Alphas in the Wild (12 page)

An odd expression—sheepish and resolute at the same time—crossed his face. “I didn’t just summon destruction. I embraced it with my entire being. And I’d do it again in an instant if you were threatened. One of the things I plan to do, after we get out of here, is tell Liam he was right.”

“I guess you’re seriously considering the Arch Druid thing.” She quirked a brow his way.

He cocked his head to one side. “Yes,
mo ghrá
, I am. Once I’ve paid my debt to the government. Would you mind?”

She touched his face with tentative fingers, still coming to grips with the fact her one true love had dropped out of the sky and back into her life. “No. I wouldn’t mind at all. I want you to do what feels right.”

He closed a hand over hers. A beatific smile lit his face. “I love you. It’s so wonderful to finally be free to tell you that.” He reached for his clothes. “Time to get going and see what gifts this day will bring.”

“I don’t need any more gifts.” Joy, an unfamiliar emotion, warmed her. “You were the only one I ever wanted.”

“
Mo ghrá
—” He kissed her, and the warmth of his embrace lit a path all the way to her soul. Maybe it was the Druid wedding ceremony, but she felt the bond linking her to Tim as if it had a life of its own, and she reveled in the rightness of it.

She’d just fastened the last of her outer clothing and laced up the boot she hadn’t slept in when she heard the whirr of chopper blades. Moira ran to the door and yanked it open. When she waded out into thigh deep snow, she was rewarded by the sight of a helicopter circling.

How the hell is the pilot going to land?

“Grab a couple shovels,” she called over her shoulder. “Hurry. We have to hog out a platform for the chopper.”

She and Tim were shoveling as fast as they could when Jake and Christine joined them. It didn’t take long to clear a forty by forty foot square. The four of them dropped back to be out of the way of the rotor wash when the bird’s skids kissed the earth.

John Musgrove, five foot ten and burly, clambered out of the helicopter as soon as it touched down. He loped through the snow and stood facing her. With his brown hair in its usual crew cut, his rigid bearing practically screamed ex-Marine. Deep worry lines were etched in his forehead and cheeks.

He muttered, “Aw, to hell with protocol,” before he swept her into a bear hug. “Thank Christ you’re okay,” he said as he stepped away from her. “This has been a hell of a season for deaths.”

His gaze strayed to Jake and Christine. He walked the few steps to where they stood and held out a gloved hand. “We’re taking you home,” he said, his voice gruff. “And we’re paying you double for this trip.”

“Oh, you don’t have to—” Jake began.

“Shut up.” John punched his shoulder affectionately. “Beyond that, you’ve been working for us for years. Isn’t it time you signed up for a real job?”

Jake’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yes. Really. You’re in. Ask Betty for the paperwork once you get back. I’ve already signed it. You too, Christine.”

“Wow! Thanks, sir.” Her face broke into a grin, then she shook her head. “Don’t feel right to be happy just yet. Too many ain’t comin’ back from this trip at all.”

“Yeah, thanks, sir. Uh, Mr. Musgrove.” Jake sounded so nonplussed, Moira gave him a hug.

“It’ll be all right,” she said. “You’ll see. Maybe they’ll let both of you be my assistants on trips like this.”

She turned to John. “What do you want to do about the rest of the crew? And the mules?” Even before the words were out, she wondered if she’d be able to find any of the bodies without search and rescue dogs.

John looked at her. “It’s the weirdest thing. Just like it was a freak storm, we also weren’t expecting this break in the weather. It’s supposed to close in for at least three more days by tonight. Once it clears—and we get some meltage—I’ll send a crew in from Cedar Grove with dogs to round up the bodies and the stock.” He grimaced. “Probably won’t be much left of the remains by then, but it can’t be helped.”

He clapped his hands together. “Get your things. We’ve got time for two or three chopper trips, tops. So hurry.”

He looked at Tim and frowned. “Who are you?”

“I ran into him on the trail,” Moira said. “He’s a doctor who lives in Bishop. And a very old friend of mine. We grew up together.”

“Not sure quite what you were doing on the trail.” John eyed Tim sharply, no doubt taking in his borrowed U.S. Park Service clothing. “Judging from your duds, I’m betting this woman probably saved your life.”

“Yes, sir. I give her full credit.” Tim held out a hand. John clasped it warmly.

