Silver Mine Page 8

  It sounded a little exciting.

  Part Two

  We are the fated serfs to freedom—sky and sea;

  We have failed where slummy cities overflow;

  But the stranger ways of earth know our pride and know our worth,

  And we go into the dark as fighters go.

  Yes, we go into the night as brave men go,

  Though our faces they be often streaked with woe;

  Yet we’re hard as cats to kill, and our hearts are reckless still,

  And we’ve danced with death a dozen times or so.

  “The Rhyme of the Restless Ones”—Robert Service

  Chapter Eight

  Shelley pulled another branch forward to camouflage the car she’d backed into the thick brush at the side of the highway.

  Chase shook his head. “Still say we should have hitchhiked the last part of the trip. Left your car in civilization.”

  “If we need to get away quickly, I don’t want to have to rely on sticking out my thumb, thank you.” She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment before facing him sheepishly. “Sorry. I’m off to a great start on the ‘listen to what you tell me to do’ part.”

  He held up the backpack he’d prepped for her and waited as she slipped her arms into the straps. “I didn’t really expect anything different.”

  She smiled at his dry tone as she snugged up straps and adjusted the waist belt, settling the pack a little easier on her shoulders. It wasn’t as comfortable as her own pack, but for some reason Chase had insisted he take hers and she use his. She supposed his pack was slightly smaller—she’d bought a brand-new expandable bag at MEC before leaving the south, and Chase had used every bit of extra space to pack all her medical supplies.

  “Keys?”

  She handed them over and watched in confusion as he dropped to his knees and reached under the vehicle. “What are you doing?”

  He pulled back and grinned. “You lose all your gear, a hidden car isn’t going to do much good. I stuck the key on top of the rear leaf-springs.”

  Chase looked her up and down, checked her pack by tugging a few straps. Eyed her footwear. Then without another word, he turned and headed down a narrow trail heading into the wilderness.

  Shelley took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and followed.

  The forest around them darkened under the towering lodge-pole pine and green aspens in full foliage. The lush underbrush was overgrown with new grasses and saplings all giving off the fresh scent of summer as they reached to grab a tiny allotment of the sunshine breaking through gaps in the canopy. Every step took them farther from the low rattle of vehicle noise—not that there’d been much activity on the remote highway, but even the occasional rumble faded until there were only the sounds of the backcountry. Intermittent birdsong, the rustle of little creatures scurrying through the low-lying brush. The high-pitched chattering of a squirrel as it clung to a tree trunk and scolded them as they walked past.

  Twigs and fallen branches crunched underfoot as Shelley matched speed with the silent man in front of her. A rhythm developed in their steady gait. Lift. Lower. Extend and bend. She could have gone faster, but decided as part of the “follow his lead” she should just shut up with her bright ideas for a while and actually follow.

  Besides, not having to worry about where they were going gave her time to mull over all the other things she’d been obsessing about.

  Returning to the north had been her decision. She’d chosen to come back and fight to find a place. The unconditional acceptance she’d received from Evan the night before had changed many of her previous expectations. Her concerns weren’t gone. He might be the Alpha, large and in charge, but even the most docile of packs could find ways to undermine a strong Alpha’s wishes when they wanted to be cruel. Within a pack mentality, it only took one bad apple to swing into tormenting mode and others would follow.

  Having Caroline and Evan firmly on her side was a start. It wasn’t the destination.

  And this trip was exactly what she needed right now. A chance to prove to herself that she belonged—that she mattered—in a way that counted.

  Everything heated up as they stepped into a clearing, the full sun beating on their heads as the trail meandered along the side of a tiny creek. The pleasant freshness of the surroundings changed slightly, and she had no trouble identifying the other aroma—it was definitely Chase. The sharp, distinctive and mouthwatering version of his scent that she’d already become familiar with clung to his pack. As the day progressed, she was encircled until it soaked into her skin.

  Having his fragrance constantly surround her was like lingering temptation. Both distracting and annoying because, while being turned on around the man had become the norm, an additional shot of out-sourced lust was not needed on top of everything else.

  She wrinkled her nose and carried on, ignoring the disruption as best she could.

  Up ahead Chase had stopped and removed his pack, lowering it to the ground. He reached to help her as she stepped beside him.

  “Break already?”

  Chase nodded, leaning her pack against a nearby tree before pulling out a granola bar from his supplies and passing it over. “We’ve walked for fifty minutes. Ten-minute break, then we’ll go again.”

  He lifted his water bottle and drank in a steady stream, his throat moving smoothly. Shelley chewed absently on the sticky bar, far too fascinated with watching him. She caught herself in time to look away before he noticed, but she still felt it. A deep and undeniable attraction to this unusual man.

  She’d bitten off a lot more than she should have in some ways, but she couldn’t regret it. Full-on ahead, take charge and take chances.

  “How long will we walk today?”

  “Until we get to Rachel’s.”

  Shelley waited for more details, but Chase’s gaze lingered over the meadow as he enjoyed his break. “And…that should be how long?”

  “Depends how fast we walk.”

  She snorted. “You going to be this talkative the entire time we’re out here?”

