Canyon's Call

KATE BURNS

Canyon's Call a novel of erotic romance by

Kate Burns

2

CANYON'S CALL

Phaze 6470A Glenway Avenue, #109 Cincinnati, OH 45211-5222 This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental. eBook ISBN 1-59426-542-9 Canyon's Call © 2007 by Kate Burns All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Cover art © 2007 by Debi Lewis Edited by Stephanie Balistreri Phaze is an imprint of Mundania Press, LLC.

www.Phaze.com

3

KATE BURNS

Also by Kate Burns Halfpipe Romance Love Lessons

4

CANYON'S CALL

Prologue "Therefore, it is merely a simple equation to factor in the residual chromosomal matter, adjust the variance for the instability factor and voila! You come up with the characteristics of nearly any known species. Of course, it has to be an extinct species but still, the equations are useful—and exciting, I think. And they will be part of the mid-term so I suggest you learn them well. Very well," Professor Mitchell said from his position near the podium. In the pit at the front of the immense lecture hall he strode back and forth as he spoke, the ends of his white lab coat flapping behind him. He looked more like a comic book rendering of a mad scientist than what he actually was—a scientist who felt compelled to teach. The mad part of the "mad scientist" label was debatable, but without bearing on his lecture. Nearly a hundred graduate students, also dressed in white coats, took notes furiously on their laptops. For a long moment the only noise in the room, aside from Professor Mitchell's heels against the scuffed linoleum floor, was the sound of clicking as fingernails tapped keyboards. There was also the collective whoosh of held breath suddenly released as the pertinent information was noted. A hand went up near the center of the room and the professor used a broken ruler to point to it. "Yes? A question?" "Um, yes…Professor, what about living species?" A groan went up from the crowded room. Feet scraped against the floor and bodies pressed against seat backs. This could, they knew, be a long exchange. "Miss Reed? Is that you?" The man craned his neck, searching for a face to accompany the voice he knew so well. It was a voice that haunted his dreams. A constantly questioning, eternally probing voice. It was a voice that belonged to the type of student every teacher yearned for—or dreaded. This student filled both categories for Professor Mitchell. He loved her thirst for knowledge yet feared she would—someday in the

5

KATE BURNS

very near future, perhaps—ask a question he had no answer for. "Where are you, Miss Reed?" The hand went up again and the crowd around her parted as if they were the Red Sea and the Professor was Moses. "I'm right here, Professor." Smiling at the sight of her, the man nodded and tapped the broken ruler against his temple lightly. "So you're not sitting in the front any more, then? I've chased you back to the center of the classroom?" Carrie swallowed, offering a faint smile. You and that damn ruler—yeah, you moved me back, all right. When you broke that thing on the desk I nearly had a heart attack. Who the hell could know that you'd get so frustrated by one question? And it was a silly question, really. Mitochondrial properties under stressful conditions—that was all I asked about. I guess I found out how they react, though—didn't I? And who knew that ruler parts could fly so far and so fast. I doubt that the maintenance guys will ever get the seveninch bit out of the ceiling tile. "Ah, yes…I can see how you might be inclined to move further back, mingle with the other students, as it were. Yes, in light of the recent…" he looked down at the piece of wood clenched in his fist and shrugged his shoulders, "classroom incident, I can see why you would feel a bit more secure in another location. Now, I take it that you've got a question, Miss Reed? A concise question?" "Yes, Professor." The classroom gave a collective sigh. "Well, then, what is it? I can tell that your classmates are just as anxious as I am to hear what today's question will be. So…enlighten us." He crossed his arms and leaned back against the podium, feeling as if he was standing before a firing squad of one. Someday the lone shooter would fire at him and he would not be able to deflect the intellectual bullet. Hopefully this wasn't that day. "I'm just wondering whether or not the same equations apply to living species," Carrie said, forgetting about the ruler for a moment. She had questions—he had answers. The ruler could go to hell. "You've indicated that this set of circumstances applies to extinct species. I'd like to know if this correlation can be drawn among living species, as well. Or is there another set of equations that apply to identifying a species not yet extinct?"

6

CANYON'S CALL

Grinning like a cat with a goldfish locked in its jaws, Professor Mitchell unfolded his arms and took a step forward. "If there are, Miss Reed, no one has made known their existence yet. To the best of my knowledge—and it is vast, I assure you—there are no equations to be used in the identification of a new species that is not yet found its way to extinction. So the answer to your question is no. There are not another set of equations that apply to identifying a species not yet extinct." Letting the air out of his lungs slowly, surreptitiously, and without allowing the grin threatening to overwhelm him show on his otherwise-scholarly looking face, the professor turned his back on the classroom as he took a step toward the blackboard. That move, innocent and filled with such satisfaction at his successful answer, nearly cost him. Dearly. A moment was all it took for the best pupil he'd ever had to formulate a second question. A more difficult question. One that he did not have an exact answer to, but rather an educated guess. A hypothesis, if you will. "Professor?" His spine stiffened as he stopped walking. The air in the lecture hall was so still that a paper airplane would plunge to the floor before it flew two feet. When he turned to look at the class, his face was arranged in a neutral pose. "Yes, Miss Reed?" Carrie noticed he gripped the ruler so tightly that his knuckles were white. She swallowed and lifted her gaze, meeting his eyes with more courage than her wobbly stomach allowed. "Well…you've covered extinct species in your lecture. Very well, I thought," she said quickly. He nodded, a small twitching at the corners of his lips his only response. Carrie continued, "And my question involved species currently living. Again, you've given us the answer to that one so really, those two areas are clear. But…" "Yes?" She took a deep breath and asked the next in a quick burst. "What about species undiscovered? Those unknown to us at the current time? Suppose a new species is discovered—will the same formulaic equations apply? The same principles—will they be the ones scientists use?" Professor Mitchell grinned. Dropping the ruler remnant on the podium, he leaned forward conspiratorially, as if sharing a secret. "That, Miss Reed, is a question all scientists wonder from time to time. But yes,

7

KATE BURNS

those of us who wonder it believe the same equations we use on extinct species will apply to those yet undiscovered. Class dismissed." There were shuffling noises in the lecture hall, sounds of laptops being snapped shut and hurried whispers as the professor turned and began to pack his notes into his worn leather briefcase. A bit of hushed conversation reached Carrie's ears as she made some final notes appear on her screen. "…wants to find a new species before she dies." "You're right. I think it's the only thing she wants." As she pressed Save and waited for the small computer to shut down, she allowed herself an inward smile. There was a small glow deep within her, warming her as surely as a campfire chases a chill. Yeah, I want to find a new species. My two goals—to discover something new and to find someone to share the discovery with. What else could a scientist ever want?

8

CANYON'S CALL

Chapter One "Just exactly who are you?" Carrie held the tiny silver cell phone with her shoulder while she shone her penlight into the clear blue eyes of an unspotted Dalmatian puppy. As she smiled, nodding to the anxious owner, she flicked off the light and stowed it in the breast pocket of her white coat. Then she pulled the phone out of the tangle of brown curls which held it so snugly she couldn't understand a word of what was being said. Heading toward her office, she summoned her best professional voice and interrupted the tirade she could hear now that the phone was properly positioned against her ear. "Excuse me. Who did you say you are?" "Good God, woman, haven't you been listening to a word I've been saying? I'm Jake Canyon of the River View Canyon Ranch. Maybe I should have called someone else—but hell, you're the one that everyone recommended so I called you. So, what do you say? Do you think you can come out and have a look?" The voice that came from the phone was deep and full and Carrie's nipples tightened as she listened to him. She smiled, recognizing the familiar—although not frequent—touch of heat that spread through her body as she shrugged out of her lab coat and sat in her wide leather chair. Her desk was uncluttered, with only a few random papers on its polished surface. By day's end those, too, would be filed away. She reached for the closest one and inspected it. She felt her nipples were hard points, very obvious to as they rubbed against her tight pink T-shirt. Tossing the paper down, she tilted the chair back and put her feet, ankles crossed, on the edge of the desk. As she arched her back a second wave of warmth spread through her. Jake Canyon? Who are you, what do you want and more importantly, why do I feel so horny listening to you? Hell, I was having a perfectly ordinary kind of day before you called. I was looking forward

9

KATE BURNS

to getting a few weeks of rest before the busy summer season begins. What the hell do you want? "Have a look? What exactly do you want me to look at, Mr. Canyon?" "Jake." "Jake, then. I'm sorry, but I missed the first part of our conversation—I had a last patient I was attending. I'll be out of the office for a couple of months so I'm trying to finish up here." Carrie absently twirled a curl around her fingertip, a childhood habit that she had never lost. "My receptionist is already gone, so I'm on my own here. Would you mind repeating what you said?" A long, low sound that was almost a growl came from the phone. It was no secret that the caller was struggling for control as he inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly before replying. "A sighting. We've had a few reports of sightings of some kind of unknown creature. A moose or a caribou, we're not sure. Or maybe it's a cross between the two. Or maybe even…" "Yes?" He hesitated. "Well, some have suggested that it could be a bear and a moose…um, well…that the two have successfully mated." Carrie's laughter filled the office and from the back room she could hear Ben, the resident collie, barking in response. "Really, Mr. Can—Jake, that's highly unlikely. A bear and a moose? No, I don't believe that could happen. I mean, really, have you taken a look at the reproductive organs of moose and bears? They're not exactly suited for mating. And what exactly are you asking me to do?" "Come on out. Take a look. Hell, you're supposed to be some sort of fancy-pants genetic expert, aren't you? I'd have thought that something like this would be a big deal to your kind." "My kind?" "That's right. Your kind. Scientists. Doctors. You know—book people. Wouldn't you like to see an aberration like this? A cross between a moose and a bear?" "As I've already told you, I doubt that it could happen. I don't believe that you've got a cross between a bear and a moose. It's just not realistic. It's not logical, not…well, it's not scientific." "But aren't you just a little bit curious?" Of course I am. And really, it's not as if I have any other exciting plans in mind for my time away from the office. I was going to sort

10

CANYON'S CALL

through the attic and the garage, for Pete's sake. Nothing that can't be put off, especially if there's a possibility of finding a new species...what the hell am I saying? A moose? A bear? Ridiculous! "I'm sorry to have bothered you, Doctor. You were recommended and I thought I'd give it a shot. I'll call someone else since it's obvious that you're not interested in whatever it is we have here. Thank you for your time and have—" Sitting straight up in her chair, she dropped her feet to the tiled floor with a thud as she swiveled and scanned the calendar on the wall beside her desk. Her time was completely unscheduled for six long weeks. Perfectly empty. "Wait a minute! I didn't say I wouldn't go and have a look at it. Where are you, anyway?" Carrie reached into a drawer for a pencil and paper and prepared to take notes. "Alaska." "Alaska?" When he chuckled she felt every hair on the back of her neck stand up straight. Her nipples got harder—something Carrie wouldn't have thought possible—and her pussy tingled. And he did it all with a mere chuckle. Carrie could only imagine what an actual touch—some skin-onskin contact—could do to her. "That's right. The forty-ninth state, remember us? So what do you think, Dr. Reed? Shall I make a plane reservation for you? Should I expect you in the next day or so, or should I phone someone else? It's entirely up to you." I've got no reason not to go. A mini-break will be good for me, I think. Yeah, what the hell…I might as well go, right? Why not? "I'll make my own flight arrangements, thanks. I'll see if I can get there sometime tomorrow. How does that sound?" She began to scrawl a list of things to do before she left on the scrap of paper as she waited for a response. "Sounds great. I look forward to meeting you, Doc." Snapping the phone shut, Carrie smiled. Not as much as I look forward to meeting you, Jake Canyon. **** It was only a matter of a few phone calls before she was ready to leave. She'd arranged for the mail to be held, asked her assistant, Jolene, to check on the last animals in the clinic and had answered all her e-

11

KATE BURNS

mails. There was nothing left for Carrie to do—except for one thing. And it was the thing that she had been dreading the most. It was the thing that she'd put off until the very end but now that the very end had come she still didn't want to do it, unfortunately there was no way out of it. With a sigh, she picked up the tiny cell phone and punched in the numbers. She waited, holding her breath as the phone rang. Maybe I'll get the answering machine. I'll just leave a message and that'll be the end of it. No muss, no fuss, no need to explain anything, just a quick, no-nonsense message and I'll be on my— "Hello?" Damn. "Hi, Mom. It's me. How are you tonight? How'd you make out at the senior center this morning? Did you enjoy the mah jongg tournament?" Flood her with questions, maybe it'll confuse her—if only for a moment. Maybe it'll be easier to slide my news in if she's preoccupied, maybe…oh, hell, what am I thinking? I've known this woman all my life. There's no confusing her. None. "Oh, Carrie dear, it's about time you called. I was beginning to worry about you. It's been so long since I've heard your voice. I mean, anything could have happened to you—anything. Did you hear about the unmarried woman who got run over by the tow truck over on the other end of town? It was horrible!" "I just spoke to you, Mom." "No, you didn't. It's been much too long between phone calls," her mother insisted. She used that I-know-better-than-you-do tone of voice, the one that never failed to make Carrie feel like she had scuffed her newly polished party shoes. "Last night. I spoke to you only last night, which wasn't that long ago. So, what town, Mom? The woman and the tow truck—what town was it?" I didn't hear about any tow truck accident on the news. I've had the radio on in the clinic all day—I should have heard something like that. "Oh, I don't know," her mother said vaguely. "Some town. Somewhere. It was in Minnesota, I think. Or maybe Memphis, I don't know. Some M-word place. What's the difference? She was unmarried— and now she's dead, the poor thing." Fuck. Why do I do this to myself? Why couldn't I have gone without telling her? Now I'll have to listen to ten minutes of the single-women

12

CANYON'S CALL

blues. Then it'll be the I-haven't-seen-you-in-days sonata. Dammit, what the hell is wrong with her, anyway? Ten minutes later Carrie still hadn't been able to tell her mother that she was leaving in the morning. It wasn't for lack of trying; the older woman simply wouldn't let her get a word into the conversation. It's like trying to find a break in the rush-hour traffic in New York City. If I step off the curb a taxi might run over my foot. And if I don't I could be stuck on the corner for the rest of my life. Shit, I'm jumping! "…and I told her not to worry, that the paramedics were bound to know what to do to get her dentures out of the garbage disposal but I could hear it in her voice, the tension that made me think that she might be going to lose control any minute and I thought for sure that she—" "Mom—" "—might just—" "Mom!" "—lose control so I kept my voice really, really calm and I never gave her the chance to—" "MOM!" The silence, after the long rat-a-tat of her mother's gunshot-like monologue, was absolute. "What?" Her mother's voice was low and even and Carrie knew that she was pissed off. Her mother would never have said that she was annoyed, though—it wasn't her style to act as if they were both actually adults. Instead, Carrie's mother chose to treat her as if she were still a child in need of rational guidance—something her mother had never had a propensity for in the first place but who was, nonetheless, convinced she doled out in great measure. And it was all—this Carrie-needs-guidance outlook—because Carrie had not yet found a husband. Her mother had made it abundantly clear that she didn't care if her daughter jumped over the broom, eloped to Vegas, or had elaborate nuptials in a cathedral. She wanted her to marry and the logistics of it were inconsequential. Carrie's mother didn't even care who Carrie chose to marry. As long as the guy had a penis her mother's desire to see her married would be satisfied. Carrie had loftier aspirations for when—and if—she chose a mate. It had been a bone of contention between the two for years and it had gotten to the point where Carrie dreaded speaking to her mother. This conversation was doing nothing to dispel her dread.

13

KATE BURNS

"I can't chat, Mom," Carrie said, drawing a deep breath before she plunged on. "I only called to let you know that I'm going away for...for a while." "On a vacation?" "Of sorts." "Darling, that's wonderful news! Simply fabulous!" There was clapping from the other end of the phone. Carrie got a fleeting image of her grey-haired mother clad in a bright pink fuzzy robe and bunny-head slippers jumping up and down beside her Barcalounger. It was, she knew, a fairly accurate mind picture. "A vacation. Well, I can't help but say it's about time. Yes, it's way overdue but hey, at least you're finally going. So what is it? A cruise? Are you going on a cruise?" "No, Mom, it's not a cruise." "Is it one of those Club Med places, then? You know the kind—the ones where no one wears anything but bikinis and those whatchamacallits, those little bathing suit thingies where the string goes up the cheeks of your behind, although I don't know how on earth that could be comfortable. Must be like having a piece of broccoli caught between your teeth except it's caught between the cheeks of your heinie. It must be just as uncomfortable, don't you think? Anyway, what the hell is that called again—do you know, Caroline? What it's called?" "A thong, Mom. It's called a thong." Carrie closed her eyes and tilted her head until it rested on the back of the chair. Rescued. I need to be rescued from this freaking conversation. It's like stepping into an episode of the Twilight Zone every time I call her. Why the hell do I keep calling her anyway? I must be a glutton for punishment—or maybe I'm mad. That might be it. The insanity—it runs in the family, I bet. My mind is shot. That's why I keep calling her, day after day, year after year. Holy hell, I hope it's not one of those karmic retribution things—I hope I'm not destined to call her lifetime after lifetime. It couldn't be—could it? No, that would be too cruel, even for an ultimate power with a twisted sense of humor. "Caroline, are you listening to me? Are you wearing one on your vacation? A thong, I mean? Because if you're not maybe you should reconsider. I mean, you're not a spring chicken anymore, honey, but you've still got a little bounce to the goodies. I've been checking and I'd say there's still hope there." Bounce to the goodies? Did I just hear my mother say that?

14

CANYON'S CALL

"I think you could get away with wearing a thong—especially if you wear one of those cover-up sarong-drapey things over it. And if you tightened your tushie, too, like you were trying to hold back on doing number two. That might be good enough for you to wear your thong and catch a man!" Number two? Doesn't she realize I'm a doctor, for God's sake! No one says 'number two' to a doctor! "So what color thong are you planning to wear, honey? Because you know Caroline, I'm not at all sure that blue is your color. Remember that blue dress you wore to the junior prom? That wasn't at all flattering and a thong in that shade might not be the best choice. You don't want your caboose to look like a Macy's parade float, do you?" Kill me now. Just fucking kill me now. "Now, if I were you I'd pick a color more tropical looking. Feistier. A little bit more festive, sort of dress up your behind a bit. Take the eye away from any little jiggly bits you have. Oh, I know! Maybe something the shade of Aunt Marilyn's tulips, you know the ones I mean. They have little black markings on them, around the—" "I'm not wearing a thong, Mom." And I don't have any little jiggly bits, thank you very much. "—edges, along the ruffled parts and then again on the bottom—" Taking a deep breath and holding it for the count of three, she prayed for patience. Then Carrie said, "I'm not wearing a thong, Mom." "—bits near the stem. Not on the stem, mind you, but around the stem, just beside the lower—" "MOM!" Silence. Sweet, glorious temporary silence. "There's no need to shout, Caroline. That is completely uncalled for." "I'm not wearing a thong." She wished, for the hundredth time, that she'd gone off to Alaska without a word. "No thong. No. Thong. I'm not wearing one." "So what, then? A bikini? You're wearing a bikini?" "No, I'm not wearing a bikini either." Her mother didn't even try to hide her annoyance. "You're not telling me that you're wearing a one-piece suit, are you? Because you know, Caroline, that is definitely a bad idea. A very, very bad idea. A one-piece suit is not going to show off your best assets. Let's face it, honey, at your age you need to do all you can to snare a husband. The

15

KATE BURNS

time for playing games is over. Take it from me, Caroline. A one-piece bathing suit is not in your best interest." "I'm not wearing a bathing suit, Mom. No bathing suit at all. Whatever is or is not in my best interests—there will be no need for a bathing suit." Next time I'm leaving. No phone call. Just leaving. Carrie heard her mother swallow and she knew that beneath the pink foam curlers her mother's head was whirling. It was knowledge that made her smile. "So what, then? Are you telling me you're going to a…a nudist colony?" Colony? Like the ant colony I had as a kid? "No, Mom." Carrie stood and stretched. The conversation had taken its toll on her and suddenly she felt very worn out. "I'm not going to a nudist colony. Or to Club Med, with or without a thong. I'm not going on a cruise, either." "So what, then? Where are you going, Caroline?" "I'm going to Alaska, Mom. I leave in the morning and I'm not sure when I'll be back. But I'm going to Alaska." Again there was silence from the other end of the phone. This time the silence was longer, deeper. Almost touchable. When Carrie's mother spoke again her voice was resigned. "Well, you'll never find a man in Alaska, Caroline. That's a wasted trip."

16

CANYON'S CALL

Chapter Two By the time the small plane touched the ground Carrie was hungry, she had a pounding headache and her mood was decidedly surly. The flight from Maine to Alaska had been long enough but there had been the added flight to the remote airstrip that made the whole journey even more taxing. She had no idea that Canyon and his ranch were at the northernmost point of the country. It came as a consolation when she stepped off the plane and onto the windy landing strip there was a handsome stranger waiting for her. Carrie's heart did a little flip, temporarily taking her mind from her other bodily woes. The sight of the tall man with thick black hair, startling blue eyes and tanned, sun-etched features was enough to steal her breath. His smile was dazzling and when he turned it on Carrie her legs wobbled. His skin was hot on her arm as he reached for her. "Hey, are you all right? You look like you need to sit down—come on, over here. Have a seat." His voice matched the deep, sultry voice that had haunted her memories since their phone conversation. Leading her to a carved wooden bench beside the small airport building, he pushed her gently to a seated position and sat beside her. His male presence seemed to instantly fill the space—and her senses. When he leaned close to look into her eyes she inhaled deeply. The spicy scent of him—pine trees and leather and something vaguely citrus—made her head spin. His aroma, so masculine and oh-so-close, was a perfect complement to his dashing good looks. Jake's worn blue jeans, faded denim jacket and brown cowboy hat suited him perfectly. "I'm sorry." She felt her cheeks grow warm beneath his gaze. "I don't know what happened. I guess I'm just...I don't know. It was a long trip. You must be Jake Canyon. I'm—" "Doctor Caroline Reed. Thanks for coming all this way to see what we've got here." He smiled and touched her hand briefly with his before he stood. "I'll go round up your luggage and we'll head over to the hotel." "Hotel? I thought we were going to go to your ranch?"

17

KATE BURNS

Don't tell me you got me all the way out here to put the moves on me, pal. I know there's not much more in this state than bears and caribou but I'm not going to have you assume I'm some imported plaything. The time of mail-order brides is long past—at least I think it is. Isn't it? Well, nonetheless…I'm not a FedEx package just waiting to be opened! "We are. But you've had a long day and the ranch is still another few hours from here so I've made reservations at a nearby hotel. There isn't a lot in the way of nightlife here in Barrow but we can at least have a good meal and get to know each other. You can get some rest before we head out to the ranch early tomorrow. How does that sound?" How does it sound indeed? Single doctor—you think you'll just get me to some shady hotel and jump me, is that it? I can assure you that I still remember some of those martial arts moves I learned at the fitness center last year—so watch your balls, buddy. If you jump me I'm going to squash 'em. "That sounds great. Especially the meal part. I think I'm just hungry—the reason for the shaky legs." As she stood Jake put a hand beneath her elbow and guided her to the doorway but she was steadier on her feet than she had been before. He opened the door and she went inside the bustling building. Nodding toward the snack bar, Jake smiled. "Why don't you grab a couple of cups of coffee? They make a mean cup of cowboy coffee here and some great apple turnovers. That should hold us until dinner. What do you think?" It was impossible not to smile back at him. "I think it sounds wonderful. How do you take your coffee?" "Black. I'll go grab your bags." Carrie watched him head back to the plane. His shoulders and back were muscular and broad and he walked like a man who was accustomed to having obstacles flee from his path. I've only just met you, Jake Canyon, but already I'm intrigued. You're tall, dark and handsome—just the way I like men to be. But you're more than that. You're...mysterious, too. Something's lurking behind those navy-blue eyes, I can feel it. I don't know what it is that you're hiding but I intend to find out. After all, I've got six weeks with nothing else to occupy my mind. Or my body. It was amazing what the promise of a hot cup of coffee, coupled with the view of a handsome man's ass, can do to a woman's disposition.

18

CANYON'S CALL

Long before she gave the clerk behind the airstrip's coffee counter her order Carrie was feeling greatly improved. She realized that her headache had all but disappeared. It had been replaced by a tingling in the center of her body, warmth that radiated outward. Her surliness was forgotten, too. I think I might really like Alaska after all. **** To Carrie's surprise the Barrow Inn was furnished with Victorian antiques. Small, but well appointed, the Inn was immaculate, with large, flower-filled guest rooms. Jake had two rooms reserved for them and after handing Carrie her room key he had disappeared into his. Conveniently, it was directly across the hall from hers. It had taken just a matter of minutes for Carrie to discover the huge claw-foot tub in her spacious bathroom. Peeling off her travel-wrinkled clothes and dropping them on the carpeted floor she sank into a nest of warm fragrant bubbles and closed her eyes. I didn't think this Canyon guy would be so damn good looking. What did I expect? Hmm...honestly, older. Definitely older. And grouchier, considering our phone conversation. And stupid, maybe. Really, considering the fact that he believes a moose and a bear have mated on his ranch—I thought he'd be an idiot. But he's not— he's obviously an intelligent man. Who knows? This whole thing might turn out to be a real adventure after all. Carrie's hand slipped beneath the water, coming to rest at the point where her legs joined. Letting her thighs fall open, she ran a fingertip along the cleft before she parted her plump, water-warmed labia and slipped the finger between her folds. There was no need to concentrate on what she was doing; her fingers were familiar with the routine. It had been far too long since any hand but hers had touched her pussy—far too long, but she wasn't willing to settle for sexual satisfaction without an emotional attachment. A woman as well-off, attractive and intelligent as she was should have been able to have her pick of any man, she knew. Although they seemed interested they were also frightened by the items that held their interest—her job, intelligence and beauty. Until she found someone who could satisfy her in all ways, not just one or two, she would satisfy herself.

19

KATE BURNS

With increasing pressure Carrie stroked herself, running her finger over her slippery slit before plunging it deeply into her wet, warm opening. She slid down further in the water as she pumped her finger inside her pussy. That's right...that feels so good, so damn good. Mmm, Jake, I wonder how it would feel to have your fingers on my body. I wonder how it would be to— The first tremors of her climax gripped her as she pressed her hand over her quivering sex. Clamping her mouth tightly closed, she relaxed into the orgasm, trembling as the water splashed over the sides of the tub and onto the floor. When it was over, Carrie lay back against the warm porcelain and stared at the ceiling for a while. How will I ever find a man who can do that as well as I do it? Does such a man even exist? **** The dining room was small and cozy. A fire crackled in one corner, a massive stone fireplace taking up one wall while tables clustered intimately around the edges of the room. Carrie spied Jake sitting at a table near the fireplace and wound her way toward him. He'd cleaned up for dinner and was wearing khakis, brown loafers, and a navy-blue button-down. The shirt, open at the collar, made his eyes look even deeper blue. When he stood and flashed her a dazzling smile, Carrie felt her stomach tighten. The man was gorgeous and his effect on her was instant—and undeniable. "You look like you got some rest." Jake pulled out a chair and held it while she sat. As he took his place opposite her he nodded appreciatively at the sleek chignon, pink sweater and short black shirt she wore. "And you look very nice, doctor. Very nice indeed." Jake's eyes flicked downward, toward her neck and breasts, before moving back up to meet her eyes. "You sound as if you don't see many women, Jake," she teased. His expression was serious as he shrugged. "Actually, we don't. The male population in this state far outnumbers the female population. It is a fact that has most of us men unhappy over but hey, there's not much we can do about it, is there? Aside, of course, from luring attractive doctors across the country under false pretenses and holding them captive here in the wilderness. That always works."

