Forbidden Passions (7 page)

“What?”

Archer shook his head. “Ain’t my place to tell, buttercup, but I’d consider it a favor if you’d give ’em a chance.”

“Yes, but they want—”

“I know what they want, honey, and you don’t have to do that if you don’t want to. They’d never force you.”

Libby shook her head. “It’s not even that, not really. It’s the pressure everyone’s putting on me to stay. Bodie and Ty, Alex, and now Uncle Walt. I haven’t made a commitment to anything but my career for a long time.”

Archer hopped down off the rock and held out his hand. “Well, maybe it’s time you thought about it. Come on, gal. I reckon everyone’s about settled down now. You hungry? Gotta get your strength up for your trip tomorrow.”

Libby let him swing her down off the rock. “I could eat.”

Chapter Eight

There was a distinct chill in the cab of the truck as Bodie drove through Sylvan Pass and up to the east entrance to Yellowstone. He checked the rearview mirror to make sure Ty and their crew were still behind them with the other stock trailers, then cleared his throat.

“He didn’t mean to upset you last night. Ty, I mean. No one did.”

Libby kept her eyes on the road ahead. “Everyone seems to think they know what’s best for me except me.”

“It’s just that we—”

She gave him a talk-to-the-hand gesture. “I really don’t want to talk about this, Bodie.”

Bodie glanced at her from the corner of his eye. Her jaw was clenched so tightly, he figured it would take a crowbar to pry it open, and her usually flawless posture was rigid as a spinster’s on her first date. He’d thought they were making some progress, but it was evident last night’s incident with Ty had set them back. Do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars. She’d changed over the years, gone from a wide-eyed teenager who wore her heart on her sleeve to this hard-nosed woman who kept her thoughts to herself. He was out of his depth with a filly like Libby Wild, and that was the bald-faced truth of the matter.

“Look, Libby.” He hoped he’d injected the right amount of patience into his voice. “You have to talk to both of us sooner or later; otherwise it’s gonna be a long two weeks.”

Libby folded her arms over her chest. “I guess it’s going to be a long two weeks, then, because I have nothing of a personal nature to say to either one of you.”

It was Bodie’s turn to grit his teeth. The Cade charm was lost on a woman who could hold a grudge the way this one could.

“Fine. Have it your way.”

She turned then, giving him a smug little smile. “I always intended to.”

Bodie cursed fluently under his breath as the entrance to Yellowstone Park appeared. He eased forward and pulled off and leaned over to reach in the glove box for the packet of backcountry permits they’d secured for this trip, inadvertently brushing his forearm across Libby’s breast. He didn’t miss the quick intake of breath from his passenger at that accidental contact and smothered a smile. So, Miss Elizabeth Wild wasn’t as immune to him as she’d like him to think. Interesting. He’d be sure to explore that little fact before they were too far into this trip.

“I’m gonna check in and leave our itinerary with the rangers. Be right back.” She didn’t comment, but her eyes flicked in his direction. Bodie hopped out of the truck, grinning when his back was to her.

Ty approached with his packet of information. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothin’, dude. I just don’t think she’s as mad as she’d like us to believe.” He quickly filled Ty in on what had happened.

“Huh,” Ty mused. “I guess Arch must have done a better job of talking her down than we figured. Gonna have to take it slow, though, finesse her some.”

Bodie shook his head as they walked to the ranger station. “I don’t know. Might be best not to let her get too entrenched in her indifference. Break down those walls quick.”

“How?”

Bodie handed the ranger his paperwork and asked him about any backcountry conditions they needed to be aware of. After a brief discussion, he headed back to the truck with Ty, resuming their conversation.

“I say we just take her, like we did in the pasture and at the creek. There’s no one scheduled at the campsite, so we set up camp and let her get some pictures taken as the sun goes down, then fix her a real nice supper and just go for it. She wants us; we both know it. All we have to do is show her how much. We’ll figure out how to explain things once she’s accepted the way things are going to be between the three of us.”

Ty chuckled. “Sounds like a plan. I, for one, can’t wait to hear her screams echoing off the mountains when she comes.”

Bodie grinned. “I hear that, brother. Let’s head out. Nine Mile Trailhead awaits, and the crew’s anxious to unload and get back.”

They parted ways, and Bodie climbed back in the truck to find Libby glaring at him.

“I don’t know what you two have planned, but you can just forget about it. This trip is about work, not play.”

