Promises of Mercy(Montana Promises-Book 1) (21 page)

“It’s up to you how we play this
, baby, but do you want to hike then make love or make love then hike?”

She looked at the sky. “Seeing how clear it is, I say hike,
shower
, then make love.”

He smiled. “Come on then.”

He helped her into the cab of his truck before slipping into the driver’s side.

Amber snapped her seatbelt into place. “So where are we going?”

“Harmes National Forest.”

Her brows furrowed. “Oh.”

“Don’t worry. We won’t be hiking any paths that are too steep. And there will be a reward at the end.”

Her mouth made the prettiest “o” shape. “I like rewards.”

For the rest of the trip, she gazed out the window.

“Wait until we reach the top,” Stone said. “You won’t believe the view.”

“It’s pretty here, too.”

She sounded better. Good. He turned off the paved surface and onto a fire road. While his truck bucked and bounced on the rutted path, Amber didn’t complain. He liked she was made of sturdy stuff, but perhaps she was mentally so far away that she wasn’t aware of the ride at all.

The road ended at a boulder. “Far as she goes.” He glanced over at her. She was smiling.
Yes!
“Ready?”

She jumped out, not waiting for him to open her door.
He got his pack out of the bed of his truck and slipped it on.

She donned her small daypack and checked out his gear. “You need something that big? We’re just having lunch, right?”

“I want to be prepared for every contingency. Come on.” He didn’t need her to ask what that might entail. “Why don’t you lead? I tend to walk fast.”

She stuck out her tongue. “Braggart. I know you’re in better shape.”

He pounded his chest and laughed, inhaling the clean air. For the next twenty minutes, he enjoyed the fabulous scenery of Amber’s ass moving and swaying in front of him. Her pace was steady and sure.

She stopped
suddenly to pick a purple flower. “This is beautiful.” She inhaled and closed her eyes. “And sweet.”

“Like you.” He vowed to keep that look of wide-eyed wonder on her face forever. “It’s called a fairy slipper.”

The strongest urge to protect her against everything bad came over him. He never wanted her to be sad again.

Her shoulders sagged. “Now I wished I’d brought my camera.”

“You don’t have your cell?”

“Honestly? I didn’t want to chance getting called in.”

He never left home without his. While reception was spotty in the mountains, the camera would work just fine. “I have mine. Hold the flower up to your face and I’ll take your picture.” After he located his phone, she posed and he snapped away. This would be one he’d keep forever.

“Take one of us both,” she said, excitement lacing her voice.

As soon as she moved next to him and smiled, he held out his arm and snapped. “Let’s check it out,” he said. She leaned over as he scrolled to the picture. “Look at you.” Amber was tiny and beautiful. “It’s a keeper.”

“Send me a copy?”

“Will do.” He stashed the phone back in his pack and patted her butt. “Let’s get moving.”

After another twenty minutes, Stone made her stop to drink water. Never once during the hike had she complained,
not even when she had to climb over some large boulders.

When her pace began to slow and she kept wiping her brow, it appeared as if her
interest in hiking as waning. “We’re almost there, baby.”

She looked back and smiled. “I’m good.” Her breath had quickened.

He didn’t want her too exhausted. He had plans. Because the turn off to the lake could be tricky, he decided to take the lead. “I need to find the spot where we cut in.”

After three false attempts, he found the overgrown path. He held out his hand to help guide her. “Watch out for low branches.”

Once they wove their way through the tunnel of trees, they came upon a secluded spot overlooking a huge lake with the view of the mountains as a backdrop.

She stilled. “Oh, Stone. This is amazing! We don’t have anything like this in Oklahoma.”

He grinned and gathered her in his arms. “I love it here, too.” And not just because of the vista. “Let’s follow the ridge. I know of a nice spot where we can have our picnic.”

And make love.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Amber had ridden the flat plains of the Benson ranch that had a view of these mountains from a distance, but it was a lot different this close to the peaks. The fresh air, the hint of sage, the majestic trees, and magnificent vista overwhelmed her senses.

She wrapped her arms around her shoulders. “I think if I
had a home right here, I’d never leave.” She gazed over the placid lake.

“I’d love that, too, but with my job, I fear too many people would die by the time I hiked down the mountain and drove to the fire station.”

She punched him. “That was assuming I didn’t work. I wouldn’t want to commute either.” He acted like she was suggesting they should live together in her imaginary house. While she might like that, she didn’t want to get her hopes up.

He nudged her and nodded to the water. “Let’s try it out. What do you say?” He dropped his pack.

She twisted toward him. Stone stepped back, untied his boots, and kicked them off. “What are you doing? You’re actually going for a swim?”

“Yup.” He then stepped out of his pants.

“I bet the water’s freezing.” It didn’t make a difference that she was sweating and the air temperature was somewhere in the seventies.

“Chicken?”

He knew how to push her buttons. “No.” While most of her efforts had been in indoor heated pools, she prided herself on being a strong swimmer.

