Yellowstone Heart Song Page 11

  “Give me your word not to make a sound, and I’ll release you.” A familiar voice spoke quietly into her ear, and Aimee instantly relaxed.

  “Not a sound,” Daniel whispered again, and Aimee nodded her head. Slowly, he removed his hand from over her mouth. She gasped and inhaled deeply, then turned in his arm, which was still wrapped around her middle. His face was inches from hers, and he put his finger to his lips in a gesture for silence. Aimee gave him a questioning look. He gestured with his chin in the direction of where she’d seen the Indians. They were still there, but had moved further ahead.

  How had Daniel found her so quickly? How was it that he could so easily sneak up on her!

  Although grateful for his presence, she was slightly annoyed that she depended on him so much. What would have happened to her if those Indians had seen her? If Daniel hadn’t come along? It seemed like all she did lately was get into predicaments, and Daniel came along for the rescue. Dammit, I’ve never been this incompetent on a wilderness trip before.

  After a few tense moments of silence, she whispered, “Are they gone?”

  He didn’t look at her, nor did he answer. One glance at his face told her he was furious.

  “Stay here, and don’t move, do you understand?” he growled. Oh boy, he’s really pissed.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Don’t move from this spot, no matter what.” Daniel gave her a hard stare in place of an answer. He silently moved out from behind the small trees, using every bush and tree he could for cover. Making his way through the forest, he followed the group of Indians.

  “If he gets hurt, it’ll be all my fault,” she whispered quietly. Her stomach twisted in knots, and she chewed nervously on her fingernails. There were things here she couldn’t possibly be prepared for, regardless of her training back home.

  She sat on the ground, her knees drawn up to her chest, shivering. Bile threated to rise in her throat. She had gotten herself into this mess, and it wasn’t fair that he be the one out there, putting his life on the line for her. Aimee rested her chin on her knees, and rocked quietly back and forth.

  Daniel returned just as silently as before. He grabbed one of her arms and not too gently pulled her up from her sitting position, hauling her off her feet.

  “Get your pack,” he ordered.

  He turned and headed in the direction they had come from. She grabbed her backpack, and fell in line behind him.

  So much for seeing Grand Prismatic Spring. Aimee sighed. She thought it best to keep quiet. Right now was not a good time to cross the line with Daniel and demand to see the hot spring. He looked murderous.

  Without so much as a word or backwards glance to see if she followed, Daniel kept a brisk pace across the open grassland. By mid-afternoon, Aimee noticed a change in the sky. Dark clouds were rolling in from the northwest, and moving in their direction fast. The wind had also started to pick up, and it got rather cold real fast.

  The sky darkened and thunder rumbled. Wordlessly, Daniel changed direction away from the meadow and headed for the tree line. Aimee knew it was a bad idea to be out in the open during a mountain thunderstorm. The trees would offer some protection, but the possibility of lightning had her worried. Thick raindrops pelted them. Daniel walked briskly until he found an area of dense young pine trees, and ushered her under the protective branches. Here, the rain was barely noticeable, although her t-shirt clung to her skin as if she’d jumped in the river with it on. Drops of water ran down her face. She wrapped her arms around her middle and sat on a thick bed of pine needles, shivering. She flipped open her backpack and checked for her cotton sweater and blanket, thankful that they had stayed dry.

  “Okay, I can’t take the silent treatment any longer,” she finally blurted out. “How long are you not going to speak to me?”

  “I don’t think you will like what I have to say,” Daniel growled. His eyes smoldered with anger. “You are a foolish woman, and you’ll get yourself killed because you don’t listen.”

  Oh my God, he’s gorgeous! The thought jolted her as she met his dark eyes rather than cower from his gaze. She’d seen his stare often enough now, and it no longer intimidated her. Aimee studied his face. His wet hair glistened in the dimming light, and every now and then a water drop would run down the side of his handsome face. She tightened her hold around her middle to ward off the urge to wipe the water from his cheek. That would definitely not be appropriate. Clenching his jaw, Daniel broke eye contact with her and retreated out from under their protective canopy.