  Chase blinked. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to be a chatterbox.” They stared at each other for a moment before he cracked a grin. “Kidding.”

  Shelley shook her head and squatted by the creek to wash her hands. “Joker. There’s one in every crowd. Let me be more specific. If we keep walking at the rate we’re going, how long should it take to get where we’re going today?”

  “Five hours.”

  Whoa. She sat on the ground and gawked at him as she considered. “Okay. I can do that. And tomorrow? We head to your place, right?”

  “If the river isn’t in flood, four more hours. That will take us to my cabin.”

  Shelley knew he lived remote, but man, this was serious business. “You do like your places wild.”

  Chase shrugged. “I’m on the edge of the extreme area, really. The man we’re looking for will be two more days’ travel if he’s still where I found him before. They were mining, so he should be at one of two places I know they staked claims.”

  She was doing the math, and suddenly this adventure was the big deal he’d warned her about. “That makes a minimum eight days’ walking.”

  His brows rose. “Tell me now if you want to change your mind. It’s only an hour back to the car.”

  “I’m not changing my mind, just making an observation.” Although feeling a touch uncomfortable she’d been so flippant when Caroline had asked if she’d really thought this through.

  Enigma was safely ensconced with her sister for the duration, and she wasn’t worried about the final renovations to her shop. Caroline had promised to look after it, and that meant the job was as good as done.

  Chase had told her they would be gone for at least ten days. She’d heard him. She had.

  No, it was none of the big events involved in the trip that were currently making her head spin. Somehow during the time it had taken to pack and prepare, throughout the six-hour drive where she’d ended up read
ing and making research notes using her 3G phone, Shelley had managed to avoid considering one vital truth.

  She was going to be in constant contact with this man for over a week.

  He might be short on words, but long on allure. Something about him called to her. The sexual attraction between them was real. Shelley drank some of her water and pretended not to be checking him out as he stretched his arms.

  Biceps that didn’t bulge so much as just scream competency and power. The curls of hair visible at the top button of his shirt—memories of dragging her fingers through that thick mat were far too clear.

  And with shifter senses, there was no way he was unaware of her involuntary physical response.

  His habitual silence became a blessing as he grabbed her pack and lifted it for her, that damn grin saying more than words could have.

  The fourth time they stopped the scent lingering around her was making her ache. The heat of the sun had increased as they rose above the tree line, crossing through the low point of a mountain pass, and everything around them became more intense. The fragrance of her own body. The potent aroma that screamed Chase, which constantly poked and prodded her. Shelley kept moving forward in the hope she could stay ahead of the fragrance and remove the dire need to drool.

  “Last stop,” Chase called.

  He had chosen a clearing by the edge of a small pond, a pristine waterfall trickling down the mountain face into the rockbound pool. Shelley removed her pack with relief, holding in the groans she’d have liked to utter.

  She was far from out of shape, but doing an hour-long workout a day was nothing compared to the nonstop marathon they’d nearly completed.

  Still, she couldn’t complain about the scenery. The verdant green around them was a part of the northern colour-scape for such a short time of the year. It was incredible to be right out in the middle of the crisp newness. They munched yet another small, high-calorie snack while silently examining the view around them. The constant murmur of the water synchronized with the constant pulse of her blood as her heart rate slowed, and she returned to a state of tranquility.

  Then Chase pulled off his shirt, and she wasn’t nearly as serene anymore. And when he rose and stepped behind her, pressing his hands onto her shoulders, the groan she’d managed to withhold earlier burst free.

  Chase laughed. “You’ve done well. Nearly there.”

  He massaged a little harder, manipulating the muscles until they relaxed.

  Shelley squeezed out the words. “You do that for too long, and I won’t be able to bear putting the pack on again.”

  His hands kept moving, but he paused before he spoke. “You done in? Want to camp here?”

  Tempting and yet not. “I can do one more hour, but it’s up to you. Whatever you think is best.”

  He didn’t answer with anything other than five more minutes of rubbing. She was too busy enjoying every second to worry about how turned on she was, with his half-naked body right behind her, pressing so close at moments that his chest brushed her. She wished she were half-naked again herself, to feel the caress of his heat, the slick of skin on skin.

  Bad Shelley. Bad idea.

  Chase squeezed one final time then tugged her arm to help her rise. Now that her shoulders weren’t screaming in pain, her thighs and calves loudly called out their protests. Mixing in the instant images she got of Chase massaging those aches away?

  Her face must have been beet-red, but there was nothing she could do about it or the very apparent scent of her aroused body.

  Damn wolf senses, anyway.

  Shelley made it to her feet and smiled sheepishly at Chase. “Thank you.”

  He nodded, his expression unreadable, although she didn’t think he was mad. Maybe she was driving him as crazy as he was making her.

  She turned and bent to gather the few items she’d dropped to the ground. Chase moved forward at the same moment, and somehow they bumped and she lost her balance, tipping backward, arms flailing. There was a blur of limbs, and moment of being suspended in midair, then an icy-cold sensation enveloped her as she landed squarely in the tiny pond.

