“I’d love that,” she said in an enthusiastic tone, her pretty face lit up with a smile.
Damn, he liked to make her smile. He’d like to spend the rest of his life making her smile. He growled at himself. He couldn’t be having these thoughts, at least not until after the investigation. She might be his fated mate, but he couldn’t even think of claiming her until the case was solved.
“It’s a date,” he said, not wanting to disappoint her. He’d have to deal with his lack of self-control later. Candice giggled and accepted the invitation.
Wyatt pulled up beside the wilderness campsite and stopped the truck. “This is it,” he said. “I don’t feel comfortable leaving you here alone. If you need anything, please call me. This is my number. Call for any reason at all, 24/7. Okay?”
“I appreciate you being so concerned about me. I’m sure I’ll be fine. But I’m holding you to that fishing date.” She grinned and laughed as she climbed out of the truck. It was almost dusk as she closed the door and gave him a little wave goodbye.
His heart clenched in his chest at the idea of leaving her alone after witnessing a murder. But he couldn’t force her to stay in a hotel. He also couldn’t kidnap her and make her stay in his cabin, although the idea had crossed his mind.
“I’ll check in on you tomorrow,” he said, rolling down the window. She thanked him again and disappeared between the trees. Wyatt let out a deep sigh and backed his truck up into a turn around and then drove off into the darkening evening.
Chapter 5
The game warden was the damn hottest man Candice had ever seen in her life. Maybe she was biased because he’d promised to take her fishing and had saved her from the murder scene. Bias or not, Wyatt McCloud made Candice’s heart beat hard in her chest and her panties dampen with need.
She wanted to believe he was interested in her when he offered to take her fishing, but that was most likely just his way of keeping an eye on her as a witness in his investigation.
A guy like that would never be interested in a girl like her. She was an overly curvy office drone who hadn’t had a boyfriend in two years. He probably had his pick of the busty, blonde country girls and college coed tourists who came through this part of the country every summer.
Candice knew she was plain and boring. Wyatt was anything but plain and boring. He was like a cowboy god who made other men look like midgets. Wyatt was constructed on a whole other scale from ordinary people. What chance did she have?
None.
It was probably better if she just stopped dreaming about it. Too bad she couldn’t convince her body that he was out of her league. She looked down at her dark, cold campsite and sighed. Usually she’d have a nice, warm fire blazing by this time. The sun was setting over the mountains, and the last vestiges of light barely illuminated her fire pit.
She got to work on a fire and had one going in a few minutes. She might be an office administrator, but Candice had wilderness skills…and lighter fluid.
She pulled out her pot and got a can of chili out from the bear-proof cabinet built into the campsite. Soon her chili was hot and ready to eat, and the heat of the fire warmed her chilled bones.
Candice sat on a log in front of the fire and ate her dinner. An owl hooted in the forest, and crickets and frogs chirped in the crisp night air. It was a symphony to her ears and filled her with a sense of belonging.
She finished her dinner, cleaned out her pot, and put everything away. She covered the coals so they would still be hot in the morning and climbed into her little hiking tent.
Tomorrow, she’d hike down to the campground at the base of the mountain and take a shower. If she was going to see Wyatt again, she wanted to at least try to be presentable. She couldn’t even imagine what he must think of her, dirty and stinky from sleeping up on the mountain.
Oh well. That man would never be interested in her anyway. There was no point in even worrying about it. Nevertheless, she couldn’t keep him out of her mind as she drifted off to sleep.
Candice woke in the darkness to the snap of cracking branches. Her tent shook, and a silhouette of hands slid over the outside of her tent. A flashlight flickered, and voices whispered above her.
“That’s her tent,” one of them said.
“Let’s just get it over with,” said the second one.
She recognized the voices from yesterday in the forest. It was the hunters, and they were here for her. A dog barked close by. One of the other campers. Candice’s breathing came in heavy pants. The intruders backed away from her tent. The flashlight flicker receded.
“Quiet,” one said. “There’s other hikers up here.”
Candice rushed out of her tent and ran. She didn’t look back. She didn’t stop. Candice might be a curvy girl, but she was in good shape. Bursting through the forest and onto the service road, she hoped to lose her would-be attackers in the darkness.
To her dismay, she heard the scrape of footfalls behind her. Candice was in a pair of flip flops, sweatpants, and no bra under her T-shirt, but she was fueled by fear. Her muscles worked as she pumped her legs, sprinting down the road.
Jagged rocks poked her feet through the thin shoes. She sprinted into the forest, hiding behind a wide tree trunk until the footfalls disappeared in the other direction.
As soon as they were gone, she sprinted through the woods and down to the main park road. Jumping out in front of a slow-moving car, she waved her arms as wildly as her heart pounded. The driver slammed on the brakes as she panted in the headlights. Candice ran to the window, finding a startled college boy staring at her in shock.
“Please. I need help. Someone is after me.”
“Get in,” the kid said, unlocking his doors. She ran around to the passenger side and jumped in. He put his foot on the gas, and they sped away.
