Chapter Seven
Friends and Enemies
By the time he finished wiping down Saucy, Jonathan felt like he could fall asleep on his feet. It was amazing how much energy it took to sit on a horse. His legs were still trembling. He was gonna feel it in the morning, that’s for sure.
The stallion in the box stall kicked the side of the stable again. He’d been doing that at least every five minutes since they arrived but Jonathan still jumped out of his skin every time he did it. “Jeeze! I wish he’d quit that shit.”
Gabriel folded his arms across the top of Lightning's stall door and frowned. “Um…just so you know, Pa doesn’t like foul language.”
More evidence that this was some sort of cult. Might as well cut to the chase. “Are you guys super religious, or something?”
“Pa’s just old-fashioned.” Gabriel grinned at Jonathan. “When he was a kid, he wasn’t even allowed to say ‘darn.’”
Moonlight glinted off Gabriel’s straight, white teeth. His canine’s were a little long and slightly pushed forward, but he still had a great smile. Now that he thought about it, River’s and Eli’s teeth were also straighter and whiter than they should be for people that had no access to an orthodontist. They must have good genes. “How much longer do you think we need to wait out here? I’m exhausted.”
“However long it takes for River to get back. The last thing you want to do is surprise Pa.”
“I’m surprised River didn’t mention that she’d recruited me when she ran into you and your dad yesterday.”
“She knows better than to spring something like that on him out of the blue.”
That confirmed Jonathan’s suspicions. River had definitely lied to him. He was still inappropriately pleased that she wanted him to stay, but he wished she’d just said so. He knew he was being hypocritical—he’d lied to her about agreeing to become a recruit—but that was different. Wasn’t it? He was too tired for ethical arguments so he let it go.
Saucy finished his ration of grain and snorted into the feed box. Dust motes floated in the moonlight like flecks of silver. “What’s involved in being a recruit?”
“River will tell you everything you need to know.” Gabriel gave Lightning a pat on the shoulder then stepped out of his stall. “You’ll make things much easier on everyone if you don’t ask too many questions.”
“That’s not going to be easy for me. I’m a pretty curious guy.”
Gabriel grinned at him. “I can tell.”
It was too bad Eli wasn’t as friendly as this kid. “Can I ask you one more question?”
Gabriel sighed and crossed his arms. “Go ahead.”
“River said that she’s responsible for everything I do. If I screw up, she’ll be punished.”
“The law of extended accountability.” He nodded.
“That hardly seems fair.”
“It keeps people in line. If you know you aren’t the only one that will be hurt by something you do, you’re a lot less likely to do it.”
“Is that a problem? Keeping people in line?”
“It used to be. Years ago, before I was born. That’s why they have the law.”
“How many people live here?” That sounded a little obvious, but Jonathan needed to know what he was up against.
“Usually, we have four ranch hands and two servant girls, but Shula sent everyone away except for the family because of the quarantine.”
“Do you have any brothers or sisters?”
“I have one living brother, Paul. He’s adopted but doesn’t know it, so don’t talk about it in front of him.”
When anyone mentioned a ‘living’ relative, it meant they had others that weren’t. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. We all love Paul as if he were born into the family.”
“No. I meant, I’m sorry that you only have one ‘living’ brother. I think it’s great your family adopted him.”
Gabriel sighed then curved the corners of his mouth into a sad smile. “My mother had over a hundred miscarriages before I was born.”
That had to be an exaggeration. Even if the poor woman miscarried four times a year, she’d have been pregnant for twenty-five years. But Jonathan wasn’t going to argue the point.
“It was a miracle when my baby sister was born alive.” Gabriel’s eyes filled with unshed tears. “But she’s probably dead.”
“Probably?” How could he not know whether or not his sister was dead? Had she been sick when he left?
Gabriel’s face flushed crimson then faded to a chalky gray. “She was born too early. She and Ma both died”
“Oh, man. I’m so sorry.” Something didn’t add up. If the baby had died, Gabriel wouldn’t have said she was probably dead.
“My brother died nine months ago, but I still have a hard time believing he’s really gone.” Jonathan couldn’t believe he’d brought up Franklin’s death. But now that he had, sharing his pain with Gabriel made the ache a little less sharp.
“How old was he?”
“Twenty when he died. Same age as me. We were identical twins. At first everyone thought that I’d died instead of Franklin. When my mother learned the truth, she couldn’t handle it. Frankie was her favorite.”
Gabriel nodded, but didn’t say a word.
The weight of their combined pain should have crushed Jonathan. But for some reason, standing in a stable made of logs, miles from home, baring his soul to a kid he hardly knew, gave Jonathan more comfort than months of psychotherapy. He still grieved. He still missed Frankie more than words could express, but for the first time since his death, Jonathan felt at peace.
That peace shattered when River burst into the stable. Her breasts rose and fell as she panted. “Gabriel, tack up Thunder. I have to get Jonathan out of here.”
“But…we just got here.” The last thing Jonathan wanted to do was get back on a horse—especially not the monster in the corner stall.
“Reuben’s going to kill you.”
“But, he hasn’t even met me.”
River grabbed a hackamore off the wall and shoved it into Gabriel’s hands. “Shula’s in Reuben’s office filling his head full of lies.”
Jonathan grabbed River’s arm. “What sort of lies?”
“The sort that will get you killed.” River put her hands on her knees and leaned over, breathing hard. “She thinks that your family will never stop searching until they find you or your body.”
“That’s not a lie.”
“They may not give up, but they won’t find you. And neither will Reuben. Not until I’ve convinced him that you aren’t a threat to our security.”
Gabriel led Thunder out of his box stall. “Where are you taking him? I’ll bring you supplies tomorrow.”
“It’s better if you don’t know. I’ve got my bow, and a quiver full of arrows. I’ll get Jonathan settled and then come back to talk some sense into Reuben.”
“Is that so?”
Jonathan spun around. A giant of a man stepped into the stable. He could have just stepped out of a Clint Eastwood movie. He had the same straight, dark brown hair as Eli, River and Gabriel. His fringed buckskin coat stretched across the broadest shoulders Jonathan had ever seen. The man was at least six and a half feet tall. But he moved with fluid grace.
Time slowed as Jonathan’s brain shifted into survival mode. A quick sweep of the stable didn’t reveal anything he could use as a weapon. Where the hell did they keep the pitch forks?
River whirled around and put her hands on Reuben’s chest. “I won’t let you kill my recruit!”
Reuben arched an eyebrow then narrowed his eyes. “What makes you think I’m going to kill him? Were you listening outside my door again?”
River straightened her spine and lifted her chin, but her entire body trembled. “I came into the house to tell you about Jonathan, but I overheard you and Shula in your office.”
Every muscle in Jonathan’s body tensed as he crept closer.
Gabriel’
s eyes darted back and forth between Reuben and Jonathan. He shook his head. The movement was so subtle it was more like a twitch, but his meaning was clear. Stay back.
