Harlequin Heartwarming May 2016 Box Set (14 page)

Mac and Tessa sat on the ground between the tent and the fire. They weren't too far from the helicopter. Mac wasn't about to light a fire close to it, although he did tell Tessa she could stay in it if she thought she could spend the entire night in a seated position. There wasn't much space in the model he owned. If he ever had the funds to expand Air Walker Safaris, a bigger helicopter would be on the list. Tessa had refused to be in the chopper on her own. She said she needed to be near Nick, after the scare they'd had with his disappearance, but Mac knew she wasn't comfortable with the idea of being alone out here, chopper walls or not. Night predators and poachers were enough to trigger bad dreams. As for Mac, he kind of liked the fact that she felt safer by his side. She seemed comfortable enough sitting here.

In the end, they were both adamant about being near Nick, who had initially insisted that camping needed to be “real” camping. As in, under the stars. He almost stayed outside with them, but then agreed with Mac and Tessa that real camping involved tents. Talk about growth spurts of the emotional and mental kind.

“All this adventure will either make him fall asleep instantly or make it so he can't,” Tessa said.

Mac tried to ignore how beautiful she looked as she sat on the ground with her chin resting on her knees. She gazed into the fire and her big eyes had never been more soulful. He wanted to kiss her. He coughed and waved the air as if smoke from the fire had gotten to him.

“It'll hit him sooner or later. I know the rations I had weren't much for the three of us, but Mugi will get here soon after the sun's up.” All he'd had were a few granola bars and instant coffee. He set his makeshift poker stick down and scooted a few feet back from the fire, next to Tessa. “You impressed me today.”

“Me? Why?” She lifted her head and studied him.

“You're scared to death of flying, yet you didn't hesitate to go up for Nick's sake. And I had my doubts, but you handled the search like pro.”

“Nothing like a kid to make you face your fears, huh?”

“True. But you're the one who did it and you were the one to find him.” He wasn't about to let her shrug it off, even if she did shrug, turning her attention back to the fire.

“I was terrified for him.”

“Me, too.”

“What
are
we going to do, Mac?”

The sound of cotton sliding against polyester came from the tent behind them. Nick was still awake, which meant he was probably eavesdropping. Mac motioned toward the tent with his head and the curve of Tessa's mouth told him she understood his intention.

“I don't know what I'd do if I lost him,” she added, keeping her voice natural but just loud enough for Nick to overhear. “He's a great kid. Smart, funny when he wants to be and talented. And he's family. I couldn't ask for a better kid to be a part of my life.”

“I was really impressed by him today, too. He's going to grow up to be a man's man. I really enjoyed sharing bits of my life out here with him. In fact, I'd like to have more time to hang around with him. Not sure if that's what he wants, considering he ran off today.”

“You think he doesn't like
us
? Maybe we were cool as aunt and uncle, but not so much as legal guardians. I have to admit, my house in South Africa is a bit...sterile. It isn't all that fun for a teen. I don't think I ever bothered to ask him what he'd like in his living space. Like a pool table or something.”

“Maybe he'd rather be around dart guns and camping tents,” Mac said. “I think he's pretty comfortable in mine right now, getting a good night's rest.”

More rustling came from behind them before everything went quiet. Tessa put a hand over her mouth to keep from chuckling. Mac smiled back. If Nick fell asleep knowing they thought the world of him, then today was worth it. She scooted a few inches closer to Mac and leaned in.

“Are we really safe enough out here?” Her whisper caressed his jaw and it took every bit of self-control not to turn his face toward her. Their lips might touch if he did, and he knew neither of them wanted that. Not with circumstances being what they were. He kept his eyes on the fire and the trees ahead.

“I'll stay awake, and I'm armed.”

“What if a lion comes? Aren't they night predators?”

“Do you want to stay in the helicopter?” Of course, she'd be there alone and he'd be here watching Nick and the fire.

“No. I'm fine.”

“Generally speaking, what you do depends on the animal and situation. A defensive animal can be as dangerous as a hungry one. Take lions. They have a chase instinct like dogs. If a lion comes up, don't run. Stand still. Inch back slowly if they're not paying attention to you. Just don't trigger a chase. And Nick would be okay. They don't bother tents much. They think the walls are solid. On the other hand, rhinos are one animal you don't want to startle. They have a keen sense of smell. Vision, not so much. So if you're not downwind, you have a chance.”

“I saw a movie once...an oldie...where a tribal child held a thick stick over his head to scare off a hyena. Fact or fiction?”

“Well, they can scare off if you make yourself look bigger, menacing, noisy...the whole bit. Doesn't mean they won't attack, especially if they're in a pack, but you definitely do all that to help your chances. There's nothing ‘movie' out here, though. This is the real thing.”

“I know. I know. I just can't stop thinking about it. Do snakes really like to curl up in sleeping bags for warmth?”

“You're not in one, Tess. Relax. I'm here.”

Tessa rubbed her arms and shivered.

“That scared?”

“Cold.”

“Late-August nights can get brisk, even when the days are warm,” Mac said. They'd both insisted that Nick take the small blanket stored in the chopper.

“I think my body temperature is dropping from fatigue.”

“Could be. Lie down. I'll keep watch and keep the fire going.” It'd be warmer by the fire than in the helicopter, anyway. It didn't hold heat that well unless it was running.

She curled onto her side on the massive leaves he'd laid on the ground.

“You'll watch for snakes, too, right?” she asked. Her back was turned but her waning voice told him her eyes were closing.

“I have you covered. Go to sleep.” Hopefully they wouldn't get any unwanted visitors—legless or legged—but he had a gun tucked at his lower back and a preferred tranquilizer rifle a couple of feet away just in case. He'd also shone his LED torch around the area in search of red eyes. No night stalkers turned up. That didn't mean they wouldn't.

