbed Mount Jopuno with my cousin Ty and our buddies.”

  “You made them? You? With your own two hands?”

  “Yup.” He held his hands up. “The only two I’ve got.”

  “I don’t know what’s more impressive, the fact that you made this cover and reconfigured your truck, or that you mountain climb. In India! I’ve never left the East Coast. Is that a big mountain? What’s India like?”

  “You’re adorable,” he said, pressing his lips to hers like he’d been doing it forever. “Mount Jopuno is in western Sikkim, which is in the Himalayas. It’s just under six thousand meters, and the views are phenomenal. But getting there was just as magnificent. On the trek from Yuksom to Tshoka, we went through a forest of magnolia and rhododendron. That part of India is so serene, unlike anything I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen a lot. Ty and I climb and cross-country ski together. I love hiking, biking, boating, just about anything that’ll give me an adrenaline rush.”

  “Wow, cracker, you’ve got all sorts of cool stuff going on. I’m a little jealous. Is that why you’re such a risk assessor? To make sure you don’t die on one of your adventures?”

  “Sort of. I followed in my father’s footsteps and went to school for engineering, but that’s more of a hobby for me now. I had dreams of working side by side with him, but I had a hard time staying put and realized I needed adventures in work and in life.”

  “Your zest for life! That’s exactly what I see and feel coming off of you. So, you’re a mountain-climbing, thrill-seeking, engineering hobbyist? That leaves a world of possibilities.”

  “Exactly. Luckily, I have a cousin who helped me find my way. When I was in college I was working on engineering plans for one of my cousin Pierce’s properties. He owns real estate all over the world, and I apprenticed for him to get my feet wet. I told him my dilemma, that I loved analyzing and planning but felt too hemmed in. He suggested I try my hand in acquisitions. He taught me the ropes and I worked with him on a few business deals. I had a real knack for it, and more importantly, I loved doing it. But Pierce’s investments are all over the map in terms of businesses, and I didn’t want to bring more big businesses into the world that would ruin our ecological footprint. Gotta leave a green world behind for future generations, right?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “My business partner, Knox Bentley, and I went to MIT together. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and did everything he could to separate himself from the pomp and circumstance that came along with that materialistic lifestyle. Together we formed B&B Enterprises, our investment company.”

  “Investments?”

  “Yes. We help companies get off the ground, buy and sell properties. Our specialty is eco-friendly businesses. You know the Eco-Sleep hotel chain? That’s ours.” He swatted her butt and said, “Now, enough about me. Step aside and let me grab dry clothes.”

  He climbed into the truck and came back out with clean clothes as he said, “Seems like you have more in common with this risk-assessing guy than you thought, huh?”

  “Yes, I do.” She looked up at the luggage rack on top of his truck and noticed a barrel strapped to it. “Why is there a barrel on your roo—” She turned around and lost her train of thought at the sight of Graham standing between the open doors of the truck, tugging off his wet jeans and underwear. He was blocked from the view of strangers, but she had a clear view of his thick thighs and perfect ass.

  “It’s a rain barrel.” He glanced over his shoulder, catching her staring, and that slow grin slid across his face.

  She whipped her head around, cursing herself for getting caught.

  “Like what you see, sunshine?”

  “God! I’m really not a Peeping Tom! I swear.” She might not be, but she couldn’t help peeking over her shoulder again—only to find him standing in clean, dry briefs with
a big-ass cheesy grin on his face. He reached through the doors and hauled her against him, kissing her as they cracked up. “I like you, sunshine. I like you a whole hell of a lot.”

  “Because you think I’m a slutty festival girl, and I don’t blame you for thinking that. I can’t believe…”

  “What? That you’re attracted to a guy who straddles a very fine line between risking my life on dangerous adventures and knowing I’ve taken every precaution to keep myself safe?”

  “No! That I’m sneaking peeks at your nakedness and I have my stuff in your truck after knowing you for only several hours!”

  “Really?” His brow wrinkled in confusion. “First of all, I don’t pick up slutty girls, but that’s what worries you? That’s basal instinct, male-female attraction. That should be the least of your worries.”

  “The least? Then what should I worry about?”

