Warm & Willing. Kate Hoffmann

Just how far was she willing to go to find Sam Morgan? She’d already driven into the woods with a virtual stranger. Would she sleep with a wilderness guide who promised to take her to Morgan? “We’re almost there,” he said.

      Sam slowly pulled the truck to a stop in a small clearing, then turned off the ignition. He jumped out of the truck and circled around to her side to open the door. But she quickly locked all the doors. “I’m not getting out,” she shouted through the window, fear lacing her words. “I don’t like it here.”

      Sam held up the keyless remote and pushed the button to unlock the doors. But Sarah quickly locked them all again from the inside. Sam chuckled. “You’re willing to let me take you to Sam Morgan but you’re not willing to eat dinner with me?”

      “How do know that you’re not some—some—”

      “Look in the bag on the back seat,” Sam said. “You’ll find two steaks, a couple of potatoes, and a bottle of wine. We’re going to be dining al fresco tonight. There’s a nice spot just down the trail.”

      She crawled over the seat and rummaged through the grocery bag. A few moments later, she opened the door, an apologetic expression on her face. Holding out his hand, he helped her down. But he didn’t let go of her fingers, determined to touch her for as long as he wanted. “Don’t worry,” he murmured, bending so close that his lips nearly brushed her cheek. “You’ll be perfectly safe with me.”

      “I don’t know many psychos who know what al fresco means,” she muttered. “So I guess I’m safe. But where are we?”

      Sam opened the rear door and grabbed a flashlight then handed it to her. “The best spot in Sutter Gap.” After finding a flashlight for himself, he grabbed the grocery bag. Then he took her hand and pulled her along with him on a narrow trail. When she stumbled slightly, he stopped and slipped his arm around her waist. “Are you all right?”

      “These boots really weren’t made for wandering around in the woods,” Sarah explained.

      “Then you’re going to need a new pair of boots,” he replied.

      “Does that mean you’re going to take me to see Sam Morgan?”

      “I haven’t decided yet,” Sam said. Hell, he didn’t know what he was doing. Right now, this whole evening was a fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants affair.

      They continued to walk, Sarah stumbling around beside him and cursing softly. When they reached the end of the path, Sam set the grocery bag on a rough plank table set next to a fire ring. “Come on, I want to show you something.”

      He took her hand again, the mere contact sending a current through his fingers. He helped her navigate around the huge slabs of stone to the edge of the gap. As they stepped from the cover of the woods, the entire valley spread out in front of them, lights twinkling from distant towns and small cabins scattered throughout the mountains.

      He waited, curious as to how she’d react. For some reason, Sam wanted her to understand what had brought him to the wilderness—this perfect isolation and breathtaking beauty. Maybe then she’d understand why he couldn’t accept her proposal.

      “Oh,” she murmured, her voice filled with awe. “Look at this. You can see forever.”

      The full moon hung low on the horizon, casting a soft light over the valley below. It was perfect, he thought. It had never looked more scenic. He’d never shared this view with anyone, but it seemed right to show it to her.

      “Where are we?” she asked.

      “My place,” Sam said. “Or it will be someday. Right now, it’s just my little piece of land. My trees, my rocks, my view. I stay out here sometimes when I’m in town.”

      “Where do you sleep?” Sarah said, glancing around.

      “I pitch a tent. It’s a perfect spot.”

      She nodded, looking back out at the valley. “The world seems so much bigger from this vantage point. It makes me feel very small…and insignificant.” She laughed softly. “I have to admit, I was a little frightened coming out here with you. I was wondering if I’d made a mistake. But now I see I haven’t.”

      He looked over at her, the urge to kiss her overwhelming. After slipping his arm around her waist, he slowly urged her closer. The beams from their flashlights wavered in the trees. He couldn’t see her reaction, but she didn’t try to pull away.

      “I think I understand why you brought me here,” she murmured.

      Sam let his flashlight fall to the ground, then reached out and touched her face, spreading his fingers across her cheeks. His mind went back to the dream he’d had that last night in his cabin, to the woman who’d seduced him in his sleep.

      “I have my reasons,” Sam whispered.

      At first, he fought the impulse to kiss Sarah. But then his curiosity got the better of him. Could Sarah Cantrell be that woman for him? He pulled her into a kiss, his mouth finding hers in the dark. A tiny sigh of surprise slipped from her lips and she dropped her flashlight next to his.

      The instant she did, she opened herself to the kiss, her tongue teasing at his, inviting him to take more. She tasted sweet, and like a man parched with thirst, he was desperate to drink his fill. When he finally drew back, he could almost see the profile of her face in the moonlight.

      “That wasn’t the reason I expected,” Sarah whispered. “But I guess it will do.”

      He nuzzled her neck. “What?”

      “Why you brought me here,” she said, tilting her head.

      Sam brushed another kiss across her lips, satisfied that the first step in his seduction had gone well. “I brought you here for dinner. I just skipped ahead to dessert.”

      She bent down and picked up her flashlight, then shined it in his eyes. “And what about the main course? Are you going to cook for me?”

      He turned the flashlight on her face. “Nope. I thought you could cook for me,” Sam said.

      He waited for her to protest but she just shook her head. “I sense this is a test. If I don’t do well, then you’re not going to take me to meet Sam Morgan.”

      Maybe now was the time to come clean, Sam thought. He’d kissed her, she’d enjoyed it and she’d be more amenable to his apology. But then, once she had a few glasses of wine, she’d be much more understanding. “If I have to haul your pretty little ass up the mountain to meet Sam Morgan, I want to know you can carry some of the load.”

      “I can haul my own ass, thank you very much. So are you going to take me?”

      “I haven’t decided yet. But maybe it would be a good idea for you to walk a few miles in Sam Morgan’s boots.”

      “As long as those boots have a fashionable heel and don’t make my calves look fat, I’ll give it a try.”

      Sam chuckled softly then took her hand and walked her back to the campsite. As they built a fire, he considered kissing her again…then tugging her sweater over her head…then sliding her skirt up over her hips. He stopped at an idle contemplation of her underwear. Bikini or thong?

      “You won’t regret this,” Sarah said. “Not that you’ve decided to take me. But if you do, you won’t regret it.”

      Sam smiled. Hell, how could he possibly regret keeping Sarah Cantrell within arm’s reach for a few days longer? Though he knew it was mostly about desire, there was something inside him that wanted to show her his view of the world.

      Maybe then, she’d understand why he’d lied to protect his privacy. And why he’d always choose the solitude of his life on the mountain over fame and fortune.

      2

      SARAH POKED at the embers of their campfire with a stick, staring