20

CANYON'S CALL

Raising the menu so that it covered most of his features, he pretended to read. Even behind the large menu he couldn't hide the fact that he was smiling. His grin lit his eyes like a flame in the night. "Is that so?" "Uh huh." He nodded. "Alaskan men have to do something to get beautiful women here, don't we? It gets mighty lonely out here without the…uh, benefits of the fairer sex." A waitress appeared as if by magic beside their table. When Jake lowered his menu, Carrie smiled at him. "Saved by the waitress. How lucky for you." "Very lucky." Turning to the waitress he said, "How about a bottle of the Cady Home Red to begin. And we still need a few minutes to decide about our meal." As the waitress left he lifted his menu, opened it with a flourish, and grinned. "Now, where were we?" "Talking about your apparent mating problem," laughed Carrie. It was impossible not to be charmed by his easy-going manner. "There's not much to discuss there, so why don't we change the topic to one that's a bit more interesting. Tell me, Doctor, what made you want to become a genetic scientist—or is it genetic veterinarian? All I know for sure is that when I consulted a few other people they all pointed me in your direction. I heard from more than one person that you are the country's top specialist, and that if anyone can help us here it's you. So, how did you become a person of such high regard? It's got to be an interesting story." Carrie noticed how his deep blue eyes sparkled when he spoke and for a moment the sight of them pushed every other thought from her head. She felt linked to this rugged cowboy by a line that ran from his eyes to hers and down inside her. It touched a spot buried within—a spot that she hadn't known she had. "It's not such an interesting story. Not really." She twirled the stem of her water glass slowly between her fingertips as she considered her next words. How to explain, in a few sentences that wouldn't bore the crap out of someone, that she'd always wanted to be a scientist. A doctor. A discoverer. How to explain the need she felt—as real and as insistent as any other need—for learning, helping, exploring. How? "Let me decide, okay?" His voice was as smooth as the whisper of moth's wings gliding through night air and she shivered when they touched her.

21

KATE BURNS

"First off, it's a long, ridiculous title so veterinarian or genetic scientist is fine—either one will do. The title is longer than the story, actually. I guess I just always knew that I wanted to learn new things, wanted to help people—or in my case, animals. And maybe, if I was lucky, I could discover something that had never been discovered before. And if I couldn't do that, I'd at least learn a lot about the animals that came before us. Maybe learn why they became extinct so that we can, hopefully, prevent that from happening to other species. It's all pretty dull, isn't it?" Jake shook his head and she watched, fascinated, as a lock of thick black hair fell across his forehead. It completely covered one eyebrow and gave him a roguish, pirate-like look. Carrie felt her heart thud at the sight of him. She had a desire—a strong one—to reach out and stroke the dark hair back from his brow, to settle it into its proper place. She wanted to run her fingers through his hair—but she didn't. Instead she kept her hands clasped on her lap and watched as Jake pushed the stray lock back as he spoke. "Not at all. To tell the truth, I find the whole thing amazing. It boggles my mind to think that by studying the past you can alter the future. For example, your research might be able to keep some endangered species from disappearing altogether. Is that possible?" You get it, Jake. You understand. So many don't, so many think it's all a bunch of crap, but not you. You get it. "That's the hope, yes," she answered. Carrie nodded, grinning as she warmed to the topic. "And I relate my studies on genetics to my patients. For example, I have a patient, a colt, who suffers from a degenerative bone disease. Now, I know that an early species of donkey had many of the same symptoms and was treated with a certain compound that naturally occurred in the donkey's environment. So I've managed to delay the progression of the colt's disease by injecting her with the synthetic version of this compound. It's exciting to see a patient respond well to treatment and to know that the study of genetics is responsible for that patient's health. It's…it's…well it's beyond words, actually." Sighing, Carrie leaned back against her chair. She felt her cheeks warm beneath the stare he gave her from across the table. "Genetics—amazing. And the doctor—even more amazing, Doctor." Jake had been told that Caroline Reed was brilliant but he hadn't any idea exactly how brilliant she was—until this very moment. Now he knew, and the knowledge floored him.

22

CANYON'S CALL

Long after they had ordered and eaten they still hadn't talked in any great detail about the issue that had brought one of the country's foremost genetic veterinarians to the remote Alaskan village. The couple had been too busy laughing, telling jokes and getting to know each other to discuss business. Finally, as they lingered over desert, Carrie forced herself to bring the topic to the table. "So, tell me…what is going on at your ranch? What sort of animal do you think you really have up there?" She pushed the last bite of chocolate cake around on her plate, too full to be truly interested in it. But for lack of something better to do while she waited for his response, she popped the morsel into her mouth and began to chew. Jake drained his wine glass before he spoke. "I'm not quite sure what we've actually got. The ranch is big—really big—and it's possible we've got some kind of genetic mutation or even something that could turn out to be a new species of wildlife. Honestly, I don't know." He shrugged. "That's why I called you. Tomorrow we'll take my plane to the ranch. It's a few hours by air and I'll be sure to fly over the remotest areas of the spread so you can see the type of terrain we're dealing with. It's not any ordinary landscape, I assure you. None like you're used to seeing back east, anyway." "You'll fly over? Your plane? Are you telling me we're not taking a commercial plane to the ranch? That we're taking some kind of itty bitty puddle-jumping plane?" Carrie felt a sheen of cool perspiration break out along her forehead and resisted the urge to shudder. "Sorry, but Barrow is the last stop on the commercial air route. You actually caught the last flight in here from Fairbanks until next Tuesday. And I'll thank you not to call my plane a puddle jumper, nor any of my...uh, equipment itty or bitty. The plane is a six-seater which is a perfectly respectable size and I'm a fully trained and licensed pilot so you'll be completely safe. In qualified hands, anyway." She looked at his hands, so large and capable looking, as they rested on the table beside her own. A shiver shot up her back and she swallowed as she took a deep breath. In your hands? Not a bad place to be, Jake—no, I think I could be perfectly at home in those wide hands...with those large, thick fingers. "Good enough," she said, nodding. "But you really don't know what it is you've got? How many people have seen it?"

23

KATE BURNS

Carrie was instantly interested in the find. If it was a new species of wildlife it would be the first documented case in nearly a half-century. A find of this magnitude was the sort of thing that geneticists lived for— dreamed about in their quiet, private moments. "A couple have seen it already. My foreman and two of my men, while they were rounding up part of a herd of buffalo that had broken through a fence. They saw it at the same time, and their descriptions of the animal are identical." He twirled his glass on the table top for a moment, watching it spin as if it was more interesting than anything else in the room. But when he looked up and his gaze locked on hers, she knew. She recognized the look in his eyes, knew instantly what he was about to say. "And me. I saw it." And when we get to the ranch you're going to show it to me. I can see by the look in your eyes that whatever you saw was impressive. I want to see it, too. And you're going to show it to me. I'm not leaving until I've seen it with my own eyes.

24

CANYON'S CALL

Chapter Three Maybe it was the wine. Maybe it was the exhilaration of being in Alaska. And maybe it was just a lapse of judgment. Whatever it was, it hit them both at precisely the same moment. Instead of parting ways at their respective doorways Jake took her key and opened Carrie's door for her. A gentlemanly sort of thing to do, certainly. Especially when he leaned into the room and pressed a switch, sending a low circle of diffused light across a desk in the far corner of the room. "I'm glad you came here, Carrie," Jake said. His voice filled her with warmth and she leaned against the doorframe and looked up at him. "I took a chance calling you but I thought that—who knew?—maybe you'd be willing to take a look at this thing for us. I'd hate to think we've got something special here that will just get away—or worse yet—die out before the proper people know about it. We take the land and the living things on it pretty seriously here. I appreciate your coming—have I said that yet?" Jake leaned down closer, lessening the gap between their faces slightly. His arms were on either side of her body and she felt encircled by the full, masculine form. It was a good feeling, one she hadn't experienced in so long that she nearly didn't recall how wonderful it was to be this close to a man. When his lips touched hers a flash of white-hot heat shot up her spine. With only a fraction of a second's hesitation, her lips responded to the gentle touch of his and within moments they were pressed together in the doorway. Their arms were around each other and their bodies already lost to the desires neither of them knew were so close to the surface. Carrie pulled Jake into her room and he kicked the door closed behind them. While they were at dinner some thoughtful hotel employee had lit a fire. It crackled warmly in the small brick fireplace as their bodies moved toward it, like moths to a flame. When Carrie's back

25

KATE BURNS

settled onto the plush hearth rug and his body covered hers it felt as natural as anything ever had. "Carrie," moaned Jake, pulling his lips from hers. He looked down at her, saw her flushed face and wide green eyes and moaned a second time. "I want you, Carrie. You feel so damn good—so damn—oh!" His eyebrows lifted in surprise at the touch of her hand on his ass, pulling his hardness against her hip. Her firm grip left no doubt about what she wanted to feel pressed to her body. "Ah," he said, dropping his mouth to hers. No talking, Jake. If we talk about it, I won't do it and God knows I need it. I want it and I'll have it. Time to let my vibrator—and my fingers—have a break. Time for the real thing. And baby, I can feel your real thing—your real big thing—pressing against my hip. Let's let the damn thing out before it strangles inside your pants. Reaching for his zipper at the same instant his hand snaked its way beneath the band of her bra, Carrie stilled her arm and took a deep breath. Jake's fingers were on her erect nipple, rolling it slowly as he palmed her breast. He'd shoved the bra upwards and it was cutting painfully into her tender skin. Fuck. We're not in high school. I'm a doctor and he's a bison rancher, or a cattle rancher—or some such thing. What the hell are we doing, pushing out clothes around like two teenagers? Besides, that bra cost forty bucks—way too much to be stretched out of shape. With deliberate movements she unclasped her bra, pulling it, along with her sweater, over her head in one swift motion. She looked into his eyes as he watched his fingers move across her exposed skin for a long, silent moment. When she reached for the zipper on her skirt she raised an eyebrow and tilted her head toward Jake's body. No more encouragement was needed. With a smirk he began to unbutton his shirt and divest himself of his clothing. It was only a matter of seconds before they were both naked before the fire. Jake's body was awesome fully clothed but it was even better in the nude. Long and strong, with bulging arm and chest muscles, he looked every inch—every glorious inch—the cowboy he was. His abdomen was rippled, his thighs thick from years of riding. His chest was covered with a sexy layer of black curls that trailed down toward a curly thatch at the top of his sex. There was no hiding the fact Jake was aroused. His penis was as thick and meaty as his body, standing out straight with a solidness that

26

CANYON'S CALL

brought a gasp to Carrie's lips. It was a cock that dreams were made of. She longed to touch it. "You are one beautiful woman, Carrie," Jake murmured as he pulled her body against his, pressing his penis between them. She could feel the steady pulse of his flesh against hers and she grew wetter with desire with each tap of his hardness against her soft skin. "I think I could make love to you for hours and hours, in so many different ways." As if to prove his point, he dropped his mouth to her breast, pulling a nipple between his lips and suckling gently. A shiver ran through her as he pushed her backward and parted her legs. Holding her thigh with one of his wide, warm hands, he made no move to touch her. It was more arousing than if he'd raked his hands over her. The heat of the fire lapped at her sex on small, seductive currents and she shifted against its touch. He hasn't even touched me and I'm ready to come. I can't stand much more of this—his mouth is amazing and I'm aching to be touched and—oh! That feels so good… Jake pulled his mouth from her nipple and dropped it to the topmost edge of her slit, pressing his tongue between her hairless lips with a chuckle. As his tongue lapped her wetness, he chuckled again. "What's ...oh, what's so funny?" Dancing his tongue over her clit, circling it as she twitched beneath his touch, he chuckled yet a third time. The vibrations from his mouth sent tremors of pleasure to every point in her body. Lifting his mouth from her, he looked up at her and smiled. "Nothing's funny," he drawled, grinning. "It's just that you're really considerably less…" "Less what?" Don't even dare to tell me my tits aren't big enough! I know they're not porn-star huge but they're—I think, anyway!—just fine. Better than fine. These tits are big enough, no matter what the hell you think, you arrogant cowboy! His mouth fell to her folds and he sucked her clit between his lips— hard—before he raised his eyes to hers again. Smiling, looked down at Carrie and said, "Hairy. You're much less hairy than any woman I've ever seen, Carrie. And...hell, I like it. A lot." When he put his mouth on her Brazilian-waxed flesh her head fell back and Carrie gave herself up to the climax that was instantly upon her. She came in long, pulsing waves of pleasure, a smile on her face and a song in her heart.

27

KATE BURNS

Hairy. Less. Hairy. Ohmygod. **** The pleasure on the hearth rug was only the beginning. As soon as Carrie's spasms stopped Jake covered her body with his own. He kissed her until she could barely think, she was so horny for him. Then he rolled onto his back and pulled her on top of him. Straddling his hips and grinding her wet folds along his hard, hot shaft, Carrie leaned close. She touched her nipples to his lips in succession. When she couldn't stand another second of wondering how he'd feel inside her she raised her hips and pressed the tip of his penis to her opening. Firelight flickered across their bodies as they stayed that way—almost joined but separated by a scant measure of flesh—for a long moment. It was an intensely erotic exchange and Carrie felt her inner muscles clench rhythmically as the hot, red cap held her lips open. Impaling herself on his erection, Carrie let the sensations of her body claim her. She rode him wildly, throwing her head back and sliding along his hardness as she came in a frenzy of movement. With her orgasm subsiding, Jake rolled her onto her back again and pumped with a frenzy of his own. His testicles slapped her ass as he rode her. Carrie felt the first twitches of his climax deep within her as he shuddered. It was one of the most satisfying moments she had ever had. When his penis stopped jumping, Carrie used her muscles to squeeze him firmly. Chuckling, Jake raised his head from her neck and kissed her lips. "You better be careful," he said, his voice husky. "If you keep doing that it's going to rise again. I can promise you that massaging it like that will definitely get some…reaction." "That's what I'm hoping for," Carrie whispered, tightening her grip on his penis. She massaged it a few more times and was rewarded with an even huskier chuckle. His cock was growing inside her. Theirs was to be a long night filled with passion. Neither of them slept before the first stirrings of the rising sun. And even when they slept for a few short hours they had wild, passionate dreams. When Carrie woke she was alone in the rumpled bed. The room held a mixture of wood smoke and sex in the air but Jake was no where to be seen.

28

CANYON'S CALL

Chapter Four There was a note for her, delivered on the breakfast tray. Good morning Carrie. Please forgive me for not sharing breakfast with you but I needed to get to the airstrip and give the plane a final systems check before take off. I hope you enjoy the breakfast I've ordered for you. There is a car waiting to bring you to the airport as soon as you're ready to leave. The trip will take a few hours so please don't be too long. See you soon. Jake. Folding the note carefully and tucking it beside the food tray, Carrie began to uncover the assortment of plates that had been delivered. French toast, pancakes, pastries, bacon and sausage were all steaming hot and filled the room with a pleasing array of aromas. As she began to eat Carrie looked at the disheveled bed and felt her stomach tighten. We had an incredible time last night. See you soon. Jake. Sounds promising, I think. Too bad he didn't wait until I was awake this morning before he left—I would have loved to have had one last round with him before we leave. But hell, we'll be all alone on his ranch, probably. We'll have plenty of time and loads of opportunities to pick up where we left off last night. God, he has a body like a god. Gives me shivers just thinking about it. **** It was a long flight and although she wore headphones they did very little talking. The roar of the engines was constant, making Carrie feel as if she was inside a washing machine or beside an enormous horde of buzzing bees. After a few initial attempts, she gave up trying to make conversation. Just out of Barrow they flew over a body of water. As she debated whether or not to attempt to ask what it was she heard a crackling in her

29

KATE BURNS

headphones, then the butter-smooth voice that made her nipples pucker and her heart thud. "That's the Chukchi Sea. Barrow was once called Ukpeagvik which means 'place where owls are hunted' and I guess the sea was part of the ideal habitat for nesting owls. This is the farthest north frontier settlement in the United States and Point Barrow, over there, is the northernmost point in the country." "I never thought to see this," Carrie said, speaking into the microphone beside her chin. "Isn't there some kind of long day, endless night thing here? Something with the moon and sun not rising or not setting—or something like that?" Shaking his head, Jake adjusted a knob before he answered. A lock of his curly black hair had fallen across one eyebrow and it was nearly impossible for her to resist the impulse to reach over and smooth it back into place. "Most people get confused about all of that. I guess it's the documentaries they saw as kids. Actually, here in Barrow and at the ranch, too, the period of twenty-four hour daylight begins in a little over a week. On May 10 the sun will rise and it won't set again until August 2. Then in November it'll set and won't rise again until the end of January. Kind of unusual, I guess. Unless you've lived that way for your whole life—then it's just part of the seasonal change. No big deal." "No big deal? I'm glad that I'll be here—probably, anyway—to see the whole sun-that-never-sets thing for myself. It's going to be weird. Really weird. And how does anyone sleep when the sun never goes down? I don't think I'll be able to do it." She smiled as she spoke and he nodded again, as if her concerns were ones he had expected. "You'll get used to it," Jake answered. "Besides, we find lots of things to do with the extra hours of daylight." He grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. When he turned his attention back to the control panel, she swallowed. Hard. But if the sun never goes down and no one goes to sleep that often, it must mean that there's more time—lots more time—for messing around. So much time, so many things to do...Yeah, I could get used to that, I think. Easily. They flew in silence for hours. After they had passed over the sea and Barrow's few final outposts there was virtually an endless landscape below them. Green rolling meadows. Deep river canyons. Intermittent snow-covered mountains.

30

CANYON'S CALL

The landscape was stunning and much more varied than Carrie had ever imagined it would be but there was one glaring omission from the view. People. Towns. Houses. There was no sign of life for hours, just unending uninhabited land below them. There are no people here. That's what they mean when they say this place is filled with men without women—and there aren't an overabundance of men here, either. When was the last time I saw a house? In Barrow, it was in Barrow. I had no idea we'd be so remote...God, I hope this guy isn't some kind of lunatic. What if he's a nut who doesn't really have a genetic anomaly? What if he's some kind of wilderness Wildman who's just trying to get a sex slave to his ranch? What if there isn't any ranch at all? Hell, what have I done? When they flew low over a herd of caribou Carrie momentarily forgot her apprehension and became interested again in the sights. Fawncolored caribou grazed in a meadow. They didn't show a flicker of fear toward the small plane. She could see several calves and one, wobblylegged and spindly, who looked to be less than a day old. It was already on its feet, beside its mother as she ate without apparent concern for the small one. "Incredible!" said Carrie, her voice filled with awe at the sight. "I've never seen them in person like this, in their natural environment. It's incredible—absolutely incredible—that they're not afraid of the plane. I would have thought they'd run like mad at the sound of the engines." Jake dipped lower and they got so close that she could see the long, curly eyelashes on the caribou. A few looked up at the plane as they munched contentedly but none made a move to bolt. "I check them nearly every day—sometimes by air and sometimes by horseback, so they're pretty accustomed to the sound of the engines. It doesn't seem to bother them a bit." He nodded toward the youngest member of the herd. "That's a new one. Wasn't here when I left the other day." "So these are your caribou?" "They're grazing on my land, yeah," Jake said. He turned the plane slightly and they left the herd behind. Miles of trees stretched before them. "How long have we been over your land?" With a casual shrug, he said, "Oh, an hour or so now."

31

KATE BURNS

An hour? Or more? I haven't seen a sign of life for hours now and you're telling me it's all been yours? "How much land do you own, Jake? How big is the Riverview Canyon Ranch?" Jake's eyes scanned the horizon, bluer than the sky and much more distant. A muscle worked in his cheek and he hesitated before answering. "Fourteen thousand acres." Carrie was suddenly very glad that she was belted into the plane. She felt as if the floor—even the one that vibrated beneath her feet—had dropped out from below her. Without the seatbelt she would have certainly plummeted to earth.

32

CANYON'S CALL

Chapter Five Eventually they passed over buildings and Carrie began to regain her equilibrium. Somehow being stranded in the wilderness with a handsome cowboy didn't seem nearly as stressful once she knew that it wouldn't be in a lean-to or in a cave. At first there were only what were obviously outbuildings designed for ranch work. Long, low buildings and large, rambling ones had large pieces of machinery parked in open-sided sheds near them. The machinery looked shiny and new and was, even to Carrie's inexperienced eye, expensive. Then the buildings became barns and houses, connected by paved roads and trails winding through dense trees. She saw paddocks filled with horses and cattle. There were pastures of sheep and other farm animals as well. The plane landed at an airstrip in the center of a wide, flat meadow. When Jake finally cut the engine Carrie could still hear the roar in her head. "You can hear it, can't you?" he asked. "The engines—you can still hear the hum in your head, right?' Nodding, Carrie handed him the headset and put her hands over her ears. "I can. Is that normal?" She yawned, hoping to clear the noise from her head, but it didn't have the desired result. Instead, it brought the sound of laughter to the small cabin. She was instantly surrounded by Jake and his pleasure. "It'll go away in about an hour. Trust me." Reaching across the space between them he put his hand on her knee and gave her a gentle squeeze. Her heart lurched and there was a tingling between her legs and in that instant the humming in her head was forgotten. "You get used to it after a while if you fly small planes like this one often enough. It just becomes part of the scenery. Anyway, don't worry about it. As I said, it'll just fade away in a little while. Now, let's call for help unloading the plane and then we'll take you up to the big house."

33

KATE BURNS

"Big house? Like Sing Sing?" she asked, only half-teasing. Jake paused and looked deeply into her eyes, as if he was trying to gauge her seriousness. "The ranch house—not the prison. Really, you're a visitor here, Dr. Reed. As such, you're free to leave at any time. You know that, don't you?" As if I'm just going to walk out of here? Really, it's better than a prison—you don't need fences in a place like this, do you? Flashing him a quick smile, she raised her eyebrows in what she hoped was a posture of innocence. "Really, Jake, I was only teasing. This looks like a charming place and I'm looking forward to seeing more of it. So, how do you call for help up here? Yodel? Smoke signals? Holler?" He climbed out of the plane and came around to her side. When he opened the door and held his hands up to circle her waist and help her out Carrie's stomach lurched. After yearning for his touch for hours, she knew it would make her weak in the knees when she finally felt it. There was no disappointment. When Jake helped her from the plane she felt as if every inch of her body had turned to hot, slinky putty. She let herself brush against his chest as she slid from the plane. Her nipples, taut in her soft white sweater, scraped across his wide chest and sent shivers up her spine. Jake held her close for longer than was necessary once her feet touched the ground. She could feel the prominent bulge in his jeans. Well-endowed, there was a bump in his pants even without an erection. Her hips pressed his instinctively and she saw him swallow, his tanned neck looking like one sleek muscle as it moved. When he put her body away from his, Carrie nearly moaned. Her desire for him was so strong that the remote surroundings, the airplane, the herd of caribou and even the promise of the discovery of a new species flew from her conscious thoughts. All she wanted was to be near him—preferably without the obstacle of clothing. Apparently Jake didn't feel the need as strongly as she did. He just smiled at her before he turned and headed for a compact building at the edge of the runway. Beckoning her to follow along, he went inside and sat down behind a big old desk. Lifting a phone from its cradle he punched in a series of numbers, motioned for her to be seated in the other chair in the room and waited. "Hey, Paula, it's me," Jake said, a smile breaking out on his face. He tilted his chair back and looked out the wall of glass at the front of the building toward the plane. It was obvious that he was comfortable with

34

CANYON'S CALL

the person on the other end of the line; he smiled, nodded and listened intently for a long stretch of time before he spoke again. "That's great news. Yeah, really great. I'm happy to hear that. And so fast, too. It's almost as if it happened without any effort at all, isn't it? Right. I know, I know. Yeah, getting pregnant that quickly—hell, what else could we want, honey? Nothing else, that's right. What? Oh, yeah. I did. Yup, the doctor's right here with me. Why don't you send a couple of the guys over to unload the plane? After I take the doctor and show her the first river valley I'll take her over to one of the guest cabins and get her settled in. Then I'll be on up to the house in a flash. Right. Nope, you wait for me. I won't be long. Nope, I'll be right there." Hanging up the phone with a satisfied smile on his face, Jake stood and walked to the door and looked out. He didn't look at Carrie. If he had looked into her eyes he might have been shocked by what he saw there. Since she didn't believe it would have been possible to do so, she made no attempt to hide her feelings. **** They got into a battered four-wheel-drive Jeep that had been parked behind the building and headed in the direction of the distant hills. There was no roadway to be followed, merely a rutted trail through the brush. The vehicle pitched and bounced so violently that Carrie was thankful not only for the heavy strap that held her in place—almost—but for the thick rollover bars that ran above her head. I'm surprised you managed to get anyone pregnant if you often drive this way. Hell, your sperm shouldn't be able to swim let alone travel in an orderly direction after being subjected to this kind of treatment. Driving with you is like being inside a blender. Let's find your damn animal so I can get the hell out of here already! I've been on your ranch for a half-hour and I already feel like puking. "Sorry for the rough terrain," Jake yelled. The sound of the straining engine and the noise of stones and other things hitting the undercarriage made speaking in a normal voice impossible. Carrie was grateful for that, too. She wasn't sure she could trust herself to speak civilly yet. Maybe not ever. "It's just that the first river valley, here near the airstrip, is something special. I make a point of taking new visitors to see it right off—sort of gives them a true idea of some of the beauty they can expect here in our corner of the world."

35

KATE BURNS

He didn't take his eyes from the front of the Jeep and they rode in silence for a full ten minutes. When Jake slowed and then stopped beside a small canyon, Carrie nearly bolted from her harness. If the sight before her hadn't been so awe-inspiring she might have been violently ill. As it was, she could barely breathe when she looked down into the valley. The drop wasn't steep but the river valley looked like something out of a Hollywood film. Lush green grass, tufts of yellow and orange wildflowers and graceful arching trees lined the banks of a gently flowing river. The water was turquoise as it snaked between and over big grey boulders and fell in small waterfalls. "It's pretty, isn't it?" Jake said. He stood beside her and crossed his arms, looking down on the view with a satisfied smile. "I just can't help myself. I have to show this to people as soon as they get to the ranch. It's too special to keep to ourselves." You seem to be good at sharing things, Jake. Too bad I don't share as well as you do, pal. "It is incredible. It looks like a picture from a child's coloring book—the perfect river valley scene, with grass and flowers and blue water. I can see why you'd want to share it." Carrie took one last look before she walked back to the Jeep and climbed in. After fastening her harness securely, she said, "Now if you don't mind, I'd like to see my accommodations. I've come to the ranch to work, not sightsee, and I need to get my laptop set up, need to begin to do my research. So, please. My lodging?" Fighting to control his annoyance, Jake got into the vehicle and started the engine. He pointedly ignored her words—as well as his safety belt—and began to drive back toward the airstrip with even less regard to the bumpiness of the land. Good. I've pissed you off. Now maybe we can get down to work and I can get the hell out of here. I can't wait to get away from you, your ranch and your pregnant girlfriend.

