chapter Thirteen
“Bye, see you soon.” The following day Allison waved as her parents drove off in the Tracker they’d rented in town on their arrival. Paul had left in a huff shortly after she and Heath arrived back at the Lodge, driven into Portage by her father to catch the next commuter flight to Toronto. Jack, who’d decided to stay at the Lodge indefinitely, barked a farewell before dashing off across the lawns.
“He loves it here.” Allison smiled as she watched him go. “Even though a week ago neither of us would have believed we would choose a life in the wilderness.”
“Well.” Heath, standing beside her, stuck his fingers into the back pockets of his jeans and heaved a sigh. “We’re on our own—you, Jack, and I.”
“Yes.” She turned to squint up at him in the sunlight. “Guests due in a few days, your mother not back, and this place in need of a general sprucing up. We’ve got our work cut out for us and no mistake. Let’s get to it.”
“Hang on there, boss lady.” She started to move past him, but he caught her arm. “First things first. There’s something I have to put right.”
He took her hand to guide her into the path leading to the boathouse.
“Heath, what in the world…?”
“No words…yet.” Beside the old log building he paused and looked out over the river that was gradually returning to normal after the wildness of its spring freshet. On the far side, a doe and fawn appeared out of the green freshness of the awakening forest.
The doe stared at them for a moment, then ducked her head in a sort of bow. Then she turned and bounded back into the trees, her baby at her heels.
“Heath, do you think they could be the pair we helped?” Allison breathed. “That mother seemed to acknowledge us…crazy as it seems.”
“Never underestimate animals, Allie.” He seized her hand. “Remember how Jack managed to find us just in the nick of time? Your grandfather had great respect for their instincts.”
“And I do, too, Heath. Remember what Jack did? How he somehow knew we’d need him and ran away from the Lodge? What are you doing?” she broke off, surprised.
He was leading her to the side of the boathouse, back to the place where they’d had their first physical encounter.
“I have to make things right.” He moved her carefully back against the log wall. “You can’t live on the Chance haunted by a bad memory.” He took her into his arms and this time, gently yet so sensuously her breath hiccupped, he kissed her. Kissed her until her senses reeled, until all she wanted was the man in her arms. “I want you to remember this only as the place I first told you I loved you,” he said.
“Oh, Heath.”
“What? Don’t tell me I’ve done it wrong…again?” He drew back from her, his eyes widening.
“No, no, it’s just that I didn’t expect…”
“So that’s not what you wanted to hear?”
“It’s exactly what I wanted to hear. I didn’t expect you to be so romantic about doing it.”
“Sorry. I forgot. It’s my wilderness man persona that turns you on.” He started to take her back into his arms, but she stopped him.
“I admit you’re one sexy man.” She couldn’t resist the tease. “But before we go any further, don’t you want to hear my response?”
“If it’s the right one.”
“Then if the right one is that I love you, too…” She looked up to see a wicked twinkle in his eyes.
“Correct.” And he was kissing her again, letting her move into position against him, letting her set the pace.
“Bad memories erased?” He pulled back and gazed into her eyes.
“Nearly.” She pulled his head down to kiss him until he groaned.
“So?” His question hung in the air between them when she let him come up for air.
“So what? Are you asking me to reaffirm your ability to please lady guests?”
“Hey, cheap shot. You know what I mean. You and I. Where do we go from here?”
“Where do you want us to go?” She slanted him a sly, sideways glance.
He pulled her close to breathe the suggestion into her ear. “Into that deserted Lodge, into the nearest bedroom. But that’s your decision.”
“Oh, God, do you always have to be such a gentleman? Can’t you just for once act the way you look?”
“What does that mean?”
“Do I have to spell it out?”
“Yeah, humor me.”
“Okay, here’s one for your male ego. Handsome, feral, earthy…”
“That’ll do.” Snatching her up so suddenly she gasped, he was striding across the grounds toward the Lodge with her in his arms before she got her breath back.
“We should discuss business first.” She tried to bring her swirling senses under control. “We ought…”
“Open the door.” They’d reached the Lodge and he held her in position.
“Heath…”
“Open the door, woman.” He was grinning. “This wild man has waited as long as he can.”
Allison Armstrong, former CFO of Shawville Industries, obeyed.