Jonathan appreciated the warning, but he wasn’t going to just stand there and watch if Reuben tried to hurt River.
He relaxed a little when Reuben gazed at River with obvious affection. “You didn’t stick around for the entire conversation, did you?”
River shook her head.
“I’m curious. What were you planning to do with him?”
“Hide him until I could talk you into letting me keep him.”
Keep him? Like a pet?
The corners of Reuben's mouth twitched then spread into a smile. “You know I’d never let anyone, not even Shula, dictate how I run my pack. You may keep your recruit.” Reuben looked up and locked gazes with Jonathan, “So long as he obeys the rules.”
River wrapped her arms around Reuben’s waist and squeezed. The top of her head didn’t quite reach his collar bone. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
Reuben untangled himself from River’s embrace and extended his hand towards Jonathan. “I’m Reuben, son of Zebulon and Israel’s daughter. Welcome to my home.”
If Gabriel’s handshake was bone-crushing, Reuben’s was pulverizing. Jonathan smiled to hide his grimace of pain. “Nice to meet you, sir. And thanks for your hospitality.”
“Hospitality? You’ll earn your keep if you want to keep breathing.”
There was no doubt in Jonathan’s mind that the threat was real. “I’m not afraid of hard work.”
“Good.” He nodded at Jonathan, dismissing him, then looked at Gabriel. “Move a bed from the bunkhouse into your room. Shula sent all the ranch hands and servants away. No point heating the entire bunkhouse for one recruit. You’ll be sharing your room with Jonathan.”
Gabriel’s chin jerked down as he hunched his shoulders, but he never broke eye contact. “Yes, sir.”
Jonathan didn’t want to intrude and he sure as hell didn’t want to piss off Gabriel. He needed all the allies he could get. “I can sleep here in the stable.”
Reuben’s gaze snapped back to Jonathan. “All my ranch hands have been drafted into the enforcers’ ranks until Shula lifts the quarantine. Patrols have been doubled.”
“I’m not going to run.” Not tonight, anyway.
“Help Gabriel move your bed into his room then meet me in my office.”
Jonathan and Gabriel replied at the same time. “Yes, sir.”
As soon as Reuben left, Gabriel grinned at Jonathan. “I’m glad you’re bunking with me.”
“Really? From the look you gave your father, you could have fooled me.”
“You mean this look?” Gabriel ducked his head and hunched his shoulders but kept his eyes on Jonathan’s face.
“Yeah.” Jonathan laughed. “That one.”
“He gave me a direct order.” Gabriel shrugged. “Body language, more than words, demonstrates acquiescence.”
“Acquiescence?”
“It means total agreement.”
“I know what it means. I’m just surprised you do.” Jonathan grinned to let Gabriel know he was teasing.
“Just because we live a simpler, cleaner life doesn’t mean we aren’t educated.”
“Really? Do you study science?”
“Yes, but you’d probably call it alchemy.”
“Aren’t alchemists the guys that think you can spin straw into gold?”
Gabriel laughed then grabbed some straw off the stable floor and threw it at Jonathan. “That’s ridiculous. Everyone knows you can’t turn straw into gold. Only lead.”
Jonathan scooped up a fistful of straw and shoved it down the back of Gabriel’s shirt. “Really? I heard all you had to do was rub a little straw against the skin of a pretentious boy.”
“Pretentious?” Gabriel bear hugged Jonathan and took him to the ground. The straw cushioned their fall, but they both grunted when they landed. The kid was solid muscle. What would he be like when he was fully grown?
Jonathan was exhausted after riding for thirteen hours, but it felt good to wrestle and forget about the nightmare his life had become. Of all the things he missed about Franklin, he missed sparring with him the most. Jonathan put Gabriel in a head lock and rubbed his knuckles against the top of his head. “Yes, pretentious. It means overconfident.”
“If you two are done comparing vocabularies, I suggest you get a move on.” River stood in the doorway, backlit by the moon, with her hands on her hips. “Reuben wants to talk to Jonathan as soon as your done moving the bed.”
Her raw beauty stole Jonathan’s breath. How could one girl be so confident, powerful and strong, yet vulnerable and feminine? She was a puzzle. A puzzle Jonathan would love to solve.
Gabriel braced his feet against the ground and arched his back, breaking Jonathan’s hold.
Instead of fighting him, Jonathan used the kid’s momentum and kept rolling until he was on top. He considered letting Gabriel pin him, but the kid’s perma-grin was still plastered on his face. He was enjoying this as much as Jonathan. Letting him win would only insult him.
“Hey!” River stomped her foot. “This is serious. Reuben does not like to be kept waiting.”
Gabriel’s grin faded, but didn’t disappear completely. “Just so you know, I’m not submitting. We can finish this tomorrow.”
It took a good fifteen minutes to haul the aspen-log bed from the bunkhouse, up the snow-covered trail to the monstrosity built into the side of the mountain. The front of Reuben's home reminded Jonathan of a ski lodge. Each log was perfectly round, smooth as silk and fit together like matching pieces of a puzzle.
Gabriel and Jonathan wrestled the bed up six steps onto the flagstone porch. Gabriel set his end of the bed down and removed his boots. The rock had to feel like a block of ice, but he didn’t even flinch.
Jonathan gritted his teeth and leaned over to unlace his right boot. The air near his feet was balmy. He pressed his palm against the stone surface of the porch and sighed as warmth spread through his hand. His parents had heated tile in the master bath, but that required electricity.
The interior of the house was almost balmy. Surprising, since the back wall was solid rock, carved out of the mountain. The wood-burning stove in the kitchen was twice as big as the one in the quarantine cabin, but it wasn’t lit. A fireplace took up most of the wall on Jonathan’s right, but all it held was blackened logs and a hand-cranked spit made of iron, no blaze. The long hallway and Gabriel’s room were just as warm as the front room.
Once the bed was in place, Jonathan stretched his aching back. “Okay, so what’s up with the hot rocks on the front porch? How do you heat this place? I noticed the stable was warm, too.”
Gabriel shrugged out of his parka and hung it on a hook next to a bank of shelves. “Pa built this place near a hot spring. He designed it so hot water flows through a series of pipes under the floor. The stable only has one pipe, running down the center of the building. But that’s good enough for the horses. The pipes under the house snake back and forth so the whole place stays the same temperature.”
Jonathan squatted down and ran his hand over the stone floor. “Doesn’t it get too hot in the summer?” Afternoon temperatures could climb into the low nineties, even in the high country.
“We divert the hot water away from the house in the summer and open the access tunnel to the cold water spring.”
“Wow. That’s pretty amazing.”
Gabriel grinned and lit a candle inside a hurricane lantern. “That’s not even the best part. Come on, I’ll show you.”
