Yellowstone Heart Song (Yellowstone Romance Series Book 1) (10 page)

“You slimeball,” she yelled as her head emerged from the water. She was actually pleasantly surprised at this new, playful side of him. At least it solved her dilemma of wanting to go for a swim earlier.

“How dare you!” she squealed in mock anger. Daniel dove into the river after her and came up inches from her face. She splashed water at him to ward him off. Daniel’s hands shot up and encircled her wrists.

Flashing a devilish grin, he asked, “What is a slimeball?”

She couldn’t keep up her false anger any more. “A slippery snake,” she laughed. “Like you, who preys on helpless women.”

Daniel’s eyebrows shot up. “I thought you said you weren’t helpless.”

“You’re right, I’m not helpless,” she confirmed, and flapped like a fish to try and free herself from his iron grip. Daniel released her wrists, but snaked his arms around her waist and reeled her in close to him, while the slow current carried them downriver. She braced her palms against his chest, and a jolt of electricity seared up her arms at the contact with his warm skin.

“I thought you told me not to go in the river again.” Her voice was slightly breathless. Daniel’s expression changed. His eyes darkened and any hint of a smile faded. Once again, intense desire registered in his dark eyes. Her heart rate accelerated, and she struggled to breathe. This game, she realized, was taking a turn in a very dangerous direction.

“Don’t go in the river unless I’m here to fish you out.” Daniel’s voice was low and husky. His hand came out of the water and wiped a strand of hair away from her face. His deep brown eyes fixed on hers. His fingers lingered, and caressed her cheek. Aimee’s stomach tightened, and she groaned inwardly at the pure pleasure of that simple touch. His thumb traced along her cheek, and he cradled her face in his hand, his fingers raking through her hair.

Slowly, he lowered his face to hers. Aimee swallowed nervously.  Her thoughts earlier might have strayed in this direction, but . . .
This is not right.
I can’t get involved with him. I’m not going to be here for long.

It would do no good to give in to this temptation.

****

Aimee’s body stiffened in his arms, and she whispered an almost inaudible “don’t” as her hands pushed against his chest. Daniel pulled his head back and released his tight hold on her.  Cursing silently for what he’d almost done, he moved them both closer to shore. What the hell had gotten into him? He wanted her like he had never wanted a woman. But he couldn’t have her. Not only did she belong to another man, she shouldn’t be here in the first place. He still had to figure out how to get her out of his mountains and back to civilization.

Daniel released her at the bank, and Aimee heaved herself out of the water, weighted down by her dripping wet clothes.

“Thanks for the swim,” she mumbled hastily, then turned. Shivering from the cool late afternoon air, she walked briskly back to the cabin. Daniel watched her stride off, noticing how her wet clothing clung to every one of her feminine curves like a second skin.

“Damn.” He punched the water with his fists. Why had he initiated this foolish game? He lost all reason when he was around her. He tore his eyes off her retreating form, and pulled himself out of the water to retrieve the fish he had caught earlier, including the one he had thrown at Aimee. He picked up her discarded moccasins in the grass and headed for the cabin.

****

The cabin door creaked open. Aimee turned and gasped in surprise. She quickly tucked the ends of a blanket under her arms. Her wet clothes lay in a pile on the floor beside her. She hadn’t expected Daniel back so soon. After that little game in the river, and the fact that he had almost kissed her, she needed to draw some boundaries, or this – whatever it was – was going to get out of hand. She was terribly attracted to him, and could see herself in a relationship with him all too easily if circumstances were different. In her own time, this might have been a no-brainer. But nothing could come of this. She couldn’t let herself get involved with someone, knowing it would have to end in a few short months. She didn’t need that kind of complication in her life. And he probably didn’t, either.

As she thought about this on her way back to the cabin, she realized that her casual, modern day behavior was probably sending him the wrong messages, perhaps even leading him on. She was a woman, all alone out here in this wilderness, and perhaps he thought she would be fair game to take to bed while she was here. Heck, he had already alluded to the fact that he considered her his property, based on Indian customs. She needed to work on her modesty and act more like a proper puritan. She wasn’t sure she could pull it off, but here was her first opportunity as he stood in the doorway. He still wore nothing but that breechcloth, and his smoldering eyes boldly raked over her.

