A Rare Breed (12 page)

Brit was amazed at Yolanda's outburst, but even more astonished at Rudi's uncharacteristic assertiveness with her. His defense of their rescue, including Jake's necessary roughness, impressed her.

Yolanda glared at Rudi, shocked into silence by his reaction to her complaints.

"It's true, babe," he said in a quieter tone. "I love you so much, I was scared silly. And I'll admit, I wasn't worth much. Brit helped keep me in there. But Jake's the one who saved you. So leave him alone. You aren't going to sue anybody here."

Sudden tears filled Yolanda's eyes and, in an emotional switch, she began to cry. She also started to shake all over.

Jake nudged Brit. "That's it. She's going into shock. We've got to get her warm—quick. Come on. Let's get busy."

They all worked steadily for the next hour with one goal: to keep Yolanda from going into shock. They dressed her in Jake's insulated underwear and a heavy flannel shirt, wrapped her in a blanket, and gave her hot chocolate and warm soup. Jake started a small fire, and the four of them huddled around it, sipping hot chocolate and eventually rehashing the events of the afternoon.

"Man, we were so lucky today," Rudi said, kissing Yolanda's hand repeatedly. "I'm sorry about the way she acted. She didn't mean what she said out there, Jake. She just didn’t under-stand."

"Thank you, Mr. Rudi Romero," Yolanda interrupted, giving him a commanding glare. "But I can speak for myself. Never had any problem with the mouth." She turned a timid smile toward Jake. "Rudi has helped me to realize that I put everyone at risk today, especially you, Jake. And I know now why you had to rough me up today. In spite of the inevitable bruises, I do fully appreciate what you, and everyone, did. And I'm sorry I cussed you out."

As usual, she had everyone laughing.

Jake put another piece of wood on the fire.

"Aw, shucks, Yolanda." He continued her banter with an effective drawl. "I had to do something. You might still be perched out there on that rock if I hadn't dragged you off."

"No," she answered seriously. "I wouldn't still be there, and you know it. I couldn't have held on much longer. We all know what could have happened today. That was pretty close. In fact, that's two close ones in less than a week."

"I'd say you're damned lucky, Yolanda," Brit said. "Jake didn't mean to bruise you, but you fought him pretty hard. I know a lot of women who would fight like that to get into his arms!"

She grinned. "Quite a trick, huh? Still, I'll admit I was damned scared."

"I guess you still have more to accomplish on this old earth, babe," Rudi offered philosophically. "A mission not yet done."

Yolanda ran her fingers through her still wet hair, trying to dry it. "Do you really believe that?"

"Sure. My grandmother used to say that everyone has a mission on earth." Rudi served everyone more hot chocolate. "And when there's a close call like that, the mission hasn't yet been accomplished."

"I can't imagine what in the world my mission could be," Yolanda scoffed.

"Why, you make people laugh," Jake said. "It keeps the human spirit up. For some, it's even proven to be physically as well as emotionally healing."

"Oh yeah? Cure your heart attack with a routine from Yolanda!" she joked.

"Or, cure your heart ache by laughing with Yolanda," Brit corrected.

"Think I could do a routine about this . . . about what happened to us today?" Yolanda asked.

"From my perspective," Rudi grumbled, taking his seat next to hers, "it wasn't very funny."

"From my perspective, perched on a rock," Yolanda began teasingly, "you guys were like the Keystone Kops, running around, jumping, yelling, and finally getting a rope. It's amazing you got anything done!"

Brit recalled her peaceful bath yesterday witnessed only by a bird until Jake came along. "What about the perspective of a hawk watching us today? I'll bet he thought we were strange, running around like that."

"Yeah," Yolanda chuckled and lapsed into her storytelling voice. "Hey, how about this? A couple of hawks are up there spinning around, catching air currents over the Grand Canyon when they spot a couple of humans diddling around in an overgrown swimming pool." She paused and looked at Rudi with a girlish giggle. "When all of a sudden, one of those humans starts floating away. The one who's left gets his buddies, and they lasso the one who fell in." She paused again, testing her punch line timing. "Which shows that diddling can be dangerous . . . unless you've got a rope." Although the group laughed, she dismissed them with one hand. "Aw, it needs some work, a lot of work, but maybe . . ."