36

CANYON'S CALL

Chapter Six The guest cabin was spacious, with a fieldstone fireplace, knotty pine interior and actual bearskin rugs covering the floor. At first Carrie avoided stepping on the black skins but finally she got tired of walking around them. When her toes sank into the seductive softness of the furs she knew why some women couldn't resist a Rodeo Drive furrier any more than she could resist a white sale at Macy's. An enormous king-size bed dominated the corner closest to the fireplace. Covered with handmade quilts it looked inviting and despite the early afternoon hour she was tempted to lie down. I'm so tired. Hell, I was awake nearly all night long with that ape of a cowboy. If I wasn't so damn tired and pretty sure he wouldn't turn around and take me back to Barrow without a fight I'd insist on leaving this place. I cannot believe that asshole had sex with me all night long while he's got some poor, defenseless wilderness woman out here barefoot and pregnant! Good God, what kind of place is this, anyway? Isn't there any sort of civilized behavior, any kind of rules of conduct or even— A knock on the heavy wooden door brought Carrie out of her mind's tirade. She rose and crossed the floor. Pulling open the door she was surprised to see one of the most handsome men she'd ever seen standing on the verandah with her baggage in his hands. "Well, you must be the doctor," the stranger said, a distinct drawl making his casual words sound exotic. "Jake didn't tell me you were prettier than a bear cub. No, he surely didn't tell me that but I can tell you I'm mighty pleased to see you. So, Doc, where would you like your things?" "Carrie," she said as she stood back so that he could enter. "And if you wouldn't mind putting them over there, near the bed, that'd be great. Thanks." Watching him walk across the large room was a rare treat. Wearing scuffed cowboy boots, tight, ass-hugging jeans and a faded denim shirt

37

KATE BURNS

he oozed masculinity. Thick blond hair, streaked nearly white in spots by the sun, tanned skin and chiseled features topped a body that was like one solid chunk of muscle. His movements were as fluid as water falling from a pitcher. Lord have mercy. This cannot be real. As if Jake wasn't enough, now there's this guy...Could my panties get any warmer? When he bent to put her cases on the floor his jeans outlined his backside so clearly that Carrie inhaled sharply. He paused, frozen in the position for an extra second. As he turned and his eyes met hers he knew that he'd had an effect on her. A glance toward her erect nipples erased any doubts he may have had about the effectiveness of his ass in the tight jeans. "Will you need anything else, Carrie?" Oh yeah. Plenty. "No, thanks. I appreciate your bringing my bags over, Mr.... " "Drew." "Mr. Drew. Thank you," Carrie said as they walked to the open door. His laughter was as smooth as melted butter on hot toast. "Not Mr. Drew—just Drew. Drew McAllister." Blushing slightly, she grinned. "Oh, right. Sorry, Drew. Well, thanks for...everything. I suppose I'll see you around." He paused in the doorway, his big frame seeming to fill the opening completely, and looked down at her. "I guess you will, at that. Jake asked me to tell you that he has some things to attend to up at the office but that he'll see you at dinner tonight. At the big house. We generally eat early here, since we rise with the sun, so dinner'll be at six." "That sounds great, thanks." She followed him out onto the verandah and watched him go down the two steps to the gravel walkway before she scanned the area beside the cabin for a sign pointing to the big house, as everyone insisted on calling it. There wasn't one but her scouting was obvious. Drew's chuckle brought her eyes back to his. "I'll be by to pick you up at a quarter of six, if that's all right with you." He picked up his hat, a black Stetson, from its perch on a log railing at the bottom of the steps. With a grin, he pressed it onto his head. "Oh, no, that's not necessary," Carrie protested as she watched him turn toward a break in the trees. "I don't want to cause you any trouble. If

38

CANYON'S CALL

you could just tell me where the big house is, I'm pretty sure I could find it on my own. Really." Calling over his shoulder, he said, "No trouble at all. I'll be back in a few hours to collect you. Until then, Carrie." Until then, Drew. **** A few keystrokes gave Carrie all the information that was available on the Internet. Unfortunately for her, it was a wasted effort. There was nothing to be found. Nada. Zip. Zero. Zilch. There was virtually nothing that would substantiate the supposition that a moose and bear could successfully produce offspring. "A wild goose chase, I'm up here in the middle of no-fucking-where on a wild goose chase. Moose and bear mating my ass. What was I thinking when I said yes to this whole damn thing?" Her voice sounded loud in the empty room. With a snort of annoyance she logged off. Staring out the window above the desk she contemplated her next move. She'd come all the way across the country and given her word that she'd look for this mysterious creature. Her professional credibility would be in question if she was to throw her hands in the air, turn around and go home without even attempting to find the subject. No, she had to at least make some effort to find the animal. And when she couldn't find it? She'd simply say that she'd looked and it wasn't there. Another Big Foot or Loch Ness, maybe. But at least she'd be able to say she'd searched. "And then I'm leaving, Jake. I'll forget about you and your animal in a New York minute, you can count on that much," she muttered. Squeezing her eyes tightly closed, she tried to tell herself it would be easy to forget this man. But Carrie knew better. Forgetting Jake Canyon would be impossible. But somehow she'd find the strength to at least try to do just that. **** His appreciative whistle made Carrie blush when she opened the door. Standing on the verandah Drew looked like a consumer-savvy advertisement in a glossy magazine. One of those ads for monster-sized trucks that careened vertically across rugged terrain while a handsome cowboy drove with one hand and, smiling for the camera, hung the other muscular arm out of the open driver's side window—all without missing

39

KATE BURNS

a beat or mussing a hair. He'd dressed for dinner a bit more formally, wearing pressed jeans, shiny black boots and a beautiful sky-blue sweater. She could see track marks in his still-damp hair from the comb he'd used. Holding out his arm as if they were going to a formal affair rather than a stroll through the forest, he made Carrie's knees shake. She was thankful she had his strong arm to hold on to as she stepped off the verandah and into the gravel. "I hope you're hungry, Carrie. Paula always puts on a good dinner. One of the best cooks in the state, I'll wager. You're going to enjoy this meal, I guarantee it. Especially after the long day of traveling you've had." Drew looked down at her with a smile. "I'll bet you're hungry." "Mmm, I am at that." Paula? So she cooks, too? She gets pregnant and cooks? Quite the frontierswoman, isn't she? I can't wait to get a good look at this amazing woman. "Then you'll be pleased with the dinner you're going to get at the big house," said Drew, putting his hand over hers. His skin was warm and she shivered beside him, his touch sending sparks through her. "Cold? Here, let me warm you up a bit." Reaching his arm around her shoulders, he pulled her close to his side and she felt immediate heat radiate from his body. They'd entered a dense canopy of trees and the air was decidedly cooler. His heat was appreciated but at the same time it felt strange to be so close to a man that she had just met. Carrie wondered how to best disengage herself from his embrace as the trees ended and she found herself in a huge clearing. In the center of the clearing was a multi-level log and glass house with wrap-around decks and balconies on every level. It was huge, with a large fieldstone patio and walkway leading up to the intricately carved front door. Looking up in amazement at the unexpected structure, Carrie saw Jake standing on one of the balconies. He was looking down at them. Their eyes caught and he smiled at her, nodded his head and disappeared inside the house. Asshole. Apparently last night was just no big deal to you. It doesn't seem to bug you one bit that I'm standing here with Drew's arm around me. Why doesn't that surprise me? After all, you've got the pregnant Paula, don't you?

40

CANYON'S CALL

What the hell have I gotten myself into? And how the hell am I going to get out of it? "You know, it's not very often we get such a beautiful woman out here on the ranch," said Drew, smiling down at her in the deepening twilight. "If you've a mind to do some exploring I'd be happy to take you riding on the ranch sometime. I'd enjoy the privilege of talking to someone new, someone who hasn't been shut away in the mountains of Alaska forever. What do you say?" Carrie smiled almost instantly. Why not? Jake's obviously got Paula—pregnant Paula—and I'd like the chance to go riding the range with a real, live cowboy at least once in my lifetime. Why not take him up on the offer? It'll probably never come again, she thought. "I'd like that, Drew. I don't know how tied up I'll be while I'm here, what with looking for the strange animal that you've all spotted. But if I get any free time I'd like to go exploring with you." Carrie gazed up at Drew, conscious of not only his heart-stopping good looks but the fact that Jake might still be watching them from the house. Let him look. Let him wonder. Pregnant—what an asshole. "I'm pretty sure Jake'll let you have some time to yourself," Drew promised, pulling her closer to his body. His heat danced along her skin and it was easy to imagine how fully he could heat her if they weren't so well dressed. "We'll carve out a little time to go out on the ranch. There are a lot of interesting spots here...and there are a number of things I could show you." When he grinned it was impossible not to smile back at him. Removing his arms from around her body and nodding toward the front door, Drew asked, "Shall we?" "Why not?" What have I got to lose? I've already lost my dignity. I think I lost sight of that sometime last night. Why not see the sights with Drew? He seems really nice and besides, Jake's girlfriend is pregnant, remember? That rat. **** Drew had been correct in his estimation of Paula's cooking—it was top-notch. And as much as Carrie would have liked to find a reason to dislike Paula there wasn't one to be found. The woman was small and blond, perky and eternally smiling. She cooked like a gourmet chef, could tell jokes like a Catskills comedian and made Carrie feel at home within minutes.

41

KATE BURNS

"So I said, 'Not if you don't mind!'" finished Paula. The crowd around the table laughed loudly and the room felt smaller. It was vast, with a roaring fire in the massive fireplace and a huge antler chandelier hanging above the hand-hewn dining table. "Can I get anyone anything else? More coffee? More pie, maybe? I've still got some blueberry buckle, too, if anyone's still hungry." Her tone was enticing but Carrie knew that she couldn't eat another bite. "No, thanks," Carrie said, smiling. "I couldn't do it." There was a round of similar responses from the others at the table. In addition to Paula and Jake, Drew and Carrie, there were six others present. All men, they'd been introduced as Frank, the ranch foreman, his son Frank, Jr. and four other sturdy-looking ranch hands. Their names had gotten lost in the flurry of introductions. Carrie hoped she wouldn't need to call any of them by name while she was on the ranch. "Thanks, Paula, that was another great meal," said Jake. He leaned across the table and put his hand on the small blonde's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Paula reached up, her hand covered Jake's, and Carrie felt her stomach clench. For one horrible moment she wondered if she might not be violently ill. It passed but there was a burning in her gut that made her feel like a volcano about to erupt. Fortunately for everyone, Frank Junior spoke. "So Doctor, what do you think we have up here? Do you have any ideas?" An ordinary-looking man, Frank Junior had a quick smile and an easy-going demeanor. It seemed as if he and his father were very instrumental in the operation of the ranch. From the snatches of conversation they'd had at the dinner table, it seemed as if Jake let everyone have a share in feeling responsible for the ranch's success. "Have you got any thoughts about it—about what it could be?" Carrie didn't respond instantly. Instead, she put her elbows on the table, steepled her fingertips and thought for a long moment before she spoke. The silence around the table was absolute. "I know Jake thinks that maybe this animal that you have here could be the result of a bear and a moose mating. Although I can't say with certainty that it's not possible—because nearly anything is possible, let's face it—I can say that I seriously doubt that a moose-bear mix is what you've got here. The idea is almost absurd, given the physical characteristics of moose and bears." "I don't know," said the elder Frank, shaking his graying head. He looked at his son and the others around the table one by one before he

42

CANYON'S CALL

looked at Carrie. Meeting her eyes, he said, "I agree with Jake, Ma'am. I've seen the thing, and it sure as he—um, heck looks like a bear and a moose went at it. This here thing looks like the product of just such a mating, believe me." Smiling at his use of less-rough language, Carrie nodded. "I believe you, Frank. Really, I do. I believe that the animal looks like it could come from just such a union. But the chances are a thousand to one, given the...well, we're all adults here. Let's talk frankly. A male bear, even a large one, standing on its hind legs would have a difficult time entering a female moose. It's a great—if not impossible—physical challenge." "What if he was standing on something?" asked Drew. "A rock or a tree stump, or a fallen log. What about then?" "I guess it would be possible but not likely. Let's just say, for arguments' sake, that the male bear was standing on a tree stump behind the female moose. And, again for arguments' sake, he managed to get his erect penis inserted into the female moose. So we've got insertion, but the moment he begins to…to…" She looked over at Frank Senior and was relieved to see the older man was listening intently. His interest gave her the means to continue without blushing. "Thrust, something would most likely happen to our poor, amorous bear friend. Anyone have any idea what it is that I'm talking about?" Drew chuckled first, and then the others joined in. Paula threw back her head and laughed, a tinkling sound that was a sharp contrast to the chorus of male laughter. "That horny bear would fall right off the stump when the female moved away from him," said Paula, rubbing her face with the back of one hand. She laughed so hard she had tears sliding down her cheeks. "He'd probably fall flat on his face—and on his big 'ole bear pecker, too! Oh, God, can't you see it? He'd never try that again, would he?" It took a while for the laughter to die down. When it did, Carrie went on. "Exactly. The aroused male bear would probably never even get close to finishing the sex act with a female moose. When moose mate, the male mounts the female, inserts his penis, then holds on—for dear life—as he they copulate. Even for a huge male moose it's sometimes difficult for him to achieve a semen deposit inside the female. A bear? I doubt he could ever get the job done."

43

KATE BURNS

The group was quiet as they considered her points. They were all valid, they knew. Her medical expertise could not be disputed; Carrie was the specialist in the field. Her opinions had effectively poked holes into their theory. "So how about a female bear and a male moose?" asked Frank Junior. "Do you think he could get the job done?" "I knew this one was coming. This seems almost possible, but still...I don't think it could happen. I just don't believe it," she answered. When Frank Junior opened his mouth to protest, Carrie went on. "But I've got to say I don't really know for sure," she admitted, shrugging her shoulders. "It's unlikely, again given the constraints of physical proportions. A male moose has an enormous, hose-like phallus and a female bear would have a difficult time accommodating such an organ. It is possible that the male moose could achieve insertion—partial insertion, of course—but I wonder about how he'd keep the female bear from moving. Or, at the very least, from clawing him. He couldn't pin her to keep her from using her claws on him so she'd have free use of them. And imagine what she would feel the object of her attention should be...think about where she'd claw first." "Ouch!" said Frank Junior, a look of horror crossing his face with the realization. "Exactly," said Carrie. Gazing around at the faces before her she saw that they had hoped she would know instantly what the animal was. She saw that she had disappointed them but it couldn't be helped. "I won't know for sure until I get a good look at the animal. And I'll have to run some tests, too. Until then there's no way of knowing what it is but I seriously doubt that it's a moose-bear offspring. Sorry." Pushing back her chair, she stood and smiled at the table in general. She tried to avoid Jake's eyes but it was impossible not to feel his stare warming her. She glanced at him. When every man at the table rose she nearly sat back down. Carrie had never been the subject of such male chivalry and it nearly unhinged her. "The meal was great, the company fabulous, but I've got to excuse myself. I've had a long day and I confess I'm a bit tired. So good night." Carrie smiled, turning to leave. Jake remained on his feet when the others sat and called out their farewells. He walked her to the door. "I'll walk you back to the cabin, Carrie," Jake said. He lifted a gun belt from a hook beside the door. Strapping it around his hips he adjusted

44

CANYON'S CALL

the pistol, a long shiny piece of equipment, before he put his hand on the front door latch. "That's not necessary. I know the way and I'm sure I can get back on my own," she said. "Thank you for the meal. I'll see you tomorrow." Waiting for him to open the door, Carrie tried to force her galloping heart to slow to a normal beat but it wasn't cooperating. "I'll walk you home, Carrie." "I said that's not—" "Have you ever seen a black bear up close?" His voice was amused but it annoyed her. She took a deep breath and shook her head. "Well, believe me; you don't want to see one. Especially during the spring, when they're feeling a bit...amorous. You wouldn't want to find out what a female moose has to fear, would you? I'll walk you back to the cabin." "Fine." The word was like a shot. She knew she sounded ungrateful but she didn't care. She'd kept a lid on her temper throughout the evening but he was pressing his luck by insisting to escort her. Fine. You can walk me back but you're probably going to get an ear full. Paula may not look pregnant but I know she is and I also know where you were planting your seed last night, Mr. Jolly Rancher. Thank goodness I'm on the Pill. I never would have believed I'd be grateful for irregular periods, but I am. Her mind raced and she felt a muscle twitch in her jaw. The walk to the cabin was a short one. Beneath the nearly full moon the path was illuminated well enough to provide sure footing. The edges of the forest were shadowy and dark and Jake kept his eyes trained on the tree line while they walked. The only sounds in the forest were the hooting of owls and soft fluttering rustling of bats' wings. Neither of them spoke until they reached the cabin. The front door was unlocked and Jake reached around her body and pushed it open. He waited while she crossed the threshold and when she would have turned and slammed the door in his face he entered the room behind her. His presence left her no opportunity to do anything other than move further into the darkened room. Moonlight streamed through the wide windows in thin fingers of light, only marginally illuminating the space. Jake crossed the floor as easily as if every lamp in the room was lit. Kneeling beside the fireplace, he struck a match to the kindling in the hearth. As soon as it caught he

45

KATE BURNS

began to stoke the fire. Within minutes he had it roaring on the grate and the room began to warm. "There. That'll heat the place up in no time." Crossing the room, he stood in front of Carrie and looked down at her with a serious expression. She hadn't moved from the spot beside the front door, near one of the wide windows, and he stared at her thoughtfully. "Do you not like the River View Canyon Ranch? Is that the problem?' "What gives you that idea?" She took a step backward but found herself pinned against a wall. "I know there's something that's bothering you." His voice was deep and his words measured. "It's the only thing I can figure, is that you don't like the ranch. I know it's very remote and that it's not the kind of thing that many people would like but I thought that someone like you—" "Excuse me? Someone like me? It seems to me you've said that once before and it went over like a lead balloon then, too. What exactly do you mean when you say that, Jake? Explain yourself." "I told you last time," he said, running a hand through his black curls. He made some of them stand on end and she felt a strong inclination to run her own fingers through the thick, silky hair. The way she had done last night when they'd been naked on the rug. Instead, she clenched her fists and willed her hands to stay by her sides. "Someone like you—a doctor, an intelligent woman. I thought that a place like this would appeal to someone like you, someone interested in wildlife and preservation and ecological issues. I'm surprised that you don't like the ranch—honestly, I didn't expect that." Carrie shook her head and her brown curls danced upon her shoulders. She'd worn her hair down during dinner. Paired with the casual yet elegant sweater and slacks she'd worn she looked like a model instead of a scientist, especially one whose specialty was veterinarian genetics. "I like the ranch well enough. It's absolutely beautiful. The land, the wildlife, the buildings—all of it. I love all of it," she said honestly. "What is it then?" "Paula. Maybe I wasn't expecting Paula, to be quite honest." There. I've said it—brought the snake out and put it on the table. Let's see you try to get it off without getting bitten, Jake. How will you wiggle out of this? "Paula?" he sounded genuinely baffled. "You don't like Paula?"

46

CANYON'S CALL

Carrie had no tolerance for deception of any sort and she felt her blood pressure rise at his response. Her voice grew louder as she answered him. "I like Paula—very much. What's not to like?" "That's what I've always thought," agreed Jake. "So what the hell is the problem? And why are you suddenly yelling at me?" "I'm not yelling!" she said—loudly. "And maybe the problem—as you so eloquently put it—isn't with Paula, per se. Perhaps I just didn't expect to meet your pregnant girlfriend when I got here—not after what happened between us last night!" The silence was broken only by the crackling noises that came from the fireplace. "Paula? Pregnant? How do you know she's pregnant? Did she tell you that?" Jake's eyes were wide and his eyebrows lifted. He looked genuinely shocked at the news. "You told me she's pregnant! Don't be so damn innocent-looking, either. At the airstrip, when you called her. I didn't mean to eavesdrop but it was damn near impossible not to hear what you were saying. You're the one who said something about her getting pregnant so quickly—so easily." "Her horse! Her horse is pregnant—on the first try, so we're all very excited about it." Jake shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair a second time, adding to the already unkempt hairdo he sported. "So your girlfriend's horse is pregnant? That's what you're saying?" Carrie huffed. "I have no idea how you've gotten it into your head that Paula is my girlfriend and as...amusing...and flattering as the idea is, I can't let it go on any longer." Jake took a step closer to her and Carrie's breasts brushed across the front of his shirt. His breath warmed her cheek as she steadfastly refused to meet his eyes. "Paula and I are not involved. As a matter of fact, she's involved with Frank." Carrie's head shot up and she scowled at him. "Frank? You expect me to believe that? He's old enough to be her father!" "Frank, Junior." Silence stretched between them. "So you and Paula aren't...well, you know?" Her voice was a whisper in the large room. "No. we're not," he said, lowering his mouth to hers. Their lips pressed together and a tingling began deep within her body. When he lifted his mouth he grinned. "I had believed, after last night, that you and

47

KATE BURNS

I were...well, you know. Or at least beginning to...well, you know." His grin grew as she reddened. When Jake pulled Carrie against him she forgot all the misgivings that had plagued her since she'd felt the first twinges of doubt on the plane. She forgot everything except the feel of the man in her arms and the incredible things he was doing to her. **** Jake's body was hard and every muscle was highlighted by the play of light and shadow from the dancing flames. Hers was soft and silky by comparison. Their pressing of flesh on flesh was as sublimely beautiful as a breathtaking sunset or the most vivid rainbow. He dropped his mouth to her breasts, circling her nipples with his tongue. Instinctively, she arched her back and pushed her skin closer to his touch. Hard, rosy points, her nipples slipped between his lips in rotation, one always straining for his touch while the other relished it. "Oh, Jake, it feels so good," Carrie moaned, her body twisting beneath his as sinuously as a cat's. "You're driving me mad—and you know it, don't you?" His smile circled her areola and he nipped her with his teeth before crawled lower on her body. On the soft bearskin rug before the fire they were as hot as if they were in the tropics instead of the Alaskan wilderness. Jake separated her thighs and took a long look at her as she wiggled alluringly before him. "You like the way that looks, don't you?" She giggled as his eyebrows rose at her brashness. The answer was obvious but it still bore asking. "Haven't you ever seen one before, Jake?" "Like this?" "Uh huh." Carrie pressed her hips closer to his face as she watched him devour her with his eyes. "Nope. Can't say that I have." His tongue swept over her like a man who had just found an oasis in the desert and was parched from days of aimless wandering through heat and sand. He licked her moist folds until she wanted to scream from the pleasure of his touch, then he licked them some more. Finally Carrie couldn't stand it. She pulled herself from his mouth and lay back against the rug. She gasped as she waited for her heart to slow. When it did she pushed Jake onto his back and straddled him with her face toward his feet.

48

CANYON'S CALL

He needed no encouragement and before she could pull him into her mouth she felt his tongue against her. His skin was hot, stretched tightly as his erection throbbed beneath her touch. Her tongue stroked him in the same rhythm as his touched hers and she felt Jake struggle for control. He groaned against her skin. "Carrie, darling…whoa, baby. That feels good...pretty damn good, but I'm just a man, darling. You're pushing me—pushing me closer and closer. Hell, Carrie—" Jake's powerful arms lifted her and he rolled over her and pressed his cock into her wetness in one swift movement. She felt him fill her, felt him press her skin so firmly that she tumbled into her climax effortlessly. He held her as she came, then he thrust into her once— twice—three times before he arched his back. Carrie savored every tremor as he flooded her and when his orgasm ended she wrapped her arms around his back and held him close. "Now that, cowboy, is what I call love-making," she murmured.

49

KATE BURNS

Chapter Seven Sunlight warmed her face and she stretched beneath the heavy down quilt. The space around her was warm—but empty. Jake was gone. Again. Somehow Carrie didn't feel as lonely for him as she had the first few mornings that she'd woken to find him gone. They'd settled into a routine in the span of a week, a routine that they both felt comfortable with. A routine that was, at best, tentative—but then, wasn't that the way of most love affairs? At least at first? Another gorgeous day. Following one more wild romantic night. And probably preceding yet another passion-filled night. Who would have thought that searching for a new species could be so damn interesting? There was a scrap of paper propped up on the table beside the bed and Carrie reached for it. It was one from the desk in the corner, with the RC Ranch logo embossed across the top of the page. Opening it, she scanned the message. Good morning sunshine. I'm down at the main barn, checking some things with Frank. Call down when you're ready and I'll send someone up to walk you down. Take your time. Today we'll head up to the Pass to see if we can find the beast. See you soon, Jake Slipping out of bed and into the chilly room, Carrie walked to the large bathroom and reached into the shower. Jets of water fell from three different positions on the rustic tiled walls and she stepped beneath the falling drops with a smile. "The Pass. Maybe we'll finally see this animal of Jake's." Lathering her body with lavender-scented soap as her nipples puckered and heat spread through her, Carrie grinned. And maybe I'll just take another look at Jake's other, more interesting, animal.

50

CANYON'S CALL

**** Carrie found him in the large holding pen outside the main barn. He was watching a buffalo. The animal was huge, shaggy and hump-backed. It had, however, a noticeable limp. "Hi," she called as she climbed onto the bottom rung of the split-rail fence and looked over. "What happened to his foreleg?" Jake scowled when he saw her. "What are you doing here?" "Excuse me?" He took his brown cowboy hat off and tapped it against a thigh as he ran his other hand through his hair. His hair was already standing on end, a sign Carrie had learned to recognize as a gauge of his mood. Something was giving him cause for annoyance—his hair attested to the fact. "I thought I told you to call down and someone would be up to the cabin to fetch you," he growled, pressing his hat onto his head with more force than was necessary. "Don't you listen to directions?" "I'm not one of your hired hands, Jake. And I'm not some sort of ball or stick or Frisbee to be 'fetched' by anyone, thank you very much." Carrie scowled back at him. As she spoke, she saw Frank look down at the ground between his feet and shake his head. One of the younger men smiled openly as the other struggled for composure and stared off into the teal blue sky. "Jake! The buffalo!" Frank pointed to the far end of the pen. Even a limping buffalo can be a dangerous animal and the one in the enclosure was no exception. It charged Jake, with its head down, and would have knocked him on his back had it not been for Frank's warning. Jake sidestepped the charge and stood back to watch as the animal headed toward the far end of the area. The limp was more noticeable than it had been earlier. When Jake walked over to the fence and climbed up onto it, swinging one long leg over the top rail and settling himself on the weather-worn slat, he had a look of intense concentration on his face. His blue eyes looked like deep pools that were filled with sparks and they flashed as he turned and stared at the now-still buffalo. Frank and the others ambled over to Jake and Carrie. Before he spoke, Frank fished a cigarette out of a rumpled pack he took from the breast pocket of his shirt. He stuck the slightly crooked cigarette between his lips and moved it around before settling it in one corner. No one made a move to light the cigarette.

51

KATE BURNS

"The way I see it, it happened just before dawn," said Frank, puffing on the cigarette as if it was lit. Carrie thought it looked ridiculous in the grizzled cowboy's mouth like that but she had no intention of pointing out that it wasn't burning. She could sense that something was very wrong on the ranch—something had put the men on edge. "There's no way it could have happened earlier. The wound didn't have a chance to coagulate; it was still fresh when Brady found it. So hell, it couldn't have happened more than five, six hours ago. What do you think, Jake?" Nodding, he ran a hand along his jaw. He was freshly shaved and his hand slid smoothly. Watching him touch himself so unselfconsciously made her breathing quicken but she wasn't aware of her body's response. Her focus was on the furrow between Jake's brows. "I'd have to agree with you," he said finally. "So we're going to have to be even more vigilant about the usual things. Let them know up at the big house what's going on down here. Tell Paula to double-check the arms by the doors and to keep the glass panes closed—no open screens anywhere. All the usual stuff in a situation like this one." "What's happening? What happened to the buffalo?" asked Carrie. For a second she thought that she wouldn't get an answer to her questions, the silence was so thick. But Jake answered, his voice resigned. "Bear." "This is Alaska—bears are common here, aren't they? Isn't that normal? To have bears?" Carrie tilted her head and a curl fell from the silver clip she'd used to hold it back. It was still damp from her shower and lay attractively on her cheek. Jake reached out and brushed it gently off her skin, tucking it behind her ear before he spoke. "It is. We have bears here, but they usually don't come down to bother the animals. There's enough for them to eat, especially in the spring and summer months that they don't need to poke around here. Occasionally one will wander into the ranch compound accidentally— that's why we're so vigilant about watching for them, after sunset especially. They seem to be hungrier—or bolder—then. But generally they stay away from us and we stay away from them." Jake turned to look at the buffalo again. "But for the last week or so we've seen signs of a bear lurking around here. This," he tilted his head toward the animal, "proves our theory. There's definitely a bear hanging about the compound. And it's getting bolder." "Why?" asked Carrie. "Why do you think it's here?"

52

CANYON'S CALL

Jake smiled as he met her eyes. "That's what we've got to figure out." **** Their trip to the Pass was delayed as Jake and the men scoured the compound for other signs of the rogue bear. Three days passed in a seemingly endless stretch of hours that Carrie spent alone. After making it abundantly clear that the search for the mystery animal would have to wait until the bear business was settled, Jake stopped spending any time with her at the cabin. She'd even begun to sleep alone since he didn't come to her at night. He began to stand sentry with the men instead of taking the comfort of her bed. If anything good came of the whole bear search incident, it was the fact that the two women got the chance to get to know each other better. Carrie and Paula spent long hours together and the bonds of friendship began to grow between them. A wide verandah ran along the back of the big house, overlooking a flat green expanse of waving wildflowers. A huge pond sat in the center of the meadow. "A little bit different from Maine, isn't it?" asked Paula as she propped her feet on the railing and scanned the meadow. Carrie didn't have to ask what the other woman would do if she saw the bear. Her cell phone was on the ledge of the verandah and there was a rifle propped against the table beside her. "It's probably a lot more desolate than you're used to." "It's different but not so terribly different. Maine isn't a place like Manhattan, so really, I'm not used to big cities, skyscrapers or anything like that. Maine is small and quiet and there are definitely a lot more people there but it's not all that different. Not when you get right down to it. There's a respect for the animals and the land that's similar to what you've got here." Paula examined her cuticles, seemingly content to let the bear watch go, at least for a few moments. Without looking up she said, "So that's why you seem to be so content here. It seemed weird to us but now I understand—you're feeling kind of at home here, aren't you?" Oh, isn't it great to know that people are talking about you behind your back? And not even trying to hide the fact? "Us?" "Sure. Me and Frank Junior," said Paula, turning to look at Carrie with a grin on her face that told the whole story. "I guess no one's told

53

KATE BURNS

you but we're engaged. We're thinking of getting married next year— around Christmas. Not that we're in any hurry, not really. I don't know that much will change once we're married. Anyway, we were wondering how you seemed so comfortable here—now I know. Alaska is similar to what you're used to. And I'd wager that Jake is doing his part to make you feel...comfortable." Closing her eyes and lifting her face to the touch of the sun, Carrie grinned. Hell yes, he's making me feel very comfortable. In a whole bunch of places, actually. "He's doing a fine job of making me feel comfortable, Paula," Carrie said. Their laughter floated out over the meadow like dandelion fluff on a soft breeze. The two women passed the rest their time on the verandah in comfortable silence. It seemed as if everything of importance had already been said. **** She'd forgotten about Drew and his invitation to go exploring. When he tracked her down just as she finished the last page of the last chapter of a book she'd been reading, she had no excuse not to go to the foaling barn with him. "It's not a good time to take you too far from the main spread but I thought you might like to have a look at the foaling barn. Its right up your alley, I guess. And for us, it's a pretty important place," Drew said, smiling. "It's where our little ones come into the world. Around here we take our horseflesh seriously." She made her way down the steps and stood beside the handsome cowboy. With his boots and hat he was much taller than she was and her eyes drifted over his body slowly. They settled on his hip, where he had a large semi-automatic handgun holstered. "Don't worry about that, Carrie. It's just for protection. I'm sure we won't need it," he said. Nodding his head toward the forest, he smiled. "The foaling barn is on the other side of the compound. If you like, we'll take the scenic path through the forest." "That sounds good." The forest was quiet and they saw no sign of the bear the ranchers had been so busy searching for. In fact, had she not known there was a bear on the loose Carrie wouldn't have had the least bit of uneasiness about walking through the forest. She kept her ears and eyes open but they reached the foaling barn without incident.