  “Where are you going?” she asked, slightly alarmed.

  “To find some dry wood for a fire.” He hurried out into the rain. She inhaled deeply. Again, he’s out there in this weather because of me. She ran a hand over her own wet face, and let out a loud breath. Damn! What a mess I’ve gotten us into now!

  He returned minutes later, carrying an arm full of twigs and tree branches. He laid a small pile of kindling on the ground. Before he had the chance to reach for his flint, Aimee grabbed hers. She efficiently struck it against the hunting knife she had brought, causing small sparks to ignite the dry twigs. Blowing on the kindling with long breaths, a fire crackled within minutes.

  Daniel’s expression seemed to softened a bit, but the fire did little to warm her. She knew she had to get out of her wet shirt. At least her hiking pants were somewhat water repelling. She glanced at Daniel, noticing his cotton shirt looked soaked as well.

  “We’re both going to get hypothermic if we stay in these wet clothes,” she said, her teeth chattering. “and I bet you already know that,” she added. “Survival one-o-one.”

  Daniel’s forehead wrinkled.

  “I have a dry sweater in my pack, and I brought a blanket,” Aimee continued. “We can share the blanket and warm up.”

  This time his eyebrows shot up. He still didn’t move or speak.

  “Oh, for god’s sakes!” Aimee drew in an impatient breath. “What is your problem? I don’t want to freeze to death just because you’re mad at me for leaving the cabin today without your permission.” All thought of acting like the frightened virgin went out the window at the moment.

  “Close your eyes,” she said, and turned around as best she could in the small space, grabbed the bottom of her t-shirt and lifted it over her head. She had to turn to grab her sweater from her pack. Daniel hadn’t closed his eyes. She pulled the warm sweater on, smiling softly while her face remained hidden for a moment. Typical male. Give them the opportunity, and they will always look. Her heart beat a little faster at the prospect of snuggling up with Daniel to keep warm. So much for the boundaries she tried to set up the day before. This was a necessity for survival right now. Nothing more. She wasn’t going to let her emotions get the better of her.

  Under different circumstances, in a different time, she would give anything to be with a man like Daniel. But she couldn’t afford to let herself get involved. She would be gone from here soon. Nothing could come of this.

  She pulled the blanket from her pack. “I’m not sharing my blanket with a wet fish, so you’d better take off your shirt.”

  Daniel wordlessly unbuckled his weapon belt to pull off his shirt.

  “Don’t get any ideas, though. This is out of necessity. We’ll both be frozen popsicles in a few hours if we don’t keep each other warm. But that’s all this is, okay.”

  Aimee unfolded the blanket and held it out to him. He frowned. He still hadn’t spoken. He scooted up behind her and wrapped the blanket around both of them. Aimee suppressed a groan. He felt nothing like a wet fish. His upper body radiated heat, and she let herself relax against his rock solid form. She could feel the strong rhythmic beating of his heart through her sweater.

  “We’re not going to make it back to the cabin today.” Daniel finally spoke softly near her ear, sending shivers down her back that had nothing to do with the temperature. “Even if this storm lets up. We’ll head back at first light.”

  He eased her down to
the ground, and she pulled her backpack under her head for a pillow. The sounds of the crackling fire, and the raindrops hitting the soft undergrowth outside their little canopy, along with the heat coming off Daniel’s body, soon lulled her into a contented sleep. Her last thoughts as she drifted off to sleep was how completely safe she felt, nestled against this big woodsman’s side.

  Chapter 10

  Sleep did not come for Daniel. He wasn’t afraid of much, but this little slip of a woman scared the hell out of him. These insane feelings disturbed him. No one had ever affected him as she did. The worst of it was in knowing that nothing could ever come of this attraction he felt. She was spoken for by another man, and besides, she did not belong in the wilderness.

  Yes, he was angry with her for wandering off. He had never met a more stubborn and headstrong woman. How could he protect her and keep her safe if she didn’t listen to him?