"You forgot about the part where you wouldn't leave the rock," Rudi added. "I thought for a few minutes that you'd laid an egg out there and didn't want to abandon your nest."

"Hey, that's not bad," Yolanda said. "You want to be my writer? But seriously, folks, I want to thank you all for making it possible for me to be here, planning a goofy version of what happened today."

"Only you could make us laugh about it," Brit said.

Yolanda yawned and stood to warm her backside by the fire. "After this most eventful day, I'm pooped. I think I can sleep tonight even in that cold, uncomfortable tent."

She approached Jake. "I think a hug is in order for the hunk who saved my life." Before he could react, Yolanda swept her arms around him in a big bear hug. When she stepped back, she wiped a tear from each eye. Then she hugged Brit, too. It was a tender moment, and obviously a rare one for Yolanda, so she quickly made light of the situation. "Hey, better catch my beauty zzz's. Tomorrow might be the day we're rescued and I’ve got to look good for the cameras. G'night all."

Rudi shook Jake's hand with his big mitt and hugged Brit, too, then followed Yolanda into the big tent.

Jake nursed the small fire, which sputtered because of the damp wood.

"I'm glad everything turned out okay," Brit commented.

"Um-hummm. Of course."

"You did an admirable thing today, Jake."

"As I said earlier, I couldn't have done anything by myself. It was a joint effort. We all did it."

"Well, Rudi and I couldn't have saved her by ourselves, either. I was very proud to know you today."

Jake stood up and stretched. He felt uncomfortable listening to Brit's compliments and knew only one way to stop them. "I'm tired, too. Are you ready for bed?"

"Sure." Brit stood and turned to pick up the sleeping bag she'd wrapped around herself.

Jake caught her arm and slipped it over his shoulder, pulling her against him. His arms curved around her waist. "To bed in the loft?"

"Yep," she nodded, leaning into the warm masculine strength of his body. It felt good to be in his arms. "It's as safe as any place around here. Safer than most."

"Together?"

Her heart pounded, and she smiled in the darkness. "Are you asking permission?"

"It isn’t my usual course of action, but down here, I feel that everything is at risk. Including us. Except for tonight."

"I hate risk," she whispered. "I prefer a sure thing."

"Sorry, no promises. Except one."

"Yes?"

"It’ll be good. Tonight."

Brit's breath caught in her throat, and she turned her face
down. She could feel his breath
ing, the steady rise and fall of his chest. She'd never done anything like this, with someone she knew so little. But she'd never known a man she'd been more attracted to, anyone she'd respected more. Anyone she'd wanted more.

This afternoon, they'd come close, so very close to intimacy. She'd been willing then. Oh, so willing.

"Brit . . . beautiful Brit . . ." His voice was low, almost a whisper.

She raised her eyes and looked at his shadowed face. The angles picked up the flickering light from the campfire with hints of the shaded slope of his jawline. His eyes were dark, inviting, sexy. The man was mysterious in some ways, bold in others. She desired him more than she had desired any man. She wanted him, completely and thoroughly, wanted him tonight.

"Yes, Jake?"

With one finger under her chin, he gently lifted her face until their lips met. Firm and cool, they pressed against her mouth. His tongue slid across her lower lip and she opened for his

delicious invasion. The sensuous stroking of his tongue against hers sent tides of passion flowing fresh and new between them.

"Oh my," she murmured breathlessly when he took his kisses to her chin and cheeks.

"Hmmm?"

"Sometimes you have to go on intuition," she murmured as his lips brushed hers. "My intuition says yes tonight."

"Yes, yes, yes," he murmured and picked her up, sleeping bag and all, and carried her to the foot of their rocky loft where they began their climb to the cave.