  He glanced over her shoulder and said, “The fact that your sister’s staring us down and I’m in my skivvies.”

  MORGYN SCRAMBLED OUT of Graham’s arms so fast Sable took a step back and said, “Don’t hurry on my account. I was just making sure the hotshot hadn’t absconded with you.”

  “He didn’t.” Morgyn crossed her arms, then uncrossed them, huffing anxiously. “We were…”

  “I know what you were doing,” Sable said as Graham pulled on his jeans and T-shirt. “You might want to do it inside the truck.”

  “Noted,” Graham said as he put on socks and shoved his feet into his boots. He realized the sun was setting and wondered how the time had passed so quickly. “Sorry we took so long.”

  “God, Sable. Why are you creeping around like that?” Morgyn took a step forward, and Graham reached for her hand.

  “Oh, you know,” Sable said sarcastically, “because it’s so easy to creep when you’re surrounded by five hundred people. I got worried, so shoot me.”

  “It’s okay. How did you find us, anyway?” Morgyn asked.

  Sable pointed to Zev, talking with a group of women by a tent across the field. “It’s amazing what Zev will give up with a maybe instead of a no.”

  Sounds like Zev.

  “Glad you’re not lying in a ditch, sis. I’m out of time. I’ve got to get back up onstage soon. Axsel’s hanging out with Beckett and JJ down by his trailer if you want to catch up with him.” Sable nodded in Zev’s direction; he was heading toward them now. “He’s a great guy, and I swear there was a line of women trailing behind him like he was the pied piper.”

  “Yeah, he gets that a lot,” Graham said. “I didn’t mean to monopolize Morgyn’s time.”

  “Yes you did,” Sable said with a smile. “But that’s okay. She’s a good egg. Hurt her and I’ll castrate you in your sleep.”

  “Sable!” Morgyn snapped. “Ignore her. She’s got more testosterone than half the guys I know.”

  “Damn.” He pulled Morgyn against him, her back to his chest, and said, “She can’t hurt the goods if they’re blocked.”

  Sable took off as Zev approached, giving Graham an approving grin. He gathered his things from the truck, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and said, “An Uber’s picking me up at the gate to take me to the airport.”

  “We can take you,” Morgyn offered.

  “Nah. I like to go by myself. I kind of hate goodbyes. But I’ll take a see-you-soon hug.” He opened his arms and embraced her. “Be good to my brother, will ya?”

  She looked sweetly at Graham and said, “He’s pretty easy to be good to.”

  “You’ve got her fooled.” Zev pulled Graham into a manly embrace and slapped him on the back, whispering, “Sable said your sunshine’s never this free with herself. Take care of her, bro.”

  “Of course,” Graham said, struck by his brother’s sudden thoughtfulness. Zev was usually too caught up in his own life to slow down and worry about others. Graham had always chalked that up to Zev’s need to remain detached from almost everyone. “Be careful out there, and if you don’t return my texts I’ll hunt you down.” He should be used to Zev taking off with almost no worldly possessions and his refusal to say a real goodbye. Graham always worried about him, but knowing Morgyn had sensed the weight of his brother’s troubles and seen through his effervescent smoke screen made him wonder if Zev’s taking off and trying to outrun his pain was only making things worse.

  “Let me know what you decide about that deal overseas,” Zev said.

  Graham and his business partner were considering investing in building homes for the residents of a small village in Belize. It would mean staying overseas for eight to ten weeks. It was a sweet deal. They had a couple of weeks before they had to make a decision, which had seemed like plenty of time…until he’d met Morgyn.

  “Will do,” Graham said.

  “Ready? Might as well bring your girl in.” Zev put an arm around her and dug out his phone. “Smile pretty, sunshine.”

  “What are we doing?” she asked as Graham put his arm around her.

  “It’s what we call a last-time-we picture,” Graham explained. “Zev takes them each time he leaves.”

  “What a great idea!” She put her arms around both of them and Zev took the picture. “Take another!”

  She gave them bunny ears, and Graham tickled her in retaliation. She huddled against Zev, pleading, “Save me!” but Zev was busy taking selfies of the three of them. He jumped on Graham’s back, loaded up with his bags and all. Morgyn grabbed his phone and took pictures as they tumbled to the ground in a laughing heap and wrestled. Graham rolled off him, and they both lay with their arms outstretched on the wet grass, smiling.