Bodie chuckled. “Darlin’, you are too suspicious. We were just conferring on the best way to get to the campsite. Columbine Meadow is only good for one night, so we figured on bypassin’ it for Meadow Creek. Both are hollerin’ distance from Yellowstone Lake, so I figure that’s about as good a place to start as any.”

“Fine. Just don’t go getting any ideas that I’ll be indulging any of your prurient, adolescent male fantasies.”

“Prurient, huh?” He raised an eyebrow. “That one of those hundred-dollar college words, Lib?”

Libby made a disgusted noise. “It means—”

“I know what it means.” His eyebrows snapped together in a frown. Did she really think he was that big of an idiot? Hell, he may not have had the opportunity to attend some big-time college, but he’d gotten a two-year degree in farm and ranch management at the local college. He and Ty had had to work, for Christ’s sake. She could be a bitch when she wanted to, but he’d never known her to be a snob.

Bodie was well into his sulk when she said, “I’m sorry. That was unforgivably rude, and I apologize.”

He nodded. “Apology accepted. Now, do you think we can make an effort to try and get along for the next two weeks?”

Bodie smothered a satisfied smile when she sighed. “Yes. I suppose we can.”

* * *

Silence descended once more until they reached the trailhead. Libby gathered her camera equipment while Bodie and Ty helped the crew unload the stock and pack the animals. She squatted on the side of the road, carefully packing her cameras and lenses into her TrailMax saddlebags. Setting aside her Nikon D700 digital, she picked out her two favorite lenses and put them in the pommel bag. The excitement was upon her now, tendrils of exhilaration curling in her chest, settling into her belly to flutter there like hummingbird wings.

In all the years she’d lived here, Libby had never once been to Yellowstone. Ranch work took priority over sightseeing, and if she wanted to camp, her father had told her, they had several thousand acres that would do her just fine and plenty of cattle to keep her company. Now, here she was, a few years away from her thirtieth birthday, and she was going on the adventure of a lifetime with two men who would likely have their way with her this very night. She raised her camera and took a few shots of the crew putting the final touches on the pack job.

“You ready to go, darlin’?”

Libby lowered the camera.

Ty.

Images of the previous night flashed in front of her. Angry green eyes narrowed to slits. The aggressive jut of his chin as he hovered over her, his body language threatening, his voice scornful. Spoiled, he’d called her. Selfish. And she had to concede that maybe he had a point. But there was no sign of that man now. Just mischievous, sparkling green eyes and a full mouth smiling at her with pleasure.

“You bet,” she said. “Which horse is mine?”

“The little bay with the white stockings.” He reached for her saddlebags. “His name’s Sox. Not very original, but he’s sturdy and dependable, not prone to stumbling, and he has the heart of a lion. Ain’t a river he won’t cross.” He held up her saddlebags. “These things waterproof?”

“Of course.” She slowed to let him get ahead of her and admired the way his jeans fit just right over his tight ass. Like as not, she’d have her hands on that beautiful backside before too long. She licked her lips and increased her pace. No sense in letting him know what she was thinking.

Studying one another warily over the back of the horse, Libby and Ty secured her saddlebags to the cantle of the saddle.

“Lib . . . about the other night—”

“Don’t. It’s forgotten. Water under the bridge. Let’s get this show on the road, okay?”

“Okay.”

Libby took the reins and mounted, waiting as the crew said their good-byes and wished everyone luck. She fell in line behind Bodie, and Ty eased in behind her, leading the pack animals.

They picked their way through blackened trees, and Libby took a few shots of the miracle of regeneration. Colorful fireweed grew profusely, and already new growth was evident everywhere.

“It’s really coming back fast,” she commented to no one in particular.

“The wonder of nature,” Bodie quipped. “We’re gonna set up an early camp at Meadow Creek, let you get some shots in before dark; then we’ll head south in the mornin’ to Mountain Creek. There’s a couple of stock sites we can use, spend a couple days or so. Check out Turret Mountain, Table Mountain, climb up to Eagle Pass if you’re feelin’ intrepid. How do you feel about suspension bridges?”

Libby swallowed. “Christ. Not sure I’m that intrepid, but we don’t necessarily have to stop at Eagle Creek campground, right?”

“Not at all. We get up early enough, we can do Eagle Pass as a day hike.”

“I would like to get some shots there. I hear you can just about see forever.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do.”