“Who’s chasing you?” he asked her, looking like he thought she was maybe a crazed lunatic out to get him.
“I was witness to a murder this morning,” she said. She couldn’t believe it herself.
“A murder? What are you doing up on the mountain, then?”
“It was a shifter. In bear form.”
“Okay…” He was as confused as she was. She wished she could explain it better, but she barely had the breath to speak. He pulled in front of a gas station convenience store and parked.
“Can I call someone for you?” he asked, pulling out his cell phone.
“Yes. The game warden who found the body. He told me to call him day or night.” She took the phone and pulled Wyatt’s card out of her sweatpants’ pocket. She’d put it in there as she fell asleep, fantasizing about him. Boy, was she glad she’d put it in there.
The phone rang and rang. For a moment she didn’t think he’d answer. She sighed, and the kid looked at her with big, worried eyes.
“Yes?” Wyatt finally said.
“Oh, thank God it’s you,” she said, almost crying.
“Candice, what’s wrong?”
“I was nearly attacked, up on the mountain. Wyatt, please come get me.”
“Where are you?” His voice was gruff and demanding.
“I’m in front of the gas station.”
“I’m on my way. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
She hung up and handed the phone back to the kid. “He says he’ll be here in ten minutes.”
“You can stay in the car. I’m going to get some beer inside if you think you’ll be okay by yourself.”
“Um, sure. I don’t think they’d try anything in the middle of town. Do you?”
“Probably not.” The kid looked at her like he still thought she was full of it. At least he was helping her. She had to give him that. She was grateful. That’s all she could ask.
“I’ll be right back,” the kid said. He got out and locked the doors behind him, walking into the gas station.
A few minutes later, he emerged with a twelve-pack of cheap beer. As he unlocked the car, Wyatt’s truck pulled up beside them. She burst out of the car
as Wyatt climbed out of his truck. She fell into his arms, tears streaking down her face. She shuddered, weeping as he held her in his strong embrace.
“Shh… it will be okay, sweetheart. Get in the truck. I’ll take care of you now.” Candice climbed through the driver’s side to get into the passenger seat. “Thanks for bringing her down here. I’ll need to talk to you tomorrow.” He pulled out a pad and paper to get the kid’s info.
Candice couldn’t keep from crying like a baby. Her lungs were ragged, and her legs were beginning to cramp up from running down the mountain at a full sprint. Wyatt got into the truck, and the kid drove off. “I’ll take you back to my house tonight. It’ll be the safest place for you,” he said.
“Okay,” she whimpered. She wanted nothing more than to be under the sexy warden’s protection.
Chapter 6
Wyatt pulled up in front of a big log house way out in the woods on the other side of the mountain. The wrap-around porch was illuminated by the lights coming from inside the picture windows. Candice slowly opened the truck door, and Wyatt was there to help her step down.
He took her hand in his, holding her steady as she walked in her flip flops over the gravel. She hated that she felt so helpless, but her legs had cramped up, and her lungs burned.
The whole time she’d been running down the mountain, all she could think about was finding Wyatt. He made her feel safe. Wyatt helped her up the stairs and opened the front door to show her inside.
The front of the house had a big, open living room that moved into a chef’s kitchen. She never would have taken Wyatt for a cook, but his restaurant-quality gas stove told a different story.
The living room was furnished in masculine, yet stylish furniture in shades of brown and soft green with a few splashes of yellow. An oil painting of a wilderness scene hung over the leather couch on the woodgrain wall.
The home smelled of cedar and freshly baked bread. She nearly fainted with relief when she came to stand in the living room. Wyatt took her hand and led her to the couch, helping her sit down.
“Thank you,” she said, still shaking. She felt like an idiot for being so fragile.
“Don’t mention it. You’ve been through a lot. Let me get you some tea.”
Wyatt went into the kitchen, and Candice watched him moving around between the stainless steel appliances and white marble counters that contrasted with the dark brown cabinets. Her condo kitchen back in Seattle wasn’t even close to being as nice.
“I love your house,” she said, kicking off her flip flops and tucking her legs up under herself.
“Thanks,” he said, coming back to the living room with a steaming cup of herbal tea. “I built it myself.”
“No.”
“I did. With my own hands. I had help, though.”
“I’m impressed,” she said, before taking a sip of tea. It was chamomile, sweetened with honey and lemon. She let out an audible sigh and set the cup on the end table beside her.
“Don’t be,” he said. “It’s not that rare up here. Plus, my dad is a carpenter.”
“Oh,” she said, relaxing a bit. “What made you decide to become a game warden?”
“I love being outdoors. And I wanted to do my part to protect the forest.”
She was impressed. His humility made her even more so. Could this guy get any hotter? The soothing tea calmed her enough to make her realize how tired she felt. Candice yawned and tilted her head to the side.
“You’re tired. Let me show you to the guest room.”
“I am tired,” she agreed, yawning again.
He stood and offered her his hand, helping her up from the couch. The muscles of her legs were so tight, she could barely walk. She sucked a breath through her mouth as she hobbled along.
“You’re hurt,” he said, concern etching his handsome face.
