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another man?
Adam cleared away the few items from the bath as he talked, then returned to the bed
with a metal cup full of freshly melted snow water. Sitting down on the bed, he pulled
Connor into a sitting position.
Connor gratefully accepted the cup. He let Adam help him drink and waited for an
answer.
The seductive smile on Adam s face turned into a small smirk.  Washing away the past
is a time-honored ritual. The cleansing bath is the start of a new beginning.
Placing the empty cup on the table, he stood up and pulled at the ties at his waist,
dropping the buckskin pants to the floor, then gracefully stepping out of them.
Connor s eyes popped open wider at the sight of the man s flaccid, but huge cock.
Ignoring Connor s speechless reaction, Adam walked to the bed and slid in under the
covers.  Besides, you smelled. He rolled on his side toward Connor and threw an arm over
the other s lean stomach.  And if I am to share my bed with you, you needed to smell better.
Adam closed his eyes and pulled the blanket up to cover both of them.
Astounded by the man s casually dominant behavior, Connor remained silent while
Adam settled in around him. Within moments, he felt even, regular breaths wafting across
his bare chest. The stout arm across his middle was warm and surprisingly comfortable,
reassuring and protective in a way no one else had ever made Connor feel.
This man, this burly, native tracker, his heroic rescuer, tender caregiver, and possible
future lover was a mystery, complex and exciting in a way that shook Connor s heart and
rattled his senses. If he hadn t just met the man, he d suspect he was falling in love.
Out There in the Night 53
The howling winds outside grew louder. The rising sound invaded Connor s thoughts
and lulled his hazy mind toward sleep. Just as he dropped off, the arm around his waist
tightened a fraction, and the winds took on a regular, thudding tempo that sounded faintly
like native drums.
54 Laura Baumbach
Chapter Nine
The snowstorm descended on the search team only a few hours after they left the
safety of town. The fierce howling winds and driving snow forced the men to scramble for
cover.
A seasoned hunter well acquainted with the area, Mitch led them to a small cave
carved into a hillside not far from the trail. He d used it for shelter before, and a fair supply
of dry wood and kindling were still present.
Once the men had a fire going, and enough additional wood gathered to keep them
relatively warm during the night, they settled into a meal of dried beef, cold biscuits, and hot
coffee.
After pairing up in teams of two, the men took two-hour shifts to tend the fire and
make sure no wild animals joined them in their cozy retreat. Mitch paired with Greg, as
usual. Greg was too tense and restless to sleep, so Mitch suggested they take the first shift.
The rest of the search party bedded down for the night. The fire was near the mouth of
the cave s hollow for ventilation, the winds drawing the thick smoke out into the night and
away from the confines of their small shelter. The majority of the men had unrolled their
sleeping bags near the back, where the heat from the fire was trapped.
Sitting on tiny, collapsible campstools by the fire, Greg and Mitch shared their usual
companionable silence. They had, over the years, become comfortable with the long,
wordless stretches between them.
Greg stared out at the swirling curtain of white just outside the cave s mouth. Snowing
hard and blowing even harder, the fat, white flakes piled up in thick drifts against the
hillside.
Greg started as Mitch gave voice to the same thought he was about to mention.  We ll
have to spend an hour digging out the snow machines when this stops.
Out There in the Night 55
That seemed to be happening a lot lately. Either he was getting too predictable, or
Mitch was learning to read him better than anyone else ever had. That wasn t a problem, but
it was getting difficult to hide things from the man. Some emotions and feelings Greg didn t
confide in anyone, not even Connor.
Greg nodded and searched the storm for any sign of the machines parked right outside
the cave and failed to see a single outline.  It s really gusting; the drifts will be three feet high
if this keeps up. His gaze stayed riveted on the storm, half-resentful of the delay and half in
awe of its power and majesty. He suddenly felt small, lonely, and very isolated. The need to
connect with someone seized him, and he turned to Mitch.
 This is the most beautiful place on earth, even now. I remember thinking that the first
time I was here. That impression s never left me. For all its power and harshness, it s still
beautiful.
Mitch made a light sound somewhere between a grunt and murmur.  I remember the
first time I saw you.
 You do? Greg s eyebrows rose to his hairline.
Mitch nodded and threw another stick into the flames.  You were standing on the
landing strip, just standing there, turning around in circles, staring at the hills surrounding
the air field. You looked ... stunned.
 I was. Everything was too perfect. Greg stared out into the night, looking past the
cloak of inky darkness and swirling snow surrounding them, remembering.  The air was
clean and so crisp I could almost take a bite out of it. The blue in the sky was so bright I had
to squint just to look up. And the land, the land seemed to go on forever. I ve never felt
anything like the rush it gave me. It was physical, like sex. He blinked and came back to the
present, darting a glance at Mitch, a slight frown furrowing between his eyes.  You were
there?
 On a hill nearby -- hunting.
Greg shrugged and tipped his head to one side in dismissal.  Oh. I don t remember
seeing you. But I do remember looking up into the hills and seeing the most magnificent
creature I ve ever seen before. Greg stared off into the distance, and his frown dissolved.
The expression brought a strange light to Mitch s eye and a pleased smile to his lips. He
nodded and waited for the doctor to continue, as if he already knew what the man was going
to say.
 I glanced around, and up in the tree line, a tiny flash of movement caught my eye. I
stood as still as I could and after a few minutes, I saw him. Greg shook his head, still awed at
the memory.  The biggest, most gorgeous wolf I have ever seen. He was awesome.
Greg moved his hands in the air like he was actually touching the animal, stroking its
fur and outlining its massive size for Mitch.  Silver-gray coat so thick it must have weighed
56 Laura Baumbach
fifty pounds by itself, all puffed out and dusted with snowflakes. I could see the yellow in his
eyes, even from that distance.
 He was sleek and powerful and -- Greg stammered and flushed, excited by his own
words.  -- and, well, dangerous!
He dropped his gaze, fingers tearing at a piece of kindling he had hastily picked up, his [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]