Jonathan followed Gabriel to the back of the house. He opened the door to what looked like the bottom of a mine shaft. The room was carved out of the mountain.
A gurgling sound puzzled Jonathan until he caught a whiff of sulfur. This must be the geothermal equivalent of a furnace room.
Gabriel set the hurricane lantern on a stone shelf and backed out so Jonat
han could enter.
He held onto the door jamb and leaned inside. Two streams of water flowed down the back wall into troughs carved out of the rock. They converged in the middle then emptied into a stone basin. It looked like some sort of artistic fountain, but steam roiled off the water in one of the troughs. Jonathan looked over his shoulder at Gabriel. “Hot and cold running water?”
“Just like they have inside Sanctuary Mount—” Gabriel froze. He didn’t even blink.
Jonathan smiled and shook his head. “Don’t worry. I’m not even gonna ask.”
Gabriel exhaled and pressed his hand over his heart. “Thanks.”
Jonathan turned around and resumed his inspection of the strange water feature. There was no drain in the stone basin, so the water spilled over the sides and disappeared down an iron grate set into the floor. A bar of homemade soap sat on a carved ledge next to the basin.
A rectangular, stone box stood about three feet to the left of the sink. It had two oval holes cut into the top. Jonathan pointed at the first hole. “A toilet?”
Gabriel grinned and nodded.
The second hole was identical to the first, except for the stream of water shooting into it at a forty-five degree angle from the back wall.
“Is that a bidet?”
“A what?”
“A personal cleaning…thing?”
Gabriel nodded and pointed at the first hole. “Use that one first, then sit on the…biddy.”
“Okaaay.”
“It gets you much cleaner than leaves.”
“Yeah. I’ll bet.” Jonathan took the hurricane lantern off the shelf and held it over the toilet. He took a tentative sniff, but it didn’t smell like an outhouse. There was a slight odor of rotten eggs, but that was just sulfur and it didn’t smell as bad as the cleansing pool back at the quarantine cabin. Water flowed from right to left. “An underground river?”
“Yeah.”
It probably violated all sorts of public sanitation laws, but there was no denying this was so much better than trekking through the snow to an outhouse or using a chamber pot. “Where’s the shower?”
“Near the mud pit; about 3 miles from here.”
“You have to hike six miles round trip for a shower?”
“We only use it after soaking in the mud pit. The cleansing pools are much closer.”
“How much closer?” A quick soak in a hot spring would do wonders for Jonathan’s sore muscles.
“It’s only a mile, but the trail’s too dangerous to navigate at night. I’ll take you tomorrow.” Gabriel opened a cabinet door and handed Jonathan a rag. He pointed to the overflowing basin. “Go ahead and wash up. I’ll try to find a clean tunic for you to sleep in.”
“Do you sleep in a tunic?”
Gabriel shook his head. “You’re the only one that wears clothes to bed.”
“I can sleep naked as long as River isn’t sharing a room with us.”
“Why are you so worried about River seeing your body?” Gabriel glanced over his shoulder, obviously checking for eavesdroppers. He leaned closer, lowering his voice to a whisper. “Is it because of your…deformity?”
Jonathan resisted the urge to hide his stump behind his back and held it out in front of himself. “I’m not ashamed of this.”
“No, I meant…” Gabriel flicked his gaze to Jonathan’s crotch, “…down there. Was it an accident? Or was your manhood mutilated as a punishment?”
Jonathan’s cheeks and ears burned. “My manhood is not mutilated.”
“You were born that way?”
“Are you talking about the fact that I was circumcised?” Jonathan didn’t make a habit of checking out other guys, but with all the shameless nudity, he couldn’t help but notice that Eli and Gabriel hadn’t been circumcised.
“I’ve heard of that. The children of Judah are circumcised.” Even in the dim light, Jonathan could see the color drain from Gabriel’s face. “Do you belong to Judah’s tribe?”
Jonathan was Mormon—sort of—not Jewish. “If I belong to any tribe, it’s the tribe of Ephraim.”
Gabriel’s mouth fell open. His eyes widened. He didn’t say anything for several seconds. When he finally spoke, it was with solemn reverence. “You…are a son of Ephraim?”
“Not literally.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Mormon’s believe that every member of the church belongs to one of the twelve tribes of Israel. So they give you a special blessing and one of the things they tell you is which tribe you belong to.” Jonathan shrugged. “Mine just happens to be the tribe of Ephraim. No big deal.”
“It’s a very big deal.” Gabriel’s eyes grew even wider as he inched closer to the door. “It’s a huge deal. I need to tell Pa.”
Jonathan’s mouth went dry. It would be just his luck for Reuben’s family to be at war with another cult led by some kook named Ephraim. “Why is it such a huge deal?”
“There’s an old legend about Ephraim being the rightful ruler of New Eden. I can’t remember it exactly, but Pa has it memorized.”
“Okay, stop. This is nothing but a freaky coincidence. Any Mormon can get a patriarchal blessing…as long as they’re worthy.” Jonathan cringed. Franklin had refused to get his blessing until Jonathan was ready to get his. So, he’d lied about his worthiness during his interview with the bishop to be sure Franklin got his patriarchal blessing before they deployed. Jonathan still felt guilty about it, but he would have felt a hell of a lot worse if Frankie had died without that blessing.
By now, Gabriel’s eyes were bugging out of his head. “You’ve been blessed by a patriarch? What trials did you pass to prove your worthiness? Is that why they cut your manhood? Was it a test of courage?”
“My circumcision has nothing to do with my religion. And we don’t mutilate people to test their courage or worthiness or even to punish them.”
“Then why did you allow them to mutilate you?”
“I didn’t allow it. Almost every guy I know was circumcised as an infant.”
“Why would anyone do that to a baby?” Gabriel shuddered. “That’s so…cruel.”
“I have no idea. And now that I think about it; you’re right. It is pretty cruel.”
Gabriel finally blinked. His mouth was still tight with tension, but at least his eyes looked normal again. “Why don’t you want me to tell Pa you’re a descendant of Ephraim?”
“Because I’m not!” Jonathan took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. If Gabriel started spouting off his legend theory to Reuben, who knew where this might lead.
“How do you know you’re not descended from Ephraim?”
“This Ephraim guy was supposed to be some great leader, right?”
Gabriel furrowed his brow, nearly bringing his eyebrows together.
“I was a private first class in the army. No one would ever mistake me for a leader.” Jonathan draped his left arm over Gabriel’s shoulder and gave him another noogie. He didn’t want to wind up as some accidental messiah. That hadn’t worked out so well for the real one.
A deep ache in Jonathan’s thighs, glutes and lower back woke him the next morning. “Damn horses.”
The smell of fried eggs lured him out of bed. Gabriel was already gone, his bed made. Jonathan’s chat with Reuben hadn’t amounted to much other than a warning to obey every order, without hesitation or question, or suffer the consequences. Sort of like being in the army.
