Chapter 1 #3
Bianca, Alyssa, and Hunter milled around the area, Alyssa taking a gazillion photos as she always did.
Hannah had to hand it to her, Alyssa had an eye for taking scenic photos, and an eye for capturing beautiful moments when photographing people.
Lucky for Alyssa, Bianca was along. That woman loved having her photo taken, and as pretty as Bianca was, Alyssa’s job was made easier.
Hannah thought about pulling her phone from her pocket to take some photos, but she decided against it, knowing Alyssa would make a scrapbook about their whole adventure when they returned home, and she’d make copies for both her and Bianca.
“Group photo time!” Alyssa yelled as she set up the tripod for her camera. They gathered by the worn wooden fence lining a jutting section of the rock that hung out over the falls.
Bianca fit herself under the drape of Hunter’s arm, curving toward him slightly, and then placed her palm against his chest. The guy ate up her attention.
Too bad for him, he’d be just another notch on Bianca’s bedpost. Guilt swept through Hannah’s veins every time she thought of her friend as promiscuous, but the truth was that Bianca fit the mold.
Hannah edged close to Bianca’s side as Alyssa prepared the camera and then hustled over and molded herself to Hunter’s free side.
After Alyssa’s mini photoshoot was complete, Hunter pointed to the rock wall that lined the north side of the gorge. “If you want, we can climb up there, where the view of the falls is awesome.”
The incline looked steep but certainly doable since the rock formation was almost like a staircase in some areas; tall steps, but steps nonetheless.
“Let’s do it,” Bianca immediately replied.
Hunter gestured for them to follow. Hannah took notice of how their guide’s long, muscular legs seemed to climb the tall rock steps with ease.
She, on the other hand, had to use her hands for support as she climbed, pressing her palms to the surface of the next ledge to help hoist herself up. Her friends did the same.
Hannah paused for a moment, watching them all climb ahead of her. Her attention refocused on Hunter’s flexing leg muscles. A shiver of thrill raked through her. The guy was like a machine. It didn’t seem to matter if the next step was six inches high or sixteen inches high; he climbed effortlessly.
Ugh, what am I thinking? Haven’t I been through enough with men already? They’re all the same. After only one thing. Especially the good-looking, well-built ones, but the ones that know they’re all that are the worst.
Refocusing on her footing, Hannah took the next step and caught up with her friends.
“You need to wait a minute,” Alyssa said as she looked over her shoulder at Hannah.
Her friend had stopped and was waiting for Hunter to help her with the last step to the top of the cliff.
The step looked to be about two feet in height.
Hunter stood on the top ledge, reached down, grasped one of Alyssa’s hands, and effortlessly hoisted her up.
Hannah stepped onto the ledge Alyssa had been standing on, and Hunter reached down.
She stared at his large hand. Flashbacks of her ex’s harsh hand flooded her and fear shook her extremities.
She didn’t want to touch him. Not just him, but any man. Ever.
Reassessing the height of the makeshift step, she determined she didn’t need his help. If he’d just back up, she could place her palms on the top of the ledge where he stood and lift herself up and onto it.
“Those rocks on the edge aren’t the most secure and sometimes break loose when stepped on. Just grab my hand and I’ll hoist you up and over them.”
She eyed him for a moment, debating his offer.
“It’s okay, I won’t let you fall.”
Great, now he thinks I’m just a chicken.
That was true in a sense, but she wasn’t afraid of falling.
She swallowed hard; she was afraid of him.
Not just him, all men. She knew she shouldn’t fear him because she didn’t even know him.
But with all that had gone on lately in her life where men were concerned, her general impression of the bunch was not pleasant.
In fact, it was downright unpleasant. Yep, she was guilty of grouping all men into the same category.
Until one could prove different, that’s how it would be.
She focused on his dark eyes. They softened, as if he knew there was more to her hesitation than a fear of falling.
“Hannah, I just want to help you up, that’s all.” His tone was gentle with a tinge of sympathy.
