We passed a tree with a marker stapled into it denoting the trail. My fingers scraped the bark rubbing the metal marker. I turned down the trail leading her.
“Not much farther now.”
“Thank goodness,” she muttered, and I could see the cabin ahead of us. Reaching the door, I let her go and used my keys to unlock it. I flicked the switch and found that the electricity was out. God only knew the last time it was actually functional given the layer of dust and grime covering much of everything. I doubted anyone had been here in the last decade more than to seek shelter from the rain as we were.
Glancing over my shoulder, she was pathetic looking and had her arms tightly wrapped around her middle. “No lights.” I said.
She shrugged, so I worked quickly to get us situated inside.
“Awesome.” She grumbled with an attitude that reignited my irritation for having to come out here in the first place.
“Beggars can’t be choosy.” Snapping at her I pushed the heavy wood door. It creaked wide open. “We’re inside. That’s all that matters.”
“No complaints, honestly I’m happy to be out of that cold crap.” She was at least acting positive and not pouting like a spoiled brat. I needed to start a fire to heat things up in here so neither of us got sick sitting in our wet clothes.
“Right then. See if you can find some dry blankets in the closet.” I pointed to a door in the corner and pulled out my cell, seeing that I had no service at the moment. It wasn’t the end of the world, but I wouldn’t be able to call in to headquarters that I’d found Lia. I crossed my fingers Jeff didn’t call in the authorities since we were fine and it was a waste of resources. “You check your phone?” I asked.
She shook her head no. “I didn’t bring it.” Nodding at her, I looked around the spartan cabin and figured we could get through the night. We were lucky there was no major storm system ripping through besides the downpour. “I’ll get a fire going.”
“Isn’t anyone coming?”
I turned, hands on my hips replying, “Coming to do what?”
“T-to rescue us?” That right there insulted me. I’d just hiked a mile in and out of the woods soaking wet and she didn’t realize I was the cavalry come to save her sweet ass. I revoked my earlier assessment. She was a damn brat.
“Sorry, sweetheart, I’m the rescue committee of one. We’ll have to hike back to the jeep in the morning once there’s daylight. Just us two for now.” She looked crestfallen, but there was nothing I could do about that except get this place heated up as quickly as possible and ignore the heat I felt for her which was an equal mix of desire and pissed off.
5
Lia
“I found some candles and blankets.” My arms held two woolen blankets that smelled of mothballs a
nd summer camp making my eyes water and itch. The candles looked like two nubs that would barely last us an hour let alone the night but as he pointed out earlier, beggars couldn’t be choosy. I prayed the blankets weren’t riddled with too many holes or critters. My skin practically crawled thinking about the unwashed linens while my rescuer didn’t seem phased in the least.
“Excellent.” Whit ignored me, his attention focused on the fireplace, setting up the logs in some tripod arrangement that I hoped generated instant warmth. He acted like I bruised his male ego assuming there was someone else coming for us. He hadn’t exactly been a warm welcoming committee and naturally I assumed incorrectly. Insert foot and welcome mouth was the story of my life. I hummed my favorite score from Phantom of The Opera feeling the mood was fitting to the predicament I found myself.
Nerves coursed through me that could be either cold or actual anxiety at being alone with an attractive guy near my age and stranded miles from civilization. Okay, Whit-whatever-his-last-name-was looked hot. Super-hot. He wasn’t a silver fox, too young for that, but he definitely had some years on me. A feeling of shame washed over me because if I was having thoughts about my sexy park ranger, I obviously didn’t have much in the way of feelings for Ryder West-nearly-football-pro-salon-hair-college-hottie. I realized these were shallow first world problems my philosophy professor would have a field day with, but I still couldn’t knock the thoughts about Whit’s uniform and how hot dark green cargo pants had suddenly become molded around his ass and lean hips.
Feeling about as helpful as tits on a bull, I fidgeted to put the mothball smelling blankets down on a wooden bench. I placed the candles on the matching wood picnic style table and looked around the cabin. Thick beams of wood and space utilized to its fullest with everything having multiple utilitarian purposes. My fashionista mother would say the place was like a drug store chocolate sampler with a little bit of everything, except we were left with the unwanted nutty buttercreams you had to choke down.
“Come sit down, the fire will get going in a minute.” Whit encouraged me to join him, patting the floor absently as he used a flint to spark the dry brush he found next to the fireplace unused. Flame caught air and substance, flickering like a fledgling fire. Leaning over, he blew on it slowly and I couldn’t help but notice the way his lips pursed, forcing air out in a controlled manner, stoking the fire. His mouth fascinated me to no end and I focused on keeping my own heart from racing out of my chest at the sudden thumping it was doing watching him build the fire. Perhaps in my compromised state of mind his caveman ways were sparking my libido, albeit under duress.
Try as I might, my focus shifted instead to his butt that filled out his park issued pants nice and firm while the cargo pockets made me curiously wonder what secrets he had hiding in each. It was like those Christmas advent calendars. I wanted to open each pocket, rush through the days, and see what was inside.
On his knees, the fabric pulled tight and belted at his hips, accentuating each masculine curve and dip. They were stupid thoughts that reminded me of my immaturity. I was here with a complete stranger lost in the woods by my own doing and already thinking about how I could hook up with him for just one night. I didn’t need a fire to keep me warm, I needed to run back outside and douse these stupid feelings with a reality check.
Whit’s body stirred something carnal within me. I was so going to Hell for this. My cheeks flushed with heat that he might catch me looking him over like a tasty, juicy steak. I awkwardly sat down on the spot he patted, my body falling to the floor in an ungraceful heap of horniness I didn’t expect.
The loud sound of my fall had Whit looking over at me, his brows drawn together before he spoke. “Are you okay?”
Embarrassment flooded me and I nodded awkwardly. “Yeah, peachy.” I begged the floor to please open up and swallow me, but no luck there either.
Whit looked at me funny shaking his head and resumed stoking the fire. “It’ll warm up soon, promise. Don’t need you catching a cold out here.”
A shiver stole my voice. “I s-should thank you for coming out here to save me.” Lamely I didn’t know what else to say.
“You should, but I won’t hold it against you.” Whit drawled the last bit out and continued looking me over, his indigo eyes filled with mirth darting back and forth. He was probably laughing at me.