Jonathan got dressed then made his bed. It wasn’t exactly according to army standards, but it looked as good as Gabriel’s. His stomach growled, but his bladder insisted he make a quick detour down the hall before heading to the kitchen.
River stood in front of the stove, scowling at the sizzling, popping eggs in the skillet. “Ouch!” She flinched and jerked her hand back. “I hate cooking!”
Jonathan moved to her side and held out his hand. “Do you want some help with that?”
She gave him a sideways glance and snorted. “Men don’t cook.”
/>
“Sure they do.” He bumped her hip with his and took the spatula out of her hand. “No wonder the eggs are popping, they’re drowning in grease.”
“Well, how else am I going to keep them from sticking?”
Jonathan tried to slip the spatula under an egg, but the blade didn’t have any give. He’d never thought about spatula design, but there was a huge difference between this one and the teflon coated utensils in his kitchen back home. He ended up breaking every one of the yolks but River didn’t complain. She carried the platter to the aspen-log table and nodded at a chair. “Have a seat.”
“Aren’t you going to join me?” There were five eggs on the plate. No toast, no bacon, no orange juice, no milk—just eggs.
“I ate an hour ago.” River smirked at him. “We all did.”
“Why didn’t someone come wake me up?”
River sat down across from him, put an elbow on the table and rested her chin in her hand. “Eli wanted to, but I told him to leave you alone.”
“Eli? What’s he doing here?”
“He’s supposed to help out until the quarantine’s over and Reuben’s ranch hands can come back.”
“Great.” Jonathan shoveled a fork full of eggs into his mouth. They burned his tongue, but it was worth it.
“Just stay out of his way.”
“Where’s he sleeping?”
“At his mother’s cabin.” River rolled her eyes. “It’s only about a fifteen minute ride, but you should have heard him whining about how cold it was. I have no idea how he managed to become an enforcer.”
“Gabriel mentioned that Eli was politically connected. Maybe someone pulled some strings to get him in.”
The front door swung open and banged against the side of the house. A dark-haired, rosy-cheeked little boy ran inside.
“Hey!” River stood up and pointed at his feet. “Boots off.”
The kid hopped on one foot then the other, but made no move to remove his boots. “Is that him?”
“We won’t have any servants until the quarantine’s over.” River knelt in front of him and untied his boots. “I’m not mopping this floor.”
The kid stepped on the heel of one boot and pulled his foot out then kicked off the other one, sending it flying.
“Paul!” River grabbed his arms.
He ducked his chin but kept his gaze locked on River’s. It reminded Jonathan of how a dog acts when scolded.
River didn’t let go of him until he lowered his gaze to the floor.
As soon as he was free, Paul darted around River and ran straight to Jonathan. He skidded to a stop then put his hands on his hips and narrowed his eyes as he examined Jonathan from head to toe. “So, that’s what an outsider looks like.”
“Oh shit!” Jonathan scooted away from the table, backing away from Paul. “I’m still under quarantine.”
“We all are.” Reuben came in and shut the door behind him. “But don’t worry about it. You aren’t infected. Shula is just using the quarantine to manipulate everyone.”
Jonathan heaved a sigh of relief but kept his distance. “What about River’s fever? She’s healthy now, but she was really sick for about twelve hours.”
Reuben smiled. “River’s not contagious.”
Paul folded his arms across his chest. “River’s recruit said a bad word.”
“I heard.”
Jonathan’s heartbeat doubled.
“Are you going to whip him?”
Reuben leveled his gaze at Jonathan. “Not this time.”
Holy shit! Jonathan needed to clean up his language. He’d managed to keep from swearing around Mom and Dad even after he’d developed the habit around his friends; but army life had pretty much destroyed that filter. It’d be easier to just quit swearing all together than to stay on guard around Reuben.
River grabbed Jonathan’s shoulders and gave him a gentle push towards the hall. “Go get your parka, boots and gloves. I need to teach you how to do your chores.”
Paul followed River and Jonathan outside and ran circles around them like a hyper-active golden retriever.
River pointed at a pile of wood behind the house. “You already know how to chop wood, so that’s one of your chores.”
“How often?”
“Just be sure the wood box is full every night before you come in for supper. We only use wood for cooking so it shouldn’t be too hard.”
“Gabriel told me about the geothermal heating system Reuben engineered. I’m really impressed.”
“Reuben grew up inside Sanctuary Mountain, so he understands how these things work.” River didn’t cringe, gasp or slap her hand over her mouth.
“Is it okay to tell me about Sanctuary Mountain now?”
She tilted her head to the side and looked up for a moment, then leveled her gaze at Jonathan. “There are two separate societies that make up New Eden. The people that live inside Sanctuary Mountain are pampered. They have access to medicine and doctors that are brought in from the outside world.”
“Wait a minute.” Jonathan grabbed River’s forearm and turned her to face him. “What do you mean ‘brought in’ from the outside world? Do these doctors come willingly?”
“Some of them.” River ducked her head, turning it sideways, away from Jonathan. She took a quick gulp of air then continued, talking faster. “The surface dwellers live simpler lives. We aren’t allowed to use anything we can’t manufacture ourselves.”
“Is that why you had me leave all my sh…uh…stuff back at that shack.”
“Yes.”
“Were you already plotting to keep me from leaving?”
River’s eyes widened as her cheeks flamed red.
Busted.
“It was just a precaution. One that proved necessary. If Eli had found your bright red underwear, he never would have believed that I was recruiting you.”
Jonathan regretted sidetracking the discussion. He needed to learn more about how New Eden worked if he wanted to escape it. “So, the people that don’t live on the surface…”
“The heirs of Sanctuary?”
“Where do they live?”
“Inside Sanctuary Mountain.”
Jonathan wanted to ask her where Sanctuary was, but he needed to keep things conversational. She’d clam up if she realized he was interrogating her. “That can’t be much fun. How many people do have they have crammed inside the mountain?”
“About four hundred. It doesn’t sound like fun to me either, but the people that live there think it’s a great privilege. They look down their noses at the rest of us. Eli is an heir of Sanctuary.”
“Really? What’s he doing out here with us? Slumming it?”
“He’s an enforcer. By law, half of all enforcers serving on the surface have to be heirs of Sanctuary. Eli got stuck with surface duty this winter.”
“Are these heirs of Sanctuary the people that make all the rules?”
River nodded. “They’d never survive without us. We provide all their food. They provide all the laws.”
“Why do you guys put up with their tyranny? Do they out number you or have superior weapons?”
“Both.” River shot him a warning glance then tilted her head towards Paul. “Everyone else is going to be finished with morning chores before we even begin.”