“Daniel,” she gasped. “I . . .I . . . I’m not decent.” Hopefully she sounded properly mortified.

“I brought your moccasins.” Daniel stepped into the cabin and held out the shoes, rather than offer an apology. His eyes devoured her exposed shoulders and his gaze lingered on the swell of her breasts. She swallowed back the lump in her throat. For an instant, she felt like a prey animal, cornered by a predator.

“Daniel, could you please leave the cabin so I can get dressed.” Her voice was demure as she turned her back to him. She lowered her head, and clutched the blanket to her chest. “Please give me some privacy. This is most improper.”  She glanced discreetly back over her shoulder at him, and the sober look on his face told her she had hit the mark.
Maybe I should have been an actress instead of a nurse.

Daniel abruptly did an about-face and quickly left the cabin, pulling the door shut behind him.

****

Outside, Daniel raked his hands through his hair in frustration. For a moment he couldn’t think straight. For a moment all he’d seen was Emma standing there.

 
Daniel, what are you doing here?
Those same words echoed from the past. Emma with her clothes off, clutching her dress in front of her to cover up, the same horrified look on her face at having been caught in a compromising situation. Only Emma hadn’t been alone.

She’s not Emma! He released a string of curses. This was not Aimee as he had come to know her. She would have told him to get the hell out of the cabin, maybe even thrown something at him in anger. Any proper lady would be appalled at getting caught in such a compromising state of undress, but he had never seen her act demure and proper before. Again, she confused the hell out of him.

“Damn.” What the hell had gotten into him? He had never done anything as impulsive before as when he tossed her in the river. This woman was messing with his mind in ways that he couldn’t comprehend.

Just now, for the first time, she seemed truly afraid of him, and it hit him like an arrow in the gut. He was becoming way too relaxed in her company, and her not-so-subtle reminder was like a dip in a frozen river.

Chapter 9

Aimee dressed quickly after Daniel’s abrupt departure, thankful that she had packed spare clothes and underwear. Three months in the same things would have been rather difficult. Hopefully her little puritan act had set up some boundaries. She would have to be more careful from now on how she behaved around him. What would be considered innocent behavior in her time could definitely be taken as forward and suggestive in this day and age. Thinking about it, kissing a man, even on the cheek, was probably not acceptable behavior. This whole situation was turning out to be far more difficult than she ever imagined.

She checked on her pie in the fire. It looked done. The aroma of cooked berries made her mouth water. “If only we had some ice cream,” she said out loud. 

She removed the Dutch oven carefully from the coals in the fireplace and set it on the hearth to cool. Spying her wet clothes on the ground, she scooped them up and headed outside.

Daniel squatted by the fire pit, and skewered several fish on some sticks. He wore his leather leggings, but no shirt. Her heart beat faster. The memory of what had almost happened in the river played fresh in her mind.  Forcing her eyes away, she quickly ducked her head and headed for some trees to hang up her clothes to dry.
Get your hormones under control, Aimee.
That had never been a problem with Brad.

Walking back to the cabin, she trained her eyes on the ground to avoid looking at him. She was eager to sample her pie, but stopped before she reached the door, and called out to him. “The berry pie is done if you would like some.”

Daniel rose from his spot by the fire pit and moved toward her. “I have work to do,” he said, his voice tense. “What happened today will not happen again, you have my word. I have never forced a woman, and I don’t intend to start now.”

She looked up, and his jaw clenched and unclenched. The venom in his voice caused her to take a step back. He tore his eyes away, and strode past her to the woodpile. Aimee expelled the breath she’d been holding in. Even in the cool early evening air, her shirt stuck to her skin from the sudden perspiration on her neck and between her breasts. 

Daniel picked up his ax and set a log of wood on the chopping block. He didn’t bother to glance back at her. Aimee stared at the play of his taut back and arm muscles as he repeatedly split large pieces of wood with each blow of his ax. Yanking her eyes away from the sheer masculine display of strength, she turned and opened the cabin door. Maybe it was better that he be Mr. Scowly again.

