“What happened?” she asked softly.
He didn’t respond.
“Joel.”
His chest expanded as he took a deep breath, then blew it back out. “What’s the point of apologizing if you’re just going to keep at it?”
The words were as controlled as his breath had been. She didn’t speak again as she sat there watching him. Seconds felt like an eternity as she silently willed him to talk. One minute passed. Two. Finally, she slipped into her own sleeping bag and stared up at the stars instead of the hat concealing his face.
When she realized how badly she suddenly wanted to understand him, she took a mental step back. She was in dangerous territory with him. Considering how the summer would end for both of them, and probably even sooner for him, it was best if she didn’t reach a point where she understood the man any better than she had to.
Chapter 15
He’d slept like shit, and Brittany had risen early—too damn early. It was dark enough yet that she’d had to click on a flashlight for whatever she was doing. Joel slit his eyes open to see her reading the label on the bottle of liniment he’d used on her back. She set the bottle down and picked up her hairbrush to work the tangles out of her hair before twisting the silky mass into a thick braid. The back rub must’ve worked, because she moved with much more ease this morning.
When she stood and began a series of long, slow stretches, his pulse quickened and he closed his eyes tight. Not already. Last night had been as torturous as he’d imagined. Touching her without the freedom to explore all that soft, supple skin. He’d known he would be playing with fire, but couldn’t seem to help himself around her, and that bothered the hell out of him almost as much as when she’d asked about his mother.
A rustling sound prompted him to lift his lids enough to see her swing her backpack to her shoulder and walk toward the stream. Once she was out of sight, he rubbed the heels of his hands into his burning eyes and sat up with a low groan. Turning his wrist to peer at his watch in the dim light of approaching dawn, he frowned at the time. Where the heck was she going at five-thirty in the morning?
When it dawned on him she was probably taking advantage of the early hour to wash up in privacy, he lay back down. Didn’t take but a moment for the rogue memory of that kiss on the dance floor to ambush him. She’d smelled fresh as a summer rain with the sun shining. And apples. Her shampoo must be apple-scented because he remembered wanting to bury his face in those blond strands and savor the fragrance.
The memory drove him to his feet with a curse, and he sought distraction in stoking the fire and boiling water for coffee.
Another glance at his watch told him she’d been gone five minutes. When it reached ten, he stirred his instant coffee and paced to the corral. By the time he’d clocked a quarter hour, his impatience reached its limit and he strode back to the campfire to plunk his cup on the bench. The hell with privacy.
Quick strides brought him through the break in the trees, to the clearing on the other side. His gaze swept the area, uneasiness taking root in his gut when she was nowhere to be seen. He’d spotted a couple more signs that whoever had left those tracks on the trail had been this far. The grazed grass in the corral, a weathered boot print near the stream. The thought of her alone and unprotected had him seeking the reassurance of his gun in his holster.
He was about to call her name when he caught movement amidst the boulder-strewn incline on the opposite side of the clearing. All senses alert, he pinpointed the location, squinting to make o
ut the shape until he recognized Brittany, climbing the rocky slope.
The sun was beginning to crest the tree tops, bathing the ledge above her in golden light. She took her time, and he realized she was snapping pictures along the way. She was so engrossed with her camera, he caught up in no time without her even knowing he was behind her.
“Where are you going?”
She gasped and whirled around. Her free hand flailed as she lost her balance and he lunged forward to keep her from falling. With her shoulder braced against his chest, apple freshness punched him in the gut.
“Careful.”
“I was fine until you snuck up on me,” she complained as she pushed away.
He kept a hand on her arm until he was sure she had her footing. “You weren’t even paying attention. Is there a reason your little climbing session couldn’t wait?”
She glanced toward the ridge above them. When she looked back at him, he noticed she avoided his gaze. “I wanted to see the sunrise, and you were still sleeping.”
Yeah, and he’d bet she’d counted on him remaining asleep until she got back. “Next time look closer. You shouldn’t be out here by yourself.”
“I’m not that far from camp, and I’ve been up here before.”
He rested one booted foot on the rock in front of him, and one hand on his weapon for emphasis. “It’s far enough that I wouldn’t have been able to reach you fast enough if something happened. I had better things to do today, you know. I’m not insisting on the buddy system just for the fun of it.”
“Okay.” Now her gaze met his, solemn in the morning sunlight. “I’m sorry.”
That was unexpected. He gave a brief nod at her apology, then shifted to the side for her to go first. “Let’s go.”
“But—” She broke off with a gasp, eyes wide. “Oh, my God.”
Joel drew his gun while spinning around to follow her frightened gaze.