54

CANYON'S CALL

"This is the place where it all begins, then?" She looked around as they stepped inside the immaculate barn. It was swept as clean as most kitchens were and smelled just as fragrant, although the scent of hay and wood mixed with pine and molasses was hardly the kind of fragrance most homes held. "Right here, in this warm, cozy spot?" Drew pushed his hat back on his head and grinned. When he spoke she realized just how thick his drawl actually was. "Well, this isn't exactly where it all begins, if you get my drift. But it is where the little ones come into the world. Have you ever seen a horse give birth?" Casually his eyes lowered and she was aware of the slow, careful examination he was giving her body. What a surprise—being checked out by yet another cowboy. Hell, you men should get to town more often. Don't you guys have a subscription to one—or a few—of those men's magazines? The ones with the glossy photos in them? "No, I never have. I imagine it's pretty interesting, though." Aside from Paula's mare there were no other pregnancies on the ranch that she knew of. Suddenly she wished there were others, ones with impending due dates. A foaling was something she would be interested in watching. Drew closed the space between them in small increments. Before she knew it he was standing right beside her, looking down at her with a broad smile on his handsome face. His eyes slid toward the collar of her shirt and she wondered whether or not he could see right into her bra. A flush crept up from her chest, across her neck and onto her cheeks. He seemed to sense her growing heat and his smile widened. "It's nice to have you alone for a spell." His voice was sultry and his eyes suggestive. "I've been wondering when I'd get the chance to get closer to you, Carrie. You are a mighty beautiful woman. You're the kind of woman who could give a man ideas, if you know what I mean. Listen, I was thinking that maybe you'd like to go for an early morning ride sometime soon. Like maybe tomorrow? We could leave from my cabin, right after we have breakfast, and go for a nice, long ride. How does that sound?" Smooth. Very smooth, Drew. So cowboys don't try to pick up women with flashy cars; they pick us up with horses and spurs instead. If Jake wasn't so damn hot I might be tempted to take you up on this offer. "It sounds great, Drew—"

55

KATE BURNS

"I hoped you'd think so," he said, angling his head closer to hers. The distance between their bodies was diminishing with each passing minute. "—but I've got to pass. Thanks anyway." "Pass?" His lips were inches from hers and she could smell the minty aroma of toothpaste on his breath. "I'm sorry, Drew. I just can't go riding with you in the morning. But thanks for asking," Carrie said. She smiled, hoping to lessen the refusal. He sighed. He shrugged. Then he smiled as he straightened up, pulling his face further from hers. "Can't blame a guy for trying, can you?" "Not one bit." Chapter 8 It amazed her that the tundra line was so close to the big house but it was only a few hours' ride away. Jake took her to see it one afternoon after they'd searched nearly every inch of land and inside every building at the main ranch compound. There had been further signs of a bear's presence but they hadn't found the bear itself. They all hoped that the animal had moved back to the forest or mountains, away from the humans who shared space with it. They hoped, but still they were vigilant. Both Jake and Carrie had rifles hung over their saddles. "It's so close, Jake," she said as they rode closer to the base of the high, snow-capped mountains. The trail the horses confidently traveled wound through the forest and along the base of the mountain range. It led higher, too, into the mountains themselves but Jake had not indicated an intention of taking her up that high. "I had no idea that something this big was just beyond the forest." "You'd be surprised at what's past the forest." He swung his leg over his horse's side and leapt to the ground. He unstrapped the rifle and dropped the reins and the big brown animal walked over to a sheltered area to stand beneath the canopy of a sturdy pine tree. "There's all sorts of terrain out here. One thing gives way to another just as smoothly as a sidewalk turns into a street before becoming a sidewalk again. It's our own kind of cityscape, I guess." Reaching up to help her dismount, Jake put his hands around her waist and let them linger there for a few seconds before he lifted Carrie to the ground. They stood in the shadow of the mountains and looked

56

CANYON'S CALL

into each other's eyes, feeling the isolation of the place. They reveled in the kinship of their hearts as they beat against their touching bodies. "And the snow starts here?" Carrie asked softly. "It doesn't feel cold enough for snow." Grinning, he turned her body so that she could see the bend that lay just beyond where they stood. He pulled her against him as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "Just beyond the bend the snow begins. Just a little bit at first, lining the trail, but it gets pretty deep pretty quickly. The trail moves higher at a steep incline and the air gets colder fast. The snow gets deeper as you move up. We're not dressed for it today, but if you'd like to see it I'll take you up there another time," he said, rubbing his hands over her arms briskly. "I wouldn't want you to catch a chill—or get frostbite, either, without the proper clothing. Things like that can happen really fast out here and the consequences of a moment of carelessness can be deadly." Carrie turned within the circle of his arms and looked up at him. He still held the rifle and she felt him hold it against her back as they stood there. "You sound serious, Jake. Do things like that—accidents—happen often here on the ranch? Are there a lot of careless incidents? I don't see how that could happen here. You're all so conscious of everything. Locks. Door latches. Garbage and the way it's stored. Verandahs high off the ground and windows in kitchens closed at all times. So many rules, so many safety issues—how could there possibly be mishaps in this place? So much energy goes into seeing to safety and environmental control." "Not many," he said his voice quiet. "But even one is one too many. We live in a rugged place and we need to have control over as much of it as we can. We try, but every once in a while we get caught with our pants down." Yeah, I wouldn't mind seeing that. Not one bit. "Your pants down, huh?" Her smile was devilish and the lift of her brow was inviting. Carrie's body responded to his—and the thoughts his words had stirred within her active mind. She felt the seam of her jeans press against her growing heat and she shifted, pressing the skin against the fabric more firmly. A shiver slid up her spine and her nipples tingled, and then grew hard, beneath the soft fabric of her sweater. "Care to demonstrate? The pants down thing, I mean?"

57

KATE BURNS

"A figure of speech, sweet Carrie. That's all it was but I can see it's got you thinking, hasn't it?" His eyes searched hers and she felt as if she was as transparent as a fishbowl. There was no hiding from this man—not her thoughts or emotions. Not her desires. It was as if he had a hold over her that defied explanation—an intoxicating power that made her hungry for more with every delicious touch of his body. She wanted him. And he knew it. "You're right, it's got me thinking." Her voice was thick and her throat felt tight as she slipped her arm downward and reached her open hand toward his crotch. "Hasn't it got you thinking, too? At least a little bit?" Her hand connected with the bulge in his jeans and she massaged him through the fabric. As she'd suspected, he was growing harder. He kissed her, a fast, hard kiss that kept his attention diverted for a second before his eyes lifted and scanned the area around them. Everything was quiet except for the sound of their breathing. "You know I've been thinking ever since the minute I first spoke to you. God woman, what are you doing to me?" Her fingers found the cap on his shaft and she gave it a quick squeeze. Jake's eyes widened as the sensations she brought to him heated his body. Involuntarily he shifted his hips, pushing his cock against her hand. "If this needs explanation we're in trouble." The rasping of his zipper sounded hugely erotic and she tugged it down with determination. The contents of his jeans, with their promise of pleasure, called to her as insistently as if he'd had a flashing neon sign above his head. When Jake's fingers found her hand and held it, her heart froze, too. "Carrie, sweetheart, we can't do this. Not here. Not now." "Why not? It's not as if we're in a public place or anything. And I can tell that you want it as badly as I do, Jake. Your cock is huge—come on, let's see what happens." Kissing his jaw line as she spoke, she could feel his desire threatening to overcome his logic. His hard body was tense and his hand on hers was hot as she wiggled her fingers into his jeans and touched his penis. Stroking him gently, his hand still on hers, she continued to kiss him as she felt the slipperiness grow between her legs. "It feels so good to touch you. And your hand is so close to your cock—I can imagine how incredible you look with your fingers wrapped

58

CANYON'S CALL

around that hard, hot rod. Maybe some time soon we'll see how you look when you touch yourself. It turns me on just to think about it," she whispered. "I know what will happen and as much as I'd love to let it happen, I can't do it." With a moan he pulled her fingers from his skin and zipped up his jeans. "I can't, Carrie. It's too dangerous. We know there's a bear close by—this isn't a good place to make love to you. Come on. Let's go back to your cabin." The tundra and its snow was forgotten as they mounted their horses and headed back to the ranch compound. They made the journey in nearrecord time. **** She heard the door to her cabin slam shut but it barely registered in her brain. Her body was ruled by the desires that had grown on the trip back. It was evident that Jake felt the same as they tore at their clothes with an intensity that would have been frightening—had it not been exciting. "Fucking zippers." His voice came in tortured spurts as he pulled her jeans down and put his foot on them. As he lifted her body he left her jeans in a heap. Carrie released his cock from his jeans and pushed his pants down, pressing herself against his hardness as he pulled her sweater over her arms. Theirs was a tangle of body parts and fabric and the rush to free themselves from the fabric was frantic. She heard a popping noise and realized that he'd broken the plastic clasp on the front of her lacy bra. It dropped to the floor on top of the heap. Finally naked, they ran their hands over hot skin in fast caresses, tugs, and strokes. Their mouths locked and their tongues touched. Again Jake lifted her and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he buried his penis in her. "Oh I've died and gone to heaven. You're so big, Jake, so big and hard and oh my God I can't wait. Ican'twaitIcan'twaitI—oh! Yes! Oh yes, that's it!" With a few well-aimed thrusts Jake brought her to a shuddering climax. Her arms held him tightly as her pussy gripped his throbbing cock. He watched her in open fascination as her face twisted, then relaxed. When it was over, she opened her eyes to find he stared into them. There was a challenge in her eyes. He saw it but pretended he didn't.

59

KATE BURNS

"Your turn, Jake. Show me what you've got," she coaxed, licking her lips as she wiggled in his arms. "Let me see how it is for a big, hard cowboy to let loose. Come on, Jake. It's your turn." His hips moved swiftly, strong and sure. She watched his eyes roll toward the ceiling as his orgasm approached. Just before she felt the first convulsions of his penis he dropped his face to her hair and his voice came in a fast, hoarse burst against her ear. "Is this what you want, Carrie? Is it? Is this what you need to feel?" He arched his back and his cock flooded her as she held him close. She felt the beat of his heart against her breasts and the warmth of his breath against her cheek. For an instant Carrie thought she heard the grinding of his teeth, too. But that grinding could have been her own teeth as she held him while he shuddered.

60

CANYON'S CALL

Chapter Nine Over a week passed without any sign of the bear and everyone began to relax. It seemed likely that the animal had moved along. And when three weeks had gone by without any bear signs, life on the ranch resumed its casual mood. The gentle grey mare moved beneath her with so little effort that it was almost as comfortable as sitting on the verandah in an over-sized rocking chair would have been. There was no need to guide the animal. It followed Jake's horse without direction, plodding steadily behind it as they wound their way through a lush wildflower-filled meadow. "I had no idea that there were so many flowers in this state," Carrie called. "I just thought it was filled with glaciers, polar bears and snow. That's all anyone ever sees on the commercials, anyway. Oh yeah, and cruise ships, too." Reining in his horse and waiting for her to come abreast of him, Jake crossed his arms and leaned forward. He rested his arms on the butt of his rifle. It was held across the front of his saddle by a sturdy leather strap and looked exactly like the rifles used in old westerns. Only Jake's was bigger. Shinier. More deadly looking. "Most people think that," he said, smiling. "And that's all right, too. Keeps a lot of the tourists away. We like it like that." "I'll bet you do. It seems like you've got a good thing going on up here, a good way of life and a peaceful existence. No wonder you would want to keep it a secret." Her eyes took in the pinks, yellows and purples of the swaying clumps of flowers and the butterflies dancing above them. She heard the calls of birds and wished she knew better how to identify them by sound. "Why would you want all of this invaded? It's too beautiful a place for condos or shopping malls. No, let people believe there's nothing here but snow. It's better that way." Jake sat up straight and looked at her. She looked like she'd been born in a saddle. A natural rider, she had needed only a refresher lesson on the basics before she had been comfortable enough to ride out onto

61

KATE BURNS

the range with him. Now that they'd been searching for the mystery animal for a week she was as confident on a horse's four feet as she was on her own two. "Well, we don't want to keep everyone away. There are some people we're happy to have here." A blush crept up Carrie's cheeks. Although he teased her often and complimented her liberally, she still wasn't used to hearing flattering remarks from men. It had been too long since she'd heard any to feel entirely comfortable with them. But she was learning to accept Jake's remarks without wondering about his motivation for making them. "Is that so? Like what kind of people?" "Hell, all sorts," he said vaguely, waving one large hand in the air in front of him. "All sorts." "All sorts? Now isn't that flattering?" With a smile he leaned close, closing the distance between their bodies in a heartbeat. He looked into her eyes and said, "Especially beautiful, brilliant, sexy doctors from back East. We like that kind of people in particular." Jake kissed her, a smooth, tender joining of mouths that made Carrie forget that there was anything in the world beyond the feelings he stirred inside her. Shifting on the saddle, she pressed herself against the soft leather as she began to tingle. Her jeans felt tighter as her excitement built. "Jake," Carrie moaned, pulling her mouth from his. Her heart was thudding in her chest and his kiss had aroused her so thoroughly that she clutched the reins as she fought for control. "The horses need a rest," he said hoarsely. "But the animal—" "Will wait," he insisted, tapping his horse's flanks with the heels of his boots. He led them to a shady area beneath a spreading oak tree and slid to the ground. He tied the animals to a low branch and helped Carrie from her mount. When she was off the mare he held her to him. She felt his need. It throbbed between them, pressing hotly against the fabric of his worn jeans. Without hesitation Carrie reached down and unzipped his pants. She pushed aside the fabric and reached for him, tugging his erection out into the open. As she stroked him she saw his eyes scan the area. Always vigilant for signs of danger, he excited her even more with his attention to detail,

62

CANYON'S CALL

his regard for their safety. Even dressed, his brown Stetson on his head and his pistol on his hip, Jake was a man who could arouse even the most frigid female. With his turgid organ poking out of his pants and his eyes on their surroundings he was hot enough to melt any of the state's glaciers. Carrie's fingers moved over his penis, tugging him gently as she slid her hand along his hard length. A glistening drop of moisture appeared at the tiny round hole in the center of his tip and she watched it on his rosy skin, so perfect—just like the rest of his body. I can't stand it. I have to taste him, I have to do it. Dropping to her knees on the soft grass she put her tongue against his cock, tasting the spicy skin, licking the tiny sparkling drop, before pulling his penis between her lips. She sucked him gently at first, teasing him with swirling strokes of her tongue along his length. Paying extra attention to the sensitive area beneath the tip, she licked and stroked Jake until his hips began to move. He thrust his penis into her as deeply as his clothing would allow. She held him in her mouth, held him and felt the shivers of delight pass through him and into her own body. Wet with desire, her crotch was so slippery that every shift of her hips brought waves of pleasure coursing through her. He's close. I'm close. I bet I can come without ever being touched. The saddle started it. His kiss pushed me closer. But this, this unrestrained wilderness moment is going to send me over the edge. Oh, yes...you taste so good and I'm so horny, Jake. Every twitch sends a shiver through me—my pussy feels like it's on fire and oh, yes...it feels so damn good. But when she thought Jake was getting close to losing control he surprised her. Instead of surrendering, he took charge. He pulled his cock from her mouth and lifted her to her feet as easily as if she was a soap bubble. He crushed her lips with his, led her to a large fallen log and sat down, holding her on his lap. As they kissed his fingers found her belt buckle. He undid it, and the fly of her jeans, with no wasted movement. "Stand," he ordered, his voice coming in a short, hoarse gasp. Carrie stood and he pushed her jeans and panties down, exposing her flesh to his eyes—and mouth. When her jeans were down around the tops of her boots he put his fingers on her, separating her lips and pressing his tongue to her slit.

63

KATE BURNS

Stroking her clit with the same intensity she'd used on his cock, he pushed Carrie toward her climax so quickly that it was upon her almost instantly. She came, her back arched, her head thrown back and her mouth open in a soundless scream, standing beside the log with Jake's mouth buried between her legs. It was an orgasm that would be a marker beside which she'd measure every other one she had for the rest of her lifetime, but she didn't know that then. For Carrie, there was nothing but the moment—the moment filled with streaks of white hot light and bursts of pleasure. As the final spasms of her orgasm died down Carrie let her knees buckle. Jake's tongue left her sex and found her mouth. Their kiss was frenzied, a mix of spicy and sweet as flavors melded on their tongues. Reaching between his legs, she found his cock and tugged it firmly. He was so hard that his skin strained, his tip bobbed with every breath. She felt another drop of excitement seep from him. Jake pulled his mouth from hers and sat back, looking toward their surroundings while Carrie stroked him. His eyes scanned the tree line, looking for any movement save their own. Finally he looked down at his penis, hard and red and ready to erupt. Moving behind her body, he pressed her forward, positioning her over the fallen log. Pulling her knees open as far as they would go, Carrie bent forward and felt his penis press against her backside. He slid it across her cheeks, pinning his cock between their bodies as he savored the moment. When she thought she would scream from wanting him, he pulled back from her and put his hands on her ass cheeks, separating them. His cock slid between her cheeks, his hardness sending fresh tingles to her body. It slipped between her thighs, pressed against the slickness that coated her folds before he angled it out and between her ass cheeks again. Her own slipperiness wet her ass as he touched her, pushing his hips against hers and slowly stroking her with his hardness. Carrie felt him pull back, felt him position the tip of his penis at her secret brown hole and for an instant she thought her heart had stopped. Jake—you wouldn't—would you? I've never—oh! It feels so big, so hard and...just so big...I don't think it'll go there, I don't think...oh! But that feels good, very good...maybe it will go there, maybe it will fit, especially since it's so wet— Oh, just when I was hoping…

64

CANYON'S CALL

His penis moved forward, between her legs. He had pressed gently on her back opening, teased her with his presence, giving her just a splitsecond of pressure, before he angled his cock so that it was between the lips of her pussy. Pulling her hips toward his, Jake positioned himself and thrust his cock into her. He pressed himself in as far as his clothing would allow before he began to move. They were fast, short movements designed for release rather than enjoyment. With one hand he reached around her body and stroked her, pulling her toward orgasm with every stroke. "Now!" Jake moaned, his teeth clenched. He came in a series of strong bursts, filling her with his liquid heat as she shuddered to completion with him. **** "I thought we'd head for the pass," Jake said. The sun was high in the sky and it felt warm on Carrie's already-heated body. "There's a good possibility the animal is up there, grazing in one of the alpine meadows. Last week two of the men saw it there, so we'll have a look. We'll go back to the big house tomorrow." "Will we be camping?" Jake looked at her mischievously from beneath the brim of his hat. "In a way. Now let's see if we can't get there by mid-afternoon. We lost a little time back there so we're running behind schedule. I hoped we'd get to the pass in time to scout the meadow this afternoon, before dark. We'll have to move quickly if we're still going to be able to do that." Smiling sweetly, Carrie asked. "Are you sorry we lost time?" "Not one bit. Now, let's go." He dug his heels into his big black stallion's sides. The horse took off immediately and Carrie tightened her grasp on the reins as her horse followed. That's good to know. I don't regret it, either. Although for a moment I thought I might be having a new experience...although honestly I've never had sex on a log before. In broad daylight. With my clothes on— mostly. With a cowboy wearing a cowboy hat, boots and a gun. Yeah, that counts as a new experience, even without the...uh, other stuff. They rode steadily for two hours, the air growing colder and thinner as their altitude increased. The flowers grew sparser and in the distance they could see snow-covered mountain peaks. Jake angled his horse so that they began to head through the forest. Although the terrain was rugged the horses picked their way through it

65

KATE BURNS

without incident and after an hour of forest riding Carrie began to relax, confident that the animals were capable of making the journey. She'd never seen a landscape that was so diverse before and she felt like a stranger in an even stranger—albeit gorgeous—land. Turning in his saddle, Jake smiled at her and it was as if the sun dimmed. His face was even more handsome with each passing hour as the stubble that appeared on his cheeks and chin grew thicker. It was black, like the hair on his head and on the other parts of his body and she believed that had it been allowed to grow into a full-blown beard or moustache it would have been full and luxurious. "We're nearly there. Are you all right back there? I mean, I didn't...um, well you're all right, aren't you?" "I'm fine. I'll be glad to reach the camping spot but I'm fine. Why?" Carrie pulled her perfectly-waxed eyebrows into a straight line. "Why are you asking? You didn't what?" Clearing his throat, Jake colored beneath his stubble. Pulling the brim of his hat lower on his brow he turned back around in the saddle, showing her his broad back. "I was just concerned that maybe I had— well, that maybe I had—" "Had what, Jake? For God's sake, spit it out already!" "Hurt you! I've been riding along and wondering if I hadn't maybe been too rough with you, back there on the log. Are you all right? Did I hurt you?" He turned to look at her again and what she saw in his face kept her from laughing out loud. You're serious, aren't you Mr. Cowboy? You're afraid that a little bit of less-than-gentle sex could damage me? Or is this guilt of some sort because of the way you were tempted to initiate me into the joys of…well, into a new type of sex? Is that what this is about? Hell, whatever's on your mind is eating at you, that much is easy to see. "I'm fine, Jake," Carrie said gently. "Really. I'm fine. You didn't hurt me back at the log. I...I enjoyed it—all of it. Really, don't worry about it any more, okay? There's no reason for you to be concerned. I'm just fine." Nodding, he turned and directed his mount in a more northeastern direction. They rode in silence for a while before he spoke again. When he did, his voice was low. "Good. I was worried about that, Carrie. I don't want to hurt you— not in any way. I couldn't stand it if I did."

66

CANYON'S CALL

Shaking her head, Carrie wondered if she'd found a cowboy with a conscience. **** "I can't believe that you let me think we were going camping! And all along you knew we were headed for this fairy tale cabin in the woods! My God, Jake, it's gorgeous here." They stood before a two-story building. Technically it was a cabin in that it was constructed entirely of logs that had been cleared from the building site. But that's where any similarity to rustic living ended. Log and glass, it was a wide, square building with a large plank deck that wrapped around all four sides of the building. Built on a knoll in the center of the clearing, the deck was raised twelve feet from the ground and accessible by climbing a flight of log steps. At the top of the steps was a sturdy gate. Jake pulled their saddle bags from their horses and headed for the steps. Close behind him, Carrie's eyes darted from his alluring, muscled backside and strong back to the tufts of wildflowers that grew in front of the cabin. It was impossible to decide which was a more interesting sight. "Do you like it?" Jake asked, pushing the gate at the top of the steps open. He waited until she had moved onto the deck before he snapped the gate closed firmly behind them. "I built it—actually Frank and I did it—Frank Junior, that is. It was the summer when we were eighteen. We were tired of camping in the forest every time we rode up to check the pass and I asked my father if he wouldn't prefer a small hunting cabin in this spot instead of the shabby lean-to we were used to sheltering—just barely—beneath. Of course he thought it was only teenage bluster and he said to go for it. So Frank and I went for it and this is what we built. Took us all summer but hell, we had fun." Standing on the deck and looking up at the building it was hard to believe it had been built by two teenage boys but the pride on Jake's face left no doubt about it. She knew he'd done it and was even more amazed by his skill than she had been before. Was there no end to the things that this man would surprise her with? "I'm speechless," she said finally. "Absolutely speechless." Grinning, Jake headed for the front door. "Well that's a first, isn't it? Come on, Speechless, I'll show you the inside of our nights' accommodations."

67

KATE BURNS

He set one of the saddle bags near his feet and reached above the door frame, sliding his hand along the wide wooden railing. You can't be serious. Above the door? With a triumphant look he held up a shiny silver key. Then he used it to open the front door and, pushing the door open, he bowed and motioned for Carrie to enter. If she had been impressed with the outside of the cabin, she was doubly impressed with the inside. A loft ran around three sides, with a balcony that overlooked the main floor. There was a huge hearth and a wall of stone that backed the fireplace. The floor was hand-hewn timber and all of the building's beams were exposed, carefully notched so that the building was as tidy and as snug as any built of modern materials. "I am completely amazed, Jake. This place is beautiful, just incredible," she said softly, running a hand along the hand-carved banister. Made of white pine it was intricately carved and the details were rendered so exquisitely that each figure on the banister was a work of art. Bears, antelope, moose, otter and a wealth of others decorated the wood. Carrie's eyes couldn't move quickly enough to satisfy her mind. In the end, she gave up trying to absorb the beauty all at once and looked into Jake's deep blue eyes instead. "I love it, Jake. God, how do you ever leave here? I don't think I'd ever want to leave if this place belonged to me. It's wonderful." He didn't answer her question with words; he stared into her eyes as if he was searching them, asking some questions of his own. Their connection in the cool building was hot and they both felt the thread that ran from eye to eye, mind to mind and heart to heart. An illusion? Possibly. A trick of time and place? Perhaps. Before either of them could decide, Jake broke the spell. His eyes closed briefly before he turned and walked to the fireplace. He checked the flue, lit a match and started the fire that had been laid the last time he visited the cabin. When the smoke was drawing well he stood, wiping his hands on the seat of his jeans. "I'll see to the horses," he said as he went to the front door. Opening it, he lifted his hat from the peg beside the door and put it on his head. With one last glance he said, "Make yourself at home. I'll be back in a few minutes." Making myself at home would be easy, Jake. But would it be smart? ****

68

CANYON'S CALL

The mountain pass was visible from their vantage point at the edge of the woods. They had walked through the forest, leaving the horses in the small stable beside the cabin. "We can't get much closer on foot but the horses have had enough exercise today." Jake pointed at the pass. Snow-topped peaks flanked the narrow opening through the enormous mountains. "Just this side of the pass there's a long, wide stretch of pasture land. Wild berries and arnica grow up there and it's good grazing ground. The herds go there nearly every day—different herds on different days, depending on where they are at any given time. But I think it's a safe bet that we'll see something there. Maybe we'll see our animal. We haven't seen the damn thing anywhere else so far, even though I know for damn sure it's here. Somewhere," he said, grinning. "Are you sure you didn't imagine it?" teased Carrie. Pulling her against his body and kissing her with more fun than passion, he chuckled as he moved his lips on hers and ground his hips to her. "Does this feel like anything I'm imagining?" Tilting her crotch to his and finding him semi-erect, Carrie grinned as she shook her head. "Nope. Feels real enough to me." "The animal is just as real as...well, as what's in my pants right now," he said, his voice low and teasing back. Grinding his hips to hers one last time before he put distance between their bodies, he repeated, "Just as real." Carrie missed his touch the instant he pulled away from her. It was almost frightening to her to realize that in such a short time she'd become so accustomed to the feel of him, the scent of him, the sound of him. She wondered what she would do when she left Alaska—and Jake—behind. How would she forget how good he felt? How hard and sexy he was? How he sounded and tasted? How would she ever forget these things— and so many others? She had never been this fully involved with a man before and wondered if she ever would be again. Even after she and Jake shared their bodies and she was satisfied, she wanted him almost immediately again. She felt that she could forego nearly everything else if she could be close to Jake every minute of every day. It was consuming, yet filling. It was new to Carrie. It felt wonderful. It was frightening. It was all she'd dreamed of and all she feared.

