Lost in You (8 page)

“What?” Sam asked.
 

“I think we should follow the river today. There’s bound to be fishermen or others close by.”
 

“Okay.”
 

Why didn’t Sam argue and remind her he was in charge? Or discount her suggestion?
 

 
Because he’s different from any man you’ve known and he trusts you.
 

“Anxious to get back?” she asked.
 

Sam crouched to fill his canteen. “Yes.”
 

He appeared to be dealing with their upcoming separation much better than she.
 

They talked about everything and nothing on their journey through swampy spots and around boulders. As the hours passed her steps dragged and his pace increased.
 

“Sam, wait. I need to catch my breath.” Lacy rested her backside on a rock.
 

“What’s the first thing you’ll do when we get back?”
 

“Throw these boots away. You?”
 

“Eat a steak the size of Wyoming.” He stalked toward her with an unmistakable gleam in his eyes. “Will you have dinner with me?”
 

She studied his face. “Just as long as snake isn’t on the menu. But we—”
 

“We’ll talk later. Give me this mouth. God. I crave the taste of you.”
 

These beautiful, sensual kisses chock-full of promise didn’t happen every day. Her heart beat crazily. His familiar scent, the certainty of his mouth moving on hers, the heat of his body, inundated her and felt…right.
 

Just as her blood reached the boiling point, Sam ripped his mouth away. “Did you hear that?”
 

“Probably a deer.”
 

“No. Listen.”
 

Then she heard it. A sputtering motor.
 

“You were right to have us follow the river. Come on.” Becker raced toward the sound.
 

Her energy level was rock-bottom. By the time she reached the source, a humble aluminum fishing boat nestled in the rushes along the shore. Sam and a wrinkle-faced fisherman were deep in conversation.
 

“Hey! There’s your missus.”
 

Sam didn’t correct the old man. “Lacy, this is Jeb. He says we’re only seven miles upstream from the lodge.”
 

“The lodge we started out from five days ago?”
 

“Hard to believe, isn’t it? Anyway, Jeb’s got cell service and I’ve left a message for my partner Dave to meet us there. We’ll be docking within an hour. Isn’t it great?”
 

“Yeah. Super.”
 

His eyes narrowed. “What’s wrong?”
 

“Just hungry. And tired.”
And heartsick at the thought of saying goodbye to you.
 

Sam stepped closer, shielding her from Jeb. “Everything will work out.”
 

“How can you be so sure?”
 

“Fate.”
 

“B-but. You don’t believe in that crap.”
 

“Yes I do.”
 

“Since when?”
 

“Since the moment I set eyes on you. I didn’t want to believe it or admit what it means because it scares me. And proves my mother was right.”
 

Lacy was stunned into silence.
 

The boat engine whined. Jeb shouted, “Let’s get you folks back where you belong.”
 

Sam helped her aboard the narrow boat. He sat in the rear seat, Lacy in the middle. Jeb steered the craft into the center of the river and offered Lacy a package of jerky. She ate it, but she might’ve been chewing bark her mouth was so dry.
 

Luckily the spectacular scenery kept her distracted from her tangled emotions. Sam didn’t speak as they putted down the twisty river. He clasped her hand, absentmindedly stroking his thumb over her knuckles.
 

Black-tailed hawks dove into the silvery water, spearing fish with sharp beaks, then soared off into the cloudless blue sky to enjoy their meal.
 

Seemed they’d been trolling for hours when Sam’s breath tickled the back of her neck. “Lacy?”
 

“Hmm?”
 

“Before we get back, I have to admit I haven’t been completely honest.”
 

A fission of fear crawled up her spine. Followed by visions of a rustic cabin in the woods, a pregnant wife and little tykes running out to greet
Daddy
.
 

Wrong. She didn’t know everything about Sam Becker, but her heart knew he wasn’t the type of man who’d cheat. Or share. He’d be loyal and demand the same from his mate. Hadn’t he shown her his protective and possessive streak ran as wide as this river? “What?”
 

“I’m not who you think I am. I—”
 

The engine revved loudly, cutting off his declaration. Jeb swerved around a floating log, nearly tossing them overboard. He yelled, “I’ll be. Your party’s already waitin’ for ya!”
 

Lacy and Sam looked at each other then at the wooden dock in a sheltered cove.
 

Five horses and five men waited. Dave, the main guide, Clarence, the cook…and her ex-boyfriend Ross, plus Ross’s two smarmy friends.
 

Great. Ross had tagged along. No. He’d probably insisted on going along hoping to witness her humiliation.
 

Sam clutched her hand. “What?”
 

She didn’t want Sam’s pity. Besides she was no longer Lacy Buchanan, city mouse—she was Lacy Buchanan, outdoor adventuress.
 

Dave shouted, “You all right?”
 

“We’re fine,” Sam said.
 

Jeb helped her off the boat. Sam stuck to her side like pinesap.
 

