Page 44 of Wild Child
By the time I returned, Devin had shuffled out of the tent, still half-awake and tousled. His hair stuck up just a little on one side of his head, and sleep lingered in his expression. He gave me a lopsided smile that made my stomach flip. I wanted to walk right into his arms. Instead, I mentally shoved the urge away and gestured to the fire ring.
"Want to attempt it?"
He shook his head. "Better to have a quick breakfast and get going." He yawned. "The grasses and wood will dry through the day again as we hike. We can make a fire at lunch if we need to."
Minutes later, we had hot water boiling on an instaboiler I'd packed and dry oatmeal packets ready in bowls. Steve groaned from within the tent when he woke up. Kimball eyed the tent and chuckled to himself over a mug of instant coffee.
Meanwhile, I tried not to think about last night. Or the way I woke up with Devin's gentle breath near my ear. I crouched next to my bowl and dumped steaming water onto my dry oatmeal. My mind still drifted to the warmth of Dev at my side. Or the way both of us had been curled up on our sides, him at my back. Such a cozy night conjured up daydreams I should leave dead.
But maybe I was tired of that, too.
The cry of another voice rippled through the camp from the corner of the meadow. "Hello the camp!"
My head jerked up. Devin turned to look over his shoulder in the direction of the sound. Kimball stopped mid-sip and stared. A male figure trudged through the grasses toward us, clad in familiar, dark green pants and a gray shirt that indicated a forest ranger. Pale hair shone in the budding morning light, shielding light eyes. He wore a heavy pack on his back. The moment I recognized him, I smiled and straightened up.
"Neils?"
Neils paused, then his white teeth flashed in a grin. One hand raised.
"Ellie?"
I set aside the oatmeal. "Good to see you again! Come on and join us. We're just scrounging breakfast together after that downpour."
"Who is this guy?" Devin asked quietly, suddenly at my left side.
"One of the backcountry rangers for the area," I said. "His name is Neils. We've seen each other a lot the past couple of years. He's . . . sort of a friend, I guess. Very kind whenever I do see him. Which is more often than you'd think, actually."
"You run into him a lot?" Devin murmured. "Seems odd. Most people never see them when they're back here."
I shrugged. "He's really nice."
"Or he has the hots for you," Devin muttered. I laughed.
"Yes, Dev. He stalks me and comes out on hikes just to run into me. You're right."
Stated that way, Devin gave a good-natured eye roll. Kimball's tension increased as Neils approached with a bright smile on his face. His eyes darted around, encompassing the whole camp quickly, before he came to my side. Neils shook my hand, and I felt a rush of relief. I'd never been a hugger.
"Good to see you again," I said. "It's been a while."
"You have been avoiding the mountains?" he asked. He had a distinct, Nordic accent that tilted his words in a charming way. I laughed, gratified to see him again. We'd eaten several breakfasts or dinners together when we ran into each other.
"Never."
Neils winked at me, then glanced over my shoulder. He adjusted his pack with a nod to Devin, then to Kimball, who studied the bottom of his coffee mug.
"Oatmeal?" I asked, then lifted the mug. "We have extras, if you'd like something warm."
He graciously shook his head. "No, thank you."
"You're up early?" I ventured.
"We've had reports of grizzly trouble on the back trails," Neils said with a head jerk away from the mountains. "I started up here late yesterday and camped just about a mile down the trail. Thought I'd get an early start after the rain and heard voices. Thought I'd check in."
Neils had eyes that crinkled around the edges, but his expression appeared more haggard than usual. We'd run into each other on the trails now and then. He spent most of his summer—and some winters—in the backcountry mountains. I suspected he had a place he hid away and hadn't told anyone, but I could never get him to admit it.
Devin stuck out a hand. "Devin Blaine. Good to meet you."
"Neils. Same. You're a lucky man if Ellie is your guide." He smiled at me. "She is the best in these mountains."