  He had told himself he was not going to do anything as foolish as what he had done the day before, making Aimee feel like he wanted to have his way with her. Of course, that’s exactly what he wanted, but he would not let his emotions get out of control again. Suggesting that they needed to remove their clothing might frighten her again, and he had been thinking of a way to suggest this without causing her to be alarmed. So he’d been quite surprised when she was the one to bring it up.

  A hot wave of desire had swept over him at the sight of her nearly nude body. Her breasts were covered by one of those odd white undergarments that left absolutely nothing to the imagination. He’d cursed silently. Somehow the cold seemed the preferably choice. Being near her like this was sure to be the death of him.

  Aimee stirred and moaned softly in her sleep. Daniel gently wrapped one arm around her, pulling her close to him. He drew in a breath, savoring the sweet, flowery scent on her hair and skin. He called himself a coward and felt like a thief in the night, but at least while she slept he could enjoy just holding her in his arms.

  She had been completely trusting of him tonight. He was determined not to lose that trust. And that meant he had to keep his hands off her. He also had to figure out how to take her back to civilization, and from there, how to get her out of his mind. He sighed deeply, it was probably too late for that.

  *****

  Aimee woke to the delicious smell of meat roasting over a fire. She opened her eyes and raised herself to a sitting position. The cold morning air sent a chill through her, and she drew the blanket up around her shoulders. She buried her face in the fabric, inhaling Daniel’s woodsy scent.

  “Mornin’,” Daniel smiled at her. He knelt by the fire, and turned a rabbit on a spit.

  “Good morning,” she yawned. Glancing around, she saw the sun’s rays streaming through the canopy of the trees, and countless birds chirped loudly, announcing that the storm had passed. The sky was blue and cloudless. Thick drops of moisture still clung to the tree branches all around.

  She watched Daniel by the fire, and sighed. A warm fuzzy feeling spread from her center outward. Her heart began to ache. He had kept her warm and comfortable all night, and not once made an inappropriate move. This morning, he provided food. Yesterday, he had surely saved her life . . . again. When he wasn’t acting all dark and moody, he was by far the most wonderful man she had ever met. And, she realized, she was falling fast and hard.

  She swallowed repeatedly. How could this happen? The unfairness of it all. She could not get involved in a relationship that she knew would only last a few months. She was going back to her time. Aside from that, Daniel was adamant about getting her out of the mountains. She knew he held fast to the belief that this was no place for a white woman. She buried her nose in the blanket and inhaled his scent one more time, then reluctantly pushed it aside and left her warm spot to head into the forest for some privacy.

  When she returned, she ducked back under the branches to their camp, and Daniel handed her a piece of meat.

  “Thank you,” she said. “I’m famished.”

  “I wish I had brought that pie you made,” Daniel grinned.

  “You liked that, huh?” Aimee said between mouthfuls.

  “I did,” Daniel confessed. He already finished his meal, and put out the fire. “Are you ready to go?”

  Aimee rolled up her blanket, and picked up her shirt lying on the ground. Thankfully it had dried in the night. Turning away from Daniel, she removed her sweater and pulled her t-shirt on and her sweater over it.

  She found her brush in the backpack, and vigorously ran it through her hair. Daniel gathered his rifle, and ducked out from under the trees, walking ahead. Aimee shouldered her pack, and ran to catch up to him. To stay even with his long strides, she had to walk fast.

  “I want to apologize for yesterday,” she began. “I promise I won’t leave again on my own. It was stupid of me, and I put you in danger.” She looked sideways up at him when he didn’t reply. She expelled a loud breath and leaned forward as she walked, trying to make eye contact. “You can be mad at me, but please stop with the silent treatment.”

  “I’m not angry anymore,” Daniel finally replied. “But I will not come looking for you again if you foolishly choose to wander off by yourself,” he added sternly, meeting her eyes.

  She nodded. “Fair enough.”