69

KATE BURNS

And she had no idea what—if anything—she would do with the feelings this handsome cowboy stirred within her. That was, perhaps, a bigger mystery than the elusive animal they searched for. "Then, Jake, I suggest we find your real animal." Carrie shaded her eyes with her hand and gazed at the pass. The afternoon sun made the snow sparkle and it was impossible to see much on the sides of the mountains or on the lowlands before them. "Because if it's only half as impressive as your trouser animal—I'm interested. Mighty interested." Carrie reached down and cupped his crotch. She pressed her hand against him and he growled, a deep rumbling noise that made her skin prickle and the hair on the back of her neck stand straight up. Grinning, she pressed her face to his neck, kissing him behind the ear and trailing her lips toward the collar of his shirt. "What are you doing there, darling? My trouser animal, as you call it, is going to be breaking out of its cage soon," he said, nipping her neck lightly as she giggled. "You city women are insatiable—grabbing a man's privates at every turn. Has the wilderness brought out the wild in you, darling?" Slanting her face so that she could look into his eyes, she squeezed his erection purposefully and grinned. Her reward was the flash of pleasure she saw in the blue eyes, the lop-sided grin he gave her and the raspy feel of his cheek on hers as he leaned close. Then he pulled back, his smile so full and open that for a moment Carrie felt lost in it. "Yeah, I think that's it," he murmured, grabbing her ass and pulling her close. "You're feeling kind of wild, now that I've liberated you from the city." "Maine is hardly a city, Jake. Believe me, we've got bears and moose and very few bright lights and big stores. No skyscrapers, either, at least none you'd write home about. No, Maine is a smallish sort of place. It's no city—sorry to disappoint you." "Hell, I'm not disappointed. Not as long as you keep your hand where it is, doing what it's doing. How could a man be disappointed under these circumstances?" Sliding her fingers along his shaft she found the tip of his cock and pressed gently against it with her fingertips, massaging his skin slowly through the denim. The fact that he was so aroused, within reach yet covered, was a heady experience for Carrie. Her crotch was slick and, coupled with the residual sensitivity left by their log-lovemaking experience, had her squirming as she pressed herself to him.

70

CANYON'S CALL

"Or a woman. No woman could be unhappy with this in her hand," she said, dipping her lips to the muscular bit of shoulder she'd uncovered. She bit him gently and felt his spine stiffen. With a lightning-fast movement Jake lifted her from the ground, swiveled and pressed her against a tree trunk. The rough bark of the tree pulled her hair loose from its clip as they kissed, their bodies searching for closeness that modern fashion denied them. His cheek was as scratchy as the tree but Carrie hardly noticed as he kissed her. Jake brought her to the brink of release without a touch to anything but her mouth. "What are you doing to me, woman? What the hell are you doing to me?" Jake groaned as his hips mashed against hers. "That's what I've been asking myself," she whispered, her mouth beside his ear, the brim of his hat on her curls. "I've been wondering for a few weeks now what the hell you're doing to me—what the hell is going on here. But I haven't figured it out yet—have you?" His body stilled and she heard him swallow. It seemed as if her words had tugged him home to reality. For an instant she wished she could take them back. When Jake looked at her she didn't know what she expected to see but it certainly wasn't the heart-stopping smile he wore. "No, I haven't figured it out," he said as he lowered her to the ground and took her by the hand. He began to walk away from the tree. One quick glance showed that his cock was still as hard as the tree she'd been leaning against but apparently Jake was choosing to ignore his condition. She followed him, his hand warm in her suddenly cold one, as he began to lead her back to the cabin. "Maybe we'll figure it out together, Carrie. And if not...well, I'm having a helluva good time working on it. A helluva good time." That's one way to put it, Jake. All I know is that when I'm around you I seem to forget about everything else. I'm beginning to think that can't be good. Six weeks isn't a lifetime but it can make for a lifetime of sadness—I'm going to hate to leave you but we both know I'm going to do it anyway. Shit.

71

KATE BURNS

Chapter Ten Dinner had been a casual event. Typical cowboy fare—baked beans, hot dogs and toasted buns and warm apple pie for desert had all miraculously appeared from the depths of a massive freezer. Just another one of Paula's contributions to ranch civility, according to Jake. They'd showered in the fieldstone shower—separately, since Carrie knew that they'd never get any dinner if one of them didn't exercise some self-control. Darkness had fallen. It was absolute in the forest. Aside from the glow of the fireplace there wasn't another source of light—or another human being—around for miles. A week earlier she wouldn't have believed it possible but Carrie felt completely at ease being secluded. She knew they had just met but it felt as though they had known each other for years. If not forever. "More wine?" asked Jake, lifting the bottle and filling her glass. He refilled his own before he set it down on the floor beside the hearth. They were lying on a woolen throw that had been folded on the edge of one of the leather sofas. So old that it was no longer scratchy, the throw held the warmth of the floor's radiant heat. It warmed them from below as the fireplace warmed them from above. "Thanks. Tell me, what's beyond the pass? You have been past it, haven't you?" Carrie propped her head on her hand, her elbow bent, and looked over the top of their wineglasses at him. He was sprawled on the woolen throw, so close to her that she could smell the spicy scent of the soap he'd used in the shower. "What's out there?" "Yeah, I've been past it—many times. The land beyond the pass is Canyon land, too. My great-grandfather prospected for gold up there, during the first gold rush." "Did he find anything?" Jake shrugged. He lifted his glass to his lips and took a drink. "You mean gold?"

72

CANYON'S CALL

"Of course I mean gold—that's what we're talking about, isn't it? Honestly!" Carrie poked him in the shoulder and he grinned at her. Her heart flopped in her chest as he leaned close, kissed her on the end of her nose and chuckled. "As a matter of fact, he did find gold. Just on the other side of the pass, there's a stream where he went panning and...well, he was lucky." "How lucky?" "Lucky enough that this ranch will never belong to anyone other than a Canyon," Jake said seriously. The grin had gone, replaced by a look that initially baffled Carrie. "The place will always belong to us—as long as there is one of us, that is. So far, I'm the last male heir—hell, the last heir. If I marry and have children, the ranch will go to them. And if not...well, let's just say that I aim to make certain that that doesn't happen." "What do you mean?" Jake finished his wine and set the glass on the table top with a definite thud. The sound was like a door closing somewhere deep inside of her. It felt solid and absolute and when she looked into his eyes she felt a cold breeze cross her thudding heart. "Just what I said. I have no intention of letting this ranch—not one square inch of it—ever belong to anyone other than a Canyon. I plan to marry and produce a suitable heir. And that, Carrie, is something that's as real to me as the gold was to my great-grandfather. Sometimes we need to look for what it is that we want the most. I intend to look until I get what I want. Then I'm going to keep it. Forever." On the prowl for a woman to make an heir? How on earth was he going to find a woman in the middle of nowhere? Aside from Paula there is no one—and he had made it clear that he and Paula aren't an item. So who, then? He will have to import a woman to do…he'll have to import a woman to do him the honor of delivering an heir. That's it, isn't it? You'd better not have me in mind, Jake. I've fallen for you, I'll give you that much. But being trapped into becoming a breeder for your ranch? Not in this lifetime! Carrie drained her wineglass, stood up and headed for the kitchen. She rinsed the glass, left it in the sink and walked toward the bedroom without a word. "Hey, where are you going?"

73

KATE BURNS

At the doorway she hesitated, speaking without turning to face him. "I'm tired, Jake. It's been a long day and suddenly I'm...tired. It must be PMS, I guess. Good night." Closing the door firmly behind her, she covered her face with her hands. That should keep you away from me, at least long enough for me to think about this whole mess. Damn, why did I have to fall for you? And how am I going to get away now that I have? Why wasn't I smart enough to stay home and clean the attic? **** She was surprised that he left her alone in the bedroom, but he did. After a while she heard the footsteps in the living area stop, heard the sound of the fireplace grate being put in place. Finally she heard the settling sound of a body lying on one of the wide sofas. She thought she heard a growl, too, but couldn't be certain. A breeding animal, that's what this guy is looking for! He's trying to find someone to impregnate, that's all. That's just what I am to him, a holding facility for his precious heir. Well I've got news for him. I won't get pregnant so easily—I'm not Paula's horse, for God's sake! She rolled over in the darkness as she stewed, her blood boiling. How could I have misjudged his intentions so completely? How could I not have known what he wanted? Wait, what am I saying? How could I have possibly known what he wanted? How? It's impossible to guess something like that—there's no way I could ever have known he needs a brood animal. She clenched her eyes and struggled for sleep to find her. Well, now I know and I'm not going to give him the satisfaction of arguing the point with him. I'll just act natural and that'll be the end of it. I'll leave when it's time for me to go—and Jake will have to keep searching for someone to give him his all-precious heir. The hours passed much too slowly and despite her best attempts at sleep it did not come. Carrie tossed around in the empty bed like a pebble in a coffee can. Finally she couldn't take the torture of another sleepless hour and rose from the bed. She ran a warm bath, added a heaping capful of bubble bath and settled herself into the fragrant water. She let her head rest against the tiled wall behind her and closed her eyes. Without provocation her body began to relax but with the relaxation came another feeling. A strong, insistent set of urges that led her

74

CANYON'S CALL

fingertips to the joining of her legs. Separating her labia, she slid one fingertip along the slippery folds and stroked herself. So much sex...I've had so much sex in the past weeks and yet my body craves more. What the hell is happening to me? Does sex make me want more sex? Is it a vicious circle? And why am I doing this to myself when there's a perfectly wonderful man in the room out there? There's something wrong with this picture but at least if I do this myself I don't have to account to anyone. And no one has any expectations for me—nothing that I don't want to do. Nothing that they haven't told me about. No, this might be the best way for me. Carrie's fingertip moved swiftly and within seconds she felt the first pulses of her release. She lay back in the tub and relished every sweet burst of pleasure as it came and when she was done she stared at the ceiling as her heart slowed. Yeah, it's so easy without the entanglements a man brings. But if it's so easy, then why do I feel so lonely for Jake? **** "How do you feel this morning?" Jake had folded the blankets and stowed them in a closet. There was no evidence to the fact that he'd spent the night on the sofa. And he didn't look in the least bit ruffled by the sleeping arrangements; if anything, he looked concerned in the way that men do when they're afraid they're with a raging hormone. He looked a bit wary and it was impossible for Carrie to hide the grin from him. "Better, thanks. Just tired last night, I guess. All the riding and walking and...other things caught up with me. But I'm fine now, thanks." Especially since I've decided not to fall any harder for you. I'll find your animal, see what it is, and leave. That's our bargain—that's what I'll do. "I'm glad to hear that," he said, sounding relieved. He'd set the table and there were large glasses of orange juice and heavy mugs and plates on red place mats. Jake poured coffee with a flourish as Carrie sat. "I was worried about you. It seemed to wash over you like a storm floods a gully. One minute you were fine, the next you weren't. Are you sure there's not something really wrong? I'm wondering if I shouldn't take you back down to the ranch today—what do you think?" "I think, Jake, that it was a hormonal glitch, that's all. One of those monthly women things. No big deal—I was tired, that's all. And probably ovulating or something else equally ridiculous. So stop worrying. I'm not

75

KATE BURNS

going back to the big house—not without seeing your animal. Now, are you going to feed me or are you going to starve me?" Carrie asked as she lifted her mug. The coffee was strong but good. This must be cowboy coffee. I had no idea that cowboys could cook so well. Whatever he's making for breakfast smells heavenly. "I haven't starved anyone in a long, long time, so I think you're safe," he said, smiling as he bent over and reached into the oven. Carrie watched as his already-snug jeans got snugger and his attractive backside looked even more attractive. When he stood her eyes remained low and she found herself staring at his crotch. "But," Jake chuckled, setting a baking dish on the table, "am I safe?" Pulling her eyes to his, Carrie nodded. She swallowed slowly and said, "I think you are." "I'm not sure that I'm entirely happy with being so safe. There's something to be said for being just a little bit at risk, don't you think?" As he sat in the chair opposite hers and began to cut into the bubbling hot egg, cheese and red pepper oven omelet Carrie kept her mouth closed. She was determined not to raise a fuss about what he'd told her last night. For her, it had been a long, restless night, filled with thoughts of Jake and his many offspring on the ranch. Try as she might, she couldn't see herself trapped in the Alaskan wilderness by anyone, not even by a handsome, intelligent, funny, sweet and undeniably sexy cowboy. No, not even by one of those. And you can cook, too. This is wonderful. "So I'm thinking that we'll ride up to the flat land above the pasture before the pass. If we're lucky the herd will come and graze and if we're even luckier the weird animal will be among the herd. So that's the plan," he said, helping himself to another serving of eggs. Without asking her he heaped a second mound of it on her plate, too. It was so tasty that she didn't bother to protest. "How does that sound to you?" "As good as any other plan. I think it'll be hit or miss. Either we see your creature or we don't—there's no way to predict it, I don't think. I mean, it is a wild animal and they pretty much do whatever they please. But tell me again, what it looks like." He ate without speaking and she could see that he was doing his best to form a mind picture of the creature before he tried to explain himself. It was strange that she could so readily tell what his expressions

76

CANYON'S CALL

meant, decipher his thought processes, but she could. When he answered he confirmed her suspicions. "It's not small, not by any means. It's not as big as a full-grown male moose but hell, those things can get pretty damn big." "I'd say," said Carrie, nodding. "The females can weigh between eight and thirteen hundred pounds. Males easily go between twelve and sixteen hundred pounds. And the males have antlers that are between four and five feet across...that's a large animal. Actually, the moose is the largest member of the deer family, the largest mammal in North America. I'm sure you know that the males can grow up to six feet tall. Up here they may even grow a little bit bigger than that—there's such an abundance of vegetation and virtually no predators. They've got free reign to grow big here." Jake finished eating and placed his fork and knife on his empty plate. He picked up his coffee mug, drained it and reached for the pot. Again, without asking, he poured Carrie another cup of coffee when he poured his own. "So you've noticed that we grow things big up here?" Jake raised his mug to his lips. His navy eyes flashed over the rim of the cup as he watched her, waiting for a response. "I've noticed that there's a tendency to have swollen heads up here, that's what I've noticed," she shot back as she took a swallow of her own dark, strong coffee. Looking pointedly in his lap, Jake furrowed his brow and shrugged. "I didn't notice it was swollen but if you say it is, then it must be. After all, you're the doctor." The coffee flew out of her nose at a highly unladylike rate but neither of them was concerned with propriety. Carrie began to sputter and choke and he jumped up to pat her on the back. Jake began to laugh, but he laughed so hard that he began to choke, too. Her patting him and his patting her turned into a laughing, rolling tumble on the warm kitchen floor. As their laughter died back they wiped their cheeks. Jake cradled her in his arms and as she looked into his eyes she felt her heart flip again in her chest. Oh God, Jake. Since I've met you all my damn heart does is flip flops—how will I ever be the same? So much has changed. So fast. How will I ever be able to make my way back?

77

KATE BURNS

His mouth found hers and her mind became a blank canvas. It didn't begin to fill until the sensations he caused to rise within her took over. That was when she felt the dots and slashes that were rising pleasure begin to fill her head. Jake's tongue slid inside her mouth, pulling her own into a timeless dance of passion. Their hands tugged and pulled, unbuttoning buttons, unzipping zippers and freeing fabric until they were nearly nude and could feel the heat of skin on skin. With a swift tug he removed her jeans and panties in one bundle. He tossed them over his shoulder, following them with his own. Rolling onto his back, he pulled her onto his body. She went willingly. Last night's conversation and the inner turmoil caused by it was forgotten as she felt his hands upon her. "Mmm, yes...Jake it feels so good...so good, baby," Carrie moaned as he licked her nipples, rolling his tongue across the tingling flesh. "You make me crazy—it feels...oh, it feels...oh, Jake!" Carrie's body betrayed her and she lost control before he even entered her, shuddering as Jake kissed her breasts and held her in his arms. "Oh...oh, Jake. I didn't mean to come so soon…" Releasing her nipple he chuckled, looking up at her flushed face with a grin. He slid his cock gently against her wetness, the length of him enclosed between their bodies. His fat rosy tip peeked out from between her thighs, looking so vivid against her fair skin. "That's all right, darling," he drawled. He stroked her folds with his thumb as he began to move beneath her. "I've noticed that you have no problem doing that twice—or even three times—in a row." Carrie felt a shiver shoot through her body, directly from the thumb that was tracing circles on her sensitive clitoris. "So you've noticed that, have you?" "I have," he said, pressing his cock against her as he shuddered. "It's a talent, I assure you, that I find utterly fascinating. A talent that I, unfortunately, do not possess but that I love to watch you demonstrate." Carrie raised herself on her knees and Jake's penis rose, pointing straight out from his body now that she wasn't weighting it down. She yearned to plunge herself down onto him immediately but held back, hovering over his cock so closely that when it jumped his tip brushed her wetness.

78

CANYON'S CALL

"So it's a demonstration you're after, is it?" Her voice husky and her tone teasing, Carrie put her hands on her thighs, just outside her pussy lips and grinned. "A real, live demonstration?" Jake's eyes were on her hands, so close to touching herself, so near to his turgid cock. He licked his lips and nodded. "It is. A demonstration," he said as he watched her inch her fingers closer to her labia. "Then it's a demonstration—just a tiny one, mind you—that you'll get." Carrie's fingers parted her lips and she tilted her hips, exposing her slick pink skin to his sight. She'd never done what she was about to do— at least not in front of anyone—but she didn't feel an ounce of misgiving. Not with Jake. Somehow he'd opened doors that had never been opened before without even knocking on them. Something inside her clicked when he said the word 'demonstration' and as he watched she slid her finger across her hot skin. Touching herself with Jake watching didn't seem strange to her at all. His eyes followed every movement of her fingers and his rapt assessment of her pleasure excited her further. When the feelings between her legs got so intense that she clenched her thighs and covered herself with her hand he reached out and gently moved her hand aside, slipping a finger over her folds. "Feels good?" he asked as she moaned, her body quivering against him. "Come on, honey, come for me. Let me see you come again." His fingers moved rapidly on her. Carrie looked down at Jake. He was so hard and erect, the tip a deep rose color, that it looked as if he was made of stone. Neither of them had touched him for so long and for a second she felt as if she'd neglected him but the finger on her reminded her that this demonstration had been his idea. She came in a series of wide-eyed, bucking movements, her release so total that when it was over she felt as if she could curl up like a satisfied cat and purr herself to sleep. But wanting him to have the same treat, with shaking hands Carrie finally grasped Jake and slid onto him in one smooth movement. She forcefully rode him until she felt his body yield, then she held him tightly while he came within minutes as they both combusted again. Collapsing on top of him, she fought to catch her breath.

79

KATE BURNS

"Oh Jake, I can't believe we're doing this on the kitchen floor! What the hell has come over us? We're like two moose during rutting season!" Carrie giggled as she felt him raise his hands to either side of his head and pantomime antlers, wiggling his fingers and grinning at her. "Mr. Moose, at your service," he said, sitting up and holding her close. His cock was still solidly inside her and it felt comfortable there. Neither of them was in any hurry to draw away from the other. "And what better place than the kitchen floor? It's warm. And big. And hell, any place you want to demonstrate some of your...um, talents is fine with me!" "You're not bad at demonstrating your talents, either, Mr. Moose," she said, kissing him slowly. Carrie felt his penis jump inside her and she wondered just what it would take to have him erect again. She wondered, too, what it would do to her to have a fourth orgasm in such a short span of time. Jake decided the question with a small slap on her ass. "Come on, darling," he said, grinning. "You've got to let me up. Otherwise I'm going to be up again and we'll never go out riding. We'll never find the damn thing this way. Although I've got to admit this is much more fun than traipsing through the forest in search of a big, black animal. Much more fun." **** Before they left Jake took her into a small office in the back part of the cabin. The room smelled musty, as if it hadn't been opened for some time and there was a fine layer of dust along the desk, tables and bookshelves. A heavily creased beige leather sofa was the biggest presence in the room, and even that was covered with dust. Carrie sneezed as they walked into the room. "Sorry," he said with a smile. "I don't get in here much and I don't let anyone else in the place—not usually. I dust it myself. Not often enough, obviously, but as I said, I don't usually have visitors to my office." Running her finger beneath her tingling nose, Carrie flashed him a look of mock surprise. "No visitors? So then I should take this invitation as a privilege, then?" "A rare invitation indeed, I assure you," he said with a nod. A lock of hair fell over his forehead and she reached out and smoothed it back, letting her hand linger on his soft, thick hair while their eyes met. "Definitely a rare occasion, Carrie."

80

CANYON'S CALL

"Well, then, I'm honored," she said softly. Taking her hand from his head, she turned and surveyed the room. Aside from the dust, it was an attractive room. A big oak desk dominated one corner and the shelves that lined the walls were filled with books. A plasma television hung on one wall. There was a carved wooden cabinet below it that she suspected held other electronic components. Carrie walked to the wide window on the far side of the room and looked out. The forest stretched below them, a seemingly infinite mass of trees. She swallowed and tried to take in the enormity of Jake Canyon's land holdings. For the first time she realized how much the land must be worth and the fact of his wealth rendered her momentarily speechless. Millions. The place had to be worth millions. He stood beside her, put his arm on her shoulder and it was as if his touch thawed her frozen brain. She snuggled against him and smiled. His holdings were dismissed from her mind in a flash. "It's pretty, Jake." It wasn't difficult to speak the truth about his home. "Everywhere I look here there's something beautiful, something extraordinary to see. This is a gorgeous place. It's no wonder that you're so happy here." "I do love it here. Very much. But it's also the only home I've ever known, so really, I don't have anything much to compare it to. You're right, though, there is something to see in practically every corner, something to feast the eyes on, something to nourish your...I don't know, your inner being, I guess. Something to restore you. But it does have its drawbacks living here, too." The tone of his voice made Carrie curious. Drawbacks? I never would have figured you would want for anything. You seem as secure, as content, as any man I've ever known. Drawbacks? Like what? "How so?" Walking toward the desk, he said, "Oh, the usual. It's cold in the winter and we all know the days and nights are long. Lonely sometimes. Let's face it; we don't get many visitors here. Especially not in the snowy months. But that's not the reason I invited you in here. Look, I wanted to show you this." With a smile he walked to the desk, reached into a drawer and withdrew something. He came back to where she still stood beside the window. Jake held out his hand and showed her what he held. A lump of gold about the size of a large walnut lay on his skin.

81

KATE BURNS

Carrie resisted the urge to reach for it and stared at it instead, her eyes as huge as he'd ever seen them. Her face was a picture of pure amazement. "Is that really what I think it is?" Carrie's voice was reverent, hushed. He held it between his fingertips and examined the bumps and ridges on its surface. Even in his large hand the gold was significant. In that instant she got an even clearer view of the full measure of the Canyon wealth. "Gold. I found it myself, in the same spot that my great-great granddaddy had panned so many years earlier. I found it about ten years ago. It's something, isn't it?" He looked into her eyes, gauging her thoughts but they were, once again, unreadable. "It sure is, Jake. It's beautiful, but you just keep it in the desk like that? Shouldn't it be in a safe or somewhere secure? I don't know much about gold prices but it seems that something like that would be valuable. Don't you worry about it being stolen?" Placing it back into the drawer he shook his head. "No, I'm not concerned with that. After all, it's not as if we get a lot of breaking and entering up here so it's hardly at risk. Besides, if anyone was going to steal from me there are other things I hold much more precious than a lump of gold. Much more." She saw that he meant what he said and Carrie wondered what, specifically, those dearly held things were. That was a question, though, that she was unwilling to ask. "I see your point. No need for security alarms here, I guess." "Hardly. Although that find does have a use to me and I'd hate to have it lost. It has a function in my life," Jake said as they walked to the doorway. At the entrance to the rest of the cabin they stopped and Carrie asked him the obvious question. "And what is the gold's function in your life?" "That lump is going to be what I use to have my future bride's wedding ring made."

82

CANYON'S CALL

Chapter Eleven The forest was quiet. They'd left the horses tethered to a tree a few yards behind them and had settled themselves on a wide, sun-warmed rock ledge overlooking the flat meadow below them. The silence they shared was comfortable and they sat that way for well over an hour before there was any sign of movement in the meadow. When it came, it was more glorious than Carrie had ever imagined it could be. The first moose to move from the shadow of the forest into the lush green vegetation was a bull—a massive creature with antlers that were wider than most men were long. It seemed impossible that the animal's head and neck could support such an arrangement but it did. They watched as the bull searched the meadow for signs of danger, not with his eyes but by lengthening his neck and lifting his head. "Look, he's listening and sniffing," said Jake in a low voice. "Their eyesight is terrible—once they're busy eating and resting it's simple to walk into them as long as you do it slowly and quietly. They'll see you, but only marginally. And if you don't act like a threat they won't feel threatened. It's really incredible to walk through a herd of moose without having them bolt." "I'll bet. I've never seen them in their natural environment. It's amazing," Carrie said, awed. "I'm going to walk among them, too, before I leave Alaska. I want to know how it feels to be that close to them." Turning to gaze at her from beneath the brim of his hat, he asked, "Are you thinking of leaving Alaska already? So soon?" "Uh, no. I'm not thinking of it actually…" "Sounds like you're dying to get away from here," he growled. Jake's intensity surprised her and she kept her eyes on the moose, knowing that if she dared to look at him she might say something she didn't mean—or want—to say. Are you annoyed that your female breeder might get away, Jake? Oh, hell, how can I believe that's the reason you've brought me here? It's

83

KATE BURNS

silly, really silly, to think that a man like you can't find a woman any other way except by subterfuge. There must be a better explanation for this whole...whole...whole thing, whatever it is. Misunderstanding. Miscommunication. Bullshit. Maybe you need a doctor for your animals—thought you'd get two things for the price of one, did you? How can I think that of him? How can I? I know Jake better than that. Don't I? Right now I don't feel like I know anything at all, actually. Not a damn thing. The large animal in the meadow saved her from responding. After sniffing the air for several long minutes it spread its long, spindly legs and arched its back. It unsheathed its massive penis from its spot close to its body. As they watched, the bull urinated in a long, thick yellow stream, effectively marking the territory for his herd. "He's putting his scent to the meadow," said Jake. "The head bull does it every time the herd moves into an open location—to let the rest of the world know that he's claimed the space for his own, at least for now. I've never been able to decide whether or not it actually keeps any other herds away, but it happens every time. Look, he's done and now he'll walk into the meadow and begin to graze. Then the others will follow him." Jake knew his moose behavior because it happened exactly as he said it would. One by one the rest of the herd came into the open and spread across the grassy area. "Studies have been inconclusive," said Carrie, her eyes on the herd. "There hasn't been enough evidence to tell whether or not the territorial marking is truly successful, a way to keep others, especially rival bands, at bay. More research, more observation such as this, is needed to either refute or confirm any hypothesis regarding territorial marking in the species." Chuckling, Jake shook his head and looked at her. She felt his eyes on her and they were, like so many other aspects of the man, impossible to resist. Turning, she let his blue eyes catch hers. "What?" Carrie asked, her heart flipping in her chest as he smiled at her. It was a slow, lazy one-lip-lifted smile that she'd come to recognize. In her mind she called it his 'cowboy smile' and it never failed to make her heart jump. "What?" "It's just that you sounded so much like a doctor right then. I guess I've forgotten that you're a real, live, honest-to-God doctor—one of those

84

CANYON'S CALL

city types who drive imported sports cars and live in glass houses. I forgot that you're a scientific type—until you began talking about hypotheses and formulations and prescriptions and who knows what else." His tone was teasing and his cowboy smile grew wider, bringing a new round of heart flipping to Carrie's body. "I didn't mention prescriptions or formulations, thank you very much! And I do not live in a glass house," she said, poking him in the shoulder with her finger. The fabric of his shirt was hot, warmed by the sun, and she felt a tremor pass through her as his heat touched her in more places than just her fingertip. "Is that so?" Jake put his arms around her and pulled her against him. With a fleeting look toward the herd, she went easily to him and when he kissed her she kissed him back. It was a deep kiss, and he explored her mouth with such careful deliberation that when he pulled his lips from hers she took several seconds before she could open her eyes. When she did he was staring at her, all trace of teasing gone from his gaze. Something had replaced the teasing, something serious and deep and undecipherable. That, too, was rapidly replaced and then he kissed her a second time with another teasing touch. What was that? What were you thinking, Jake? Why can't I tell what's going on in your head? And why am I so damn confused? And...oh, that feels good. Damn good. His tongue traced a path from her lips to her earlobe, then down her neck. Carrie elongated her neck, tilting her head to the side so that he could reach her skin easily. His kisses brought tremors of delight to her body, sent sparks shooting to her hardening nipples and lower, toward her hot center. How can you do this so easily to me? Make me forget everything with just a touch? Carrie slid her hand down his broad back, feeling the heat of the sun on him there, too. She moved her hand over his muscular hip and laid it on the bulge in the crotch of his jeans, squeezing his flesh firmly. He nipped her collarbone with his teeth. "Forgot about the moose, have you?" "Just thinking about a different kind of animal," she teased, reaching for his zipper. "Mind if I let it out to play? Although I assure you I'm not usually this insatiable. It must be the country air, or the elevation, or

85

KATE BURNS

something…but really, Jake, I'm not usually such a sex fiend. Do you mind that I am?" He nipped her skin a second time and she gasped. "Not at all, darling. And don't hesitate about the animal…let it out—I think it wants to play...doctor." Carrie laughed as she reached into his pants, grasped his shaft and angled his penis between the teeth of the zipper. When it was poking out of his pants, pointing toward the sun, she released it. With a smug smile she sat back against the rock, putting her hands behind her and leaning backward. "So that's it, is it? You want to play doctor?" "Doesn't every man? You show me yours and I'll show you mine?" Jake looked divinely handsome, sitting on the boulder's edge with his rigid penis exposed. He didn't seem at all put off that she'd released it from his clothing and had taken her hand from it. She wondered, not for the first time, if cowboys weren't more comfortable in the wilderness than anywhere else. "So, are you going to show me yours, Doctor Carrie? I've shown you mine." He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head toward his cock. As if on cue, it twitched. Giggling, she shrugged. "If you want to see it you'll have to find it, cowboy. That's the way we play the game back in the East, anyway. You want it, you have to go after it." Once the words were out of her mouth she wished she could call them back but there was no retrieving them. He looked at her for a long time, his eyes in the shadow of his hat and his erection forgotten. For a time she thought he would say whatever it was he was thinking but that time passed and finally he smiled and reached for the hem of her shirt. Tugging it from the waistband of her jeans, he said. "No problem. What I want, Doctor, is you—naked on this boulder with me. How does that sound?" "Better than watching moose," she said, kicking off her boots. "Much better." It took no time for them to undress. Lying side by side on the heated rock with the sun warming their exteriors while their passion raised their internal temperatures was a heady experience. Carrie was new to the experiences that came so naturally to Jake; being nude in the open was second nature to him, yet an unknown thrill to her. She felt decadent— and it was wonderful.

