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The cab darkened, throwing Shane’s face into shadows that emphasized the sharp angles of his face, but she could see his lips twitch. “Worried I’ll get you lost?”
“More like I’ve watched way too many episodes ofSupernaturaland don’t know what’s in those trees.”
“You’re more likely to see a moose out there than a wendigo.”
“Someone watches crap television like I do.”
He shrugged. “Sanding can get monotonous. It’s either television or music most nights when I’m working. And most of the time Sam and Dean don’t get all mushy.”
“Heaven forbid.”
Without the sun, the only relief in the darkness was their headlights. Finally he pulled around a clearing and parked.
“Where are we?”
“Technically still the park. It’s a warm enough night. I thought we’d sleep in the truck bed tonight.”
“You know how to romance a girl, Justice.”
He reached under the seat and clicked a light under his chin. “Afraid?”
She tucked her hands into her sleeves. “No.”
The light went out. “Grab the food. I’ve got a lantern in the back.”
There was still enough light that it wasn’t pitch black, but not by much. She jammed her feet back into her shoes and reached for their bag. She slid out of the truck and simply stared.
The cliffs towered above them, making a dome of pinpricks in a navy sky. Dark evergreen trees lined the clearing, leaving them completely alone. Night sounds penetrated her shock. A light breeze kept the trees in a constant state of sway. Instead of scaring the crap out of her, it was so serene she was afraid to speak.
She felt her way along the truck bed and peeked over the open tailgate. He stood above her with a Coleman lamp.
“I’m not much for camping, but wow.”
He smiled down at her and held out his hand. “We’ll eat and get some rest. If we leave at dawn, we can get into Nevada tomorrow.”
She dumped their food onto the truck bed and let out a quick laugh when he hauled her up as if she weighed nothing. He rested his hand on the small of her back, keeping her close. The two sleeping bags were zipped together and a pair of pillows lay against the tool chest. Glamorous it was not, but the sentiment made her smile.
They ate, but neither one of them seemed inclined to ruin the peace of the night. The sky sparkled as the moon rose. They quietly climbed into the supersized sleeping bag. There was a thin pad underneath it, so it didn’t feel like they were sleeping on steel.
She stretched out next to Shane. The sky dragged her attention away from conversation. She lived in a small town with a view like this every night if she wanted it. But with the craziness of her life, she never quite got the chance to just be.
Shane seemed to give her that. In so many ways.
He curled his arm under her head and rolled her in close. She smiled into his chest. Only the tip of her nose was cold. Between Shane’s body heat and the long day, she slid into sleep.
EIGHT
Shane woketo a human vine curled around his legs and waist. She slept heavy and still. Better than a thrasher, but the oddity of having her pressed against him had woken him a few times in the night. He’d wanted her close, had made sure to bring her into his space before dropping off to sleep—and yet that desire was as foreign as it was alluring.
Between getting his furniture company off the ground and the early schedule with Justice Construction, he hadn’t had much opportunity to date anyone. And the few times he’d found someone to share a night with, he made sure to leave before the morning afters.
But he liked her weight, liked her smell on him, liked her hair sliding across his throat—hell, he didn’t have one thing to complain about with her and the horizontal. He wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing. The only thing he knew definitively was that it was a dangerous thing.
A pearly mist curled around the basin of El Capitan. It was an impressive mountain, and he’d done his fair share of rock climbing with Kain when they were in college. In the end it was the water that interested them more. They’d traveled during the school breaks to find waves in Australia, Hawaii, and South Africa.
It had been a very long time since he’d been in the park. And having Kendall there with him felt natural. Everything about her felt right and scary as fucking hell. Had this been the old man’s plan all along? Finding family for him?
He wove his fingers through her sunlight-colored strands. Dew dotted her hair, adding another layer of freshness to her fall scent. The curls coiled around his fingers and wrist. The dawn came with the birdcalls of the hawk and fluttering song of the sparrows. The world was coming alive, and it was time for them to go.