  Shelley screamed as she landed, and Chase rushed forward to help her. It was terrible that his first thought was less about how horrible it was that she’d fallen, or about how shockingly cold she must be, but more a sense of relief that he had another opportunity to work the system to their advantage.

  Guilt rushed in.

  That particular emotion and him had never been close bed partners. You did what you needed in the north, did what was required to survive. He’d never been a deceitful man, but it seemed deception wasn’t a trait that needed much training to become instinctive.

  Chase offered a hand to Shelley. “Did I bump you?”

  She accepted his help and scrambled out as quickly as possible. “Not your fault, it’s fine. But holy cow, that water is cold.”

  Her shirt clung to her, the gentle swells of her body clearer than before, and Chase swallowed hard.

  This trip was going to be the death of him. He was the one who needed to fall into the pond and sit there for a few hours in the hopes his dick would smarten up. Or freeze. Or something. Sweet mercy, the woman was fine.

  But untriggered. Damn and hell and…

  He opened his pack and passed over a small cloth. “Chamois. Dry yourself off. Leave the pants—you’ll need the layer for the last part of the hike to go through the bramble bushes, but take off your top and dry down. I’ll get you something to wear.”

  She must have been cold enough, or just trying really hard to do as she’d promised—the listening to him part. Shelley turned her back and pulled off her shirt, drying herself rapidly with the super-absorbent fabric, wringing it out a few times and carrying on to sop up her hair as well.

  “If you pass me my backpack, I can grab another top,” she suggested.

  Nope. While it wasn’t his fault she was soaking and cold, he had to take advantage of her misfortune. Fingers crossed it would work, Chase handed over his outer button-down shirt. “Why don’t you wear this until you can wash up for the night? We’re nearly there, hate to get something clean all sweaty.”

  A gust of wind hit at the perfect moment, the rush of cooler air making goose bumps rise on her arms. She clutched his shirt tightly then slipped it on. “Thanks.”

  Chase pulled back on his T-shirt. It wasn’t that cold out, even at nine in the evening. They could easily walk in shirtsleeves without needing protection, although the longer sleeves would help keep the bugs off her.

  The bonus was that when he showed up at the cabin with Shelley in tow, she’d smell as if he’d been all over her. The fact he’d sneakily insisted she wear his pack all day would also have surrounded her with his scent as they walked.

  It was a tangled web he was spinning, attempting to save her butt without letting her know what he was doing.

  They grabbed packs and loaded up, Shelley squirming a little in her wet pants. “You’ll dry as we walk,” he reassured her.

  One brow rose as she stared at him. “It’s not the most comfortable of situations, Chase, but I’ll live. Lead on.”

  The final distance disappeared quicker than he’d expected. Maybe the short dip had refreshed Shelley, or maybe the thought of getting to their stop for the night increased her energy. Either way, he had to step quickly to stop her from dogging his heels.

  “Want to tell me about the place we’re overnighting?”

  Now it began.

  “Was a regular cabin at one time. Family lived there for years before shipping out. Mom, Dad, couple kids and a cow—the works.”

  “Ahh, that’s the Rachel you mentioned. So there’s no woman still living there?”

  Oh hell, no. But he wasn’t going to even begin to tell Shelley about the last woman who lived there on a regular basis. He was sure she knew what a hooker was, but on the whole, not a conversation he wanted to have.

  “It’s a gathering point. The men in the backcountry use th
e cabin as a convenient rest place. Not everyone stops if they’re close enough to simply find their way to Keno or Elsa. The folks out real far need the place though. There’s a stove. A roof. A few places to sleep.”

  Shelley fell silent again. He wasn’t sure if he was wearing her out or if she was naturally reticent. It was nice listening to her, but not having her chatter constantly—man, he’d been damn glad when she’d kept herself pretty much occupied the entire car trip.

  She’d been distracted enough to not notice he had to adjust position a number of times to release the pressure on his dick.

  He needed relief, and it didn’t seem likely that he was going to get any. Now he couldn’t figure out if he wanted the cabin to be empty or full. Empty would mean less trouble in terms of defending Shelley, but would also mean they would be alone. Overnight. With beds.

  Sometimes he figured he was being punished, but damn if he knew what for.

  The scent of wood smoke answered one question while they were still at least thirty minutes out.

  “We’ll have company tonight.”

  “I figured,” Shelley answered. “Anything…well, you seem a little tense. Anything I need to know?”

  Great opening. Perfect chance for him to share his concerns.

  Right.

  Like that was going to happen. You might want to stick close to my side. If you pretend I’m fucking your brains out that would also make life easier. Sure, he was totally going to say that to her.

  Still, she couldn’t be stupid. “I don’t know who’s there. Stay close. Most of them aren’t going to be trouble at Rachel’s. It’s considered neutral territory in some ways. But don’t assume.”

  “I’ll follow your lead.”

  She would—which was the only reason he wasn’t ready to completely panic. He did have more influence back here than most, even with the men who didn’t take to authority well.

  The cabin came into sight, halfway around the edge of a tiny lake, and Chase decided that he must be a touch crazy to be looking forward to finally facing the first of the challenges of his wonderful home territory.