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18
Kat extinguishedher mini gas cooker and stirred the oatmeal in her lightweight travel pot. She sprinkled a pinch of brown sugar over the top and waited for it to turn gooey, then used the bulkiest part of her pack as a seat while she ate breakfast. The oatmeal was warm, squishy, and not particularly appetizing, but it would fuel her for the long walk back to Sanctuary.
It was the third morning in a row when she’d woken to a morning breeze caressing her cheeks. She hadn’t bothered to pack a tent because temperatures during summer rarely dipped low enough to warrant it. Instead, she’d spent the nights beneath an A-frame waterproof shelter that kept the dew off but was otherwise open to the forest.
When she finished her breakfast, she yanked the shelter pegs out of the ground, folded the cover and her bedroll, and packed them away. She chewed a minty teeth-cleaning tab, shoved a fistful of barley sugars into her pockets, filled her water bottle, and washed her face in the stream that ran past the campsite. The cool water soothed her puffy eyes, which were red and irritated from crying tears of grief, and tears of guilt. She’d spent the eve of her wedding anniversary in bed with a man who was not her husband. She’d accepted that, though she hated herself for it, and she’d voiced her apology to Teddy out here in the wild where no one would look at her like she was crazy.
Pressing her fingers firmly into her eyelids, she rubbed them. She hadn’t finished apologizing yet. It was time to return and say sorry to Brooke and Tione—once again—for leaving them in the lurch. She supposed she owed Sterling an apology, too. He may have started things by kissing her at the waterfall, but she’d been the one to suggest they go back to her bedroom, then she freaked the hell out and sent him away.
The hike took the better part of nine hours, crossing saddles and traversing a rocky outcrop. When she went bush, she liked to get as far out of reach as possible. She maneuvered over the rugged terrain with care, and by the time she emerged into the garden beside Tione’s cabin, she was blissfully exhausted. Edging around the garden, she circled the east end of the building rather than going directly inside, and let herself in through the discreet exterior door to her bedroom.
She dumped her bag on her living room floor, cranked up the shower, stripped off her clothes and laid out a fresh set, then stepped under the hot jet of water with a sigh of relief. For several long minutes, she simply stood there and enjoyed the sensation of water running over her body, easing her muscle aches and rinsing the sweat and filth from her skin. Then she slowly and methodically washed away every bit of the outdoors that lingered on her body, shampooed her hair, shaved her legs and armpits, and emerged feeling like a new person.
She chose the softest, fluffiest towel from the cupboard and dried herself, then moisturized, brushed her teeth, and dressed in shorts and a tank top she’d chosen earlier. Then she padded barefoot into her living room, then came up short. Sterling was sitting on her sofa, the coffee table in front of him laden with food.
“W-what’s this?” she stammered. “How did you know I was back?”
His lips curved hesitantly, like he was unsure of his welcome. After what had happened on Saturday, his reaction was to be expected. “Tione told me. He saw you pass his cabin.”
Huh. “Why didn’t he say anything?”
Sterling scrutinized her like he was trying to read something in particular from her expression and body language. “He said you wouldn’t want to see anyone until you felt human again.”
“Fair call.”
She waited for him to say something about how poorly she’d treated him, or ask why she’d run away, but all he said was, “I brought food and tea.” He pointed to a massive chocolate muffin on the table, and a steaming bowl of pumpkin soup beside it. “I thought you might want something decent after living off granola bars and freeze-dried meals for a couple of days.”
She stared, wondering what the catch was. Why was he being so sweet to her? She’d half expected to find him gone when she returned, perhaps having left one final offer to buy Sanctuary. Instead, here he was, on her sofa, in jeans and a t-shirt, with the beginnings of a beard softening his sharp jaw, and looking more at home with himself than she’d ever seen him.
She licked her lips. Damn, but he looked good. Like a chocolate bar after she’d been on a strict diet. Trouble was, like that chocolate bar, he was a forbidden pleasure. She couldn’t go there again, no matter how much she might want to. It wouldn’t be fair to either of them.
A powerful pang of yearning slugged her in the gut and she stumbled back a step. For a brief space of time, she wished she could be the woman Sterling Knight needed. That she could be someone who deserved to come home after a jaunt in the forest and expect to see him here, waiting and ready to comfort her. She closed her eyes, the emotions so disconcerting the room seemed to shift before her.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“Fine,” she choked, blinking her eyes open to see his forehead furrow with concern. “What are you doing here?”
The crease deepened. “Like I said, I stopped by with food and herbal tea.” He stood and went over to her, laying a hand on her bare forearm. It seemed to burn her skin and she flinched. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
She nodded and hurried over to the sofa. “Just need to sit down. Exhausted, you know. Done a lot of walking.”
“How far did you go?”
She shrugged. “Hard to say.”
She hadn’t really paid attention. Just walked and known that if she left markers along the way, she’d be able to find the path back.
He returned to the sofa and sat next to her. “Have a muffin. Tione says they’re chocolate with a caramel center.”
Her mouth watered. It had been a while since she’d enjoyed a sweet dessert. She reached for the muffin, and was struck by the absurdity of the combination of things he’d brought her and had to laugh. Soup, cake, and tea.
“This is the most confused meal tray I’ve ever seen.”
He looked affronted. “Soup is comfort food, and so are muffins. I know you like herbal tea, but I wasn’t sure what else you liked and I didn’t want to bring you something you’d feel obligated to have and not enjoy.”
She shook her head. “You’re misunderstanding me.” Chuckling, she broke off a chunk of muffin and offered it to him. “I think it’s adorable. You’re very sweet. Thank you.”
His upper lip curled, like he wasn’t sure whether to be pleased or annoyed by the fact she’d called him adorable. She dipped a chunk of cake into the oozy caramel center and closed her eyes in bliss as she chewed it. She wasn’t always a big fan of sweet food, but at this very moment, the sugary goodness was exactly what she needed.
