Lisa Jackson
“I thought bears hibernated in winter,” she responded and he chuckled.
“City girl. Don’t trust what you read in textbooks. Wild animals do what they want when they want. Whatever nature tells them to. They’re like people, you know. They can’t be pigeonholed.”
Was that true? Didn’t bears mate in the summer and spend the winters in their dens with their young? Or did they sometimes come out of their lairs to feed . . . That’s not what she remembered from her biology class in college. Before nursing school, she’d gotten her bachelor of science and had taken three terms of biology, but that had been a while back and she really wasn’t thinking clearly. And it didn’t really matter anyway. All that concerned her now was getting home safely.
“First, a hospital,” Liam had corrected when she’d mentioned that she wanted to return to her family by Christmas. “I know first aid pretty well, I have to, you know, living up here and yeah, I had a few leftover pills to help you through the pain. But you’ll need to see a doctor before you hightail it back to Missoula.” He’d smiled then, a kind smile that made her feel a little guilty as she had a boyfriend already, a man who she hoped would surprise her with an engagement ring at Christmas, which, of course, wouldn’t go over well with her father.
Dad just didn’t understand Cesar, who, Elyssa had to admit, was a little rough around the edges. But he just needed a good woman to help him wrest his kids from that bitch of an ex-wife of his. But here, with Liam, her feelings for Cesar had gotten a little confused. And he could be mean . . . but Liam, he was kind. Good. Had rescued her
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when he’d found her car at the bottom of the canyon after the Saturn’s tire blew and she’d lost consciousness.
She’d woken up to Liam trying to help her from the vehicle. He’d been out snowshoeing when he’d found her.
At first she’d been fearful, but as Liam tended to her wounds—a sprained wrist, twisted knee, and cuts and abrasions, possible cracked rib or two—
she’d begun to trust him. He was gentle and caring, and everything he’d done to help her get well was exactly right. She’d taken enough nursing classes to know. And he’d tried to call the police, but his cell phone didn’t work all that well and hers had been lost in the wreckage . . . so she was here in this small room, tended to by a man who truly was a Good Samaritan. He had a crutch that was much too long but it allowed her to hobble through the three rooms of his cabin: the living area with its small wood-fired stove in the alcove, which served as kitchen, too; another bedroom, “his” room, on the far side; and a small bath. There was another door, too; one that was locked from its other side, which Liam had explained was a st
aircase that led to his work area. He
“puttered around” in geology and it, along with astronomy, seemed to be his passions, though he made his living, he claimed, as a fishing and hunting guide, spring through autumn. Winters, he holed up here.
“I guess I’m a bit of a loner,” he admitted and at first she’d been frightened. Hadn’t she heard something about a serial killer in this part of the country? She hadn’t paid much attention, just caught headlines online and while passing newsstands. 210
Lisa Jackson
Some of the students had talked about it, but she hadn’t been that interested, nor did she ever watch the news. It was all too depressing.
So the thought had crossed her mind.
But Liam had been too good to her.
And she thought he might be falling in love with her.
Not that he’d ever tried anything. He hadn’t even kissed her, just touched her gently when he’d tended to her injuries. Nonetheless, she was thinking less of Cesar these days and more and more about what it would be like to kiss Liam, to run her hands down his long back, to feel the hard muscles of his buttocks.
“Oh for God’s sake!” It was crazy. She barely knew him, and yet, the way he seemed to undress her with his eyes belied his feelings. The chemistry between them was palpable. And when she caught him staring at her, the back of her throat closed. She always looked away, afraid he might realize that she was fantasizing about him.
Stop it!
She couldn’t think that way.
She was just experiencing a bad case of cabin fever.
And he was the only person she’d seen in weeks. The person who touched her as he bathed her or checked her wounds, his fingers feather light on her skin. No wonder she had sexual thoughts. She bit her lower lip, found it quivering. Pull yourself together. He’ll be back. Yes, he was out, but it was because he was trying to make it into town to explain about her accident and get help, to let her parents know that she was okay.
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But he’d been gone so long.
And she was scared.