John smiled, really smiled. He was usually so serious, it took Moira by surprise. “Come on, everybody.” He clapped his hands together once more. “Get moving. Need to take advantage of this weather window while we’ve got it. Let me know how I can help.”

“Most of the expensive stuff is in here.” Moira pointed to the supply tent. “And Mitch’s body is wherever Jake laid him out.”

“Okay.” Her boss’s usual dour demeanor was back in spades. “We’ll start with Mitch and see that he’s in the first chopper trip out of here. Lead the way.”

* * * *

M
oira eyed the skies. So far, luck had been with them, and the chopper was just returning from its fourth trip shuttling material back to Cedar Grove, the roar of its rotors loud in her ears.

“Clear weather’s not going to last much longer.” John made his way to her side burdened with two full packs.

Tim dragged one of the heavy canvas tents to their staging area. He’d broken it down and packaged it for transport. “What else?” He walked to where she and John stood.

“Probably all we’ll have room for,” John replied. “This next trip will be the last one. Wind’s picking up, which is never a good sign. I’ll do one more quick pass to make certain we didn’t miss anything critical.” Turning, he trotted over the tamped down snow and disappeared into one of the two tents they’d left standing.

Moira took the opportunity to give Tim a quick kiss. “Thanks.” She beamed at him. “You’ve worked your ass off for us.”

“Least I could do.” He grinned back and took her hand. “What happens once we get back? I’ll be on the wrong side of the Sierras.”

“Guess I’ll just have to grab a park vehicle and drive you home.”

“Ask for a couple days off. Once we get there, I suspect you won’t want to leave.” He winked broadly.

“I like the way you think.” Her heart swelled with love for the man by her side. She wanted to throw herself into his arms and never leave.

“Don’t encourage me,
mo ghrá
. You never know where it might lead—”

John loped back to where they stood. “Nope. We’re good.”

The chopper touched down amid blowing snow. Once the fine, white mist settled, they each grabbed something and loaded the helicopter.

Once that was done, Moira settled into one of two back seats across a narrow aisle from Tim. The bird rose, banked, and headed west. When Tim snaked a hand across the aisle and rested in in her lap, she clasped it.

Happy. I never believed I could be this happy.

“Believe it, mo ghrá,”
sounded deep in her mind.
“I’ll devote my life to making certain you stay that way.”

“Will I be able to talk with you that way?” She kept her words low, but there wasn’t much risk of John or the pilot hearing over the engine noise.

Tim nodded. “Probably. It’s part of how we’re bound.” He tightened his fingers around hers and she squeezed back. “Try to get some rest.”

She stroked the back of his hand with her fingertips, loving the feel of him. “Great advice, but this is a really short chopper ride. Less than half an hour.”

“Let me help then.”

A soothing warmth surrounded her, tinged with Tim’s heather and mead scent. It was like he was hugging her from across the aisle, and she sank into the warmth of his love.

All too soon, the bird circled, preparing to land.

“Did that help?” Tim caught her gaze and held it. At her nod, he went on. “I’m sorry about Ryan. If there’d been any other way—”

“I know,” she cut in. “Now’s a time for us to look forward, not back.”

“Agreed, but if you ever want to talk about—well, about any of it, we can. I want you to be able to talk with me about anything.”

“Same goes on my side.”

“Hang on, kids.” John’s voice cracked through the speaker. “We’re almost home.”

T
im glanced sidelong at Moira before returning his attention to the road. They’d left Three Rivers hours ago, and she’d needed a break, so he’d taken over at the wheel. Another ninety minutes, and they’d be in Bishop. Moira sprawled in the passenger seat with her head resting on an arm propped against the window. Her wheat-colored hair spilled around her, lush with curls. He loved looking at the clean lines of her cheeks and jaw. At her full lips and up-turned nose. At the swell of breasts beneath her uniform shirt.

He still couldn’t believe they were linked for now and forever, and he thanked whichever of the gods—or goddesses—had allowed him a second chance to be with the only woman he’d ever cared about. His cock rose to attention remembering the feel of her body around it. At first he ignored the sensations streaming through him and pushed his erection to a more comfortable position, the reaction second nature. After all, he’d sublimated his sexuality for years.

I don’t have to do that anymore.