In addition to chopping wood, Jonathan was responsible for taking care of Hot Sauce, cleaning out his stall, making sure he had plenty of water and hay, and exercising him for two hours every day. He was also supposed to help Paul clean the chicken coop and gather eggs twice a day. River left them to go do her own chores. Jonathan didn’t blame her. The smell of chicken shit made him gag but Paul promised him he’d get used to it. When they were done, Jonathan squatted down and told Paul to climb on. It was a bit of a hike back to the house and he was starving again.
“River mentioned something about servants earlier. Don’t they usually do the gross stuff?”
“Servants only work in the house.” Paul clung
to Jonathan’s back like a monkey. “River’s not very good at women’s work, so Pa bought a couple of servants after Momma died.”
Jonathan arched his eyebrows. “You mean hired, right? Your dad pays the servants to work for him. Doesn’t he?”
“Pa feeds them and lets them sleep in the bunk house. Why should he pay them?”
“Holy shit.”
Paul slapped his hand over Jonathan’s mouth. “Pa’ll wash your mouth out with soap and if that don’t work, he’ll tan your hide with his belt.”
Jonathan lifted his chin, freeing his mouth from Paul’s dirty fingers. He probably should wash his mouth out with soap to keep from getting salmonella. “I’ll keep that in mind. Swearing is a bad habit. It’s hard to stop once you start, so don’t ever start.”
“Pa says only ignorant sons a bitches use swear words.”
Jonathan’s shoulders shook as he tried to keep from laughing.
Paul went down for a nap after lunch. Jonathan, River and Gabriel went for an hour long ride—which was all Jonathan’s butt could handle after the marathon ride from the quarantine cabin to the ranch. When they returned, they found Eli in the stable, mucking out Red’s stall. It was the first time Jonathan had seen him doing any sort of manual labor. He deserved a medal for resisting the urge to point that out.
The short horseback ride meant they had several hours of free time before supper. “What do you guys do around here for fun?”
“Once chores are done, we can do whatever we want—as long as it’s legal.” Gabriel wiped the tines of the pitchfork he’d been using with a wad of straw. “Do you wanna wrestle?”
Jonathan grinned at him. “You didn’t get enough yesterday?”
“Nope. Meet me in the hay barn when you’re done with stable chores.”
Eli stepped out of Red’s stall. “I want the first round. If he’s still standing when I’m done, you can go a round with him.”
River marched over to Eli and poked his chest with her finger. “Gabriel and I both heard you make the challenge. You can’t punish Jonathan after he beats the living daylights out of you.”
Eli knocked her hand away from his chest. “He’s not going to beat me.”
The hay barn wasn’t the safest place to spar—the frozen ground was hard as concrete and half a dozen antique farm implements hung from hooks on each wall. But according to Gabriel, that’s where everyone gathered for entertainment. Everything from good-natured wrestling matches to full-on fistfights to dances took place in the hay barn. Until Shula lifted quarantine, entertainment was going to be hard to come by.
River grabbed Jonathan’s elbow and pulled him closer. “Take your time grooming Saucy. I’m going to go find Reuben so he can witness the challenge. I don’t trust Eli.”
“All right. I’ll meet you in the hay barn in about ten minutes.”
When Jonathan opened the door, River, Gabriel and Paul were sitting in the loft. Eli was leaning against a wall with his arms folded across his chest.
“Where’s Reuben?”
River shook her head. “I couldn’t find him.”
Eli shrugged off his coat, vest and shirt then cracked his knuckles. “What’s the matter, outsider? Afraid to face me?”
Jonathan ignored Eli and looked up at River. “You’re my sponsor. What should I do?”
River’s legs hung over the edge of the loft. She swung them back and forth then put her elbows on her knees and leaned forward. “Gabriel, Paul and I are witnesses.” She glared at Eli. “State the challenge again, releasing Jonathan from any fault should this match cause you harm.”
Eli harrumphed and rolled his eyes. “I, Eli, son of Zebulon’s daughter, do hereby challenge the recruit, Jonathan, to a test of strength and skill. I release him from any responsibility in the unlikely event that he causes me bodily harm. The last man standing wins. Do you accept the challenge?”
“I accept.” Jonathan removed everything from his upper body, except the gold chain around his neck. Damn, it was cold in there. Reuben must not have thought it was important to heat the hay barn. Jonathan bounced on his toes, shaking out his arms.
Eli curled his lips. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Warming up. You should at least stretch out a little before we get started.”
Eli snorted. “I’ve never been in a fight where my opponent gave me any warning before attacking, much less time to prance around like a ballerina.”
Paul giggled. Gabriel laughed. River clapped both hands over her mouth, but her eyes crinkled at the corners.
Jonathan turned away from the loft, faced Eli and bowed. That common courtesy earned him another round of laughter, sending a flush of heat across his cheeks. Well, let’s see who’s laughing when this is over.
Jonathan grinned and cocked his head to the side, inviting Eli to throw the first punch.
Eli drew his arm back then threw a right hook.
Jonathan took a half-step back, blocked the incoming blow with a downward thrust of his left forearm then immediately stepped forward and smacked Eli’s cheek with an open palm. He could have ended the fight if he’d countered with a right jab to the temple, but where’s the fun in that?
Eli glared at Jonathan as he pressed his palm against his cheek, leaving his entire body exposed.
Jonathan tapped his other cheek and laughed. “Come on. What are you waiting for?”
Eli threw a combination left jab, right cross that Jonathan easily dodged and blocked. He followed up with more open palmed slaps to Eli’s face, head and body. Eli started sweating after about five minutes. He dropped his hands to his knees and gasped for breath.
Jonathan grinned at him. “Had enough?”
Eli didn’t say, “yes,” nod his head, or otherwise indicate the match was over, but he did stand up without raising his guard.
Jonathan reached out to shake his hand but as soon as he did, Eli threw a right jab. Jonathan didn’t have time to block it or dodge it completely. He ducked just enough that Eli’s fist glanced off his cheek instead of popping him in the nose.
Gabriel yelled, “That was a cheap shot, Eli.” River and Paul murmured their assent.
Eli’s face was beet red. It could have been from anger, but Jonathan suspected that humiliation was at least partly to blame. Getting slapped repeatedly without landing a solid punch made Eli look like a fool. But it also made Jonathan feel like a bully.
He stopped playing and started fighting. Jonathan delivered a back roundhouse kick into Eli’s solar plexus. He knew from experience that the pain from the blow, combined with the inability to breathe, made you feel as if you were dying.
Eli’s eyes widened as he tried in vain to draw a breath.
Jonathan took the opportunity to sneak a peek at River. Her eyes sparkled as she smiled at him. He wished he had his bo staff. He was skilled with hand to hand combat, but his true talent shone when he had a weapon in his hand. Jonathan had always enjoyed the thrill of competing in front of a cheering crowd, but the thrill of showing off in front of River was an even bigger rush.
He waited for Eli to broadcast his next move, avoided the clumsy kick then threw a back tuck instead of a counter attack. The gasp of surprise from the loft sent a wave of pleasure through Jonathan.
