Sweeter Than Wine (11 page)

As they got back on the bike, she hugged him,
"Thanks for showing me all of this. It has been a beautiful
day."

He smiled, "I'm glad you enjoyed it, now
let's go see if we can find a place to eat and sleep."

She nodded, and hung on.

They stopped at a seafood place along the
coast, had lobster, and shrimp with a light wine. The restaurant
was packed and they had to wait nearly a half-hour to be seated but
the food was worth the wait, they both agreed.

Sometime later he pulled into a circle drive
in front of a beautiful log cabin.

She looked a little puzzled.

"This is where I live," he said
matter-of-factly.

"Are you kidding?" she questioned, as she
looked about the place. It was immaculate; the grounds were well
cared for, there was a shed not far away, and a lean to. The cabin
interested her most, a combination of redwood and cedar.

When he opened the door, she gasped. Real
logs made the walls, and the living room had high ceiling so that
the bedroom was like a balcony above it.

"It's kind of small right now, thought I
might add on eventually. When I first came, I wasn't sure how long
I was going to stay. But I liked it so well, I bought the place."
Sam explained.

"It's yours then?" she gasped again.

"Yep, all mine." He nodded and threw his
helmet on a nearby chair.

"I remember you telling the older man in the
restaurant you lived in Northern California but I had no idea, it
was right here…" she blinked as she kept looking at everything.
Then she looked at him again. "But there's something I don't
understand."

He shrugged, "Okay, what?"

"Why were you staying at the resort hotel up
the highway, when you only live less than a hundred miles
away?"

Studying her with a curious intent his smile
deepened, "I guess that does seem funny. I was going on vacation. I
needed to get away from everything familiar. I had plans to go on
up into Canada, but I kept circling back here. I couldn't seem to
go anywhere. Therefore, I decided at the very least I'd stay at a
hotel and not go home. I felt foolish for doing it, but it seemed
important not to go home just yet..."

"You were going to go to Canada?" she sounded
amused.

"I'd thought about it. I wanted to take the
scenic route too, see some stuff. Get close to nature sort of
thing. But I never got that far."

She nodded. "Wow, I don't know why I came up
this way for a vacation, except I wanted to see the redwoods and
enjoy the pacific coast a little. Northern California and Oregon
are beautiful."

The kitchen was full of modern appliances,
and clean too. "Oh Sam, it's gorgeous here, I don't blame you for
not wanting to wander too far. You have a haven here."

"I liked it. Besides, I really am a forest
ranger. And I've got to get back to work next Monday, believe it or
not." He announced distractedly.

"What does a forest ranger do, exactly?" she
asked as she sat on the leather couch and kept looking at all his
furnishings and decorations.

He smiled at Lacey. She liked it here, a
little too much. "We keep an eye out for fires of course, people
moving in and out of the area. Check on any traps that might have
been set for the animals. Make sure that things run smooth up here.
But I'd say fire is our worst nightmare."

"Then you're like an outdoor fireman
too?"

"Sort of. We try to nip the real fires in the
bud before they get to the point of no control though. Makes some
of the campers a little irate to tell them to stash a fire, when
they just built it, but that's our job." He said joining her on the
couch. "Especially in this area, the redwoods are an asset to this
country and would be a real loss. So fire is our number one
priority."

"I can imagine. All the campers and visitors
you get. Seems pretty dangerous."

"It can be…but most of the time it's all just
like any other job, routine." Sam smiled at her.

"We provide guides and answer questions for
tourists, respond to emergencies in the forest, like accidents,
missing people. We form missing persons search and rescue teams.
Sometimes we have to investigate campsites, make sure they are safe
and watch the noise control. A lot of my job consists in checking
for disease control, I'm like a pest control worker at times. If a
certain area of the forest needs burning, I let my superiors know.
Sometimes we get the dirty job of notifying tourist that they can't
have a campfire in certain areas, that's my least favorite part.
Fire control is the biggest thing though and it's a full time job
too. Especially during the tourist season. I guess I was lucky
getting off this time of year to vacation. It's one of the worst
times."