86

CANYON'S CALL

"You're good at playing doctor, Doctor," he teased as he slipped his hand between her legs. She was slick and his touch was all she could dream of—and more. By now Jake knew just how to touch her to make her come quickly and easily and that's exactly what he did. He put pressure on her clit in steady strokes and pressed one finger into her warm opening. As she clenched her muscles, feeling the first spasms of her orgasm, Carrie grabbed his wrist. She held his hand between her legs as she came against it. The shudders that gripped her traveled to his body. As she came she saw in his eyes the sensations she felt. It's so easy with you...you touch me and I come and then I come again and again and it's all so effortless. I almost feel like I'm imagining all of this—you, Alaska, the black animal, the moose in the meadow—all of it. "You're not so bad yourself," she gasped as the last shiver faded. Loosening her grip on his arm, she smiled. Her face was flushed, her nipples tight and her eyes liquid pools of satisfaction. "I'd say you've got great doctor potential, Jake. Very promising," she added, smiling broadly. Her eyes strayed to his penis and she licked her lips before she said, "A bit more training is in order, though, I'm afraid. We can't let just anyone be a doctor, you understand. Not without the proper training." Jake lay back against the stone, bending his elbow and resting his head on his hand. He used the other hand to adjust his Stetson before he said, "Train away, Doc. Really, take all the time you need. I'd hate to be...um, light on my training skills." You look so delicious like that, naked except for that hat. And I like the stubble, too. It's raspy when you kiss me but I think I'd love it if you grew a beard, Jake. Maybe someday—what the hell am I thinking of? Someday? Shit, forget somedays and beards and concentrate on his cock—that's all. His big, hard cock. His eyes were on her and again it was as if his penis and their lovemaking were secondary items. Studying her seriously, his eyes on her face instead of her body, Jake seemed ready to say something decidedly unplayful, definitely not erotic. Carrie felt her heart begin to thud overtime and a shiver—not of excitement but of fright—sped up her spine. It chilled her and her nipples tightened even more, becoming as hard as any of the small pebbles that surrounded them. Jake's eyes flicked downward and he looked at the change in her body but it didn't hold his attention. He returned his eyes to hers and again she felt fear at what he would say.

87

KATE BURNS

No, please. Don't say it—whatever it is that has you looking so damn serious, don't say it. I don't think I want to know—at least not yet. Maybe not ever. Let's just forget it all and play, Jake. Let's enjoy each other and not worry about whatever the serious thing it. I'll be gone soon—we don't have time for serious. Reaching for his cock, she forced a smile to her face. "Not to worry, Jake. As long as you're up to the task—and it looks like you are—I'm willing to train you. Day and night, night and day...we'll just train away. Here and there—everywhere...we'll just work on your training. No matter how hard it is, how grueling the work, how—" "Stop!" Jake said, laughing. "Please, you're killing me already! Does there have to be so much talk of training, darling Doctor? Can't we just get down to the training itself?" "With pleasure." Bending her head to him beneath the blue sky was an erotic pleasure that Carrie had never fantasized of. A handsome naked cowboy, a ledge and an enormous hard-on. What more could a woman want? Closing his eyes Jake lay back and relaxed, enjoying every touch of her hands and lips on his manhood. Carrie could tell that her ministrations were pleasing to him by the quiet moans that came from deep within his body. Subtle shifts of his hips as he searched for solace in her mouth made her wet with desire and in time she straddled his body, positioning herself above his mouth. Obliging without hesitation, Jake's tongue stroked her as she pulled his throbbing penis deeply into her mouth. They licked and touched, pressed and nuzzled, for a long, lazy time. It seemed as if they could spend hours pleasuring each other. There was no rush, no frenzy, and no desire for the experience to end. Finally Carrie pulled her mouth from his hardness and laid her head on his thigh. She gripped him with one hand, sliding her skin along his turgid flesh slowly. She felt Jake's tongue leave her folds, replaced by his fingers. Slow and steady, he touched her with an intention that they both recognized. Again? Oh, Jake, it feels so good but hell, you've already made me come once. I want to watch you come, too. I want to feel you lose control, too. Oh, it feels so good...how can I resist this? Damn it Jake, you never lose control, do you? That's the key, isn't it? As he pushed her purposefully toward another climax she increased the pressure on his cock, holding him tightly and stroking him with one

88

CANYON'S CALL

thing in mind—to make him come. She wanted to see him shudder and shake, squirm and moan, the way he was going to see her—soon. "Darling," he said his voice husky. His hips bucked as she lowered her mouth to the tip of his cock and sucked—hard. It was no secret he was close to release, no secret he was struggling to hold it back. And it was no secret she was trying to make him lose control. "Carrie—don't. I can't take much more of that—I'm about to lose it, darling. Take it easy, okay?" The tempo of his fingers on her increased as she tried to hold back the waves of pleasure that were building inside her. She was determined to make him climax but as the first tiny shivers of fulfillment began deep within her she wondered if his will was stronger than hers. Come, damn it! How can you hold back? Your cock is ready to explode—let it happen already! "Jake," she moaned. "I know, darling. Let it happen." "But Jake—you, too, Jake. I want you to come with me," she said, her head thrown back and her hair falling in rippling curls down her back. "Let it happen, Carrie. Don't—oh, baby—don't wait for me. Just let it happen," he groaned, his fingertips on her . Carrie came in a series of heart-stopping shudders that transported her momentarily to her special place filled with flashing white pulses and bursts of hot, gripping pleasure. It was a place she knew well, a place that welcomed her easily. When the sensations began to slow she renewed her attention to Jake's penis, stroking him as purposefully as he'd touched her. With a strangled cry he lifted her body from his, pulling her on top of him and claiming her lips with his own. As he kissed her he parted her thighs with his knee, shifted his body below her and pressed his cock to her warm, wet opening. Sliding into her in one long, swift stroke, he filled her with his solid presence. "Oh, that's right," he moaned, pressing his hips rhythmically against her own. "You feel so good, so damn good, Carrie. I could stay there forever, it feels so damn right." Jake's hands fell to her ass and he gripped her, pulling her against him with a force that made her dizzy with excitement. His cock pushed deeply into her, touching her in spots that sent shivers to her heart and nipples and filled her with something that she had no name for. Whatever it was, it was enjoyable and she

89

KATE BURNS

eagerly enveloped Jake with her body. "I don't know how much more I can take, Carrie. You've got me so...so . . ." "Come, Jake," she whispered, stroking his strong jaw with her fingertip. "Let go already. I want to feel you fill me. Come—don't hold back any more." He found her eyes and held them and long minute before he let go. When he climaxed it felt like his whole body relaxed. When she felt the sudden warmth she knew it came from somewhere deep within him. It filled her as surely as the other—less identifiable—feelings she got from this strong, handsome man. The feelings that she couldn't identify were more exciting than the ones that she could. When he smiled up at her she asked the question she couldn't shake. It was an obvious one. "Why, Jake? Why is it you take such pleasure in watching me come, yet you so stubbornly insist on not giving me the same pleasure? Why?" Scowling, he said, "You just watched me—what did you think I was doing just now?" "That's not what I mean," she insisted. "You touch me and kiss me and watch me lose control beneath your fingertips—and I can tell by how often you do it that you enjoy watching me. Believe me, I enjoy it too— I'm not complaining so don't stop doing it. But why won't you let me do that to you, too? Why wouldn't you just come when I was stroking you? God knows you could have—your cock was huge and really, you were ready to burst. So why, Jake? Why won't you let yourself have the same pleasure you so willingly give to me?' For a minute she thought that he wasn't going to answer. But she had him at a disadvantage, given that she covered him and he was still buried within her. There was really no way for him to avoid dealing with her, on some level at least. Finally he took a deep breath before he spoke. When he did, his voice was calm and his words measured. It was as if he was explaining something basic to her, something she should know without having to be told. "It's just not done," he said simply. "Not done? It is done, Jake," she insisted, clenching her muscles around his semi-hard shaft. "I know it's done—I'm slippery enough to be able to prove it."

90

CANYON'S CALL

"Not that, Doctor. Of course that's done," he said, grinning. "It's just that...well, we don't lose control. Not if we can help it." "We?" "You know." "Cowboys?" Nodding, he adjusted the brim of his hat which, miraculously, hadn't fallen off his head throughout their lovemaking session. "Exactly." "You've got to be kidding," Carrie said, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open. She knew she must look ridiculous but really, it couldn't be any more ridiculous than the conversation they were having. "Listen, darling, if I was kidding—which I assure you I am not—I would be smiling. Laughing, even. You asked, I answered—it's as easy as that. So, Doctor, I think our training may be over, at least for a little while. What do you think?" he kissed her, a kiss that was playful and fast and effectively put an end to her line of questioning. "I think," she said, rising off his body, "that I may have fallen into a rabbit hole somewhere along the way. Either that or I might be losing my sanity. Because I've got to tell you, Jake, the whole cowboy thing is blowing my mind." He was staring down at the meadow, seemingly unconcerned by either their nakedness or the state of Carrie's mind. "Down there," he said, turning to meet her eyes. "Now down there is something that may blow your mind for real, Doctor. Take a look." Carrie's heart felt as if it stopped as she stood on the boulder and looked down into the meadow. Jake stood beside her, put his arm around her shoulders and leaned his hot hip against hers. They stood and watched the herd in silence. Nestled among the large herd of grazing moose was a beautiful creature. Big, black and shaggy, it was exactly as Jake had described it. And it looked like nothing that Carrie had ever seen before in any genetic, medical, or scientific journal.

91

KATE BURNS

Chapter Twelve "Jake, it's beautiful," she said, her voice trembling and her knees feeling wobbly. His grip on her shoulder tightened slightly, as he sensed her body's reaction to the beast. "Isn't it? I'm glad it's down there and you're finally getting a chance to see it for yourself," he said. There was pride behind his words, a recognizable pleasure in the view before them. "And it's real." "Of course it's real," Jake said. "Didn't you know it was real? Didn't you know I was telling the truth about the new animal we have here? Of course it's real—good God, woman, you didn't think I had imagined the whole thing, did you?" Giggling, Carrie shook her head. His indignation was sexy and had she not been so enthralled she might have been inclined to press herself closer to him. Her nipples had pebbled when the skin on the rest of her body broke out in goose bumps at the sight of the grazing herd. The goose bumps had disappeared but her nipples were still hard and his voice only made them harder. "And you've seen this animal how many times?" she asked, wishing she had thought to bring a video camera with her. The photos would have been distant but they would have been better than nothing. "How many times, Jake?" "A couple." "And the others, they've seen it, too?" "Most of the men have seen it. Paula hasn't, but she doesn't go riding far from the big house. It hasn't been sighted too close to the main spread—just in the spots you and I have already been to but no closer than any of them. So really, the only ones who would see it are the people who ride out to check the ranch properties or do maintenance on the fences or outbuildings. And really, most everyone is busy either with the berries or with the arnica." Carrie's eyes never left the herd.

92

CANYON'S CALL

"Berries? Arnica?" "That's right." Without turning she said, "What the hell are you talking about?' Jake's laughter caused a few heads to lift but none of the animals moved. They returned to eating even as he continued to laugh. "I'm talking, darling Carrie, about one of the main sources of income for the ranch. Hell, you didn't think we just ride around on horses all day, did you?" As a matter of fact, that's exactly what I thought. What the hell else do cowboys do? "Of course not. So tell me about...uh, about the berries. And the arn—arn – whatever it was," she said. "Arnica." "Okay, arnica. Tell me about it." It was no secret that she was enthralled by the sight of the large black beast. Jake knew how it felt to see it for the first time and he wasn't at all offended at her lack of attention to him or his words. He folded his legs, sat with his back against a warm boulder and pulled Carrie down into his lap, settling her comfortably on his body. He put his arms around her, pushed the brim of his hat back so that it didn't hit her in the head and began to speak. "Arnica is a flower that grows wild in some parts of the ranch, especially up above the tundra line. But we cultivate it on a few acres—" "How many?" "How many what?" "Acres." Shaking his head, he smiled at her profile, amazed that even when she was engrossed in one issue, seemingly oblivious to the rest of the world, she was, in fact, still attuned to what went on around her. The angle of her neck, the delicate line of her jaw as she furrowed her brow and squinted toward the herd and the intensity of her gaze could have aroused him, if he had allowed it to happen. But he didn't let it happen. No, the first sighting of the black animal was too precious to detract from, even by the promise of more delicious caresses. "Oh, about fifteen hundred." Fifteen hundred acres. He says it like its a dozen eggs or a bushel of apples or something equally commonplace. Most people can't even begin

93

KATE BURNS

to imagine what fifteen acres looks like, let alone fifteen hundred. Everything seems so much larger than life here—everything. "So anyway, the arnica we grow is cultivated for sale, grown like any other cash crop. It's a pretty flower—it looks like a small daisy and its primary use is in muscle rubs and lotions. It naturally eases sore muscle pain and we sell it to companies that produce balms and lotions for use by sports teams across the country." Carrie's eyes left the herd and found his. "That's brilliant, Jake. Who thought of the whole thing? The whole flower-growing operation?' With the air of nonchalance she'd learned to interpret as meaning that he was trying to deflect attention from himself, Jake said, "We've been doing it for a while now. It's no big deal really, just a case of taking what's here and using it to our best advantage. This can be a harsh climate and there aren't a whole lot of things that can live—or thrive— here so sometimes you've got to be creative about discovering how to use what you've got to your best advantage. How to entice the best with what you've got." Entice, huh? You've got a number of enticements, haven't you, Jake? And we're sitting here in the sunshine, naked as the day we were born. You've gotten me feeling awfully familiar with your enticements in a short span of time. I wish I knew why I'm feeling what I'm feeling when I'm near you. And I wish—with all my heart and soul—that I knew for sure why you've gotten me here. Is it just because of the animal? Or is it for your own purposes? "Look, they're moving out," Jake said quietly. "They're going to find somewhere to rest for the afternoon and they'll begin to move again just about the time that darkness falls." "Do you know where they go to rest?" "Not really. I'd hazard a guess and say that it's somewhere not too far from here." "That's what I was thinking," Carrie said, shifting on his lap to get a better view of the activity below. When she did her ass cheek slid across Jake's penis so slowly and softly that he stiffened slightly. "The young ones are too small to be traveling long distances. It's got to be someplace close." "Exactly." His cock had risen from the nest of black curls and rested against her thigh, hard enough to be obvious but not so hard as to be throbbing. "I'd think that they're close and that the trek back here tonight

94

CANYON'S CALL

will be an easy one for them. So what do you say, Doc?" he said in a playful drawl. Reaching out he cupped her breast with his big, warm hand and stroked the soft skin. Her nipple rose instantly and he rolled it between his fingertips as a smile played around the corners of his mouth. "Have you seen enough?" Carrie's body felt like melted ice on a hot sidewalk and she was so relaxed that she knew she would have been able to follow the herd to their resting spot, lie down beside them and fall immediately to sleep. The stirring she felt between her legs tempted her, as did the smooth touch of his fingers on her breasts. What was even more tempting was the sight and feel of his cock, growing stiffer with every passing second and looking as desirable as the last morsel on an all-you-can-eat buffet. Her fingers wrapped around his cock and she stroked him slowly and thoughtfully as she watched the last stragglers in the herd disappear into the shade of the trees. There was no pressure from him to proceed more swiftly, no insistence that she move to the next phase of what could easily be an erotic interlude. No, they had achieved a comfort level that made it simple for them to explore their bodies in such an open manner. The comfort level seemed to encompass almost anything sexual—they both knew that there were other—more important—obstacles that they hadn't gotten past. But the sex? That was pretty open between them. You feel so good, Jake. So very tempting…I never get enough of your body. Giving his penis a small tug, she rubbed the delicate spot below his cap with her thumb as he moaned and pressed himself against her hand. Smiling, he pinched her nipple gently and the touch sent shudders of delight through her body. They collected in her crotch and she squirmed against his thigh, her moistness warming him and making her feel less like a doctor and more like a sex-starved patient. Carrie sighed as she stroked him, looking toward the meadow for a last look at where the herd had been. That was when she saw it and every other thought flew from her head as quickly as Jake's cock dropped from her fingers. "Look! Jake, do you see it?" she said, pointing to the break in the trees. "I do. He's half hidden but I can see him." The black animal's nose poked from between the trees, its head pointed toward the ledge above him.

95

KATE BURNS

"It looks like he's watching us." Carrie crawled forward until she was stretched out on her stomach on the ledge. Sounds of a similar scramble from beside her let her know that Jake, too, had lowered himself to his stomach and was watching the animal below. "Doesn't it look like he's watching us?" "It sure does," he answered, shifting beside her. The boulder was as hard as his penis and neither was in the least bit flexible, making it difficult for him to find a comfortable position in his present state. "But I don't think it could be so. I mean, it's just not possible, is it?" "In the animal kingdom anything is possible." **** Returning at twilight had been Carrie's idea. They both knew there was a possibility the herd would return or there would be at least a few stragglers who deemed the meadow a good spot to linger. Once again on the boulder above the meadow, they watched for signs of the animals' approach. "We're still too far away for you to see them as closely as you need to see them," Jake said, scowling at the lowering sun. "I haven't figured out yet how to get you closer but I guess this is good for now." Cowboy alert—could you be any more macho? Has it crossed your mind, darling Jake, that maybe I've figured out how to get closer to the herd? What the hell am I saying? Of course it hasn't—that's obvious, isn't it? "I've got it figured out, Jake." Her eyes strained as she searched the perimeter of the meadow for signs of movement. "I know how I'm going to get close. I'll do it tomorrow night. That's why we're here now. This is a recon mission." "Recon mission?" His tone was sarcastic and when she turned to look at him he gave her a look that left no grey area in her mind about his feelings toward her use of military jargon. He wore a grin that nearly cut his face in two. "That's right," Carrie said, raising an eyebrow and turning her attention back to the ground beneath them. "Recon mission. It means—" "Oh believe me, General; I know what a recon mission is. After all, I was in the military." "You were?" Jake's admission stunned her and she looked up at him. He was peering down at the tree line as if he had no idea he'd surprised her.

96

CANYON'S CALL

What else don't I know about you, Jake? The military? That's a pretty big thing to conceal, isn't it? "Um hmm," he said. "What branch?" "Marines." "Why?" Turning to look Carrie, Jake held her eyes with his for several heartbeats before he spoke. In that time she saw a range of things pass behind his bluer-than-the-sky eyes but none of them were identifiable to her. "There were a lot of reasons to join the military," he began, shrugging. "And very few against joining. I love my country, the people here and the freedom we enjoy. I guess I just felt—still feel, really—that if you want to enjoy the best the world has to offer you've got to be willing to work for it, too. So I enlisted, put in my time, served my country. It was no big deal, really. Thousands of people do it all the time. When my time was up I came back to the ranch. End of story." Carrie knew that the words he spoke were words he believed wholeheartedly. There was no self-satisfied ring to them, no posturing or magnifying of the facts of his life. Jake had clearly done what he felt he must do and if her guess was right, he'd done it well, too. With a smile he looked down at the meadow and pointed. "You were right, Carrie dear. Here they come," he said, his voice just above a whisper. The first moose to emerge from the forest wasn't the big bull moose they'd seen earlier but a smaller version of it. This male was, to any casual observer, much less confident than the bigger moose had been. He stepped hesitantly into the clearing, swinging his head back and forth and lifting his nose to sniff the air. Several minutes passed before the moose spread his legs, arched his back and marked the territory with his scent. When he did, it wasn't a strong, unchallengeable act like the one they'd seen the herd's head display earlier. The smaller moose's fear made his marking less forceful; it came from him in a weak, broken stream that was comical to watch. "He's got a nervous bladder," said Jake, leaning close to Carrie's ear. His breath was warm on her cheek and he sent shivers through her when he spoke. "Either that or he's got one helluva prostrate issue," she answered, giggling.

97

KATE BURNS

"You're not going to examine him, are you?" he teased, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close. "You're not going to prescribe anything for the poor guy's problem, are you?" "No, I'll leave him alone. I think his problem will take care of itself eventually. Performance anxiety comes in many shapes and sizes. At least now we know that the herd comes back here—part of the herd, anyway—after their afternoon visit. I think that if we recon the area enough we'll see the black animal again. Then we can put part two of the plan into action." "Mmm hmm, part two," Carrie said, pressing her hip against his. "But now I've seen enough, haven't you? I'm ready for some dinner—all this moose-watching and...other activities, too, have given me an appetite. What about you, Jake?' He touched his lips to hers, kissing her so thoroughly that she forgot about her stomach. Then he looked at her, his eyes soft and gentle, as he said, "Funny thing, isn't it? I've got a big appetite, too. But maybe we should grab some dinner before I tell you about it."

98

CANYON'S CALL

Chapter Thirteen He woke her with a touch, a soft, gentle touch that sent her body into spasms of release before she was fully awake. His mouth covered her sex and the delicious sensations brought about by his incessant tongue stroking were heavenly. Clutching the sheets in her fists, Carrie held her breath and gave herself up to his touch. When her body calmed she pulled him up to cover her and held him tightly. "Jake, what a way to wake someone," she murmured as she kissed his neck. "What do you think you were doing, darling? Waking me like that could kill me, you know. Shock to the system and all that. How long were you...well, how long were you between my legs before I woke up? " Chuckling, he shifted, parting her thighs with his knee and positioning his erection between her legs. "I was down there long enough to make sure you enjoyed yourself, and that's really the point, don't you think?" His penis separated her lips and he cradled her head in his hands as he looked into her eyes. With a penetrating gaze, a lift of the corner of his lip, and a satisfied groan, Jake pushed his cock into her. "Your turn now, I take it?" she asked, clutching his hardness with her muscles. Neither moved an inch, savoring the feeling of first joining. Connected, they lay in the warmth that surrounded them so completely. "Is it your turn, Jake? Your turn to feel what I've felt?" With slow movements he slid himself out of her, lingering before he pressed back into her body. The feeling of being filled by his throbbing flesh defied description. Carrie felt a new wave of tingling begin where they were connected. "Do you mind?" he asked, rotating his hips sensuously. "Do you mind if I find the same kind of release that you found?" Wrapping her arms around his back and holding him closer, Carrie shook her head. "No, I don't mind. Although, to be fair, Jake, you should let me pleasure you the way that you pleasured me."

99

KATE BURNS

As his movements began to speed up, he grinned and locked his eyes on hers. "Do you mean that you want to wake me up? I'm far from asleep, sweet Carrie. And somehow I doubt that in my present condition I could just easily nod off. So the whole waking-me-up thing is out of the question—at least for now." Lifting her legs to his hips, she wrapped them around his body and arched her back. His cock touched her on a spot buried deep within her and for an instant she felt all the breath leave her body in one exquisite rush. "No, Jake," she gasped as the moist flesh that held him began to pulse. "That's not what I mean. I mean that I should make you come with my mouth—the way you made me come. You should sit back and relax while I make you lose control—the way you did with me." "Too late, Carrie," Jake said, groaning. He pressed himself into her in a last hard movement and his cock began to twitch. As she felt the heat fill her she tumbled into her own release. She knew that he was right. It was much too late. **** By the time they had finally gotten out of bed, showered and eaten breakfast it was late morning. As the last of the breakfast dishes were washed and put back in the neat cupboards, Jake tilted his head and smiled at her. "Want to go on an adventure?" he asked. He grinned, and despite the covering of dark whiskers that was beginning to obscure his chin, he looked like a naughty school boy. "Want me to take you somewhere special?" The line was hard to resist and Carrie raised her eyebrows. "Somewhere special? But haven't you already done that this morning— twice? You've got to be careful, Jake. You're going to kill me!" Pulling her into his arms, he rubbed his face across her cheek. "Ouch!" He chuckled but he pulled back. "Something wrong, sweetheart?" She swatted at him in jest as she rubbed her cheek with her hand. "You know perfectly well what's wrong. You rubbed me with that Brillo pad you've got on your face—that's not a toy, you know. You could tear someone's face off with that thing. Was it part of your military training— commando tactics, perhaps?" Looking much more serious than the occasion called for, Jake nodded. "Precisely. You've figured it out. We learned all about home-

100

CANYON'S CALL

grown weapons in the Marines. Building a weapon to disarm unsuspecting locals on our faces was lesson number...um, what number was it again?" Staring up at a point above her head, he considered for a long moment before he went on. "Sixty-nine. It was lesson number sixtynine. Would you like me to demonstrate the rest of the lesson to you? I can, you know—if you'd like me to." Holding her hands up in mock surrender, Carrie said, "No! Please don't do that. I give up, Jake. I give up. Do with me as you will." "Ah, a prisoner," he said, dropping his cheek to hers again. He didn't rub it against her face this time, merely touched her face with his. "Now this whole thing is going to get interesting, isn't it? Come on, Carrie. Let's get out of here before I pick you up and put you back on the bed again. I don't know what it is about you, woman, that's got me so out of control. Every time I'm near you my cock gets stiff and I want to bury myself in you. What the hell are you doing to me?" Yeah, that's the question of the hour, Jake. "We'd better go," Carrie said, pulling away from his body with a sigh. "Otherwise you know we're going to stay in bed all day long. What are you going to show me, anyway?" At her innocent words he threw back his head and roared. Too late she realized what she'd said and they laughed until they could barely breathe. Then they stepped out onto the verandah and put the bed—and its temptations—behind them. It was the only thing they could do, given the fact that they each felt the strong urge to ravish the other. **** The sun caressed the top of Carrie's head as they rode through the rugged terrain. They'd left the quiet, cool forest behind and were climbing high, skirting boulders and riding around huge heaps of rocks at the base of a sheer cliff that rose above them so high that when she tried to see the top of it she got dizzy. I can't wait to see what's the big surprise at the end of this trail ride, Jake. You're being so secretive—as if that's anything new, right? But what could it be that you've got to show me—all the way out here in the middle of nowhere? My curiosity is getting the best of me. And you've got such a big, broad back...it makes it easy to follow you anywhere. "This way," he called over his shoulder as his horse picked its way carefully over the stones that littered the hard-packed ground beneath their feet. Carrie watched them disappear around a bend in the cliff face

101

KATE BURNS

and felt, for a fleeting instant, very alone. Then she heard his voice calling to her. "Just over here! You're going to love it." When her horse rounded the bend she found Jake standing on the ground, one hand shading his eyes as he looked up the face of the cliff. His horse was resting a short way away, beneath the shade of a towering pine tree. Carrie dismounted and led her horse to the base of the tree. She looped the reins loosely over a branch, gave the animal a quick pat on the rump and headed over to where Jake stood. Craning her neck, she looked up in the direction he was looking. What seemed like endless miles of bare, sheer cliff face rose above them and she wondered what it was he saw. For her part she saw nothing out of the ordinary, nothing to catch her attention. "What is it, Jake? What are you looking at?" she asked. Her eyes were getting tired of going over the same bits of rock again and again. She had no idea what the huge attraction was. "Whatever it is, I'm missing it. Sorry, but I don't see anything up there." Stepping behind her and pressing the front of his body to the back of hers, Jake tilted her head slightly and pointed. Following the line of his arm she saw that he was staring at a crevice in the cliff. It had been hidden to her before he pointed it out but now that she saw it she thought she could see movement in the crevice. "What is it? There's something up there in the crevice, isn't there? What is it, Jake? What's moving up there?" "Eagles. Every time I come up here I check this spot, and every time there are eagles in that nest. I wonder how many babies they have up there now?" He spoke the words so reverently that they sent goose bumps across her body. Her nipples tightened instantly and her breath caught in her throat. Jake wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. They watched the crevice for long, quiet moments. Jake. Is that...it is. This is turning you on. I can feel your prick growing against my ass just as surely as I can feel my own body heating at the touch of your skin on mine. I feel you growing and I want you all over again. It doesn't matter that I've just had you or that I'll probably have you again later. The truth is that I want you now. Reaching around behind her she cupped his bulge with her hand and squeezed. "Hey, is that the way you bird watch in Maine?" Jake asked as his spine stiffened.

