Page 20 of Mitchell's Untamed Mate

He looked where she was crouching in her shelter.She was holding the flap back and motioning for him to join her.He took a step and stopped.

She huffed and motioned again.“I won’t bite, I promise.There is plenty of room.Grab your bag as well.”

He grabbed the small leather bag with the few items he had brought with him and headed toward the tent as the rain began to fall more heavily.A streak of lightning danced across the sky followed by the rumble of thunder.

Tracy rolled to the other side of the tent, unzipped the screen, and closed the flaps.He tossed his bag on top of her backpack and crawled inside, then twisted and pulled off his boots.Indecision struck him while he tried to decide if he should put them inside or out.The idea of wearing wet boots didn’t thrill him.

“Here,” she said, reaching around him to pull the flaps until they crisscrossed each other.“You can put your boots outside, but they will still be protected.Just make sure you check them in the morning.I learned the hard way that little critters like spiders and centipedes like to hide in them during the night.”

He placed his boots under the protective flap next to the tent.Zipping the screen, he studied the interior.There was room for him to sit up without bumping his head.It was wide enough for him, Tracy, and their gear while still being long enough that he could lie down without his feet hitting the opposite tent wall.

“We just have to make sure we don’t push the bottom screen out.This tent has what is known as a bathtub floor.Another hard-learned lesson, don’t push the bottom of the bathtub out past the top of it or the water will run inside and we'll end up either floating on the air mattress or soaking wet," she explained with a rueful smile, showing him how the top of the bathtub floor hung over the floor of the tent, attached via a thin screen which allowed air to flow through the shelter.

“This is… remarkable.It is very thin, yet no water comes through,” he said, looking up.

The steady patter of rain was loud against the thin material.Tracy motioned for him to lift his butt off the floor.She slid a soft, fluffy material under him.He laid back, marveling how something so thin and light could cushion him against the hard ground.He looked up at her when she laid down beside him on her thin mattress.

“Will you be cold without your cover?”he asked, concerned.

She rolled onto her side and smiled.“No, I’ll be okay.I’ve got my jacket.Besides, if I get cold, I can always snuggle up against you,” she teased.

The idea of holding her close made his mouth go dry.He imagined her reaction if he confessed to never having held a woman all night.With only a few humans around, forming intimate relationships was a challenge.He had learned early on that raging hormones and hurt feelings were a volatile combination that inevitably led to trouble and he had done everything he could to avoid landing in an awkward situation.Jace, on the other hand, had thrown himself into the drama.His friend’s behavior as a teenager had gotten him into trouble with the elders on multiple occasions.

“What’s the matter, bear got your tongue?”she ribbed.

His lips twitched.“I believe one did earlier.”

“Oh… that was good,” she laughed.“Does that mean you liked it?”

He rolled onto his side and folded his arm under his head to act as a pillow.There was something comforting about lying beside her in the intimacy of the tent, flirting with her amidst the sound of gentle rain falling around them.It had been a long time since he had felt this relaxed.

“Yes, I liked it.Did?—”

Embarrassment washed over him, and he could feel his face turning hot.It seemed strange asking a woman if she liked his kiss.

She reached out, cupped his hand, and pulled it toward her.She wrapped her fingers around his, rubbing her thumb against his skin.In the flashes of light from the lightning, he was captivated by the soft expression in her eyes.

“I liked it very much,” she confessed.

“We should get some rest.We have another long day tomorrow,” he murmured.

“Okay.”

He rolled over so his back was to her.The storm had quieted to a steady drizzle, occasionally punctuated by flashes of lightning and the distant rumble of rolling thunder.Their fire had been put out by the rain, leaving behind a lingering smoky aroma in the air.

Tracy moved around restlessly on her mattress, trying to get comfortable before finally growing still.With each passing moment, his body and mind grew more and more relaxed, finding solace in the tranquility.There was a part of him that resisted sleep, driven by the need to remain vigilant and ensure there were no surprises lurking in the darkness.It was impossible.The sensation of weights pressing down on his eyelids made it difficult for him to keep his eyes open.

Just as he was drifting off to sleep, he felt Tracy’s arm gently wrap around his waist.She snuggled against his back, spooning him as if they slept like this all the time.He gently intertwined his fingers with hers and pressed her hand against his chest.The corners of his mouth turned up into a faint smile as he fell into a deep sleep.

Olympic National Park:

The previous night

Hyder Furman dropped his cigarette and ground the butt out with the heel of his boot.He absently rubbed his bruised knuckles with his hand as he leaned back against the hood of his truck.The overcast night promised rain.He hoped his meeting on the isolated fire road along the outskirts of the Olympic National Park went quickly.

Twin beams from an approaching vehicle alerted him that his long wait was over.He straightened as the SUV slowed to a stop.Seconds later, the blinding lights disappeared and the noise from opening doors could be heard.

He nodded to Bishop Foxworthy and furrowed his brows in disapproval when he noticed the men walking up beside Bishop.The heavy-set man on his right released a loud burp.

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