The look of shock on Eli’s face was priceless. “What the hell was that all about?”
“In a competition you get extra points for good tumbling skills.”
“Would you do that in a real fight?” Eli was still looking down his nose at Jonathan, but it was a valid question.
“No. But it’s fun. You should try it.”
Eli laughed. “Yeah, right. You just want me to break my neck.”
Jonathan wouldn’t mind watching Eli plant his face in the dirt.
“It’s not hard…unless your stomach muscles are too weak.” Jonathan flexed, showing off his six-pack abs.
Eli’s eyes narrowed into slits. He roared like an angry bull and charged.
Jonathan co
uldn’t resist. He stepped to the side, spun halfway around and landed a solid sidekick in the middle of Eli’s butt, sending him flying, face first, into the haystack.
River jumped from the loft, into the hay, rolled over Eli, and landed on her feet. She took Jonathan’s wrist and raised his hand over his head. “Jonathan is the last man standing. He wins!”
Eli dug himself out of the haystack and pointed his finger at River. “You’re biased.”
River looked into the loft. “Gabriel, who won?”
“Well…” He paused and rubbed the back of his neck. “Eli’s feet were off the ground for more than ten seconds.”
Paul clapped his hands and chanted, “Eli lost! Eli lost!” then jumped out of the loft. He tumbled down the haystack, head over heels, landing in a jumbled mess at River and Jonathan’s feet.
Eli’s shoulders slumped as he stared at Paul. He closed his eyes for a moment then opened them and glared at Jonathan. The expression on his face could only be described as murderous. He brushed the hay off his clothes then slammed Jonathan’s shoulder with his as he stomped out of the barn.
Paul grabbed Jonathan’s hand and tugged. “I wanna learn how to do that flippy thing.”
“Tell you what Paul, I’ll teach you how to do a back tuck if you teach me how to do what you just did.”
The little boy’s eyes lit up. “Really? Gosh that’s easy! All you gots to do is be sure there’s plenty of hay and nothing in it, like a pitchfork or a hoe, then jump.”
Gabriel called down from his seat in the loft. “I wouldn’t mind finding a ho in the haystack.”
River covered Paul’s ears and laughed. “You’re too young for whores.”
Jonathan grinned. “What about me? Am I too young?”
River’s smile disappeared. “You’ll have to wait until quarantine’s over.”
“I was just kidding. You know that, right?”
River shrugged her shoulders. “If you need to use a whore, talk to Reuben. Or Eli. I’m not sure how to arrange it.”
“I’d never use a prostitute!”
River tousled Paul’s hair then jogged towards the ladder. “Last one up is a rotten egg.”
“No fair!” Paul darted off after her, but River scampered up ahead of him. She leapt out of the loft, tucked her knees into her chest and landed on her back, sending a cloud of dust and hay into the air. She stretched out and log-rolled down the haystack, giggling and sneezing. She had so much hay sticking out of her braided hair she looked like a scarecrow.
Jonathan turned around and balanced on the edge of the loft. He did a back layout with a double twist then tucked into a ball before he hit the hay.
River, Gabriel and Paul had been so impressed with his simple back tuck, he thought for sure they’d go nuts after that combination, but the barn was dead silent.
He rolled over and grinned when he saw River and Paul staring at him with wide eyes and open mouths. He looked into the loft to check Gabriel’s reaction.
He shook his head and laughed. “Anyone ever tell you you’re crazy?”
“All the time.”
Paul climbed back into the loft and tried to imitate Jonathan. He wound up head first in the haystack. He brought quite a bit of hay down with him as he wiggled and squirmed his way free.
Gabriel crawled to the edge of the loft and climbed down the ladder.
“Don’t you want to jump?” Jonathan blinked and sneezed. He was willing to bet they didn’t have anything for hay fever.
Gabriel stared straight ahead and moved slowly as he climbed down, one hand and one foot at a time.
Paul tugged at Jonathan’s sleeve. “Gabriel’s scared to jump. He fell out of the loft and busted his leg.” Paul pointed to his thigh. “His bone was sticking out, right here.”
Jonathan sucked in a breath as he cringed. He’d had his share of broken bones. He could only imagine the suffering Gabriel endured when they set his femur without anesthesia. No wonder he was afraid of heights. It was a miracle he could walk.
Paul bounced on his toes and tugged on Jonathan’s sleeve again. “Now show me how you done that flippy thing.”
“How you did that flippy thing. Use the right word.” River smiled when she corrected Paul’s grammar, but he still stuck his tongue out at her.
Was River somehow responsible for Paul’s education? Maybe older kids were supposed to help with the younger ones. “Be nice to River, or I won’t teach you anything.”
Paul’s lower lip quivered. “But…you promised.”
“Just tell River you’re sorry and we can get started.”
Paul dug at the frozen dirt with the toe of his boot and glared at River. He mumbled “sorry,” then looked at Jonathan with sad-puppy eyes.
Jonathan couldn’t keep from smiling as he mussed the little rascal’s hair. “That wasn’t much of an apology, but if River accepts it, we’ll get started.”
Paul held his breath as he gazed at River.
She kept her arms folded across her chest, but nodded her assent.
Paul hopped from one foot to the other as Jonathan pulled some hay loose from the stack and spread it across the frozen ground. It wasn’t nearly as good as a tumbling mat, but it was the best they had. Besides, he had no intention of letting Paul hit the ground.
Gabriel and River stood to the side and watched as Jonathan explained the basic technique to Paul.
“Jump straight up. Wait until you’re as high as you can go, then pull your knees into your chest as hard and as fast as you can. Like this.” Jonathan grinned when everyone clapped and cheered. He’d have to show them some real tumbling when he was done spotting Paul.
“Okay, kid. Wait for me to get ready.” Jonathan hadn’t tried to spot a beginner with just one hand before. He grabbed a fistful of the little boy’s baggy shirt, but there was too much loose fabric. “Hang on, we need to figure out the best way to do this.”
River stepped forward and placed her hand on Jonathan’s shoulder. “Can I help?”
Her touch sent a jolt of energy through his body. He looked over his shoulder into her big brown…whoa. “What happened to your eyes?”
She blinked and backed away from him. “What do you mean?”
“I thought they were brown. But…they look…almost…purple?” There was no way they had access to colored contacts out there.
River’s eyes widened. “They do?”
Jonathan leaned closer. “Yeah. They’re definitely purple. That’s weird. Do you feel okay?”
“I’m fine.” River ducked her head and turned away.
Paul put his fists on his hips and glared at River. “Nobody never tells me nothing. When did you merge?”
Gabriel grabbed Paul by the shoulders and spun him around. He leaned over and whispered something in his ear that made the little boy tremble.
“Hey. Don’t be so rough with the kid.” Jonathan wanted to know what Paul was talking about—especially after Gabriel’s reaction—but he didn’t want to get him in trouble.
