“Yes, although—”
“Furthermore—”
Shaun couldn’t take it any longer. He picked her up and slammed his mouth over hers and kissed her. Hard. Gem stood motionless for a moment before she relented, her arms rising to wrap around his neck. Their lips remained in contact as he smoothed his hands up her back, grapping hold of her ponytail so that eventually he could pull her away gently.
He didn’t separate them for a good long time.
When he did, they stared into each other’s eyes, and that deep sensation of being one person in two bodies hit again. Upsetting her made him ache inside. Happy and content was what he wanted, not this frustrated, volatile creature.
Shaun cleared his throat. “I assume you’d like me on my knees to grovel and ask for forgiveness?”
Gem fought from smiling. He saw it, the corner of her mouth twitched. Twice. “You are good in that position.”
He snickered. “Dirty girl.”
She let go of a little more of her rigid control. “I’m still mad at you.”
Shaun fell to his knees. She shrieked as he clasped her hips and hauled her close. He buried his face against her belly, rubbing from side to side. “I was terribly mistaken. Forgive me.”
A tug on his hair brought his gaze up to meet hers. “I don’t want teriyaki muffins. Not even fluffy ones.”
What the…?
She grinned outright. “Whatever you just said was muffled. I doubt you were really talking about indigestible breakfast food.”
Shaun grabbed her hand and yanked, catching her by surprise. She fell without a sound and he caught her on his lap. He kissed her cheek then nuzzled the side of her face. “I’m sorry. Really. The only thing I have in my defense is that long line of southern bookings who freaked when they couldn’t see an outhouse for miles.”
“Ick. Okay, I kind of sympathize with them regarding that issue, but Shaun? I’m not everybody.”
“You’re right. You’re not.”
Gem tapped her long fingers on his arm. “If that’s the usual you get, then I understand the whole ‘insane’ thing you were talking about better. I’m sorry I snapped at you, but really, I understood this project would take physical work.”
Pride swelled inside him. “And I’m sorry I ever doubted you. We’re going to work together, right?”
She nodded rapidly. “It’s just another example, though, of me not feeling in control of my own life. I’m getting tired of it, Shaun.”
“You stepped forward and took control damn well the day of the fight.” He rearranged her so he could kiss her more easily, enjoying having her rest on his thighs.
The smile on her face lit the area. “I did, didn’t I?”
He chuckled, and she hit her fists against his chest in mock anger. He caught her hands and kissed her fingers, making sure they made eye contact. He wanted the words to sink in deep. “Listen. I want you to do this. I know you can do this. I’m going to help you any way I can, and in the end you’ll have everything you need to finish your research.”
Gem smiled before eyeing him with suspicion. “Why did you decide to wait until now to have this discussion?”
Oops. “I didn’t say anything before because…”
“You hoped I would give up, right?”
Busted. “Honest truth? At first, when we were back in Whitehorse, and even in Dawson? Yes, but for the last few days, no. I’ve discovered you’re more than capable, but…” He stroked her fingers, sighing lightly. “I guess I’m guilty of wanting to protect you, when you don’t really need it.”
Comprehension lit her eyes. “That’s what you were doing the other day, isn’t it? You were keeping secrets about northern politics to protect me?”
Damn, she was good. Full-out confession seemed the only way to redeem himself. Shaun nodded slowly. “There is so much about the north that’s wild and out of control—I was trying to make sure you saw the positive parts.”
Gem wrinkled her nose. “Like bloody brawls in the streets?”
Shaun snorted. “I’m obviously not a very good spin doctor. In some cases, what you see is what you get.”
She wiggled, and he set her free, rising to his feet as she paced over to the pile of camping equipment he had laid out. She stared at it for the longest time before turning. Her beautiful face was smooth, but there was a fire in her eyes he was coming to love. The stubborn determination that made his body squirm with desire as she made a decision that was all hers.
“Teach me.”
He nodded as he stepped forward. “I can pack for us—”
“No, teach me.” Gem caught him by the arm, and this time she pulled him against her body. “If I don’t know how to do a task, I’m more than capable of learning how, but only if you trust me enough to let me try.”
Something inside him got up on its feet and cheered. “I trust you.”
She tugged off her sweater and folded it over the back of the chair. “So, what’s the best way to get all our gear into the pack?”
A trickle of sweat ran down her back. How could it be this warm? They were in the north—the barren land should be cold, challenging. If they actually held a true Survivor contest somewhere other than where the women could wander beaches nearly naked, Gem had always imagined the event would take place in the north.
She really didn’t want to be the one voted off the island today.
In front of her, Shaun slowed, waving a hand. She waved back and motioned him on.
Yesterday he’d given her lessons on packing. When he’d snuck the extra heavy objects into his own pack, she hadn’t said a word. That kind of help she would accept, for a few days at least. No matter how many Pilates classes and P90X workouts she’d done, it wasn’t the same as carrying all her possessions on her back.
Her boots were killing her.
There was no way she was going to tell him that.
Instead, she looked over the terrain, taking deep breaths of the clean air, following the narrow game trail Shaun had found that led in the direction of the birthing grounds. They had a week to get in and out. Plenty of time for her to take soil samples and gather all the other data she needed before they retreated to a distance to make observations while not disturbing the herd.
A week of camping out under a sky that remained light after midnight. Every step of the experience was a new adventure. Would the stars even appear? Would she be able to keep up physically?
Would she survive without running water and a flush toilet?
Shaun whistled, and she snapped her attention up to see him lower his pack and stretch his back. Another rest break—every one felt wonderful and every time it was a little more agonizing to pick up the pack again and start all over.
She pasted a smile on her face and focused on the things she was enjoying.
I will not whine. I will not whine.
“That’s it for the day.” Shaun reached to help her, dropping her pack to the ground and lowering his hands to her shoulders. The quick massage he gave felt so incredible it hurt.
“Really? No more hiking? It’s still early.” Idiot! What was she saying? Stopping now was a wonderful idea.
Shaun twisted her toward him, a wide grin splitting his face. “We need to set up camp, and the first couple days that will take longer.”
Gem nodded. Logical, and a great excuse to boot. She leapt at it. “Tell me what to do.”
She had practiced back home, but every tent was different. Shaun’s was dome-shaped with long poles that arched and crisscrossed, and by the time they had three of them inserted in the straps of the main frame, she was totally confused as to which way she was supposed to turn and ended up zigging when she should have zagged. His solid torso connected with hers, and she teetered precariously before he grabbed on and held her upright.