102

CANYON'S CALL

"The early bird catches the worm, I hear," she said, giggling as she squeezed his cock a second time. "Is this the worm they refer to, Jake? Do you think this is what they were talking about or did I just get lucky and catch a whole new breed of worm?" "Worm my ass," he growled as his fingers reached beneath her shirt. He found his way beneath the band of her bra and pushed it up, off her breasts, and held them in his hands. He massaged her sensitive skin slowly, rolling her nipples between his fingertips as she arched her back and pressed herself to his touch. "What you've got your hand on is definitely not a worm, sweetheart. And any time you need proof of that—well, you just let me know and I'll be happy to demonstrate its nonwormlike dimensions." Oh, Jake, that feels so good. You're so hard and what you're doing to me is too good for words. Oh! Your hand! It won't fit, it's too—oh, yes, it's just right, isn't it? When his hand slid into the waistband of her jeans she thought that it would never fit but he managed to push aside the waistband of her panties. He pressed his fingers between the swollen lips of her sex. Tilting her hips, Carrie opened herself to him as fully as she could and moaned as he stroked her slipperiness. "Oh...Jake it feels so good. And I'm realizing, dear Jake, that you are as insatiable as I am. I can't help but wonder if you're a sex fiend all the time or if I bring out the best in you? But don't answer that, just let me wonder…don't stop doing what you're doing, please," Carrie whispered. Her hand was still on his penis but it had stopped moving. Her attention was focused on the sensations he stirred within her and the growing heat that she knew could only end in one way. "But darling, you know what you're doing to me, don't you? Oh...Jake I'm going to lose my mind in a minute if you don't stop doing that. You know it and I know it—oh! That feels so good, so damn good." His tongue touched her earlobe and she shuddered against him. His fingers stroked her clit with renewed intensity. "Let it happen, sweetheart," he urged, his tongue playing delicious teasing games with her earlobe. "Come for me, Carrie. Do it—you know I like to watch you do it. Just let it happen." "But Jake—I want to see you do it, too!" Carrie moaned, squirming against his hand. His touch was no longer coaxing but insistent as he moved against her. She couldn't deny the feelings that were exploding

103

KATE BURNS

within her. Her body betrayed her and she came in a series of shudders, as Jake buried his finger inside her pussy and chuckled against her ear. "Oh, yes," he crooned, pulling her closer. "That was incredible." What's incredible is that you have this effect on me. When the hell am I going to be able to push you into an orgasm the way you push me? Now. I'm going to do it to you now—even if I have to tie you up to do it. Carrie's grip on his cock intensified and she moved her other hand to unzip his fly. She'd nearly managed to work it open when Jake pulled his hands from beneath her clothing. He pointed toward the crevice above them. Her fingers grazed the hot, hard skin before it was jerked from her grasp. "Look! They're going to leave the nest!" With one hand Jake pointed up at the eagles but Carrie didn't see the first ones leave the nest. She was too focused on watching him stuff the pink tip of his cock back inside his jeans and tug the zipper into an upright position. **** They'd watched the eagles fly for at least an hour before returning to the cabin. When they did, Jake went into the outbuildings and checked on the supplies that were kept there. He was gone for a long enough time for Carrie to get halfway through an erotic paperback that she found tucked in the bookcase beside the fireplace. She was so engrossed in the book when Jake came in she didn't look up. "What are you reading?" he asked, settling himself on the soft leather sofa beside her. Peering at the cover as she closed the book, he grinned. "Oh, one of those books." "It's really very good," Carrie said as she smiled back at him. She'd just finished a rather erotic passage and knew her nipples were hard, her panties wet and her cheeks flushed. She didn't attempt to hide her arousal from his sight. "It's a story about a woman who takes a cruise and finds...well, more than a cruise. It's well-written, interesting and well, romantic, too." "Did you find it over there?" Jake asked, nodding toward the bookcase. She nodded. "One of Paula's books. She buys them by the boxful over the internet. I've got to say that Frank Junior has told me they sometimes

104

CANYON'S CALL

read them together, for inspiration, let's say, and that they're really good. Most of them, anyway." "He's right," Carrie answered, placing the book on the coffee table and curling her feet beneath her. "Most of them are well written. I've got a couple at home, too. But I can go right to the big bookstore in Bangor and pick them up, which is nice." "It's good to know that even in bigger places people need inspiration," Jake said quietly. "It's good to know that it's not just out here in the wilderness. Because out here, there's not often much aside from our imaginations." "I'll bet," Carrie said. She placed her hand in his and stroked the back of his big, wide hand with her thumb. "I know that Frank Junior and Paula are engaged but the other men? And you? What about your relationships?" Jake looked at her for a long time, his navy-blue eyes darker than any ocean. He seemed to be thinking carefully before speaking and she wondered what he was going to say. Thankfully she didn't have long to wait. "Some of the other guys have girlfriends in different places and they try and see them as much as they can. Long-distance relationships, I guess you'd call them. Sometimes they work out and sometimes they don't." Swallowing, Carrie asked, "And you? When was the last time you had...um, a relationship?" Grinning, Jake raised an eyebrow. "Sex? You're asking when it was that I last had sex, aren't you?" Carrie nodded. "A few hours ago," he answered, laughing. "Not as terribly long ago as you'd expect it to be." When her hand hit his shoulder he grabbed her wrist, lightening fast and stronger than any man she'd met. Pulling her against him he pressed his forehead against hers and kissed her. It was a slow, passionate kiss that left her breathless when he pulled back. She stared into his eyes, knowing full well she could drown in them if she allowed herself to do it. "When was the last relationship I had—before you got here? When was the last time I had sex—before you got here? Hell, you ask some difficult questions, woman. It's a good thing you're so damn adorable," Jake said. He put an arm around her and pulled her body against his before he spoke again. "I had a relationship with a woman in Barlow up

105

KATE BURNS

until a few months ago, actually. It was one of those comfortable, we'vegot-nothing-better-to-do sort of relationships. But she and I got along well and it was good while it lasted. We both knew that it wasn't any great, big, till-death-do-us-part love affair but it was easy and we were both—well, we were both happy with the arrangement." I didn't realize it was going to bug me so much to hear you talk about having a relationship with another woman. Really, why should I give a shit? But you know what? I do. I do give a shit—a very big shit, actually. It bugs me. "What was her name?" "Snowfall," Jake said, shaking his head. You've got to be kidding me. This is a joke, right? Snowfall? "Snowfall? Are you serious?" His laughter was soft and sexy and she resisted the urge to cover his lips with her own. There was a crazy feeling inside her; a feeling that said if she stopped the flow of words between them somehow she could stem the tide she knew was nearly upon them. "I am. Her name was—is, actually—Snowfall. Apparently her father felt that it was a suitable name for a girl born in a blizzard, so that's what they called her," Jake said. When he looked down at Carrie there was a flame in his eyes. "It's a damn good thing she wasn't born after a baked bean festival, don't you think?" Giggling, she poked him with her fingertip. His chest was hard and hot. If she had been a woman with excessively long fingernails she could have broken one against his body. "Jake! You're terrible!" When she'd stopped giggling she relaxed against him and asked the next logical question. "What happened? Why aren't you seeing each other anymore?" Lacing his fingers through hers, he held her hand loosely. "Just one of those things I guess. Snowfall met someone else and one thing led to another and well, that was that." "That's too bad. I'm sorry for you, Jake," she said. "It must be tough to find someone up here. I mean it's not like you can go to a club or anything so your options are probably pretty limited for finding a partner." Leaning over, he kissed her quickly. "That's all right. Some of us import partners," he said, grinning. At his look her heart lurched and she felt a distinct thudding in her chest.

106

CANYON'S CALL

You import baby-making women, that is. You bring in wombs for your heirs, Jake. Let's be honest here. Although I still—despite what you said—don't believe that's what you're doing. How could you do that to me? Or anyone else? No, it's got to be something else—something more reasonable—that's going on here. It's got to be. "So," Jake said, his voice conversational. "What about you, sweetheart? Any relationships? When was the last time you had sex?" "Um, before an hour or so ago?" "Before you got to Alaska." Are you sure you want to know? "The night before you first called me." **** It was no secret that he was angry with her. As the day wore on they spoke less and less and by the time they were preparing dinner in the big, rustic kitchen they were doing it in silence. As Jake sliced tomatoes, she heard every thud of the knife against the maple cutting board as if it was a slice to her heart. Feeling both sick at his anger and elated at his apparent interest, she was at a loss. Torn between wanting things to resume between them and the thought that they were soon to part anyway, she went back and forth in her mind. There were moments when she wanted to explain herself and her actions to him and moments when she loved it that he was having a tough time dealing with the idea that she'd recently been the object of someone else's desire. The atmosphere in the cabin grew so tense that she couldn't stand it anymore. Without a word she put down the lettuce she'd been washing, walked through the cabin and out onto the wide front porch. She sat on the railing, dangled her foot above the drop and fought the tears that were threatening to fall. Shit. Why did I begin the damn conversation in the first damn place? I should've known it could only lead to disaster. Those freaking conversations never lead anywhere productive; no one really wants to know about who the person they care about slept with before they slept with them. What the fuck was I thinking? Not much, evidently. How the hell am I going to fix this mess? It hadn't been Carrie's intention to have sex with Charley when he'd come to her place. She'd honestly never expected to have sex with him again after they broke up—nearly a year earlier. But when he'd shown up

107

KATE BURNS

at the veterinary offices just as she was finishing up some last-minute paperwork, he'd looked so...well, so desperately lonely that she'd felt sorry for him. That's what it had been and they'd both known it—even at the time. It was a mercy fuck, one last for-the-road interlude that never should have happened. But really, it didn't mean anything so perhaps it was as if it had never taken place. Wasn't there some sort of vague sexual rule that could be applied to what-the-hell-we're-both-here sex with old boyfriends? She'd looked up when he walked through the door. Tall and blond, he was handsome in a wiry, surfer kind of way. His hair fell appealingly over his wide brow and his eyes were nearly silver, the color of shiny quarters and chrome bumpers. They reflected light in a way that would have been eerie had it not been so intriguing. "Hey," he'd said, his voice soft and wistful. He wore his usual outfit: pressed khakis and a button-down oxford, scuffed loafers and a beat-up Timex. "What's going on?" "Not much, Charley," she'd answered. She could see the desire in his eyes. It was more than merely sexual desire, although that was there, too. His eyes held a longing, a loneliness, that was louder than any words he could have uttered. "Hey, you're looking kind of sad. Is everything all right?" she asked, shoving her paperwork into the top drawer and getting up and walking around the wide desk. She stood in front of him and when she saw the need in his eyes she automatically put her arms around his shoulders and held him close. "God, I've missed that. I've missed that so much." Charley held her close and they stood like that for a long time before either of them spoke again. "It's weird how you miss the little things when you're not going out with someone. Eating breakfast together. Watching movies late at night—God, it's lonely to watch those old black-and-white movies without someone to share it with. And other things—the other things are lonely, too." Her hands moved along his back, her cheek resting against his shoulder. They moved without conscious direction and he responded in the same manner. Carrie felt his cock twitch against her hip, felt it begin to swell between them. She swallowed, wondering what would happen next. Although she tried to deny it, his nearness, and his arousal, was making her hot.

108

CANYON'S CALL

It had been a lot of long, lonely months since she and Charley had last been together. As his cock stiffened she knew all she had to do was say the word and they would begin the ageless dance of passion. One word, that would be all he'd need. We both want it. It's not as if we're getting back together again or anything. It's sex, pure and simple. Sex with someone that I care about. Okay, so we don't exactly love each other anymore but hell, we don't hate each other, either. What the hell could it hurt? Neither of us has expectations. It could be so simple...we could merely scratch a couple of itches and be on our way. No obligations. No big deal. It hadn't taken a word but an action. Carrie reached for his fly. She unbuckled, unbuttoned, and unzipped him and pushed his pants down to his ankles before she did the same to her own. Then she hopped up onto the desk and spread her legs. Her folds glistened wetly and for a moment she worried that Charley's cock was going to embarrass him. Although it jumped threateningly a few times, it didn't erupt and Charley put his penis where he had put it so many times before. Their coupling came easily, their pleasure swiftly and when it was over they put their pants back on, kissed softly and went back to living their lives. It was simple, she knew. But how to explain that to one very pissedoff cowboy? The front door opened and Jake stepped out onto the porch. With deliberate moves he crossed the porch, his footsteps heavy in his cowboy boots, and stood before her. His eyes found hers and held them. "I'm sorry, Carrie," he said quietly. "I have no right to be annoyed over what you told me, over something that happened before you and I even met. It's asinine of me to be so ticked off by it, and I'm sorry. What you did before we met has nothing to do with me. Nothing to do with us. Can you forgive me?" Not trusting herself to speak, Carrie nodded. She felt her eyes glisten and prayed that she wouldn't cry. She hated to cry, hated the feeling of helplessness that came with tears. "I've got one question, though," Jake said. He took a deep breath and asked, "Are you still seeing this person—this man that you had sex with on the night before I called you? Is there some sort of relationship that I'm intruding on? Please, tell me the truth. I need to know." Shaking her head, she said, "No. Whatever relationship we had was over months ago. What happened that night—it was just one of those

109

KATE BURNS

things. One of those silly, never-should-have-happened things. It meant nothing—to either of us. And it won't be happening again, I'm sure. There's no relationship, Jake." He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. Feeling his heart thump against her breasts, she wondered why the answer seemed to be so important to him. In the end it would have no bearing on them—or on the animal she was here to identify. None of her affair with Charley should have been of note to Jake, but evidently it was. "I'm glad to hear that," he said, his voice gruff against her hair. "Listen, I've got dinner nearly ready. Are you hungry?" "I am," she said, jumping down from the railing. They walked into the cabin together, knowing that for now, at least, they had managed to resolve any misunderstanding they'd had. Later would have to be another story **** It was almost as if they needed to reassure themselves all was forgiven before they went after the black animal. After the dinner dishes had been washed and put away they made noises about getting ready to go out to the meadow near the pass but they both realized that those were just noises. Diversions. Carrie and Jake headed for the master bath and she spread toothpaste on her toothbrush as he stood behind her and combed his hair. When she turned the faucet on and leaned over the sink, he pressed himself against her ass. His erection throbbed hotly against the fabric that separated them and when she looked up at him, catching his gaze in the mirror, they both knew what was about to happen. Without bothering to turn the faucet off, she set her toothbrush on the edge of the sink and unzipped her jeans as he did the same. They pushed them down and, with their eyes still locked in the mirror, Carrie bent forward, opening herself to his touch. Jake never took his eyes from hers as he impaled her on his thick staff and began to move behind her. With every thrust of his hips his testicles slapped against her and she felt herself fall toward orgasm as easily as if it had been a cliff and she'd just stepped off the edge. "Oh, Jake!" Carrie groaned, her voice ripping from her body and reverberating in the small space. She clenched her thighs together, the spasms of her release gripping her and holding her tightly as his penis slid against her twitching folds.

110

CANYON'S CALL

The look in his eyes as he released his flood into her could only be described as territorial. In the moments when his penis jumped within her she felt like one of the females in the moose herd they'd observed. She felt as completely marked as anything ever could be. It was strange but she realized as she felt the final twitch of his flesh in hers that she didn't mind being marked by him. Not really. **** They could only ride the horses so far in the darkness and the threat of brown and black bears to the animals if they left them tied was great so they decided to hike the entire distance to the pass. In order to get back there at the same time they hoped the herd would arrive they left the cabin just before sundown. Trekking through the forest with Jake was a pleasure. He could have left her behind in a New York minute but he set a pace that they could both deal with without much effort. It's a good thing that I've kept myself in shape at the health club. This terrain isn't for the faint of heart but really, it's not terrible, either. I'm glad that he's not going flat-out, though. "Are you doing all right, darling?" he drawled over his shoulder. There was no break in his step but she could tell by the tilt of his head he waited for her response. "Do you need to take a break yet?" "Do you?" she spat, annoyed that he would think she was so soft that she'd need a rest already. Hadn't he noticed how sleek and strong she'd become in just a few days of hard riding? Come on, Jake. Don't you notice my ass? God knows I notice yours often enough. Damn, just when I thought you were falling hard for me, too. Apparently I've over-estimated my charms. "That wasn't the question," he said calmly. Carrie resisted the urge to knock his hat off his head with a low-hanging branch and leave her boot print on it. "That's the only answer you're getting." "Suit yourself, then. But remember, bears can tell when there's something helpless nearby. You don't want to get yourself into such a state that you attract...something." When his shoulders twitched she had confirmation of his teasing. I'll show you a state or two, Jake. Two can tango, you know. "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the...um, wildlife hint. I appreciate it." Sarcasm oozed from her like honey from a hive and he chuckled as he pushed aside a clump of thorns, holding them until she passed.

111

KATE BURNS

The rest of the hike was made in silence; they were mindful of the herd being nearby and had no desire to spook them. As it was, they were going to do something that was daring at best—walk among the herd at night. With creatures as big as moose were, it was dangerous to move among them when visibility was diminished but they were afraid by morning the herd would move on and they'd have to spend more time searching for them again. When they got to the far edge of the meadow, just below the enormous ridges that formed the opening of the pass like a giant eye in an immense needle, Jake unshouldered his pack and placed it on the ground beside a towering pine tree. He wore a .44 caliber pistol on his hip and carried a powerful rifle outfitted with a night scope. Neither of these he put down. "You're sure you're up to this? If you've changed your mind—well, it's all right. I just want you to know that you don't need to prove anything, Carrie. It's not necessary for you to do something that frightens you just to satisfy my curiosity." "Your curiosity? What about my curiosity? No, this is something that I've got to do," she said resolutely. "I'm a geneticist and this is what we do. That animal may be an entirely new species—I won't know until I get a closer look—and I cannot take the risk of never again having the opportunity to examine it. No, I've got to go into the herd. You, however, can stay here if you'd like. You don't need to come with me." With a quick look at the forest around them, Jake pulled her into his arms and kissed her. It was a short kiss but it was filled with all the excitement of the night and it aroused both of them. His cock hardened and he pressed himself against her, bringing the state of his desire to her attention as his tongue swirled over hers. Once he lifted his mouth from hers she felt the desire for his touch a second time. Her pussy quivered and there was a tugging in her abdomen, a heat that grew as she brought a vision of his erection to her mind. As Carrie reached between them to cup his penis they heard the sound. Something was approaching—something big. "Shh," said Jake as his eyes scanned the trees. "I hear it," she whispered. It was not full dark and although the twilight was settling around them in a violet mist there was still enough light to see. They edged closer to the edge of the clearing and stood beside a boulder. It took a few minutes but the huge bull moose that had led the

112

CANYON'S CALL

herd earlier poked his head from between some trees not ten feet from where Carrie and Jake stood. The animal lifted his nose and sniffed the cool evening air. It tilted its head, wiggling its pointed ears as it listened for threatening sounds. Apparently satisfied that it was safe for the herd to move into the meadow, the bull took two strides into the grass and repeated his earlier behavior. The strong scent of his territorial marking filled the air; the sound of the liquid splattering against the earth was surprisingly loud at such close range. Jake silently laughed and she felt his body shake from the effort of remaining quiet. He leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Sounds like Niagara Falls, doesn't it?" "Almost," she agreed, smiling. Working with animals had made her immune to squeamishness and it was obvious that cowboys had no use for false modesty, either. "And it seems to go on and on and on." "Should I tell him to tie a knot in it?" Jake's voice sent shivers up her spine and she stiffened against him, pressing her back to his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. When his fingertips found the stiff points beneath her sweater he put pressure on them and it was a struggle for Carrie not to moan. "Have you seen the size of it? That would be one hell of a knot!" His fingers increased their tempo and she felt his erection press against her ass. "So are you saying that size matters, Doc? Is that the...um, point of this conversation?" Playfully he tilted his hips, pushing himself against her. "Size definitely matters," she giggled. "Didn't you get the memo?" The moose began to walk into the meadow and they watched as he picked his way toward a clump of white flowers and begin to eat. "Arnica?" "The very same," said Jake. Within minutes the grassy area was filled with animals, the air scented with the musky odor of their dense fur and the sounds of their peaceful snorting and chewing. Carrie and Jake watched, fascinated as a pair of little ones breast-fed while the mother chewed without paying them any mind. "It's incredible, isn't it?" Carrie whispered. "I've never been this close—it's just too amazing for words." "It would be even more amazing if the black one would show," he said, his impatience obvious. "Where the hell is it?"

113

KATE BURNS

"Relax. Enjoy the ones that are here. It'll show up sooner or later, I'm sure of it. It looked like it was an accepted member of the herd—it's bound to be nearby." Jake's eyes never stopped searching the tree line, especially as night fell around them. It was as if they were enveloped in a deep, velvety cocoon of purplish darkness. "There!" said Carrie, pointing to the opposite side of the meadow. "It came in from the far end. Do you see it?" "I do. Right at the edge of the herd." Carrie took two steps forward before she felt Jake's hand on her arm. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked. "I am. I'm not leaving until I get a closer look, Jake," she said in a tone of voice that effectively cut off any doubt that he may have had about her feelings. "Then maybe I should keep you over here." "Excuse me?" "Keep you from getting a closer look," he said. He tugged the brim of his hat into place before he spoke again. "Keep you here—not such a bad idea, I don't think." It felt as if her heart was going to burst from her chest. It beat so strongly that in Carrie's mind, at least, it was louder than the snorting, chewing, and snuffling before them. It was louder than the moose's splashing had been. It was even louder than the voice inside her head— the one that was warning her that her heart was being lost—was already lost. "Very funny," she finally managed to say. "Now, about that closer look." Without a backward glance Carrie walked into the midst of the moose herd. As Jake had said, they didn't seem to mind her presence and she walked slowly and steadily. When she heard his footsteps right behind her she was relieved. These things are huge. I don't know that I'd want to be in here all alone. The field was large and it took several long minutes before they were standing beside the shaggy black mammal. Its fur was denser than the brown fur on the moose grazing around them, its stance wider and more solid than that of the ordinary moose. There was a curvature to the animal's back and Carrie could see why the ranchers had surmised this could be the offspring of a black bear.

114

CANYON'S CALL

"What do you think?" Jake asked as he put his hand on the animal's flank. "It's something else, isn't it?" "It is. Honestly, it's like nothing I've seen before. You were right in calling for an opinion on this animal, Jake," she said as she made mental notes about the animal's height. Measuring it against Jake's body she shook her head as she tried to gauge its weight. Beneath the shaggy coat it was nearly impossible to discern the animal's true dimensions. "I'm just so glad that I was the one you phoned. Really, a find like this is something that most of us never, ever get to see. God, he's just magnificent, isn't he?" "I think so," he said, running his hand along the animal's broad back. "But I guess you could say that I'm a little bit biased. But yeah, I think this is one of the most incredible things I've ever seen—and believe me, living up here we get to see a huge variety of wildlife. But nothing like this—not ever. This is something new." Clinical now that she'd reached her destination, Carrie reached into the pack she'd carried on her shoulder and withdrew a pair of long, black scissors and began to snip bits of fur from the spots closest to her. She wound them up and placed them inside a large plastic zipper bag. Then she pulled out a digital camera designed to take low-light images and pointed it at the creature. She took several photos, even pushing back some of the hair that hung over the animal's eyes when she shot its face. "So?" "I hate to disappoint you, but I honestly think we've got some kind of moose here. Not the typical Alaskan moose, that's for certain, but still...my first guess is that it's a moose of some variety." As she spoke she withdrew a long needle from her pack, uncapped the syringe and parted the fur on the upper shoulder area. With some force she plunged the needle into the animal and withdrew blood. "It didn't even move," Jake said, patting the animal as if it was an oversize dog. "I expected it to at least jump." "Very few nerve endings in that area. And the hide is so thick that it feels for them the way a mosquito bite feels for us," she said. Placing the blood in the bag she reached into the bottom corner and withdrew what looked to Jake to be an oversize baby bottle. "You going to feed it?" "Not exactly," Carrie said. She squatted and pushed aside some of the animal's fur as Jake looked down at her.