Her hand perspired and shivered as she reached up.
He wrapped his large, warm hand around hers, pulled her to the top of the cliff, and then immediately released her.
Her fingers tingled, and her stomach swirled from his touch.
For a moment, she wanted to reach out and snatch up his comforting hand.
Where did that thought come from? She shook her head as if that would help shake the unwanted thought from her mind. It didn’t help.
It was windy atop the cliff, and the damp, earthy smell from below faded. She closed her eyes and lifted her face toward the sun. The rays warmed her cheeks and relaxed her.
“This is one of my favorite spots on the entire property. You can see so much from here,” Hunter said.
Hannah opened her eyes to find him staring at something across the gorge, his hand shielding his eyes from the sun. The same hand that had left her all gooey inside only moments ago.
He lowered his hand, pulled a set of binoculars from his pack, and lifted them to his eyes, staring through them for a moment before handing them to her.
He pointed in the direction he had glassed. “That’s an eagle’s nest over there. There were a couple of eaglets, but they may have left the nest. I haven’t seen them for a while now.”
Hannah lifted the binoculars to her eyes and pointed them in the same direction Hunter had. “I don’t see it.”
He stepped behind her, reached around her, and pointed. “Try there.”
His warm breath tickled her neck, distracting her.
“Do you see them now?”
“No.”
From behind her, he took the binoculars, crouched slightly to align with her height, and held them to his eyes. While holding them in place, he edged back.
“I’ve got the binos on them. Step over here. I’ll try not to move them.”
Hannah eased over into the crook of his arm and looked through the binoculars to find the nest. The hint of cedar in the air strengthened with his proximity to her. His stimulating, outdoorsy scent suited him—made sense to her. He smelled so good and she inhaled deeper.
“Do you see it now?” he asked.
“Yes.”
She drew in another inhalation before she reached up and took the binoculars from him so she could watch the adult bald eagle. She knew it was a mature eagle because its head and tail feathers were bright white. Whether it was male or female, she didn’t know because both genders looked the same.
Hunter stepped away from her. She wished she hadn’t taken the binoculars from him.
If she had let him keep holding them, he’d still be standing next to her.
Her stomach tossed. What was she thinking?
Was she just an idiot who didn’t learn from past mistakes?
Stay away from men. They’re no good , she silently reminded herself.
Bianca asked for the binoculars so she could see the eagles.
“Where are they?” she asked as she batted her long, lashed eyelids at Hunter.
From a distance, Hunter pointed across the gorge.
“See that dying tree standing taller than the rest of the tree line?”
“Yeah.”
“Zone in on that and then swing to the right, following the tree line. You can’t miss the nest if you do that.”
Bianca tilted her head to the side and pulled a frown that seemed to go ignored by Hunter.
“Okay,” she replied.
Her disappointed look matched her tone. Hannah guessed her friend wanted Hunter to come over and help her find the nest like he had done with her.
But instead, he directed her from afar. Poor Bianca.
Was she losing her touch? Or was he on to her game?
No, even if he was on to her game, like any other guy, he’d surely play along to get what he wanted from her. So, what was his deal?
Alyssa switched out her camera lenses and aimed at the eagle nest.
“This is awesome,” Alyssa said.
“Isn’t it, though?” Hunter replied. “Just wait until you see what else is in store for you guys during this trip.”
“What do you mean?” Alyssa asked.
“For sure, we’ll see some deer. Tomorrow, I can take you to an active beaver pond and with any luck we’ll see some moose, and perhaps, a coyote or a bear, and, if we’re really lucky, a wolf.”
“A wolf?” Alyssa asked with a tinge of surprise in her voice.
“Well, luck would have to be on our side, but it is a possibility.”
Hannah could see the wheels turning in her friend’s head. A picture of a wolf in the wild would surely garner some first-place contest awards for Alyssa.
A wolf. Was she staring at one right now? A wolf in sheep’s clothing. Was that who Hunter was? Being a nice guy now, but who was he really?