Wilderness Passion by Lindsay McKenna Read Free Book Online Page B

glance. “Okay, let’s get this EPA show on the road.”
    The morning was young, with sparkling beads of dew clinging to the knee-deep buffalo grass as they walked through it. Libby tried to notice everything surrounding her as they walked at what she thought was a very slow pace. The dew coated her lower legs, the jeans turning a darker blue where the water soaked in. Within twenty minutes they were on the first slope, winding through the trees.
    At first she didn’t notice her leg muscles tightening. But by the end of the first hour she was gasping slightly for breath, her cheeks blazing with color from the high altitude. She didn’t complain, realizing Dan would probably chide her cruelly for being weak and slowing down their pace. The muscles of her calves were protesting already. Resolutely she lowered her head, concentrating on each step.
    “Libby.”
    She half turned as he called her name. Each time he spoke it she shivered involuntarily. It was as if he were a cat licking her skin, making it tingle. She liked the way he said her name and her spirits rose simultaneously.
    “Let’s take a break,” he ordered, finding a smooth granite rock and sitting down.
    “I can go on,” she answered stubbornly. “I don’t intend to hold us up.’’
    He gave her a warm grin, catching her wide brown eyes. “I know you can, but we have to take it easy the first couple of days or you won’t be able to walk at all. Take off your hiking boots and let me look at your feet.”
    She found a soft spot on the carpet of pine needles, doing as he asked. No longer did she bother to question his motives or reasoning; she trusted him enough to know he wasn’t going to hurt her or take advantage of the situation. Pulling off the second wool sock, she stretched out her feet. Grinning, she said, “I washed them this morning, so it’s safe.”
    He slid out of his pack and got up, moving to her side. “You do smell good,” he agreed, lifting her foot and gently examining the heel. “Like lilacs. It must be your perfume.”
    Heat stole into her face and she refused to meet his teasing blue eyes. Just the rough touch of his fingers sliding along the surface of her foot sent crazy messages through her body. For one split second Libby found herself wondering what it would be like to be loved by him. His touch was sure, confident, and it was as if he had known her feet were a deliciously sensitive area of her body.
    “What’s the prognosis, Doctor?” she asked, a hint of teasing in her tone.
    Dan released her left foot, handing her the wool socks. “So far, so good. Every time we rest, I want you to pull the boots off and look for red spots on your feet. Those are areas where blisters may develop.” He patted her slender ankle and then stood. “That’s why we call people like you tenderfoots. You haven’t yet developed the tougher skin and calluses on certain areas of the foot that you need for extended hiking.”
    Libby liked his touch and kept her eyes on him while she pulled on the socks and then relaced her boots. “I’ve had blisters before and they never bothered me,” she noted.
    Dan shrugged into the pack. “Yes, but you didn’t have to walk fifty miles once you got one, either.” He pushed a rebellious curl off his forehead. “And I’m not carrying you if you do get one. So be a good hiker and pay attention to what your feet are telling you. Ready?”
    “You bet.”
    By noon Libby’s initial excitement had ebbed a great deal. They had broken out of the heavy timber into a small sun-dappled meadow when Dan finally called a halt to eat. She bit back a moan of relief as she shed the pack. The grass was inviting and fragrant, and she flopped down on her back, closing her eyes in sheer bliss. “Oh, God, I feel like my shoulders are on fire,” she whispered. The hot sun felt good on her face, the slight breeze cooling the perspiration on her flushed skin.
    “You rest,” he said. “I’ll make us lunch. Are you