  Morgyn reached down to help Graham up, and he pulled her down on top of him and kissed her. “Welcome to my life, sunshine.”

  Zev pushed to his feet. He helped Morgyn up, and then he pulled Graham up and tugged him into another embrace.

  “See you later, asshole.” Zev walked backward away from them.

  “Till then, dickwad.”

  Morgyn waved and hollered, “See ya, foreplay!”

  It was an awesome send-off, and seeing that playful, roll-with-the-punches side of Morgyn, along with her sensual side, attracted him to her even more. He wrapped her in his arms and said, “What now, sunshine? Want to catch up with your brother and friends?”

  She shook her head. “I want to sit on top of your truck and listen to you play the guitar, but you probably need to go through a mess of mathematical calculations first to see if it’s worth the risk.”

  He poked her ribs, making her squeal. “You’re worth the risk, sunshine. No mathematical equations necessary. In fact, with you around, all the blood from my head rushes south. I probably can’t do math right now anyway.”

  She giggled. “I might use that to my advantage, but that barrel worries me. With my luck it’ll spill all over us.”

  “Do you think I’d put something on my roof so shabbily that it could be knocked over? I’m an engineer, remember? I know how to do a few things.” He pressed his lips to hers and then said, “You’ll be glad I have that. You can take a shower without waiting two hours in the shower lines.”

  “Oh my gosh. I didn’t think it was possible, but you just surpassed risk-taking-guitar-playing hotness and got me hot and bothered with your preparedness. Is that a word? Preparedness?”

  “I’m not sure,” he said as he brushed his lips over hers. “I’m still stuck on hot and bothered.”

  Chapter Four

  GRAHAM COULDN’T REMEMBER the last time he’d spent almost an entire day with a woman, much less a day when he’d had this much fun. Morgyn was so impressed with his portable heater and the drying line he rigged between the doors of the truck to dry his clothes and her blanket and pillows that they packed up her campsite and hung her clothes out to dry, too. He was glad it was her suggestion, because he’d wanted to suggest it earlier but had worried it might scare her off. He’d never been a guy who moved too fast, but with Morgyn he wanted to plow ahead. For the first time in his life, it took restra
int to slow down and remember to think, to be smart, not foolish. She was too special to risk scaring off.

  They toweled off the roof and sat on blankets beneath the starless night sky, taking turns playing the guitar, making up songs, and getting to know each other better. The bands didn’t play during quiet hours, from ten at night until eight in the morning. They had about ten minutes before the guitar had to be put away.

  “What are your three most favorite things?” Morgyn asked as she strummed the guitar.

  “That’s a hard one.”

  “Okay, and the next two?” She bumped him with her shoulder, looking as sweet as she did sexy wearing one of his flannel shirts over her dress.

  He loved her quirky sense of humor.

  “Shouldn’t that be one of your favorite things?” he teased.

  She shifted her gaze up toward the sky and strummed a faster tune, singing, “It’s your turn, not mine.”

  “I’ve got a lot of favorite things.” He ran his fingers along her leg. “Your sexy legs.”

  Her eyes darkened, and she played a little slower.

  “And the way flecks of darker blue glitter in your eyes when you get turned on.”

  “Cracker,” she said just above a whisper.

  “I can’t help it that you’re beautiful.”

  “Stop. You’re embarrassing me. Tell me something real.”

  “That was real, and number three would be your free spirit.”

  “Says Mr. Prepared, who brought a pop-up shower stall, a battery-operated heater, and a Coleman stove like my grandfather used. I’m willing to bet there’s a kitchen sink around here somewhere.”

  “No sink, but I can rig one up if you need it.” He leaned in for a kiss, lingering because her kisses were unlike any others. She kissed with the same energy she seemed to do everything else, giving herself over to it completely, savoring every second.

  Her eyes remained closed for a few heated seconds after their lips parted. When she opened them, a sated smile appeared like a gift. He wondered if she kissed other guys like that, or if she felt the same unfamiliar, unstoppable connection he did.