As they crossed Cub Creek, Sox lived up to his reputation, carrying Libby across the swiftly flowing water without incident. A mile and a half later, they forded Clear Creek, and Libby dismounted to take a picture of a very large grizzly footprint on the bank. Remembering Marcus’s instructions that she was not to get eaten by a bear, she looked around, but the animal was long gone. She vaulted back into the saddle, and in six more miles they reached their campground. There wasn’t a soul in sight.

“I’m going to hike down to the lake, unless you need me to help you set up.”

“Nope, we’ve got it under control,” Ty told her. “Just make plenty of noise so you don’t startle something you don’t wanna startle.”

Fat chance. Why scare off the wildlife if you’re looking to photograph it?

Well, unless it’s a grizzly.

* * *

Libby was enjoying the feel of the sun on her face when the twins approached. Ty took a seat beside her and nodded in Bodie’s direction.

“He’s takin’ the float out, see if he can catch us some lake trout for supper. Cutthroats are catch and release, but we can eat as many lake trout as we want. You hungry?”

She was about to lie and say no, but her belly rumbled, giving her away. “Guess I am. Should we go start a fire? There’s plenty of wood down here.”

He grinned. “Sure,” he said, then hollered to Bodie, “Hey, bro, we’re gonna gather some wood and get a fire goin’. Keep an eye on where you’re floatin’.”

Libby helped Ty put together the firebox and spread out the fire blanket.

“This is a good idea,” she complimented. “Really low impact.”

Ty nodded. “That’s the point. Stock does enough damage, so we figure it’s the least we can do. We’ll let the fire die down, and in the morning the ashes will be cool enough to scatter. Breakfast will be cooked on the stove.”

“Works for me.” She perused the campsite and raised an eyebrow. “Only one tent?”

Ty gave her a wink. “Less weight means less impact.”

“Uh-huh.” She might have been born at night, but it wasn’t last night. “You bed down with all your clients, or am I special?”

Ty stood up and took an armload of wood from her. “You are special, Libby. No denyin’ that.” He set the wood aside and added some pinecones to the tinder, then carefully added to the base. They’d have a good fire when the time came. “Sun’s about to set. You wanna get some more shots of the lake?”

The lake was calm and the mountains reflected in the still water were a brilliant orange with the setting sun.

“Oh my,” Libby said softly. “I’ve seen some beautiful sights in my life, but I’d be hard put to find anything more grand than this country.”

She could feel Ty’s eyes on her as she walked along the shore, bending and twisting to capture just the right shot. At one point, she stretched out on her belly to bring the camera in alignment with the shore and took several shots. She rolled onto her back to capture the cloud formations, the varied colors of orange on the mountains.

Just as she sat up, she caught sight of Bodie coming out of the forest with a Ziploc bag filled with filleted lake trout. He wore such a pleased smile, she took a shot of him before she even stopped to think about what she was doing. Immediately, the muscles in her face froze, and she couldn’t move the camera away. She held her breath, waiting.

Bodie grinned. “It’s okay, baby. Take as many pictures as you want.” He winked at her. “Just tell me you don’t want this trout fried. That would be a pure crime.”

She rolled to her feet. “Nope. I gave up fried food in college, the minute I started to grow another ass.”

Bodie and Ty both laughed. “Well, your ass looks just fine to us, honey,” Bodie told her, then to Ty, “You got that fire ready to go?”

Neither man would hear of letting her help with dinner, so Libby sat in a comfortable camp chair with her camera in one hand and a bottle of water wedged in the beverage holder on the chair’s armrest.

Dinner consisted of grilled trout with butter and lemon, fresh corn on the cob, and baby salad greens with grape tomatoes. She hadn’t thought herself that hungry, but Libby ate heartily and insisted they let her help with the cleanup. With the chores done, they hung their food supplies in bear-proof containers. At Ty’s insistence, she went into the tent and changed into her yoga pants, then stuffed her clothes into another bag they supplied her. Her clothes, along with their own, they would hang with the food bags, just in case any scent of the evening’s meal lingered on them. No one wanted to invite a hungry grizzly into the camp.

An hour or so after they’d eaten and policed the campsite, the three sat staring into the fire. Ty disappeared into the tent, leaving Libby and Bodie alone. The night sounds were enthralling. Wolves howled in the distance. Coyotes yipped. Frogs called from the lakeside. It was an opera of sound that was somehow soothing. Curious red eyes peered from the shadows of the woods.

Night had fallen on Yellowstone.