She definitely liked the other Daniel from this afternoon better. It had been a pleasant surprise, but she had to put up boundaries for her own sake, as well as his. His proclamation that he wouldn’t try anything like what he’d done earlier by the river put her mind at ease, even as it nagged at her. It would be all too easy to fall in love with him. She stopped cold at the thought. No, it couldn’t be happening, could it? How could she even think that? Most of the time he acted as if he hated her. How could she be attracted to someone who despised her? Besides, it was crazy to even think this way. A relationship with him could never work. Her time here was limited. She turned and gave him one more quick glance before she disappeared into the dark cabin. 

Aimee cut into the pie, placed a large piece on a tin plate, and headed back outside with it. Daniel still chopped wood, his arms and back glistening with sweat in the early evening sun. She set the food on the woodpile for him, and when he didn’t turn to look at her, she silently returned to the cabin to eat by herself. Later, when she returned to clean the dishes, the plate she set out was empty, and Daniel was nowhere to be seen.

“Well, I guess an empty plate means he liked it.” She shrugged her shoulders, a little disappointed. What had happened to him in the course of a few hours? He had been pleasant all day, and the afternoon swim in the river was most unexpected. Did he think she would be willing to go to bed with him after that? He sure was a complicated man to figure out.

By the time she finished putting the food and dishes away, darkness had fallen. She sighed, and glanced around the cabin. The lantern’s soft glow didn’t give off enough light to see much, let alone do anything else. She would have sat and written in her journal, but it had been a long day. Cracking open the cabin door, Aimee strained her eyes to see. Daniel had let the fire burn down in the yard, and he was gone. She closed the door and crawled under the furs in her bed. With her hands behind her head, she stared up at the ceiling. Seconds later, she rolled over on her side, and punched her pillow. Visions of Daniel coming out of the river prevented sleep.

******

Daniel walked the familiar path along the riverbank, deep in thought. He was angry with himself for letting his feelings get out of control. He had been trying to fight this crazy attraction to this woman from the moment he first laid eyes on her. Sometimes the desire to just follow Elk Runner’s advice and take her to his bed became so strong, it caused him physical pain.

She was a mystery he couldn’t figure out. One moment, she was sure and confident in herself, the next she acted like a complete novice. He only half-understood many of the things she said, but it intrigued him. Of all the women he had known, Indian or white, he had never been around a more beautiful or spirited woman. She had a zest for life and adventure, and didn’t appear to be afraid of much. Daniel scoffed. She was probably afraid of him now, after what he had done this afternoon. 

He frowned.  He had been almost sure he saw desire in her eyes before he tossed her in the river. Had it been so long that he couldn’t read the signs on a woman’s face? He didn’t even know what had come over him to do such a thing. She sure had enjoyed the game, though, or so it seemed. Until his foolish attempt to kiss her.

He stared at the waters of the Madison. Driftwood and debris bobbed lazily in the gentle current. He bent and picked up a large stick, and with a loud roar, threw it far out into the river. Seeing the horrified look on Aimee’s face in the cabin had conjured up painful memories from the past. Just because she was a white woman didn’t mean she was like Emma. He had to keep reminding himself of that. Aimee had absolutely nothing in common with her.
Except that she lies!
Why did she refuse to tell him the truth about how she came to these mountains?

He still didn’t know what he should do with her. His biggest dilemma, of course, was how to get her out of the mountains. This was no place for a white woman. The logical thing was to take her to St. Louis, but it was a long journey, and he couldn’t spare to be away that long. He had to prepare for winter. This was how his father and he survived. One would go to St. Louis in the summer with their fur cache to trade, while the other stayed behind and made preparations for the upcoming trapping season and the harsh winters in these mountains. If a man wasn’t ready for winter here, he would die.

Aimee seemed to be oblivious to all the dangers of this harsh land. All the more reason to get her away from here. What if she got hurt, or worse? What had he been thinking when he took her up on her challenge to show her the mountains and teach her things? It was only encouraging her. But while she was here, she needed to know how to survive. Daniel’s mind swung like a pendulum from one side of the argument to the other. In the end, he was as lost for what to do as when he started his walk. 