River averted her eyes and cleared her throat. “You said you needed help figuring out something, so you can teach Paul how to flip over backwards.”
She was obviously feeling self-conscious about her eyes, so Jonathan let it go. “There’s too much slack between his shirt and his body.”
River twisted the fabric, formed a loop, and pulled the end through it in less than four seconds.
This time, when Jonathan grabbed Paul’s shirt, it felt secure. “Okay, Paul. On the count of three. One…”
Paul didn’t wait for the countdown. He didn’t do anything Jonathan told him to do. Instead of jumping straight up, he flung himself backwards. Instead of tucking his knees, he kicked out sideways.
Jonathan turned his face to the side, but Paul still managed to kick him in the face. Jonathan jerked up on Paul’s shirt and used his stump to flip the boy over.
Paul landed on his knees then looked up at Jonathan and let out a wail.
Jon
athan ignored his throbbing nose and checked Paul for signs of injury. He didn’t find any. “Are you okay?”
“I’m sorry, Jonathan. Please don’t be mad at me.”
Jonathan tipped his head back and pinched the bridge of his nose in an effort to staunch the bleeding. “It’s okay, kiddo. I’ve had worse.”
The barn door swung open. Reuben walked in pulling a handcart behind him. He stopped and furrowed his brow. “Whose blood is that?”
Jonathan had his hand clamped over his nose so he just lifted his stump in the air.
“Gabriel, take Paul up to the house and get him cleaned up. River, stir up some biscuits for supper.”
Paul sniffed and wiped his nose on his sleeve. “But Pa…River can’t cook.”
“Do as you’re told. Now go.” Reuben dusted his hands off on his thighs. His voice carried no hint of sympathy. “Lay down, Jonathan.”
Jonathan was pretty sure he wasn’t going to like what came next.
“Brace yourself. This is gonna hurt like hell.”
At least he didn’t put a stick in Jonathan’s mouth and tell him to bite on it. Jonathan closed his eyes and shuddered.
“Try not to scream. It’ll upset Paul if he hears you.”
This was going to be bad.
Reuben straddled Jonathan’s chest, placed his long, calloused fingers on either side of his nose. “One, two…” Crunch.
Jonathan groaned. “What happened to ‘three?’”
Reuben extended a hand and helped Jonathan sit up. “You wanna tell me what you boys were doing out here?”
“Yes sir.” Jonathan’s voice sounded nasally, like he had a bad cold. “We were just messing around and Paul wanted me to teach him how to do a back tuck. It was my fault. I didn’t go through the proper progression of skills with him. I also failed to keep my face away from his boots.”
“I see.” Reuben frowned and shook his head. “Actually no, I don’t see. What exactly is a back tuck?”
“I’d show you if my nose didn’t hurt so much.”
Reuben cocked an eyebrow.
“Basically, you just jump in the air and flip over backwards without touching the ground with your hands.”
“Why in the world would anyone want to do that?”
Jonathan sighed and muttered, “Because it impresses girls.”
Reuben laughed, then got up and walked out of the barn without another word, leaving Jonathan sitting in the hay.
The next morning, River announced that a visit to the mud pit would help Jonathan’s nose heal faster. She grabbed a couple of rags out of the closet across from the bathroom. “I don’t like the mud pit, but I’ll suffer through it so you don’t have to go alone.”
Jonathan didn’t like the sound of that. The purge he’d endured back at the quarantine cabin in the name of ‘healing’ was bad enough. “Suffer? What exactly do you plan to do to me?”
River laughed then wrinkled her nose. “You’ll probably enjoy it. It’s Paul’s favorite place on the entire ranch.”
“Why don’t you like it?”
“I hate mud.” River shuddered. “It takes forever to get all the grit out of my hair.”
“If you don’t want to go, why don’t you have Paul or Gabriel take me?”
“I’m your sponsor.” She shrugged her shoulders. “It’s my responsibility to take care of all your needs.”
Jonathan’s cheeks warmed as he thought about River taking care of his ‘needs.’
River gave him a sideways glance then furrowed her brow. He saw the exact moment she realized how her words could be misinterpreted. A quiet gasp escaped her softly parted, oh-so-kissable mouth. “You know what I mean.”
Jonathan wondered what River’s lips would taste like. It was a dangerous fantasy that sent a surge of heat through his entire body. He grinned then snapped River’s butt with his rag in an effort to break the sexual tension.
“Hey!” River jerked her hips to the side and glared at him. “That hurt.”
“Sorry.” Jonathan wondered what she’d do if he offered to kiss it and make it better. Not helping.
He turned his attention to the landscape as they hiked to the mud pit. If he could identify just one mountain peak, he might be able to figure out just where the hell they were. The more he knew about the area, the better his chances of getting himself and River out of New Eden alive.
“The entrance is right there.” River pointed to a hole in the side of the mountain.
When River told Jonathan about the mud pit, he’d pictured something out in the open, similar to the cleansing pools. His stomach twisted into a knot. He hated caves.
River put a hand on his shoulder. “The mud pit is very close to the entrance, so you’ll be able to see outside the whole time.”
Jonathan hated looking weak. Especially in front of River. “I’ll be fine.”
He ducked his head and followed her inside. It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust, but when they did, he whistled in appreciation. The cavern looked like something out of an old Jules Vern science fiction movie. A series of wooden chutes, constructed and reinforced with bands of iron, diverted running water over and around a steaming pool of muck. Half a dozen ropes ran through a pulley system. The ends dangled a few feet above the mud pit.
“Well, what do you think?” River folded her arms across her chest and wrinkled her nose.
“It’s amazing.” The chutes reminded Jonathan of old-fashioned sluice boxes. The McKnight Mine still had a few, but none of them were functional.
Jonathan returned his gaze to River to elaborate, but the sight of her shimmying out of her clothes, rendered him speechless. Blood rushed to his cheeks—and other places.
River held her arms above her head as she descended the stairs into the mud pit. She looked over her shoulder and smirked at him, obviously aware of the fact that he was checking her out. But instead of his interest pissing her off, she seemed to like it.
Jonathan unlaced his vest and laid it on the shelf next to River’s stack of folded clothes. He reached behind his head and grabbed a fistful of fabric then peeled his shirt off.
River’s gaze traveled over his chest and stomach.
Holy shit! Jonathan turned his back to loosen the laces on his pants.
“Why are you so ashamed of your body?”
How many times were they going to have to discuss this? Jonathan sighed then turned back around and faced River. His pants barely clung to his hips. “I’m not ashamed of my body. I’m just…”
Oh, what the hell. No one else had a speck of modesty. He knew it was a cultural thing. A woman in Afghanistan would be stoned to death for showing her ankles. His mom wouldn’t wear a sleeveless shirt or a pair of shorts, no matter how hot it got. And most of the Mormon girls he knew wouldn’t dream of wearing a two-piece bathing suit, much less a bikini.