Ross, that self-important asshole, stepped in front of Dave before Dave spoke again.
 

“Should’ve figured you were the one who’d screwed this up, Lacy. I’m surprised you went through with the hike after I dumped you.”
 

“Hah! I dumped you. I’m surprised
you’re
here. Isn’t this the time of month when you get your back hair waxed?”
 

His face turned cherry-red. “Still got a smart mouth. This poor schmuck got stuck with you?” He gave Sam a pitying look. “I would’ve left her there as wolf bait.”
 

Lacy started to retort, but Sam draped his arm over her shoulder.
 

“We were stuck together a couple of times, but it was completely consensual, right, cupcake?”
 

She froze.
 

“Or should I say
sensual
,” he amended, nuzzling her crown with his cheek.
 

It was quiet enough to hear a pine needle drop.
 

“You…and s-she…” Ross sputtered and pointed to Dave. “H-he said you were lost without supplies.”
 

“Technically, we were lost after an accident with the compass. We managed to entertain ourselves…food wasn’t a big priority.” The sexual heat in Sam’s eyes made her thighs tingle. “But our delay getting back to base camp was my fault.”
 

“Your fault?”
 

“Mmm-hmm.” Sam brushed kisses across her temple. “I wanted Lacy all to myself.”
 

Her back snapped straight. He didn’t have to lie for her. Pretend he felt more than he really did. “But Sam—”
 

“Who are you anyway?” Ross demanded.
 

“Sam Becker,” Dave supplied. “He’s my cousin and business partner.”
 

Ross’s jaw went slack. “Partner? I thought you said your partner was some big time stockbroker from New York City?”
 

“Yep. He is. They’re one in the same.”
 

Lacy’s eyes went wide.

“Trust me. I’ll explain everything later,” Sam whispered to her, praying she didn’t bolt before giving him a chance.
 

“So you’re telling me this hiking outfit left two city dwellers alone in the woods? For three days?” Ross sneered. “When word of this gets out, you might as well close-up shop. Nobody will trust you. I sure don’t.”
 

“Wait a minute—”
 

Ignoring Dave, Ross directed his comments to Sam. “How did you find a way out without a GPS?”
 

“I didn’t, Lacy did. She has great instincts. We’d still be wandering around in the trees if not for her.”
 

Ross flashed his teeth. “Must be hard on your ego to realize a powder-puff like her is a better outdoorsman than you.”
 

“No, but it’ll be hard on your ego if I let Lacy kick your pansy ass in front of your buddies, like she wants to.” Sam mock-whispered, “I saw what she did to a rattlesnake. It was ugly. I wouldn’t stick around for a personal demonstration if I were you.”
 

Ross looked torn—act macho or save face. He cleared his throat.
 

“Well, I don’t care. I want my money back.”
 

“Fair enough.” Becker motioned to the cook. “Clarence, take these guys back to the office. Dave will be along to write him a refund check. Good luck finding another outfitter anywhere in Wyoming or Montana, Ross. Guys like you are a dime a dozen and not worth the hassle.”
 

Ross opened his mouth to protest, but thought better of it. He and the two stooges scrambled on their horses and trailed behind Clarence into the forest.
 

“I’m glad they’re gone,” Dave said. “Okay. ‘Fess up, cuz. What really happened out there?”
 

“Later. Right now Lacy and I need to clear up a few things.”
 

Dave nodded and moved to tend the horses.
 

Lacy held up a hand, stopping his explanation. “Thank you for making me seem tough and capable in front of Ross.”
 

“You are tough and capable.”
 

“That means a lot coming from a fellow New Yorker. Bet you’re having a big laugh about pulling one over on me.”
 

“Stop thinking I’m secretly laughing at you.”
 

“Then why didn’t you tell me the truth?”
 

“Because you gave me your trust. You made me feel I could protect you. I wanted to prove to you and to myself that your faith wasn’t misplaced.”
 

“So that’s why you assured me ‘everything would work out’ and spouted that speech about fate?”
 

“Not entirely.” Becker reached into the pocket of his backpack, pulling out her missing charm bracelet. “I believe in fate because of this.”
 

Lacy gasped.
 

“When I found it, I realized not only had fate led me to it, fate had led me to
you
.”
 

“But—”
 

“Let me finish. Yes, I’d planned on dropping by your apartment with the bracelet and then confessing the truth. I thought we could have a fresh start. But I don’t want to start over with you, Lacy. I want to go forward on what we’ve already built together.” He let his heart show in his eyes. “The last three days have been the most amazing and enlightening of my life. I don’t want this to end.”
 

“Really?”
 

“Really.” He fastened the bracelet, tenderly kissing the inside of her wrist up to her elbow.
 

“I’d hoped you felt it,” she said softly. “I was afraid you’d blame this strong connection on circumstances. Because we had no choice but to rely on each other.”
 

“Somewhere between the name-calling, the snake scare, the rocking hot sex and sharing secrets by firelight, I fell hard for you.”