******

Sunlight filtered into the cabin through the burlap covering the open window, casting a warm glow on her bed. Aimee pulled the covers back, and swung her legs over the sides of the mattress. She quickly dressed, and opened the cabin door. Daniel appeared to be gone again. She couldn’t be sure if he’d been gone all night, or had left early in the morning. The buffalo robe he slept on near the fire pit outside looked undisturbed.

Where did he go this time?
She chewed her nails and scanned the river for any sign of him. The sun was already well above the mountains framing the valley. She’d been eager for him to take her out again today. As the early morning dragged on, Aimee grew more restless. She’d already tidied up the cabin. She sat outside, and wrote in her journal for a while, but couldn’t concentrate as her irritation grew.

Why can’t he tell me he’s going to be gone? I’m not sitting around here all day. My foot feels fine.
She stared at the Firehole River in the distance, and an idea formed in her mind. She didn’t need him to take her to a geyser basin. She could find her own way. It couldn’t be more than a seven or eight mile hike to one of the geyser basins south of here. All she had to do was follow the river.

Her mind made up, Aimee packed her backpack. She grabbed her sweater off the foot of the bed, along with a blanket in case of cooler weather. She didn’t want to deal with hypothermia again. She was confident she could make the trip in one day, but to be on the safe side, she wanted something to keep her warm if she had to set up camp somewhere. 

She double-checked her pack for her flint so she could start a fire.
I’m going to be more prepared this time.
She smiled in satisfaction, and wrapped some meat and leftover bread in cloth. Several water bags hung on the wall by the door. Without a second thought, she grabbed one and hung it around her neck. Daniel wouldn’t miss it. He always carried one with him, so these were spares. A hunting knife hung next to the water bags, and purely on impulse she pulled it off the wall, too, and stuffed it in her pack. She was about to slip into her moccasins, but instead pulled her hiking boots out from under the bed. They would give her better ankle support.

“I bet he’s going to be mighty ticked off when I’m not here,” she said aloud, a smile on her face. She shrugged it off.
He doesn’t have the right to tell me what I can and can’t do, and besides, he always goes off without telling me.
She was almost out the door, when another thought struck.
I guess I could leave him a note. At least he’ll know I’ll be back. Zach said he went to school back east, so I’ll assume he can read.

She almost tore a piece of paper out of her journal, thought better of it, and found a strip of aspen bark instead. She rummaged through her pack for a pencil, scribbled a few lines explaining she had gone for a hike heading south, and would be back later in the day. She left the note on the table, and headed out the door.

****

It was a beautiful warm summer day. The fresh mountain air, the slight breeze, and her beautiful surroundings put her in a good mood. If Daniel had accompanied her, it would have been a better trip, but she wasn’t going to dwell on his constant mood swings. And just the few lessons she had received from him the day before gave her the confidence needed to handle this trip on her own.

She forded the Gibbon River at a shallow point, and kept the Firehole to her right. She knew the river cut through the mountains for a few miles, and since she didn’t want to end up hanging off a cliff again, she stayed in the valley to the east, and followed some animal trails heading south. Without the familiar two-lane highway that cut through this forest in her time, the going was slower than she expected, and she had to stop to get her bearings several times. It could be quite disorienting traveling though such dense forests, and she relied heavily on her compass.
You’re not going to get lost. Just stay to the west, and you’ll find the river.
Would Daniel try to find her if she disappeared for days?

After several hours of walking over and around downed trees, a wide smile spread across her face. The sounds of rushing water close by meant that she’d met up with the Firehole River again, and the going got easier as she followed along its banks. Soon, the forest opened up to meadowlands, and the first plumes of steam made by countless geysers and hot springs from the lower geyser basins rose in the distance. She would love to go all the way to Old Faithful. What a sight that would be! No boardwalks, no thousands of people crowding around to see the famous geyser erupt. She would be the only one there. She’d save that hike for another day. Other than a short break for a snack, she continued along the banks of the river. It was now an easy flat walk to the geyser basin.

She made a large loop around a group of bison, and kept her eyes on the ground, ever watchful not to step in puddles. Even a harmless-looking water puddle could open the ground and scald her badly if she wasn’t careful. The earth’s crust in this area was very thin, and she didn’t have modern-day boardwalks to keep her safe. If she stayed where there were a lot of bison tracks, she would be safe. If the ground could hold a one-ton bison, surely it would hold her.