Jonathan resisted the urge to rip his pants off and jump into the mud pit as fast as possible. If River wanted to check him out, he wasn’t going to stop her. He slid his pants down past his knees and stepped out of them. Just like he did every night before bed. No big deal. He kept his chin up and walked around the pit to the stairs. He sank into the mud, which wasn’t mud at all, but some kind of grayish-black sand. The sour, slightly metallic odor burned his sinuses. He scooped up a handful and let it dribble between his fingers. It had the consistency and texture of cream-of-wheat cereal. It was probably some sort of ancient volcanic ash. He patted it over his broken nose and across his bruised cheeks. He didn’t have much faith in folk remedies, but he had to admit, the mud pack soothed the ache immediately. “People in my world pay a small fortune for spa treatments like this.”
River didn’t answer. Her eyes were closed. She hadn’t wanted to watch him undress after all.
Jonathan should have been relieved, but he was strangely disappointed. Until River flared her nostrils and drew a shuddering breath. She even bit her lower lip. He knew the signs. The little tease wasn’t immune to
his naked body after all. River was obviously turned on.
The realization was an instant aphrodisiac. Jonathan knew he should close his eyes, or at least stop staring at her heaving breasts. But he was only human.
River brought one hand to the side of her face then lifted her chin as she slid her fingers down her throat, painting a grey stripe from her jaw to the base of her neck.
Jonathan dug his own fingers into his kneecap.
River leaned back and sank into the mud, submerging her breasts.
It should have made things easier, but it didn’t. Jonathan’s imagination took over. He loosened the grip on his knee and slid his hand up his thigh, just a little, only a couple of inches…and then a couple more.
River’s eyes flew open. She gasped and sat up. “What are you doing?”
“The same thing you’re doing.” Jonathan lifted both arms out of the mud. He stretched and yawned, as if he’d just woken from a nap. “Relaxing and enjoying the mud.” He added a contented groan for good measure. “Feels good, doesn’t it?”
“That’s all you were doing?”
Jonathan sat up and leaned forward. “Your eyes are purple again.”
River’s face was already flushed from whatever she’d been doing, but now it flamed tomato red.
Jonathan took pity on her and threw a handful of mud at her chest. It splattered all over her face.
The weird purple hue shifted back to brown. She grinned and stood up. “You’re in trouble now, boy.”
“I’ve been in trouble since the day I was born.” Jonathan tried to keep his gaze from roaming, but today was not a good day for self-control.
River covered her breasts with her hands. Her sudden modesty set off all sorts of warning bells in Jonathan’s mind. What was he thinking? Flirting with River was fun, but it was as dangerous as Russian Roulette.
Jonathan stood up and scraped the mud off his chest. “I’m getting hot, can we go now?”
River lowered her hands and walked towards him. She didn’t stop until her muddy body was six inches from his own. “This will help.”
Jonathan gazed into her dark brown eyes. They were still rimmed with purple light. They were actually glowing. It wasn’t much. It wouldn’t be noticeable in daylight, but in the shadows, it was obvious. He should have been freaked out by it, but all he wanted to do was wrap his arms around her and press her naked body against his. “You’re wrong. This isn’t helping at all.”
Time slowed as River lifted an arm out of the mud. She wrapped her fingers, one by one around the nearest rope.
Jonathan groaned. Was it just him? Or did River have this effect on every man she met? Every single thing she did, every gesture, every glance, every little sigh was an act of seduction. She hadn’t even touched him and he was ready to explode. His voice was rough as gravel. “Do you have any idea what you do to me?”
An icy blast of water slammed into the top of Jonathan’s head. It had the desired effect, but it also rinsed the mud off their upper bodies. The cold water hissed and steamed as it mixed with the hot mud around her waist and his hips. The resulting cloud added to the surreal feeling of the moment. With his lust momentarily abated, Jonathan could appreciate the pure beauty of River’s naked form. He wished he were an artist so he could paint her. She would be his masterpiece. “You look like an angel.”
River laughed. “A half-drowned angel, splattered with mud, and no wings?”
“You don’t need wings.” She was divine. And much too innocent to be tainted by his carnal desires—which were, once again, fueling his overactive imagination.
Jonathan forced his gaze to her face. “I’m sorry. I can’t do this anymore.”
River tilted her head to the side. “Can’t do what?”
He gripped the edge of the pit to keep from grabbing her. “I can’t handle being around you when you’re naked.”
She dropped her gaze. “I thought you enjoyed looking at me.”
“I do enjoy it. That’s what makes everything so hard.” Jonathan cringed and hoped River didn’t catch the double meaning of his unfortunate choice of words. “If we were in my world, living by my standards, I guarantee I would have at least kissed you by now.”
River grabbed Jonathan’s biceps.
“River?” They weren’t supposed to touch. “What are you doing?”
She pressed her closed mouth against his lower lip.
Jonathan’s heart stopped. It didn’t start beating again until River broke the kiss.
She pushed away from him then climbed out of the pit without so much as a backwards glance.
Jonathan was too stunned to do or say anything. By the time his brain started working again, River had disappeared around a corner.
He climbed out of the pit, wrapped a ragged towel around his muddy hips and ran after her. He froze when he rounded the corner and found three separate tunnels. River’s retreating footsteps echoed all around him. It was impossible to tell which direction she’d gone. He couldn’t see more than two feet into any of the tunnels. Was she running blind? Jonathan stopped and looked over his shoulder. The entrance was nothing but a faint glow. “River!”
“Go away.”
It sounded as if her voice came out of the tunnel on the left. Jonathan kept his hand on the wall and took ten steps inside. “I’m not leaving without you.”
“Please, just go back to the ranch.”
Her voice was even more distant.
“There’s no reason to be embarrassed. Come back and we’ll talk about it.” And if he were lucky, maybe they could follow up with more kissing.
He called her name again, but all he heard was his own echo. He counted off another twenty steps then called out again.
No answer.
“Come on, River. You know I don’t like caves.” Jonathan hated reminding her of his claustrophobia, but hoped it would persuade her to come back.
It didn’t. Jonathan turned around. There was no reassuring glow behind him. Nothing but darkness so thick he could taste it. He was suddenly out of breath, as if he’d just completed a marathon. His fingers tingled and curled into his palm. Had he hit a pocket of bad air? Or was this just a panic attack? He had no way of knowing, because the symptoms for both were the same.
Jonathan sank to the ground and put his head between his knees. A draft of cold air washed over him. Cold enough it had to come from outside the cave. He wasn’t going to die.
Suck it up, buttercup. River needs a man, not a claustrophobic wimp. He clamped his hand over his mouth and pinched his right nostril shut with his thumb then focused on controlling his breathing. Once he was sure he wasn’t going to pass out, Jonathan called out to River one more time.
But it was Gabriel that answered.