The revelation was startling and thrilling. His cock throbbed against his belly, clearly liking the idea too. He glanced out the window, hunting for a place to stop. It didn’t matter when they got to his house. Moira had the rest of the week off.  This part of Highway 395 held a million possibilities, with dirt roads leading into the mountains on both sides. He found a likely prospect and slowed the car. Turning off the pavement as gently as possible, he drove for another half mile down a rutted dirt road.

Moira stirred, and her gorgeous eyes flickered open. “Where are we?”

“Around the Tioga Pass turnoff. I thought... I mean I hoped...”

Moira’s laughter chimed like temple bells. She slid a hand into his lap and curled it around his ridged flesh. “Hoped you’d get lucky?”

Tim felt his face flush. He pulled onto a spur off the dirt road and killed the engine. Holding out his arms, he quirked a brow. “Well, will I?”

“I’d say it’s a strong possibility.”

She fell across the console into his arms and angled her face for a kiss. He covered her mouth with his, delighted when she opened to his questing tongue. Moira closed her arms around him and splayed her hands across his back. She nipped his lower lip and kneaded his shoulders with strong, nimble fingers.

He could’ve kissed her for hours, exploring her face and lips and ears and neck with his mouth. She moved a hand back to curve around his cock, caressing it through his trousers. He reached between them to unbutton her blouse, and she tore her mouth from his.

“Outside.”

He was so lost in wanting her, the word didn’t register. He tugged her shirt out of the way and rubbed her erect nipples through her bra.

Moira cupped the side of his face. “Outside. There’s a tarp in the back of the car. We can lay it on the ground and—”

Tim grinned feeling like an idiot. “Sorry,
mo ghrá
, afraid I missed lovemaking 101. You’ll have to be patient.”

She cast a fond smile his way. “It’s not about patient. This is a totally self-serving suggestion on my part. Plus, I didn’t notice any gaps in your knowledge base the other night.”

“Yeah, well, you can thank med school for that. Plus I’ve been making love to you in my dreams forever.”

“That’s very sweet, ’cause you never left mine, either. Not really.” She gave him one last, lingering kiss and pushed the car door open. Going around to the back, she opened the hatch of the Park Service SUV. He joined her, peering inside. “What can we use?”

“This.” Moira handed him a folded tarp. “And I’ll get a couple blankets. Every car has something slightly different in it. Basically, they’re equipped for survival if you get stranded.”

He trotted to a patch of level ground and deployed the tarp. They were far enough from the highway, he wasn’t worried about being disturbed. When Moira came with the blankets, he pried them out of her arms and arranged them over the tarp. With a small mock bow, he wove a hand around her waist. “Your bower awaits,
mo ghrá
.”

She came into his arms, body full against him. He pushed his hands up under her hair and cradled her head, just looking at her, drinking in her beauty. Hunger for him danced in the backs of her eyes, and she ran a finger down the side of his face. Turning, he captured it in his mouth, sucking on the tip.

“I still can’t get over being able to make love with you whenever I want.” A catch rode beneath her words.

He let go of her finger. “It does feel like a miracle, all in itself.” One at a time, he finished undoing the buttons of her shirt, not in any hurry, enjoying undressing her. She reached behind her back to unclasp her bra, and he pushed it up so he could fill his hands with her luscious breasts. He rolled the nipples between his fingers, and she leaned into him, making a purring noise that did extraordinary things to his cock.

“We made ourselves a bed. Let’s lie down,” she murmured breathlessly.

Tim knelt on the blankets and eased her down next to him. He unlaced her boots and levered them off before returning to her breasts. Her fingers were busy at his waistband, and she unfastened his belt and pants, freeing his cock. Her hands on him were better than his wildest imaginings, but when she slithered out of his grip, kissed her way down his belly and took him into her mouth, he had to weave magic into the mix to keep from exploding.

She ran a hand up his shaft and laved the head of his penis with her tongue. Everywhere she touched him, a million sparks danced. He plunged a hand between her legs and met fabric. Placing a hand on either side of her head, he pulled his erection from her mouth.

“Hold that thought, darling. I got sidetracked. Let’s get the rest of these clothes off you.” He undid her pants and pulled them down her legs, freeing both this time. Next he stripped off her panties and socks. Starting with her feet, he ran his tongue between her toes, sucking each one before moving up her inner legs, keeping his mouth glued to her warm, pliant flesh.