115

KATE BURNS

"You've got to be kidding. You're not doing what I think you're doing, are you?" "Jake, haven't you ever been told by the doctor to pee into a little cup? This," she said, waving the big plastic container in his direction, "is a little cup to this guy. Don't tell me a big, strong never-lose-control cowboy like you is afraid of a little animal pee? You can't be seriously nervous about this—can you?" Ah, so you're not nearly as brave as you think you are! Let me tell you, pal, it takes nerves of steel to wait for something this big to let loose. I'll be lucky if I'm not covered before he's done but it'll be worth it. At least I'll be able to run tests to definitively identify this fellow. "Not nervous. Just...standing by the head, that's all." She would have laughed but as he was speaking their companion was getting prepared to oblige her request for a sample and she concentrated on getting the collection container into position. It was a nearly-effortless process and when the bottle was filled she capped it securely, placed it inside a large Ziploc bag and stowed it in her pack. Rising to her feet, she turned and smiled at the man who was eyeing her with open admiration. "See? No big deal." "Maybe not for you, but from what I saw it was a pretty big deal," Jake said, grinning. He peered at the puddle that shone wetly beneath the feeding animal. "And I've got to tell you I'm surprised that you're not drenched, Carrie." Rubbing the animal's thick fur she shrugged her shoulders and smiled. "It's all in a days' work for me, Jake. I work with animals so I'm used to getting specimens and samples from them. It's not always easy, it's not always pleasant, but it's always necessary. There's actually one other sample I'd like to get from this big fellow but I'm not sure he'll cooperate." With a tilt of his head, Jake asked, "What other kind of sample? It looks like you've gotten just about everything you can get." "Not everything." Carrie shook her head as she ran her fingers through the black fur. She looked around at the moose bunched around them, looked for one that might suit their purposes. "But if you're willing to lend a hand I think we might have a good chance at getting it, Jake. What do you say? Are you game to try?" He stared at her for a long time before he adjusted his hat and smiled. "It was my idea to get you here so I don't think I can very well

116

CANYON'S CALL

refuse to help you with your research. But I'm going to tell you right now, Carrie, that I am not picking up anything that comes out of this monster's butt. Do we understand each other?' Giggling, she said, "Don't worry. It's not a sample from his butt I want—that wouldn't tell me anything that the samples I've already collected won't tell me. It'd just be a messy waste of time. No, the sample I have in mind might shed some clues to the reproductive characteristics in the species—that is, if we can get him to cooperate." "Holy shit, you can't be seriously thinking of—" "I am. All we have to do is move that female—she looks like she's been mated recently—closer to our little friend here, and wait for nature to do the rest. Now, if you'll sort of herd her over here, Jake, I'll get another specimen bottle out of my pack. It shouldn't take too long—not if he's anything like most males." It worked like a charm. Once Jake positioned the female moose the black animal sniffed appreciatively and from there it was a simple process. His arousal and release, as so many during rutting season, was accomplished without actual penetration. The male of most species ejaculated many more times than they actually copulated and the creature was no exception to the rule. When she saw that his ejaculation was near, she held the container in place and he rewarded her efforts with a dozen long spurts that held, Carrie knew, the secret to his identity. She closed the cap on the container, put it in a plastic bag and placed it in her pack. Jake shook his head in open admiration. "I've got to hand it to you, Doc. That was slick. Now what? Are you going to ask him to dance? Try to ride him like a horse? What now?" Rubbing her hand against the wooly coat, she said, "Now we leave him in peace. He's given us all the information he can give and now it's up to me to figure out the mystery of this magnificent creature." **** When they were nearly in sight of the cabin Jake pulled her against his body and kissed her, a long, lovely kiss that filled her alreadybursting heart with a fresh round of tremors. Carrie kissed him eagerly, twirling her tongue over his. "Did you see that thing?" He said grinning. In the moonlight she could see the whites of his eyes so clearly that they were dazzling in their intensity. "I am so glad that you actually saw it—got to touch it, even!" "Touch it? We practically brought it home with us, Jake! God, it's beautiful—so much more incredible than you told me. Words can't

117

KATE BURNS

describe something like that, though. So untamed. So massive. So mindboggling!" "And I've got to tell you," he said, his smile lighting up his face, "that although I'd heard that you were a foremost genetic veterinarian I am floored by your performance back there. My God, Carrie—you did all of that with the animal so easily and without a hint of fear." "There's no need to be afraid of it, Jake. It doesn't mean any harm— not to anyone. Did you see how it leaned against us when we stroked its fur? It was almost like petting a housecat!" Carrie giggled as she remembered the feel of the wild creature. "I'm so glad that you called me. I can never thank you enough for giving me the opportunity to see this up close. It's been an amazing experience for me." "For you?" His voice was hoarse. She recognized the sound of his desire. It excited her and she felt her body respond instantly. "You were the most amazing thing tonight. You didn't bat an eye when that huge prick started to shake—hell, it startled me but your hand was steady as a rock and you didn't move when it climaxed in great splashes. You should have seen the look on your face—it was incredible, like a kid on Christmas." "I knew I was getting something that no one else has ever gotten. We'll do much to further scientific research with the samples we've collected. This is a big deal in the genetic community, Jake. A really big deal." Jake crushed her against a tree trunk, grinding his hips against hers. It came as no shock that he was rock-hard beneath his jeans. She had been slick since before the herd appeared. All that happened since their twilight kisses had only intensified her desire and Carrie moaned as Jake's hands snaked beneath her sweater. He pushed her bra aside and gripped her breasts, holding them more tightly than he had ever before. An initial shock coursed through her but then she moaned and pushed harder into his palms. "I want you, Carrie. I want you now," he growled against her ear. The sound of his unrestrained passion made her movements against him more frenzied. When he reached for her zipper she reached for his. Tugging her jeans down to her knees, Jake laughed at the sight of her holstered gun slapping against her bare hip. "I don't believe I've ever before made love to a woman wearing a gun, darling," he said, pressing his fingers between her slippery slit and

118

CANYON'S CALL

stroking her flesh. "It's something that I've got to admit is exciting me— very much." His penis poked out of his pants like a branch from a tree, so large when erect that even without removing his jeans Jake's hard-on was an impressive sight. It throbbed hotly, bobbing in the air between them. She saw a drop appear at the tip and she reached down and touched him, massaging his wetness into his skin with rapid strokes. "You seem to be living up to the cowboy code, Jake," she said as she tugged his cock closer to her trembling flesh. "You're doing an amazing job of maintaining self-control—despite the presence of my gun." Her knees parted enough for him to slide his penis between her folds. "The self-control is all an illusion." He thrust his cock into her and used short, swift movements within her—one for each word he spoke. "Only. A. Damn. Illusion." Their breathing became ragged and their hips moved as if possessed by unseen forces. They swiftly sped toward satisfaction. Carrie's pussy began to spasm at the instant his cock began to twitch. Jake's orgasm was so intense that she felt every drop that filled her as she rode him into her own pleasure. This had been worth waiting for and as the trembling in her body began to slow Carrie wondered if she'd ever feel a sensation as intense again. The mother of all orgasms. For him, too, I think. Oh God, is anything supposed to feel that good? Isn't there some kind of law against that much pleasure? "See? Control is an illusion, darling," Jake drawled. He kissed her slowly before he pulled his still-erect penis from her wet nook. "Just an illusion." Carrie wrapped her arms around his body and rested her cheek against his broad shoulder. Being close to him was something she knew was about to come to an end, especially now that she had gotten her samples. She needed to take full advantage of every second he was near. Going back to Maine is going to seem so strange. The familiar has become unusual and the unknown has become...home. But that's all about to end, isn't it? The moonlight cast shadows in the forest that made them feel small in the darkness. The shadows swayed in the gentle night breeze,

119

KATE BURNS

undulating and changing so rapidly it was hard to tell what was stationary and what was actually moving. When she realized what it was that moved steadily closer to them it felt as if time stopped—for a second. After that, everything happened very quickly. Too quickly. "Jake!" Turning, he saw it immediately. He reached for his gun. Carrie knew she would never forget the shrillness of her own screams, the snarling that ripped through the air, or the gunshots that were like claps of thunder. She would never forget any of it—not if she lived through three complete lifetimes.

120

CANYON'S CALL

Chapter Fourteen The knock on the door was soft and she would have missed it had it not been so quiet inside the cabin. Walking to the door, she ran a hand through her hair, pushing the stray gold locks behind her ears. Not really looking my best but it'll have to do. These are, after all, unusual circumstances. Drew, handsome despite the dark circles beneath his eyes, stood on the wide verandah. He held his black hat loosely in one hand. He met her eyes quickly as she opened the door. For a moment they stared at each other. Then she smiled and took a step backward. "Would you like to come in?" "No, thanks. I can't stay long. I've got to get up to the blueberry fields—they're nearly ready for picking so there's a lot to do." His voice sounded shaky and for an instant she was tempted to reach out and touch him, but she kept her hands at her sides. "Blueberries and arnica—those are the ranch's primary products, you know." "I've heard." Nodding, Carrie smiled. "I would have never believed that Alaska could be such an interesting place. Who would have expected that you produce so many blueberries? It seems logical enough now that I know about the climate and needs of blueberry bushes but a few short weeks ago...well, I never would have believed it." "A lot can change in a couple of weeks," Drew said. A muscle worked in his jaw. When she saw his eyes begin to glisten she looked away from his face and toward the big house. The idle chit-chat was just a time-filler, and they both knew it. "That's the truth. So, Drew, what can I do for you today? Looking for someone to inoculate your moose? Trim the hair from one of your horses perhaps?" The attempt at levity was successful and the cowboy grinned. "No, thanks. My animals are all fine. I just wanted to come by and thank you before you leave. I'll be gone when you go and...well, I just

121

KATE BURNS

wanted to let you know how much I appreciate...what you did. It was a brave thing and well...I…" "I know, Drew," Carrie said softly. "I know. And you're welcome. But hey, if you ever need someone to give your horse a haircut…" "I'll know just who to call." Clapping his Stetson on his head, he nodded and headed toward the barn for his mount. Carrie could tell by the tremor in his shoulders that he was struggling to keep from losing control. You can do it, Drew. Cowboys don't lose control. At least that's what I hear, anyway. She closed the door behind her and headed back to the open suitcase that lay across the bed. There wasn't much left to pack and that was good because a new round of knocking began as she folded the last pair of jeans. Paula held a wrapped bundle that smelled suspiciously like brownies. With a tired smile she handed it to Carrie. "Just a little something for the trip home." Paula wrapped her arms around herself as if attempting to provide comfort. "It's not much but I was afraid you might be hungry. It's a long trip." "You're right; it is a long trip and I know I'll be happy to have these. They smell great, thanks. Would you like to come inside? I'm just finishing up my packing." It looked like Paula might give in and visit for a while but in the end she shook her head, her lips pressed tightly together. "No, thanks. I can't. There's...there's too much to do up at the big house," she said, nodding in the direction of the main house. "I really just came out here to give you the brownies and...well, and to thank you for all you did. We'll be forever grateful for your bravery, Carrie. You tried to do something not many men would have attempted. I'm impressed. And I won't forget you." "I won't forget you, either. Good luck with your horse. I hope the pregnancy goes well." "Oh. Me, too. Thanks. I feel as nervous about the whole thing as if I were the one that was pregnant," Paula confided. She glanced at her watch. "Frank Junior will be down to take you to the plane in a little while. He's a great pilot, so don't sweat the trip. He'll deliver you back to the flashy lights of Barrow safe and sound. Well, you take care." "You too," Carrie said, waving as the other woman left. If the circumstances were different, I think you and I could be good friends, Paula. But time and space won't ever let us find out, will they?

122

CANYON'S CALL

By the time the next knock sounded at the door Carrie had her bag packed and waiting. She took a deep breath as she crossed the room for the final time. This is it. Time to leave Alaska for good. Just close the door behind you and get on the plane with Frank Junior and begin to forget about this whole thing. Just forget it all—that's really the best way to handle it. "Hi Frank. I wondered when you'd be ready to—" The words caught in her throat. They stood looking at each other for several heartbeats. She in her traveling clothes, looking nearly the same as she'd looked when she arrived at the ranch. He, looking drastically changed but still magnetically handsome. With blue eyes that looked grey in his hollow-cheeked face he stared at her and despite her best efforts Carrie found it impossible to look away from him. It was as if he held her captive, chained to him by his gaze. "Are you going to invite me in?" His voice was, like so much else about him, tired. Nodding, she opened the door wide and stepped aside. The empty arm of his denim shirt brushed against her as he passed. He walked over to the wide, butter-soft sofa where they had first made love and sat down. Raising an eyebrow, he used his left hand to motion toward the area beside him. Please, can't I just leave without doing this? I don't think I can take any more torture—I just don't think I can do it. Please. Carrie's feet carried her across the room and she sat beside him, putting enough distance between their bodies so that they weren't touching. She logically told herself that it was because of his injury but her heart knew the truth. Don't touch me, Jake. It'll be so much harder—for both of us—if you touch me. "You're all ready to go?" "Yes. I'm all packed. Frank Junior should be here any minute now." Keep it light. Keep it friendly. Leave with a smile. "You were just going to leave without saying anything? Was that the plan? Just get on a plane and fly away—never to be seen again?" Jake's voice grew stronger with each word, his anger bubbling just beneath the tired surface he was struggling to maintain. You must be in so much pain right now. Why aren't you in bed?

123

KATE BURNS

"Are you supposed to be walking around, Jake? Does the doctor know you're out of the big house?" "The hell with the doctor! That's a house, not a prison! And you haven't answered my questions yet. Tell me, Carrie. Tell me the truth— were you just going to leave without saying a word to me?" The look in his eyes was enough to make her want to run for cover. It was anger mixed with sorrow mixed with...something else. Something deeper. Something that was perhaps more painful than any of the other emotions that blazed across his face. "What's there to say?" She would have risen from the sofa but he reached across the expanse of leather and grabbed her wrist. Strong despite his ordeal, he held her firmly in place. "What's there to say? After all we've been through together? After all we've been to each other—you have nothing to say?" Every word was as painful as a burr in her skin and she shuddered, refusing to meet his eyes. "Dammit, Carrie—you saved my life! And you have nothing to say to me?" Fire burned within her and it was getting difficult to ignore the flames. "Saved you? Hell, Jake—I was the reason you were out there in the first place. If I hadn't been so completely possessed by the idea of getting a closer look at that animal we never would have been in the forest at night. We never would have..." "Discovered a new species of moose?" His tone was suddenly gentle and she couldn't help but smile. It was a tiny smile, but it was like a candle had been lit in a dark room. "No, not that," she said. "But we did discover a new moose. And if I heard it right it's going to be called the Canyon-Reed moose. Is that right?" "It is." "Hell, you could've had top billing, Carrie." He held her wrist less tightly but he didn't let her go. His skin felt warm, heating her through his fingertips. She wondered if he was running a fever. "After all, you're the one who had to take the samples." "You're not going to forget that, are you? It made an impression on you, didn't it? Of all the things that I've done since I got to Alaska, that's the thing that's made the biggest impression on you." Carrie said, waving her free hand through the air. "And species are named alphabetically

124

CANYON'S CALL

sometimes so in the end it doesn't matter who held the jar or used the needle. Your name comes before mine so you get top billing." "We could change that." Carrie felt as if all the air was forced from her lungs in one fast surge. Oh. My. God. I've got to get out of here. Where the hell is Frank Junior? "Do you have a fever?" "What?" He scowled. "A fever? Are you kidding me?" "No," she said, shaking her wrist in his hand. "You feel hot." "I've just proposed marriage and you want to ram a thermometer up my ass? I must still be high on morphine," Jake growled. His grasp on her wrist tightened. When she gasped and looked up at him he looked angry. "Is that the best you can do? Ask me if I've got a fever? Isn't there anything else you want to say to me, Carrie? Dammit! You are an impossible woman sometimes!" "I don't know what the hell you expect from me, Jake. What? What can I say? That I'm sorry I nearly got you killed over my own foolish pride? That you were nearly eaten by a bear because I was horny? What? What the hell is there to say?" She could feel the heat in her face—it matched the heat in her heart. Although she would have loved to leave without this confrontation she knew that they had stepped onto a path there was no leaving. Not until the end had been reached—and that seemed to be miles from where they were standing. "That's the way you see it?" Jake's voice was lower as the full force of her words began to sink in. "I don't see it that way at all. Not at all, darling." "Don't call me that—you nearly died because of me. You almost—" "Stop it. I don't want to hear another word." Jake took a deep breath, releasing it in a steady hiss as he fought the urges within him. "First of all, I wanted to see the moose as much as—maybe more than—you did. I would have gone looking for it without you so don't even think for a second that you're the reason I was there. I was there to see the moose. And as for the bear...I was so damn stupid. I knew better than to let my guard down like that...what the hell was I thinking?" Grinning, he continued. "I know what I was thinking. And it was a good thought—a damn good thought—but I should have saved it for when we got back to the cabin. I acted like a ridiculous schoolboy, making love to you by that tree. When the bear came upon us the only thing I had in my hand was

125

KATE BURNS

my cock and a fat lot of good that did me. Carrie, I lost control that night—I'm the one who is to blame for what happened, not you. If I had been able to control my...my urges, my pecker would have been in my pants until we got back to the cabin." "Control," she muttered. "It's all about control with you, isn't it? That's all that's important to you, I can see that now." He looked at her with a puzzled expression for a moment. Then he continued as if she hadn't spoken. "You're the one who saved me. You had the good sense—the control—hell, the brass-balls bravery to use your sidearm when it mattered. If you hadn't shot that bear I would be dead and my bits and pieces buried by now. Instead I've got some scratches to remind me of my mistakes. And the doctor is certain that I'll have full use of my arm when it mends. I've got you to thank for that, Carrie. You saved my life." The words hung between them like a cloud. Neither one knew whether the cloud was toxic or refreshing and neither was willing to make the first move to find out. Finally Carrie tugged her wrist from his hand and stood. She went to the front window and looked out. There was no sign of life in the area near the cabin, but she wasn't looking for anything in particular. She only knew that she needed to put some space between them. Carrie turned to face him and plastered a smile on her face. "So you've thanked me, Jake. You're welcome. I'm glad that I was able to save your life. Now that that's settled I think I'll go see what's keeping Frank Junior. I thought we were going to leave by—Oh!" His appearance let her underestimate him. Jake rose from the sofa and crossed the room so swiftly that she felt the air in front of him move. He wrapped his left arm around her and pulled her against his body, pinning her so securely she could hardly breathe. "Fuck Frank Junior. And the plane. And the rest of the world. Can you look me in the eyes and tell me you're leaving, Carrie? Have I been so wrong about us, about how we feel about each other? Tell me—don't you love me?" "What does it matter? Love you or not, it'll never work between us. It can't—don't you see that?" Had she been able to she would have bolted from the small building, but Jake showed no signs of letting her move. If anything, her words made his muscles constrict. "What are you talking about? When two people love each other they work things out, they establish some kind of mutual—"

126

CANYON'S CALL

"Control?" "Why do you keep using that word? Why don't you just say whatever it is you've got on your mind so we can deal with it and move on, all right?" Carrie stared into his eyes, wondering if she dared to say what she was thinking. She dared. "Control, Jake. I'm saying that I don't think I could find a mutual anything with a man who had to be in control all the time. Even when he was making love—despite the fact that he apparently enjoys watching his partner lose control. Who the hell could have a relationship with someone who was so intent on holding back? Not me—I can't do it." His eyes flickered from her mouth to her eyes as she spoke. When she paused he laughed, squeezed her tightly and kissed her quickly. It wasn't the reaction she'd expected. "So that's it? Because I try to maintain control over my cock you think I'm going to try and maintain control over everything? Good God, Carrie, you are something else!" His eyes danced as he thrust his hips against hers. The thick bandages that covered his torso and kept his arm pinned to his side made the maneuver clumsy but his aim was true. She felt the bump in his jeans press against her hip. "Listen, I'm at a disadvantage here so if you want to, just reach inside my pants, pull my cock out and I'll be happy to let you do whatever you want to do. Make me lose control a million times over, darling, and I'll die a happy man. You've already made me lose my heart. Why would I not mind losing control, too?" Lose my heart. Don't play with me, Jake. I'll lose my mind. "Jake, this is—" "Overdue," he said, leaning to kiss her. His touch made her melt. She molded herself to him as his lips held hers. The baby thing. He needs an heir. "No." Carrie tore her mouth from his. "No? What is it, darling? What else can there possibly be?" Somehow it was harder to give voice to this than it had been to confront him about the control issue. Carrie swallowed, her throat and mouth as dry as the inside of cotton boll. "The heirs." "Excuse me?"

127

KATE BURNS

"You need heirs. You need someone to give them to you to keep the ranch. I don't want to be anyone's baby-making machine, Jake. I can't live like that." The words fell like bombs between them, silencing their voices, their minds and their hearts—but only for the briefest of moments. When he shrugged she saw a flash of pain cross his eyes. "So? You don't want to have babies? We won't have any, then." "But the ranch—" "The ranch be damned! I don't care about anything, anyone, or any place—except you. I love you, Carrie. Nothing else matters. Don't you love me?" "I do," she whispered as she touched his lips with hers. "And I didn't say that I didn't want to have babies, Jake. I do—very much." Leaning down to kiss her properly, he said, "Maybe we should get married first. Then we'll discuss babies." Epilogue The sun shone high in the sky and warmed their bodies. The boulder, hot and flat beneath them, gave them a good vantage point. They stared out over the meadow at the action below them. "They're beautiful, aren't they?" Her voice was soft and dreamy and her eyes were glued to the grazing animals. "So many of them, now, too. Do you see how quickly they've multiplied?" Jake ran his hand over her shoulder and pulled her close, shifting uncomfortably against the boulder. "Faster than I'd have imagined. I counted six new ones last week and I'm pretty sure that there are two more on the way. Who would have guessed that we'd have a population explosion on our hands in only a few years?" Turning on her side to face him, Carrie smiled at his rugged good looks. Beneath the brim of his cowboy hat she saw his eyes move slowly across the bodies of the black animals that mingled freely with the other moose of the herd. She knew that within a year or two there would be enough of the black moose for them to begin breaking off into their own herd. She wondered how Jake would react if that happened. She suspected that he liked seeing the mixed herd, and she did too. But she was a scientist and was, frankly, curious about the evolution of their new species. "Just like us, I guess." She touched her lips to his cheek. He turned and kissed her, his mouth as gentle as the caress of a spring breeze. "I bet

128

CANYON'S CALL

we'll have our own population explosion in a few years, too. One this year, one next year, one the year after that." "Whoa! That's a lot of babies, sweetheart. Maybe we'd better see how everything goes with the first one first, don't you think?" His eyes widened at her words as he rubbed her still-flat stomach gently with his wide palm. "Hey, aren't you the guy who wanted heirs?" Tipping the brim of his hat off his head and shaking his head, Jake grinned and said, "I said I wanted an heir. Maybe two. But I don't recall ever saying I wanted a soccer team. Or maybe you're planning on a research crew—some kind of scientific group to help you with your studies on Alaskan wildlife? Is that it?" Carrie's laughter filled the air as her hands roamed across his body. She tugged down his zipper and reached inside his jeans. When she gripped his penis and she was thrilled to feel him growing beneath her touch. "Darling, the only Alaskan wildlife I'm interested in at this moment is the wildlife right in front of me. Most specifically, the animal I've got my hands on right now. It seems to be growing as we speak." Maneuvering his cock out of his pants and into the sunshine, she stroked him with a confidence that came from knowing another body as intimately as her own. The glint of gold from the band on her finger flashed as her hand moved but neither of them noticed it. "You're driving me crazy, sweetheart." Jake's eyes scanned the area around them but he knew that it would be nearly impossible for anything to sneak up on them in their present location. He'd erected a high fence around the boulder to prevent just such an incident from happening. Concealed in the trees, it was electrified and gave them security that came in handy at all times—but especially at times like these. Closing his eyes, Jake lay back against the boulder and shivered as his wife proceeded to pull his pants down his body. He kicked off his boots and let her undress him fully before he reached for her and returned the favor. When they were nude he placed a hand over her abdomen, covering the new life she cradled within her body. She traced the line of scars he carried and their touches were, at first, soft and gentle. His fingers traveled lower, toward her bare pussy and she opened her legs to him. Slipping his fingers to her slit, he caressed her with slow, careful deliberation, feeling her body respond to his touch in stages. Each

129

KATE BURNS

increase in wetness, further stiffening of her rosy nipples, and moan of appreciation excited him. It always had. It always would. "Kiss me." Carrie lay back on the hot boulder and palmed her breasts. She rolled her hard nipples delicately between her fingertips as he touched her throbbing clit with his tongue. Lapping her sex with smooth, unhurried strokes, Jake brought her steadily closer to her climax. Oh, yes, you do that so well, darling. I love to feel your tongue on my clit, feel you lick me like that. But baby, I want more. I want all of you. Pushing up onto her elbows, she waited for Jake to lift his mouth from her body. When he did, he sat back on his heels and grinned at her. Their lovemaking was unhurried, playful and open. They had long ago stopped having secrets between them. "Yes?" he asked, surveying her naked body with a wicked leer. "Can I do something for you?" Dropping her eyes to his erect penis, she swallowed before she spoke. "Touch it, Jake. Please. Touch it." The low, throaty chuckle that came from him made her pussy tingle. Her eyes were glued to his hand as it moved slowly down his body toward his cock. When his fingers were inches from their destination, close to the tangle of black curls that surrounded it, Jake spoke. His voice sent shivers up her spine. "You want me to touch it?" "I do." Oh, yes, you know I love to see you touch it. As much as you enjoy watching me pleasure myself—yes, Jake. Touch it, please. His hand circled the base of his cock. He held himself securely—but he held himself without moving. Their eyes were on his hand. And his cock. It was as if there wasn't anything in the world beside the hand and the penis and the thudding of their hearts as they tantalized each other. "Now what? Tell me what you want, Carrie. Tell me how it makes you feel to watch me touch myself," he chuckled as his eyes raked over her pussy. She glistened wetly, her need as evident as his desire. "Stroke it, Jake. Stroke it until it's ready to explode," she whispered. Her pussy twitched and she clenched her muscles as the heat between her legs increased. "Oh no," he said, smiling. "I don't play by myself, darling. You play with me—touch yourself. Stroke that wet pussy. Stroke it until it's ready

130

CANYON'S CALL

to come—but don't let it happen, Carrie. I want to watch you squirm while you watch me pleasure myself. Are you ready, darling?" His voice filled her as completely as water fills a lake. Nodding, she took a hand from her breast and put it between her legs. Parting her swollen lips, she put her pink flesh on display and flicked a fingertip over her engorged clit. His cock jumped in response and as she began to slide her fingers along her wetness he began to stroke his hard, hot cock. He gripped himself securely, angling his penis so that the tip was merely inches from her pussy. Carrie watched as his skin grew tighter and the tip of his penis rosier. A glistening bead appeared on the tip. Jake's hand moved steadily up and down his shaft. The delicious shivers that were filling her were coming more frequently and it was a huge temptation to press her fingers to her clit and make herself come. She knew it would be effortless—it always had been—but her desire to feel his hard-on enclosed in her body was greater than even her growing heat. "Carrie, enough with the games, honey," Jake gasped. "I'm close— so close. I don't know how much longer I can wait—you're so damn sexy, so damn open and sexy when you touch your pussy like that. Hell, I could blow like a volcano when I see you do that. Oh, Carrie . . ."He shook as his cock bobbed stiffly between them. She could see he was fighting for control as desperately as she was. Removing his hand, he rose to his knees and his erection stood like a flagpole over her abdomen as she watched and waited. Will you lose control, Jake? Is that what's going to happen? Have I pushed you too far? Now that you've learned not to be so guarded I know that it could happen. Not that it does, not unless I ask you to, but still...it's exciting to wonder who's going to win this battle. Will it be you? Or your cock? Jake covered her body with his, pressing her against the hot boulder and cradling her head in his hands. His mouth found hers and she opened her lips to him as she spread her legs. The tip of his cock brushed her wet pussy and she arched her back, straining to pull him into her body. His teeth nipped her lower lip. Jake pulled himself away from her, denying her the fulfillment she craved. Without a word, he turned their bodies so that the herd, oblivious to their coupling, was directly in front of them. He held her closely and looked down on the grazing animals as her eyes followed his and she,

131

KATE BURNS

too, saw the scene below them. As they watched the herd, his cock found her soft, wet opening and he thrust himself into her. They found the rhythm of their passion instantly and their hips matched each other thrust for thrust. When Carrie climaxed, gripping his cock with her tight muscles, Jake let himself orgasm, too. Their bodies held tightly to each other as their release pulled them closer than they'd first thought possible. In that instant, they remembered the reasons for their coming together. They were the same reasons nothing would ever draw them apart. It wasn't until much later that they separated. The herd had long since departed and the sun was falling in the afternoon sky. Slipping his softened penis from her body, Jake put his hand again over the spot where new life was growing and smiled. She covered his hand with her own as they watched the sun begin to set. "Funny, isn't it? That I asked you here because of a life that I didn't understand. I needed you to figure it out for us and you did," Jake said quietly. "You not only deciphered the life we had here but now we've made another new life. Who would have ever thought that something like that could happen? I never would have believed it possible. Would you have, sweetheart?" Carrie smiled and shook her head. She tightened her grip on his hand, relishing the warmth of his body on hers. "No, I never would have thought it possible, darling. After all, my mother told me that there were no men to be found here in Alaska, remember?"

132

CANYON'S CALL

About the Author Kate Burns loves few things as much as she loves writing. She always knew she wanted to be a writer but circumstances kept her from pursuing her first love until a few years ago. That's when she tossed in the towel on her "conventional" job and moved back to Martha's Vineyard and began to write full time. Since then she's sold a modest number of books using her real name. Writing erotic romance is a new venture for Kate--one that she's having a lot of fun exploring. It promises to keep her occupied for a long time to come. When she's not busy writing Kate enjoys painting and cooking. She spends a lot of time boating with her boyfriend, a tall, handsome man who is the inspiration for all of her leading men. Kate Burns is a happy woman—and it shows in her writing.

133

KATE BURNS

If you enjoyed this title, may we recommend…? Truth or Dare by Leigh Ellwood ISBN 1-59426-500-3, $6 eBook, $13 paperback 2006 Fruity Awards finalist! Book One of the Dareville Series. Dare you let the truth get in the way of love? Rock and roll legend Brady Garriston is in a slump, careerwise and in his love life. He is desperate for a comeback (and a "cum" back), and finds a possible solution in masquerading in small town Dareville, where he can clear the slate and start fresh. Brady finds his muse in the lovely and uninhibited school teacher Ellie Shaw, and soon the two are making more than just beautiful music together. But will Brady's deception bring on a sour note to their relationship? And what of the secret Ellie is keeping from Brady? Fairy Godlover by Devi Sparks ISBN 1-59425-502-X, $6 eBook, $12 paperback RTBookClub Top Pick! Kelsey Schroder always thought that fairy godmothers were the stuff of fairy tales, so when she receives a letter from Faerie Guardians, Inc. informing her of the pending arrival of her very own guardian, she's more than a bit skeptical. She's pleasantly surprised when a ball of light and magic dances into her bedroom and bursts into the form of a person—but she isn't quite prepared for the six feet of sinew and muscle in an orange satin suit that remains when the pixie dust settles. While the FGI takes its time investigating, Kelsey and fairy godfather Sebastian concede that while serving others is rewarding, neglecting self is not. Both find they are more adventurous than they ever dreamed, and together they discover that hedonism is even better than it's cracked up to be.

Now available at www.Phaze.com!

134

CANYON'S CALL

The hottest romance, the most memorable heroines, the most gorgeous heroes… Welcome to the next PHAZE in erotic romance! Join us online for author chats, writing workshops, and big prize contests

www.phaze.com groups.yahoo.com/groups/PhazeChatters eBooks available at Fictionwise.com, CyberRead.com, and AllRomanceeBooks.com print titles available at Amazon.com, BN.com, BooksAMillion.com and on the shelves of Borders bookstores!

135