"I never realized there was so much to your
job, but it still sounds like a lot of fun. So how did you manage
getting off at this time of year?"

"Actually, it's late summer when things
really get bad, it's hotter, more tourists then, and more fires.
Actually, I got off by not missing work a day. And asking for this
particular time when no one else would." He smiled, "I like my job.
It's better than sitting behind a desk all day, that's for
sure."

***

Work reminded her of the reality of the
situation and she couldn't stop the loneliness that assailed her at
the mention of getting back to a routine, back to Texas, away from
him. A job she had once loved now seemed so unimportant to her. It
was as though these past few days had completely changed her life.
Yet the reality was she didn't belong here.

"At least you enjoy it." A tremulous smile
wavered over her lips.

"Most of the time, yeah, but it has its
moments too," he shrugged as his expression grew more serious.

"I guess we'll both have to be getting back
soon," she said, her eyes going around the room, not daring to land
on him.

"Let's don't rush it," his voice lowered to a
husky tone as he leaned the distance to kiss her.

"What are we getting into Sam?" she whispered
when his lips moved to her cheek.

"I don't know. I know I should stop, but you
look so cute, with your feet folded under you and relaxed. I guess
we should use our heads and not go there, huh?" he countered,
kissing her quick and pulling away.

"It'd be wise," she cried the anguish showing
on her face.

He nodded. "Maybe we should go out."

"A walk through the woods would be nice," she
countered. "I used to walk every evening. It's great exercise."

"Okay, but stay close," he warned.

The air felt terrific as they started up an
old tracked path. He held her hand, tightly, feeling an awkwardness
that wasn't there before.

Suddenly Sam stopped his body tensed.

"What's wrong?" Lacey asked, feeling the
tension in him rising.

"I smell smoke," he sniffed.

Lacey sniffed, but still didn't smell
anything. "I don't smell anything."

"You will, come on," Sam insisted. He pulled
her as he quickly began climbing up the hill. Lacey kept up but
wished she'd had hiking boots instead of tennis shoes.

In a few minutes she began to smell it too,
and told him.

He nodded his attention riveted, "It's coming
from over on that ridge. Look, Babe, you should go back to the
cabin and I'll take care of it. I won't be long."

"I will not. I'm going with you!" she
insisted clasping his hand tighter.

"Honey, sometimes the campers are a little
rough around the edges. I'd feel better if you'd go back." Sam
insisted.

"I wouldn't. I want to be with you, Sam. I'd
just worry."

Elated by her loyalty, he smiled, "Remind me
to tell you how much I like you worrying about me."

"I will, now kiss me and let's go," she
demanded, as she pulled his head down to hers and kissed him.

***

It was almost too much. It sidetracked him.
He wanted her here and now but it was neither the time nor the
place. He envisioned them on the earth's floor, making love. And he
groaned as his body echoed the same sentiments.

He pulled away, breathless, "Don't do that to
me when I have to take care of something."

His voice sounded tense.

"Why?" she asked innocently.

"Because it makes me forget everything else,
that's why." His gaze was like a caress.

She chuckled. "Okay, that's enough for now,
let's go."

"You are a persistent little cub, aren't
you?" he laughed.

"I'll prove that later." she promised with a
giggle and took off ahead of him.

Within a few minutes they were only a few
feet away from the campsite. Sam saw the men around the fire. The
campfire was roaring, sparking at times. He didn't like this. He
wished Lacey would have gone back to the cabin.

With grim determination he marched into their
camp, asking Lacey to hold back out of sight for a while.

"I'm sorry gentlemen, but you are going to
have to put out the fire. This is a restricted area, and we can't
have that large a fire going, too easy for sparks to fly and start
something in these heavily congested woods." Sam said, hoping it
was dissuading them with his stern face and harsh voice.

However, these were not ordinary campers.
These were bikers and they obviously weren't used to having someone
tell them what to do.

One big man came up to Sam and threatened,
"Hey buddy, we were just minding our own business. We ain't
botherin' nobody, what got your panties in a wad?"

