such thing as monsters.”
“True. Besides even if they were real, those creatures were spotted hundreds of miles away. Except for the one Tennessee was talking about.”
“Stop it, Clint,” she murmured as they moved slowly down the trail toward their campsite. Jensen couldn’t keep from searching the darkness around them for any sign of glowing eyes. “I just want to get some sleep and get through tomorrow.”
“Sounds good to me.” Clint picked up his pace a bit, moving ahead of Jensen on the trail. The flashlight he was holding illuminated their path. “I think I’ll move Rose’s carrier into the tent with me and hit the hay. I heard Tanner saying we could use the showers in the lodge first thing in the morning.”
“Great.” A shower sounded heavenly. “I was afraid I’d have to make do with baby wipes.”
“Or a dip in the lake.”
“Yea.” After Beau’s account of Hannah the cobra, Jensen didn’t relish getting anywhere near a place where some type of a reptile might be lurking. “I think I’ll wait for the shower.”
Once they arrived at the tent, Jensen excused herself, traveling some distance into the woods to use the bathroom. As she did so, her nerves almost got the best of her. By the time she was finished, she hurried back to the welcoming campfire, almost sprinting in her eagerness to put the thick darkness behind her.
“What’s wrong? Did something get after you?”
She could hear the amusement in his voice. “Not at all. I just caught a chill.” Bearing her bottom to the world would do that for sure.
“Join me. I fixed us a night cap.”
The closer she came to the campfire, the more easily she could see him. After a day of activity, Jensen felt bedraggled – but Clint Wilder looked good enough to eat. He’d shed his jacket and the shirt he wore molded his frame like icing on a cake. Despite her mental aversion to men with a football physique, she couldn’t help but be aware of how sexy he was – and how safe he made her feel. “What kind?”
“Irish coffee. My own special blend. I brought the ingredients with me.”
“Oh, wonderful.” She found a seat and accepted the warm mug from his hands. “Doesn’t this go against the concept of roughing it?”
“As long as the comforts are portable, I don’t see anything wrong with it – do you?”
She took a sip of the liquid goodness. “At the moment, nothing at all.”
For a few minutes, they sat in silent camaraderie, enjoying the warmth of the fire and the drink. Clint debated what to say or do. There were moments when he felt like she was drawn to him. There were others when he could feel something akin to an emotional force field designed to keep him at arm’s length.
He hated to break it to her – but it wasn’t working.
Even after the countless times she’d pushed him away, he still longed to break down the barrier that kept them apart. Clint admired her strength and her intelligence as much as he appreciated her beauty. She was the whole package, everything he most desired in a woman. Every fiber of his being craved to touch her. To hold her close, to kiss her until she begged for him to make love to her one more time.
“This is nice.”
Her admission drew him from his reverie. “Yea, it is.” He took another long sip. “I have to tell you I’m enjoying sharing this time with you. You know I want more from you, I haven’t even attempted to deny it. Still, if I can’t have the intimacy I crave, I’ll take the friendship you once offered. Anything’s better than not being around you at all.” Letting out a cleansing breath, Clint felt lighter after baring his soul.
Jensen didn’t know what to say. God, she was confused. “You’re not making this easy, Wilder.”
A flare of hope warmed Clint’s heart. “I’m getting to you, aren’t I?” He chuckled at his own comment, then quickly amended it before she could take offense. “I’m just kidding. As much as I wish I were irresistible in your eyes, I know better. Still, it doesn’t matter. The more I learn about you, the more I admire you.”
“Like I said, you’re not making this easier.” She drained the mug and surrendered it to him when he reached for it. “I think I’ll turn in. I’m sure whatever they have planned for us tomorrow will be challenging.”
“All right. Sleep tight.” He gestured toward the tent.