we feed our bodies before wandering into potential danger. We might need our strength to fight off whatever threats linger in these parts.”
“You’re so smart.” I stoop down to pick up a few sticks.
“We’ve both learned from previous mistakes by now.”
“Our survival book is going to be a huge best seller.”
“So long as it has a happy ending,” he muses.
I lift a brow. “As if there’s another choice.”
He grips a thick branch and raises the hatchet. “Glad we’re on the same page.”
In true Halder fashion, he has four trout skewed over a small fire within ten minutes. The scent of smoking meat has my mouth watering as I stare longingly at the hacked filets. Our bowls are still packed away in the alcove, so we take turns eating directly off the spear. I giggle when he chomps off a huge chunk and nearly hits himself in the nose. He swipes some dribbles off my chin. If this isn’t true romance, I don’t know what is.
Every morsel is devoured between us, our mutual groans accenting the meal. I pat my belly with a wide grin. “Delicious. Thank you.”
His gaze is fiery hot on my mouth. “It’s always a pleasure to cook for you.”
I cluck my tongue. “You’re a winner, babe. I’ll be keeping you.”
“Thank fuck, because I have no plans of ever letting you go.” He presses his lips to mine, sharing a heated kiss that tastes of our fresh catch and smoldering passion. I shiver against him, and he molds a palm flat to my back. With our bellies full, other demands are rising to the forefront. A new dilemma presents itself as I cling to him with pleasure bussing in my veins.
“Should we keep going or backtrack for a nooner?” My whisper sets off a plume of steam across his stubbled cheek.
Halder glances upward for a beat. “That’s a decision I can’t make.”
I internally scold the siren calling out from the most private parts of me. She wields the power to choose, but I refuse to hand over the reins and lose my mind to lust. “Let’s see what’s up ahead.”
“You’re the boss, Lee.” He tugs me into him with a broad smile. For a man not getting laid in the immediate future, he sure looks happy. I return his joy with a grin of my own as he guides me along the uneven path.
The anticipation doesn’t leave us hanging for long. Once we meet the rounding corner of the river, our venture takes on a whole new scene. The stream widens and flows into a pool of sparkling water. I allow my jaw to go slack from the unexpected turn this direction brings. The large body of water isn’t our only surprise. Nestled alongside the lake, and very much within reach, an elevated section of flat land awaits. That’s where our feet automatically stumble toward. We climb the slight incline to find what appears to be a sprawling prairie of sorts. The grassy area is wide enough to lose track on all sides.
I can’t stop a pitchy squeak from escaping. “Wow. Like whoa for real.”
Halder bobs his head along with my breathy exhale. “Yeah, this is incredible.”
“There’s no other obstacles around. This is the type of space we need to set off smoke signals, right?”
“Probably the best we’ll get.”
I glance up and around, finding nothing to hide the clear blue stretching above. “So, what now?”
“Grab anything that will burn. Then we sit and wait.”
Survival tip #24: Fresh pine and spruce are good for more than a pleasing aroma.
Our plan is nothing if not consistent. Days blend into a week of a somewhat monotonous routine. Reliable habits are easy enough to form with limited options at our disposal—not that our time is boring. One way or another, our endurance is being tested. There have been several trials that I would prefer to forget, but the woman on my left will argue otherwise. These are the instances that will bond us forever, after all. I can’t debate on a topic that sways greatly in my favor.
We crest the hilltop much the same as yesterday and the six before that. Lunch sits heavy in our stomachs, ready to fuel us for the labor ahead. The midday hour greets us with the glaring sun. Another cloudless afternoon grants us excellent visibility. Our tracks are worn into the dirt and snow, marking our failed attempts at alerting anyone within range. It’s impossible to determine if another location will be more successful. We stayed