  They crossed a meadow and reached the banks of the Firehole before Daniel spoke again. “When will you tell me how you came to be here? You claim to have been on your own, but if that were true, you would have been dead a long time ago.” He looked at her meaningfully.

  Aimee groaned. “I already told you all you need to know,” she said firmly. I want to tell you everything, her mind screamed.

  “You are either running away from your man, or else he has abandoned you. Perhaps you are ashamed for being abandoned?” Daniel prodded. “Is that why you won’t tell me the truth?”

  Aimee shook her head. What could she say? If he wanted to believe she had been abandoned, maybe that was a convenient enough story to keep him from asking questions that she couldn’t possibly answer. Her eyes scanned further ahead, and she enjoyed listening to the rushing sound of water from the river. Steam rising from heat vents near the water’s edge created a surreal atmosphere when the hot vapors mixed with the crisp ambient air.

  “Your man is a fool.” Daniel snorted.

  She just wanted to change the subject. But her heart skipped faster at Daniel’s words.

  “Where did you learn to write?” Daniel prodded further. “Only wealthy men have the means to educate their daughters.”

  “So now you think I’m wealthy?” Aimee asked, grateful for a new topic.

  “It would seem so,” Daniel affirmed. “You’ve obviously had tutoring. And your hands are those of a gentle woman. They have not had to do much work.”

  Aimee stared at her hands, rotating them to view her palms and fingers. She’d done plenty of work. What was he talking about?

  “I went to college in New York,” she blurted before thinking. She cringed. Damn me and my big mouth.

  “College?” Daniel laughed. “Women don’t go to college.”

  “What I meant was I was educated at a college level by my tutor,” she backpedaled.

  “There is no need for a woman to have such an education.”

  She shot him an annoyed look. “Are you serious? And why not? Why can’t a woman have an education, same as a man?” The little voice inside her head tried to remind her what century she was in.

  *****

  Daniel chuckled. The idea of an educated woman was rather intriguing, although during the time he spent in Philadelphia, he’d heard of only a few seminaries that offered the means to higher learning to women. Emma certainly hadn’t been interested in anything that didn’t have to do with the latest fashion or the next big social event.

  Remembering Aimee’s angry reaction from a few days ago, he couldn’t help himself but fuel the fire some more. “What would a woman need schooling for?” he asked. “White men in the east say that women
don’t have the intellect for advanced studies.”

  “Is that what you think?” Aimee raised her voice.

  He smiled inwardly, knowing she’d react to his question.

  “Well, let me tell you something, Daniel.” She glared at him. “Not all women are stupid wall flowers who need a man to take care of them. Some women like to make their own decisions in life, and not be dictated to by a man.”

  “And you consider yourself among those women who do not need a man to take care of you.” He couldn’t hide the amusement in his voice. “This is why you ran away from your betrothed.”

  Aimee let out an audible sigh. “Ultimately, yes, that’s why I ran away,” she snapped. “He’s nothing but a controlling jerk, and I had enough. I can’t see myself in a marriage where I’m not an equal partner, and where my husband makes all the decisions for me.”

  He considered what she said for a moment. He didn’t know what a jerk was, but it didn’t sound like a compliment.

  “Don’t you want to find a rich husband? Isn’t that what all women want?” he finally asked. Emma’s face flashed before his eyes.

  “Money doesn’t buy happiness,” Aimee retorted. “Brad comes from a well-off family, and he’s going to make tons of money as a surgeon, but he’s not the man I want to marry. There are things more important to me than wealth.”

  He kept silent for some time. Hearing her say she didn’t want to marry the man she was promised to made his heart feel lighter. Ultimately, though, he knew that she might not have a choice in the matter.

  “Where is your family?” he finally asked. He couldn’t wrap his mind around a woman all alone in the wilderness. Her family wouldn’t have let her go on her own, would they?

  “I don’t have a family. My parents were killed in a car……carriage accident. I have no brothers or sisters. The closest I have to a family is my roommate, Jana Evans.”