Not one to turn down a challenge, she shucked off her pack, then her shoes, and all of her outerwear. A sudden breeze raised goose bumps on her arms and legs, but she was determined to do this. She thought he’d stop at his underwear, but no. He got naked. While his cock wasn’t erect, it wasn’t soft either. She bet that would change as soon as he hit the chilly water.

He nodded to her attire. “You sure you don’t want to take off your sports bra and undies? Or did you bring a spare?”

Now he was being ridiculous. “No. You didn’t tell me we were
going swimming.”

“You know those undies won’t keep you warm
in the water. After you swim, you’ll be happy you have something dry to change into.”

He had a point. Wet sports bras sucked. She looked around. “What if someone comes?”

“It’s pretty isolated up here.” He grinned.

“But what if they do?”

He ran his hands down her bare shoulders. “Would it bother you if someone saw you naked?”

“Yes.” She wasn’t an exhibitionist.

He leaned in close. “Or would it
excite
you?” The mere presence of his bare body had her hormones flying through her veins.

This wasn’t like Stone to push her.
Unless
. She bet Cade had told him about last night, and he was trying to keep her distracted. Well it worked.

She glanced around. “No one’s coming, right?”

“No, baby. I just didn’t want you to freak if it happened.” He ran his gaze down her.

Now he was the caring man she was falling in love with. She latched onto his beautiful green eyes that seemed to have taken on the shade of the pine trees around them. Her inner walls clenched at the thought of doing something this unorthodox.

As if her fingers had a will of their own, she pulled the bra off over her head. Even sweaty, the cool air pebbled her nipples. He reached out and caressed a breast. All thoughts of anyone seeing her vanished.

“So beautiful. I’ve missed you so much.” He had the nerve to step back and nod to her panties. “Those, too.”

“I’m getting there. These things take time.” Going braless was one thing, but being buck-naked was something else altogether. She hesitated before lowering her bottoms one inch at a time. His gaze followed her movements. She stepped out of her panties and placed them on top of her pack. Without warning, he lifted her and rushed toward the water.

“We need to go in slowly, Stone.”

He dropped back his head and laughed. “Hell, no. We’ll chicken out if we do. It’s all or nothing. Ready?” His feet were already at the edge of the lake.

“Like I have a choice?”

“Not anymore.”

He ran in. She waited to see the shock on his face from the cold, but none came. This mountain lake might not be as chilly as she anticipated.

The second her ass dipped into the lake water, she knew she couldn’t have been more wrong. “Oh, shit.”

Down they went.
Holy hell
. He dunked her up to her neck. “It’s like an ice bath.” Her breath literally caught in her throat and no more words escaped.

Stone set her down and her feet landed on soft sand. “Race you to the middle,” he said.

Damn him. He knew how she’d respond to that challenge. At least the swim would heat her up. “You’re on.”

As long as she was this wet, she might as well go in all the way. She dove in and swam underwater until her breath gave out. When she surfaced, Stone was by her side taking long, even strokes, not even looking winded. So much for beating him—unless she cheated.

Normally, she wasn’t one to bend the rules, but she believed this constituted an exception. She grabbed his ankle and jumped on his back. After the intense swim, the water didn’t feel so bad.

He laughed and rolled over. Now she was straddling him. “Better watch out, little girl. Something could happen in here.”

The freezing water temperature would negate him from being able to carry out the warning. “I dare you.”

She flipped and swam as hard and as fast as she could toward shore. Less than fifteen feet in
to her retreat, he grabbed her waist. “Oh, no you don’t. I’m not letting you get away that easily.”

He turned her around and when he stood, she automatically wrapped her legs around his waist. The kiss that followed removed all thoughts of the cold water. Now refreshed from the swim, her energy had returned and she kissed him with everything she had. He probed her mouth while his thumbs danced across her hard, budding nipples.

“Someone’s cold.” With her holding on tightly, Stone walked them onto the banks. “I brought a towel.”

“I’m glad you came prepared.”

He smiled as he placed her on a somewhat smooth surface. Amber jumped up and down, trying to stay warm while he rummaged through his pack.

“Tada!” He waved a striped beach towel. “Allow me.”

Even though he was dripping wet and had to be cold, he ran the towel over every inch of her body. And she meant “every” inch. When it came to her tits, pussy, and, ass, he lingered.

“I’m good. Now it’s my turn.” She snatched the towel from him.

He cocked a brow. “Only because I tossed you into the lake will I allow you to return the favor.”

She widened her eyes on purpose. “You don’t like me touching you?”

“You know better, but you’ll take your time, and I have other plans.”

“Ooh.” She hurried to remove most of the water off his rippling body. He then drew her into a strong embrace.

“Now, I’m going to make love to you. I’ve yet to have you for myself.”

She tucked in her chin. “You think we’re going to make love in the open where anyone can come upon us? Human and animal alike?”

He tapped her nose. “That’s why I have a tent.”