Sam didn't back down or away, "Well, I'm the
forest ranger for these parts. And it's my job man. If you want to
camp a couple miles east of here, that would be fine, but not here.
The timber here is drier and apt to catch. For your own safety I'm
warning you. Please put out the fire."

Another heavily tattooed man came up to him,
displaying a mouth full of dirty teeth, "Look, we cain't eat our
fish if we put out the fire, now can we?"

"Ever ate it raw?" Sam asked trying to be a
bit funny. He used any tactic that would work, and with the
different variety of people that camped out these days sometimes
humor was the best medicine

"Raw?" the other big guy studied him. "You
serious?"

"Sure, it's better for you raw."

"You're joking right?" the other one
asked.

"Nope, the Indians might smoke a few, but
mostly they eat them raw. They have the best teeth and skin in the
territory." Sam replied.

"No kiddin'?"

"Try it," Sam suggested. "Here, let me show
you how to do it, right." He took the knife one of them was using
to scale the fish, and took the fist away from the man. In seconds
he skinned it. He pulled the bone out of it in one piece and both
men looked impressed. Then he lifted up the raw fish and after
salting it, ate it.

"I'll be damned. Come on Avis, we got to try
that." The other one laughed.

"Okay, I'm game, and if I like it, I'll put
out the fire, how's that?"

"Deal," Sam said satisfied he'd settled the
problem without a fight.

When Avis copied Sam's actions, he also
pulled out the bone of another fish and then he laid back the meat
and salted it good, then put it in his mouth. For several minutes
he didn't say anything.

"Well….how was it?" the other one asked.

"Not bad, not bad at all."

Sam nodded, "Some like to spice it with
pepper sauce, or lemon, but salt isn't bad."

"Put the fire out, Curly, he's right, we can
eat it raw tonight. Might put a little more hair on your chest."
Avis laughed.

Curly frowned at him. "I don't need no more
hair."

"Aw, don't be such a sissy; we don't need to
burn down the whole forest. I thought we were gonna protest all the
wastin' that happens. This place is pretty. I wouldn't want it to
go up in flames 'cause we gotta have our fish cooked. Besides, he's
right, it ain't bad."

"All right. But tomorrow we camp to the east
like he said and use a fire."

"Deal," Sam nodded. "…you fellas have a nice
evening."

"Yeah, thanks man," they hollered after
him.

When Sam returned to Lacey's side she nearly
laughed, "Wow, I'm impressed. I thought you might have to fight
them to get them to put it out."

"Nah, most folks are pretty nice. If you give
them the chance." Sam said. "Let's get back."

"Yeah, it's getting a little chilly." Lacey
rubbed her hands together.

Sam took his shirt off and draped it over
her, "Here, let's go now, I'll race ya…"

Lacey laughed and followed him. However, Sam
wasn't running that hard, he wasn't about to let her get lost.

When they got back, they were both out of
breath.

Lacey slumped on the couch.

Sam built a fire and got it roaring warm,
then joined her.

He put his arm around her and they snuggled
for a long while. They talked about the two men, about the trees
they saw, about the fishing tournament. Everything except how they
hadn't made love. Lacey laid her head on his shoulder and before
long she was asleep.

Sam picked her up in his arms and carried her
upstairs to his bed. He should leave, he thought as he laid her
against the sheets and covered her with the blanket, but she looked
so cozy and warm, it was hard to walk away from her. He'd make her
as comfortable as possible then leave and sleep on the couch.

He scolded himself for wanting to sleep with
her again. He knew what he wanted and he knew he shouldn't touch
her. Nevertheless, knowing it and doing it were two different
things.

He wondered if she were comfortable. He
reached under the covers and moved them so he could look at her
again. She looked so innocent lying there. And she looked as though
she belonged right there too, in his bed…with him.

He removed her socks, for they had cockleburs
on them, and then he looked at her again. He shouldn't do it, but a
bra seemed about the worst contraption for a woman to have to sleep
in, so he rolled her over on her side and reached to undo it.