Felix started for a second, then chuckled. "You know, I have to learn to let go of some of my insecurities around you. I know that you aren’t intending to offend me with your comments."
I grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry about that. I have a tendency to tell jokes that probably end up with my foot in my mouth more often than not. You should have met me back in high school — I pissed off three-quarters of my high school at some point or another."
Felix waved it off. "It’s okay. I do have a house, more than one, it’s just that while none of them are run down shacks, they’re nothing special. On the other hand, I do have one wicked ripper of a Winnebago."
I couldn't help it, maybe it was just his French and Romani accent, maybe it was the fact that Felix's joke was so obvious but still so serious at the same time, but I just burst out laughing. Within a few seconds, I was leaning over on the nearest tree, giggling my guts out while he stood next to me with a bemused expression on his face. Finally, when black spots were dancing in front of my face and my knees felt like jelly, I was able to calm down by taking large, whooping gasps of air. Looking at Felix, who watched the whole thing with his arms crossed and a slight smile, I staggered the two steps over and leaned against him. "I think this is the point where the suave Frenchman sweeps the girl into his arms and goes for the score.”
Felix uncrossed his arms and took off his gloves, running the tips of his fingers on his right hand through my hair. "My people have beliefs that others find strange," he said in a low voice, his eyes dark and mysterious. "There are many who still believe in things like magic, curses, and things like that. Until I met you, I thought they were as looney as most everyone else does. They were just the ramblings of old people who didn't know how to live in the modern world. But you, you’ve cast a spell on me."
He lowered his lips to mine and we kissed, first with soft tenderness and then increasing hunger. He was the same height as Francois, but larger, broader across the chest and back while still feeling fit and lean. I wanted to see him, his body, and feel it pressed against me, but before I could even reach for his zipper, a growl behind us sent ice water through my veins.
The mountain lion was big, its lips peeled back and long, yellowed fangs bared. I felt Felix hold me tighter before sliding my body behind him, his hand reaching slowly for the saw hanging from his belt. "Back away slowly," he said, keeping his eyes on the large cat. “I think we've wandered into its hunting territory. I hope if we look like no threat, it’ll let us leave unmolested."
I tried to follow Felix's commands, my legs stiff and barely lifting high enough to scrape along the snow and leaves. When I stepped on a branch, it snapped, the sound making me scream in fear.
It was enough for the cat to charge, leaping from its crouch towards us. Felix was a sudden blur of motion, his left hand shoving me back while his right hand flashed upwards, swinging his hand saw in a sweeping arc. He pivoted with the swing like a dancer, simultaneously moving out of the way while re-diverting the cat's leap so that it flipped over his back and landed on the ground with a heavy thud.
The mountain lion twisted as soon as it hit the ground, its head whipping around to snap at the saw. It bit down on the teeth of the saw, quickly realizing the metal was sharp and painful before running off into the woods.
The whole thing took less than ten seconds, from the first growl to final run. I leaned against the tree Felix had pushed me against, my chest still aching from my scream, staring as Felix calmly watched the mountain lion's retreat path before looking at his saw. "Damn. Bent the blade."
He showed me the saw, which was bent at a crazy angle from hitting the body of the big cat and then being bitten. Coming over, he took my hands and pulled me close.
I embraced him hard, happy to be alive, my fear renewed a minute later when something came crashing through the woods, only to find relief when Francois came charging up the slope, wielding of all things a butcher knife in his hands. "What’s wrong?"
"Relax brother," Felix said, letting go of me. He pointed in the direction that the cat had run off, his eyes still unconcerned. "There was a mountain lion, but I scared it away. No need to freeze yourself."
I noticed that Francois was wearing just pants, and I had my first look at his upper body. He was just as lean as I'd thought the day before, his skin slightly copper tinged while his muscles were like an anatomy chart. He looked at the two of us, then shook his head in exasperation at the ridiculousness of the scene. "Fine. But please, no more screaming while I'm taking a sponge bath. It’s cold out here. So everything’s okay?”
"I'm fine," I said. "Go, get warm and finish washing. Felix and I will gather wood and come back soon."