Her amazement for this man grew. “You’re kidding.”

He bent over and pulled out a one-foot long nylon bag from his pack. “I’ll show you in a minute. Put some clothes on but be prepared to be stripped as soon as we’re inside.”

They both dressed quickly. The clothes warmed her right away.

He held out the tent. “How about you carry this—it only weighs five pounds—and I’ll bring the rest. I know a nice spot a little way from here where it’s more secluded.”

She grabbed her small pack and the tent and followed him
. Never once had she dreamed about making love outdoors, especially with someone as wonderful as Stone, but here she was.

While a part of her felt guilty for enjoying him so much when Cade wasn’t t
here, she figured that was what the ménage lifestyle was about. Adore the person you were with at the time.

They’d walked about five hundred feet when they came to a
romantic clearing snuggled among the tall trees. “Nice.” The pine-needled-covered ground would make for a soft floor for the tent.

He set down his pack, removed the tent from her hands, and opened one shock-corded pole. “Everything is color-coded. Thread the pole through the same-colored loop and I’ll take it from there.”

She did as he instructed and found the design easy and practical. Four poles later, the tent was erected.

“Very cool.”

He nodded. “I thought we’d eat in the open and then convene inside for some
dessert
.”

She laughed at his way with words. He unhooked an insulated pad from his pack and spread it out. She sat down and then helped him with the food. “Wow. You really went all out.” He had hummus and vegetables, cheese and crackers—her favorite—and three different kinds of sandwiches.

“And more water. You can’t be too hydrated when you’re hiking.”

Amber
was thirsty and drank half of the bottle. She’d shared quite a bit of time with Cade and learned a lot about him, but when she and Stone had been together, he’d spent most of the time comforting her. He was a caring man with deep convictions. While she’d met his wonderful family, she wanted to learn more about the man himself and keep the emphasis off herself, which was what she needed right now.

She picked up a ham and cheese sandwich and bit into it. “What was your most difficult call as a paramedic?”

“Most difficult case in what sense?”

“Good question.”
Hmm
. “Okay. Was there one call you wished you’d handled differently?”

“I try not to second guess myself. Usually when we arrive, we assess the scene for safety before we act. Mostly though, by the time we get there, the scene has already been secured.”

“It didn’t sound like the scene had been secured when you helped the kid who stabbed you.”

“I’m afraid in that case, the ambulance got there minutes before the cops.”
He blew out a breath. “But my worse case, huh? I guess it would have been two winters ago when the search and rescue team needed backup. The mountains around Rock Hard sure can get some mean avalanches.”

She didn’t like that he had to go into ravines or climb mountains to save people. That seemed so dangerous.

“This time an avalanche had crushed a mountain cabin, and a family had been trapped inside. A few days later, a ski patroller spotted a smokestack sticking above the snow. He yelled down the chimney and heard a faint response. Unable to do more on his own, he raced down the mountain for help. We had no idea what we’d find when we got there.”

She couldn’t imagine the panic of being trapped inside. She wrapped her arms around her as if she was fending off the cold herself.

“The victims needed help to arrive as fast as possible. Our job was to stabilize them so S&R could bring them down safely. Transporting someone down the mountain can be tricky. By the time we managed to reach the people, the man was already dead, and his wife was barely hanging on. Huddled between them was their year-old baby. My heart almost broke, but by some miracle the child was still alive.”

Amber shook her head.

“We stabilized the wife. Her condition was too critical to carry her out, so we called for a copter rescue.”

That was so sad. She couldn’t imagine
what it would be like to watch your husband die lying next to you.

“We wrapped the man in plastic and brought him down on a sled. I prayed the whole time we wouldn’t have another avalanche.” He looked to the side. “Unfortunately, the mom lost both her feet from frostbite, but the baby was fine.” Stone
cleared his throat and nodded to all their food. “Eat up.” He wagged a finger at her. “And no more sad stories.”

She agreed, but it was a testament to the type of man Stone was that he still seemed shaken by the tragedy. As they dug in, she swore each bite tasted better than the last. “Guess what?” She kept her voice more cheery than she felt. Her mind was still on that poor woman losing her husband and then her feet.

“What?”

“I’m making a quilt for you and Cade.”

He set down his drink. “Oh, baby. That’s so nice of you.”

“It’s nothing fancy, but I want you to think of me
every time you look at it.” Stone gathered the rest of the food and stuffed it back in his sac. She laughed at his frantic pace. “Is there a fire?” She thought her comment witty.

“I’m hoping to start one. With you.” He winked.

Aw
. With the food safely stored, he slid the pad into the tent, and she crawled in after him. It smelled like new plastic. “Did you just buy this?”

“No, but I haven’t had a chance to use it. I was waiting for someone special to share it with.”

“You are so sweet.”

He grinned. “That’s me.”

Because it wasn’t more than three feet high, she could barely sit up in it. Stone located a second pad and placed it next to the other one. The two together took up the entire width of the tent.