[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

of the warmth from the sun.
Grimacing, she realized she just wasn t accustomed to feeling awkward around men.
 Mom brought a bunch of us up here to hunt for berries when we were in grade
school. Kari s musing brought Kathryn back to the three people walking around her.  I
remember we filled baskets with wild strawberries, and then hiked back to clean them, and
soak them in sugar.
Kari smiled at the memory, and Kathryn fell into stride next to her. She was a captive
audience, as Kari continued to share times she d spent in these woods while growing up.
Andy kept an eye on the woods around them as he walked quietly behind the two
women; half-listening and half lost in his own thoughts. His gaze drifted from one woman to
the other.
Kathryn was thinner than Kari, although he couldn t complain about the way Kari filled
her blue jeans. Kathryn s legs were thinner, which somehow made them look longer. She
63
The Prodigal Daughter
swayed her hips gently as she walked, and her long auburn hair fell in a thick braid down her
back. He imagined freeing that hair, and running his fingers through it as it fell around her
freckled face. He could have told her he had dreams about her, too. But there was no way
he d give her the satisfaction of knowing she managed to get under his skin.
He d give her credit, she probably already knew.
His thoughts drifted back to lunch the day before, when the little seductress strutted
into the café as if she owned the place. He still couldn t get over the way her breath felt
against his ear and neck when she whispered her sultry little message. He wasn t able to eat
another bite after that. He had to get out of the diner before he marched her out of the place
with him. She d gotten his cock harder than steel in a matter of seconds.
After forcing himself to read over a report he d prepared earlier in the morning, he d
noticed her walk out of the place with her carry out bags. It wasn t hard to slip down the alley
and wait for her to get over to the vets.
He cringed at the truth in Kathryn s words. He d never been scared of a damned thing
his entire life. But he d been afraid to talk to her in person.
She started to become a distraction just walking in front of him, and he trailed off to the
side, so he could concentrate on their direction. God knows if he kept following that woman,
they d be in Timbuktu by nightfall.
 Kari, isn t that creek up this way a bit? Andy asked, after the four of them had
walked in comfortable silence for a while.
They d stopped for some sandwiches a couple hours before, but then had all agreed to
keep moving, so they could reach their destination before dark.
 You can hear it before you see it. Kari looked around at the scattered trees.  But
yeah, we re headed in the right direction.
Kathryn looked at their surroundings as well. For all she could tell, they could have
been walking around in circles all day. She studied the sun, but its off center location in the
sky gave her no indication of the direction they were headed. She had to admit the land was
beautiful though. She liked the smell of the trees, and the occasional rocks that tore through
the earth gave the surroundings a rugged look. It was good land, full of vegetation and
wildlife. It made her feel healthy& healthy and whole.
Kari pointed out deer tracks, and Andy was eager to show her what bear tracks looked
like when he spotted some. She was glad they didn t see any of this wildlife though. Kari
smiled when she saw trepidation crawl across Kathryn s face.
 Trust me, the wildlife around here are more afraid of you than you are of them.
Usually, they come out to hunt at night because they all have enemies who would kill them for
food. Kari wrapped her arm around Kathryn s, as she reassured her.
 What enemy does a bear have? Kathryn still eyed the surrounding trees warily.
 Man, Andy said from in front of her, and she looked up and noticed the rifle strapped
across his back.
 Look everyone. I think we ve found it. Paul pointed to a leaning shack.
They d walked along the creek for an hour now, and Kathryn was dying to take her
boots off, and step into the cold water. Water never appeared more clear, and rocks in the
creek bed glistened under the water like precious jewels. If the sun hit a patch just right, it was
Lorie O Clare 64
blinding, like raw energy to pure to look at. The sparkling rocks nestled under the water made
her wonder what natural diamonds looked like.
 Why in the world would Mom want us to come here? Kari walked up to the
dilapidated shack, and then stood to the side as Andy and Paul glanced through windows,
blackened from years of neglect.
 Can we go inside? Kathryn reached for the rusted knob on the only door to the place.
Andy put his hand over hers and she looked up at him.  We don t know that someone
isn t living here. Your mother wrote that letter a long time ago.
Heat from his touch singed her skin. Her breath caught in her throat.
 Do you want to knock, or shall I?
He made a face at her, and she stepped to the side so he could try the door.
It opened easily enough, and the afternoon sun spread over a dirt floor inside.
 How could you think someone might be living here? Kathryn turned around, once
she d joined everyone else inside the shack.
 You d be surprised how some of the people live back in these hills. Kari studied [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]