“It gave up about a half hour before dawn,” he said. She watched him as he stood. He was slight and young, but she had the impression he was about eighty years old in that moment. Not only because he always came off as being wiser and more patient than anybody she’d ever known, but because he moved like an old man as he stood from the hard cave floor.
“You held me all night,” she said regretfully as she rushed to her feet.
He hadn’t moved positions since they’d first known where the mountain lion was and put the fire between it and themselves. “You must be so stiff.”
“No, just—”
She hugged him impulsively, inhaling the smell of soap from his long, unruly hair. He’d told her yesterday while they’d talked all day in the cave that Emmitt grudgingly would give him money for a haircut every year when school started, but that it grew faster than weeds during a wet season. Grandma Rose used to cut it for him when she was better, but lately, he’d taken to cutting it himself. He’d looked a little embarrassed when he’d admitted that. He’d also said that he wasn’t any good at it, so this summer, he’d just let it grow wild.
Harper experienced a surge of emotion thinking about the boy she held in her arms at that moment, his courage, and his kindness . . . and everything he’d given up for her. Her eyes burned. She didn’t know how to thank him, though. What she felt was too big to squeeze out of the fullness in her chest and through her narrow throat. She delved her fingers into his soft, thick hair instead.
“I’ll cut your hair later. You have some scissors on that fancy knife thing you have,” she said through a congested throat. His arms closed around her. He’d sensed her ragged state. She clamped her eyelids shut even tighter, a strange mixture of guilt and relief going through her at his unselfish embrace.
“That’s okay, Harper.” It wasn’t fair that such a young kid was forced to sound that grown-up . . . so wise, so tired, at age thirteen.
“I want to,” burst out of her throat. “You saved us. You took care of me all night, and kept me from freaking out and everything. I want to do something for you.” Because both of us know I haven’t got much to give you in return.
She let go of him abruptly, stepping out of the circle of his arms. She quickly swiped at her damp cheeks and attempted a smile. “I’ll cut your hair, okay?” she repeated brightly when she’d composed herself.
“Yeah. Okay.”
She was eager to get past her rush of gratitude and embarrassing show of emotion. Jake looked really uncomfortable.
“Can we do the cliff jump again?” she asked him, kneeling to help him scoop some dirt and ash onto the fire. There was just enough light entering the cave now that she could make out the shine of his eyes when he met her stare.
“No. We can’t take the chance that the mountain lion won’t come back tonight. We have to go. Besides, it’s raining out right now, and it’s a good steady one. The rain will help to cover our tracks. I’ve got an old camp tarp stored here. We’ll wrap what we can in it, keep our stuff protected from the rain. We’re leaving for Barterton as soon as we get packed up.”
Present Day
Harper’s eyes flew open at the sound of footsteps. She turned over in the soft sheets. There was a wide chest of drawers just across from the bed and a long mirror hung above it. In the reflection, she saw her long, mussed hair and sunburned, damp cheeks. She wiped at her face at the realization, amazed to feel tears on her fingertips. Whatever she’d been dreaming about had made her cry, she realized in wonderment. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t pull any details of her dream from her brain. Only a sense of poignant sweetness and sadness remained.
She sensed the subtle movement of the boat. They were anchored. Had Jacob moved the boat while she slept, as he’d said he would? She didn’t recall a bit of it. The yacht was large enough that waves didn’t rock it much, but there was still a subtle bobbing motion that she found soothing. She could tell by the color and slant of the sunlight coming through the window that she’d slept for over an hour, and that evening had fallen. When she pushed back the comforter, she saw Jacob standing in the open doorway, his hands braced at the top of frame.
“Hi,” she greeted him, propping herself up on the pillows but never ungluing her gaze from the sight of him. She’d never been happier to see him. He’d changed into a pair of dark blue shorts, but he wasn’t wearing anything else. His smooth skin had grown a shade darker in the sunshine today. There was a shadow of stubble on his jaw, and his burnished hair looked windblown. She drank in the sight of him thirstily.
“I was beginning to think you were going to sleep all night,” he said, stepping into the bedroom suite. His brows arched as he sat on the edge of the bed next to her. “Why are you smiling like that?”
“You look so relaxed standing there in the doorway. So nice,” she replied. She reached out to touch his hard midriff. His taut abdomen muscles jumped slightly at her touch. She ran a fingertip down the silky trail of brown hair that led from below his belly button down below his shorts. “I was just thinking when I woke up . . .”
“What?” he asked when she faded off.
She swallowed, and shook her head slightly. Sleep and her dreams still clung heavily to her. “Have you ever noticed that some of the worst, scariest things that ever happened to you in your life were also the best?”
He caught the wrist of her stroking hand and squeezed gently. She looked up at him.
“What makes you say that?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” she mumbled, curling up on her side beneath the sheet, all too aware of his sharp gaze on her. “I just woke up thinking that.”
He put his hand on her shoulder and rolled her onto her back. Her heart jumped when she saw his tense expression. He leaned down over her.
“Do you really believe that, Harper? That the good things can be mixed up so closely with the bad?”
“Yes. I think so,” she whispered, her heartbeat starting to pound in her ears at his intensity.
“Is that what you think it’s like, to be with me? Scary?”
“A little, yeah,” she whispered, staring into his hypnotic eyes. “But it’s wonderful, too. So much so that I would never want to give up the beautiful part, because of the fear.”