CHAPTER SIX

She took his hand and kissed the palm, then placed it on her cheek. The warmth from his body radiated to hers.

Jake spread his hand beneath her chin and his fingertips stroked her cheeks, her neck, the sensitive area between her breasts. He kissed her lips lightly. "Hmmm, Brit, I want to know the real you, the beautiful you. Let's get rid of this shirt."

The backs of his fingers nudged her responsive skin as he unbuttoned the flannel shirt. Her creamy breasts stood high and firm, their nipples erect as if proudly acclaiming her womanhood. Unable to resist their rounded allure, he caressed them lightly as his hands scooted the shirt off her shoulders.

She was fair and breathtakingly beautiful with a special feminine charm which, in itself, was a minor miracle here in his rough world. He appreciated her, cherished her as he would a gift, an unexpected pleasure in his life. He had expected to work this summer, work with no relief, no companionship, no beautiful woman. Now he had more than he could deal with, much more than he could resist in Brit. He was beyond trying. He had dreamed of her sleeping alone, and longed for her next to him. But, it had been a fantasy.

Jake had forgotten how he would feel in the arms of a woman, especially one who appealed to him on all levels, not just sexual. And here was Brit, eager for him, a blond delight who wanted him as he wanted her.

She stood trembling before him, both from the exposure of her partial nudity to the cool night air and from the erotic strokes of Jake's admiring hands. Making low murmurs, he left no doubt that he adored every inch that he touched. She thrilled to that knowledge and yearned for more. Much more. His hands drew along her ribs, fingers spread wide, then moved lower. She loved the firmness of his touch.

"Take these off, too," he breathed, unsnapping the jeans she wore. His jeans. One hand deftly unbuttoned the fly with easy familiarity while the other slid behind her and pushed the jeans slithering to the ground.

She shivered, and he took delight in her reactions as his palms roamed her soft curves. He was like a potter, molding her body into the perfect female image. The perfect creation was at his fingertips. The darkness magically transformed her into willing artist's clay—soft, pliant, moist. With every caress, she became, in his clumsy hands, exactly what he wanted her to be. Perfection.

"My turn," she said with certain eagerness, starting at the bottom shirt buttons at his waist and working her way up his chest to the pulsing V at his neck. She opened the shirt and kissed the muscled stretch of his chest, traveling from one tight male nipple to the other.

His skin was sleek, and kissing it was like pressing her lips to silk. Free of any but the faintest of body hair, her lips skimmed lightly, tasting and savoring with every kiss. He smelled fresh, like a walk in the desert rain when the earthy fragrances mingled. She ran her tongue around his nipples, and he tasted faintly of moss and nutmeg. The unusual combination was heady and erotic.

After discarding his shirt, Brit slowly unsnapped the front fly of his jeans and proceeded to remove them, too. Not daring to look at him, actually unable to see much of him in the dark, she settled for touching. Shy at first, Brit reached around him and covered each slender buttock with her palms, pressing him to her. The swell of his masculinity urged against her belly, exciting her, thrilling her with anticipation.

"Oh yes, Jake," she murmured, holding him firmly to her. He quivered against her and she thrilled to his reaction.

Jake held her, running his hands down her back and over the curve of her fanny. "You'd better get into the sleeping bag before you get chilled."

Brit followed his directions and watched Jake get himself ready for her. His actions were sensuous for, at this angle, his lean, smooth body caught just enough flickers of light from the campfire to reveal the masculine shapes she so desired.

He slid into the sleeping bag with her and, for a moment, there was no contact. Neither touched the other. But their expectations were strong, almost tangible, and the height of desire bridged the small space between them. The moment was filled with an increased tension, homage to the basic elements of physical attraction between man and woman when they both realized the dominance of passion.

Then the modest separation was closed as Jake moved to encompass her length with his. Brit felt his body with every alert fiber of her being. From top to bottom, chest to pelvis, shoulder to thigh, they met and mingled. Even their legs and feet entwined. His energy reached out to her, surrounding her. She rejoiced in his masculine embrace and melded her body to his boldness.