“No. I’ll be fine. I’m just out of shape.”
“If you ran all the way down the mountain, you’re anything but out of shape.”
She didn’t disagree with him. She was too tired to. Then he did something she would never have expected in a million years. Mr. Hunky picked her up in his brawny arms and carried her up the stairs. She gasped in bewilderment and clung to his broad shoulders. Wyatt kicked open the door of the guest room and deposited her on the queen-sized bed that was covered in a handmade, patchwork quilt.
“Oh my,” she said, breathlessly.
“There’s a bathroom through that door. Let me know if you need anything at all.”
She thanked him again, her heart pounding, heat rising in her face and between her legs. He looked down at her with an unreadable expression on his face. Candice could swear that there was desire in his eyes.
“Good night,” he said, closing the door.
She shook her head, trying to come back to Earth. There was no way he wanted her. Wyatt was just the epitome of gentlemanliness. He would do the same for any woman, she told herself.
She sighed and climbed into bed and turned off the lamp on the side table. Thinking of Wyatt’s arms cradling her body, she swooned in the darkness. She couldn’t help wishing that his chivalry meant something more.
Chapter 7
Candice woke to the smell of sizzling bacon. The sun was bright outside, and she looked down at the clock beside the bed, seeing it was already late morning.
Groaning, she climbed out of bed. Her legs still felt stiff from her adrenaline-fueled run the night before, but at least she could walk without crutches or Wyatt to carry her around.
She thought about Wyatt’s arms around her the night before, and a warm sensation shot up her spine. Even with all the shock of the day before, Wyatt carrying her was the most erotic thing that had happened to her in years.
Stop, she told herself. She couldn’t have this guy, so she needed to stop thinking about it. In the meantime, he was cooking something delicious downstairs. She twisted her messy hair into a bun and hurried down. The living room looked even more comfortable in the light of day.
Light streamed through the windows, and she could see the wooded view outside. She turned to Wyatt in the kitchen, cooking over the stove. Dishes covered in breakfast food were spread across the island—eggs, French toast dusted in powdered sugar, sliced strawberries, sausages, and freshly squeezed orange juice.
Her eyes widened as she sat at the island counter on a stool. He turned to her and shoveled the bacon onto a plate. “Good morning,” he said in a low voice.
“Look at all this food!”
“I didn’t know what you liked.”
“I like everything.” She smiled, picking up a plate from a stack beside the buffet.
She began dishing herself breakfast while Wyatt poured her a cup of coffee. With everything in front of her, she dug in. She groaned at the first delicious bite. She’d been eating canned camping food for the last two days. This was beyond good. Wyatt sat beside her with his own plate and took a bite of bacon.
“Do you like it?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said, groaning, French toast still in her mouth.
“Good. I’m glad. I’ve got an outfit my sister left here the last time she visited if you want to change. She’s about your size.”
“That would be fantastic,” she said.
“Later, I’ll go up to your campsite to inspect it. You can’t go back up there.”
“I know. I’m scared to death. I guess I can stay in a hotel.”
“No,” he almost growled at her. Her eyes grew wide. “You should stay here. I can protect you better here.”
“I can’t impose.”
“It’s not an imposition. What matters is that you’re safe.”
“Okay,” she said meekly. She didn’t understand why he was being so protective and so nice to her. Wyatt was a good guy, but he was really going above and beyond for a woman he barely knew.
After breakfast, he gave her a stack of clothes, and she went off to the bathroom to take a shower. As the warm water slid over her sore body, the
thought of Wyatt made her tingle all over.
When she got out, she dried her hair and put the clean clothes on—jeans and a black T-shirt. She still only had flip flops and no bra, but it was better than wearing dirty clothes.
When she came downstairs, she saw Wyatt outside on the front porch and went out to meet him.
“You left your paints in my truck last night. I put them on the porch swing. You can paint while I go up to the campsite.”
“I can come.”
“You should stay. Relax. I don’t want you to be traumatized by going back to the scene.”
“Okay,” she conceded. She didn’t really want to go up there anyway. Just the thought of it made her nervous and jittery.
“I’ll be back in less than an hour. If you need anything for any reason, I’ve left a walkie-talkie on the kitchen counter. It will go straight to me.”
He leaned forward as if he was going to kiss her. Candice sucked in a breath, waiting for his lips to touch hers, but he pulled back at the last moment.
“I’ll be back soon. Make yourself at home.”
She let out the breath, disappointed, and watched his ass in his tight, black jeans as he walked away. Candice sighed as he drove off in his truck. She was afraid to be alone, but something about Wyatt’s home made her feel safe.
She picked up her paint box and carried it around to the back porch. A patio set faced the expansive view of the wilderness that stretched out for miles before her. His property sloped down toward a forested valley. On the other side, mountains rose, covered in dense, green trees and jagged ridges.
It was a sight to behold, and Candice instantly wanted to paint it. She sat down with her paints and began to sketch out the view before setting up her watercolor pallet. A few moments later, she was deep into her painting, daydreaming about what it would be like to see this view every day.