WILD MEN OF ALASKA

chapter SEVEN

The look in Lynx’s eyes had Eva faltering in her actions. Maybe she’d pushed him enough. She’d gotten drunk on the power. Never had a man devoured her like he was currently doing. It was heady and something she could definitely get used to.

Served him right for dowsing her in the river. So, it wasn’t really his fault, but he’d laughed, so therefore the man had to pay.

She figured she’d tortured him enough. Besides, she’d just been bitten by a mosquito. She yanked her backpack from his grip and tore into it, grabbing the hoodie she’d stuffed into it early, believing she wouldn’t need it. He’d said a full change of clothes, “just in case.” She should have listened. All she’d put in here was the hoodie.

Chalk one up for the mountain man.

She covered up. The sweatshirt ended just past her hips.

“Is that all you brought?” Lynx asked. He looked as though he was in pain as he stared at her bare legs.

She slapped her upper thigh and gave it a scratch. Crap. These damn things were going to suck her dry. “Can I have the bug spray again?”

Chalk two up for the mountain man.

He offered her the can of spray. No light coating this time. She bathed in the stuff and did the same thing he’d done with wetting his hands and rubbing the smelly spray on her face and neck. She swore she could hear them buzzing inside her ears.

“Seriously, you need to put some clothes on,” Lynx said.

“This is all I brought,” she admitted.

He opened his pack and pulled out a blanket and tossed it to her. “I’ll be right back.” And then he disappeared into the woods.

She was suddenly alone.

Really alone.

She glanced around. A raven sat on a spruce tree branch. Its beady eye met hers and it cawed, the sharp sound making her jerk. Then it flew off in a blur of black and blue feathers. The clearing was roughly the size of her apartment. Trees crowded in from all sides. She couldn’t even tell what direction Lynx had vanished off to.

She sat on a rock and took in her surroundings. No longer was she finding the beauty and tranquility of earlier on the river. Now there seemed to be eyes watching her from the shadows. A rustling to her left had her jumping back to her feet. Her heart in her throat, she waited to see what would appear.

What did she do if it was a bear? She didn’t have a gun to protect herself with. She could get back into the canoe, but no way could she out paddle a bear, and didn’t bears swim? Nothing ventured from the darkness beyond what she could see. She shouldn’t have pissed off Lynx. Why would he just leave her like that?

What was she going to do if he didn’t return?

She rotated in a slow circle, scanning the thick trees. She didn’t even know which way was home.

Who was she kidding? This wasn’t home. It was another planet and all the people here, aliens.

She’d chosen to move here. She could leave.

Not for another two years. She’d signed a contract in exchange for an impressive bonus and the cost of being moved up here. She really needed her head examined.

Another rustling and this time her eyes went wide with fright.

There was something out there!

She hadn’t imagined those eyes. It was a dog...or a wolf. Oh God. Was she going to be eaten?

“Hey.” Lynx appeared from behind her.

She screamed. He jumped a few steps back.

“What was that for?”

“T-there’s a w-wolf out there.” She pointed to the trees.

He followed her finger.

“Well, he isn’t there now. I doubt there’s any wildlife within a hundred miles after that scream.”

He stuck a finger in his ear as though to help with the ringing.

She tossed him the blanket and grabbed her jeans off the branch. “Get me out of here.” She struggled into the damp denim, but by God she got them on. Her socks and shoes were next.

“What about lunch?”

“No way. I’m not taking the chance of being lunch.”

“Eva, calm down. There is nothing out there.”

“Where the hell did you go, anyway?”

“I needed a...minute to cool down.”

“Are you freaking kidding me? You left me here alone in the wilds because you needed a minute.”

“Yeah.” He tightened his lips. One hard look and he gathered up her lifejacket, tossing it at her and grabbing the backpacks. “Fine, I’ll take you home.”