Left for Wild - Harloe Rae Page 0,52
the bone-deep chill rattling through me. I hobble on icicle legs to the lumber pile, tossing three logs on the smoldering fire. Halder appears behind me with curls of heat wafting from his broad frame. He drops his jacket over my shoulders, and I huddle into the cozy warmth.
I glance at him as he steps next to me. “You’re very hot.”
He tugs at the collar of his thermal shirt. “Splitting wood has that effect.”
“Uh-huh.” A hum tickles my throat. “You look thoroughly, uh, spent.”
But that’s not an accurate assessment. The man is barely winded.
Halder wags his brows. “I have plenty more in the tank. Should I make the planks while you rest?”
“If anyone needs a break, it’s you.” I poke his sweaty chest, immediately wanting a more widespread exploration of the sculpted muscles flexing beneath my finger.
He bows into me, pressing harder until I flatten my palm against him. His heart thunders beneath my hand. “I’m good to go, sweetheart.”
Oh my, what’s riling him up all of a sudden? Probably the same tension that’s been broiling inside of me for the better part of thirty-six hours. I erase the remaining distance, sliding my lips over his for a quick kiss. “Okay, well, that’s probably for the best. We have a long night ahead of us.”
To punctuate my point, a booming flurry blasts through the trees. The flames in front of us hiss from the frosty intrusion. Halder squints at the quaking evergreens with a curse. He grips my waist and takes a step back.
“Stay put. I’ll bring the wood over so we can tie them.”
I nod, looming near the fiery pit in more ways than one. “Are we going to be okay?”
“Of course, Blakely. I’ll keep you safe. This is just a little storm.”
The cracking of overhead branches bellows otherwise. “Um, okay. If you say so.”
He makes one trip with an armful of makeshift beams before I snap out of my stupor. With both of us hauling lumber, the task doesn’t seem to take very long. Binding the pieces together is more tedious, but we’re done without sparing much extra energy. We carry the panels to the desired location for our shelter. Skipper is already in the optimal position for wind resistance. Halder gets the boards secured into an exquisite sloping formation that resembles something from a survival show I watched once. He reinforces the corners and ends with additional binds. If this task was up to me, I’d probably build a square box. Seeing his slanting construction confirms that my design would topple with the first decent gust of wind.
Once he’s done, we inspect our quaint quarters with a mutual sigh. I cross my arms with a grin. “This one is better than the last. That’s a damn fine structure.”
He matches my pose. “Yeah, I suppose.”
My eyes seem to roll all on their own at his nonchalance. “You can admit how awesome our lean-to is. Pat yourself on the back.”
“That won’t help us survive.”
“But it will make you feel good.”
“Nah.” Halder sears me with a panty-melting smile. “That’s what I have you for.”
“Indeed,” I blurt. “I’ll happily stroke your ego.”
A strangled choke escapes him. “You’re truly something else.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“As you should. Are you gonna be okay sleeping beside me?”
What is he insinuating? “Um, yeah. Why wouldn’t I?”
“You didn’t seem so sure yesterday. I don’t want to assume and get myself in trouble.”
“Well, it’s safe to assume much has changed since then.” I clutch his biceps, marveling at the firm definition. It’s only then I notice he’s still short a layer. I shrug out of his coat, passing the toasty material to him. “You need to stay warm.”
Halder glares at the garment as if the sight offends him. He yanks it on all the same. “Smells like you.”
I wince. “Is it bad?” I try not to curl in on myself. There’s no chance of a shower, whether I reek or not.
He slides a finger under my dipped chin. “Makes the weight bearable.”
For some reason, I don’t think he’s referring to the jacket. “Always glad to be of assistance.”
His gaze bores into mine. “Are you tired?”
A jaw-popping yawn chooses that moment to make an appearance. “I could lie down.”
Without responding, he jogs to retrieve the stuff we left behind. We unpack the bedding and get our space situated. Halder dumps several logs onto the fire while I inhale a slow drag of smoke-scented air and give myself an internal pep-talk.
“All good?” He pauses beside me when I