She shivered again and put her hands between her knees in a fetal position. Mac leaned back and reached over her. He put his hand against her forehead. It felt normal.

“Sorry, just wanted to make sure you didn't have a fever. You got vaccinated before coming out here, didn't you?” He kept his voice down, not wanting to make Nick anxious if he wasn't totally knocked out.

“Yes. I don't think I'm sick. I'm just freezing. I really think it's exhaustion and the temperature drop.” Her voice sounded sleepy and weak. Mac laid down behind her and pulled her against his chest for warmth.

“Does this help?”

She nodded, holding onto his hand at her waist. Within seconds, her muscles relaxed and her breathing steadied. He hoped she wasn't coming down with anything like malaria. He lay there with every intention of staying awake, but the touch of her hair against his face and the warmth of her scent lulled him to sleep for a few minutes. The call of a wild dog had his eyes jerking open. He kept his ears peeled to gauge the distance, relaxing when the sound got farther away.

He'd always been comfortable being alone. He'd always felt
at
home out here in the Serengeti...but right now, hearing Tessa's soft breathing and a bit of snoring from Nick, for the first time Mac felt like he
was
home. This was his family.

The idea shocked him. Panic zipped through his chest. What was he doing? Warming Tessa? Yes. But still, lying here spooned against her was wrong. He slowly unwove his fingers from hers, lifted his arm up and inched his body away from hers. He sat up without waking her and considered the small supply box and tranquilizer gun within his reach. He was here to protect them. That's all any of this was. Hopefully, Tessa wouldn't get too cold...or remember being held by him when she woke up in the morning. He wouldn't be forgetting anytime soon.

He added dry wood and bark to the fire and poked until it came to life. He stared at the largest flame that swayed side to side like a woman tempting a man. Tessa hadn't done anything wrong. It was all him. Regardless of circumstances, she was a married woman. He had no business letting himself think of her as any more than a sister-in-law and co-guardian. He had no business wishing. Besides, even if she wasn't taken, this wasn't her type of life. He'd never be able to give her the predictable, secure lifestyle she wanted or needed.

He took a deep breath and glanced back at her. She was still sound asleep, but she'd curled her knees up closer to her chest, the way a person did when they were cold...or scared. He got up, took off his shirt, then covered her with it. He let himself look at her peaceful face for only a second, then walked to the other side of the fire. He was losing it. Maybe he really had been alone for too long. This was a new low for him. He raked his hair back and paced, scanning the shadows as far as the fire and moonlight would let him. He was a bush pilot. A man with sharp reflexes who knew how to handle—and was always prepared for—the unexpected. He'd never expected to see this side of Tessa, a strength he hadn't known existed. A side he liked and respected. Of all people, Tessa Henning was messing him up.

* * *

T
ESSA
REALLY
NEEDED
TO
GO
to the bathroom. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. Mac's shirt fell to the ground next to her.
His shirt?
Her shoulder and hip ached from lying against the ground. She stretched and moved a little closer to the heat emanating from the hot coals and tender flames.

“Mac?”

He had to be nearby, or the fire would have gone out completely. She looked around but didn't see him. His guns were missing, too. Alarms went off in her head. She got up and unzipped an inch of the tent opening to make sure Nick was all right. He was still there, sound asleep. She zipped it up and went back to the fire. Maybe Mac had needed to use the bathroom, too. She wasn't going to leave Nick alone. She'd just have to hold it until Mac got back.
He better get back here right now.

“Mac?” she tried again. The bush to her right rustled and she was answered with a strange staccato rumble followed by a sadistic laugh. Her scalp prickled. A spotted hyena slinked out of the brush with its mouth hanging open and salivating. Tessa held her arms out.

“Don't you dare. You hear me? Get out of here. Go!”

The hyena paced back and forth, laughing in a rapid succession of hee-hee-hees that made her skin crawl. Nick was in the tent. Was it lions or hyenas that didn't bother with tents? Most of the time? Something akin to a bolt of lightning flashed through her. What if Mac wasn't returning? What if he'd gone after a predator in order to protect her and Nick, but he'd lost the battle? She raised her hands over her head and started waving them like a crazy woman. This was her campsite and her kid. No one messed with Nick. “Get away! Mine! Mine! Mine!
Eeek!
Woot!” She didn't care how stupid she sounded or what she said. She was making noise until the hyena left or she got eaten. One or the other. The hyena paced one more time, then took off into the soft light of dawn. Tessa pressed a hand to her chest. She was so not going to need coffee this morning. Her hands shook but her mind felt awake. Alive.

A click sounded behind her and she spun around. Mac stood there uncocking his rifle. Boy was he a welcome sight.

“You were here?” she panted.

“I told you I wouldn't leave you. I went to the chopper for a minute. I was literally gone less than two.”

“But I called.”

“You handled the situation, Tessa. You did good.”

She couldn't believe it. She'd slept under the Serengeti stars and she'd chased off a hyena. What a power rush.

“Is it safe to come out?” Nick called from the tent.

“It's safe,” Tessa said.
Because of me.

* * *

M
AC
DIDN
'
T
WANT
to leave again, especially after he'd come home to Nick's disappearance yesterday. He'd meant it when he said that Tessa and Nick came first and he wanted to be around 24/7, ensuring they were okay, but he was really beginning to worry about the state of Air Walker Safaris. If his business went under, he'd never be able to take care of Nick.

Tessa was stronger than she thought. He'd witnessed it himself. Whatever happened with Brice, she'd get her feet back on the ground—no trouble. He wasn't sure he could say the same for himself if his business failed.

They should be hearing something from Ben soon. Kamau, Anna and Jack had their eyes and ears open and, according to their mapping of where the latest poaching victims had been found, Camp Jamba was a safe place to be. For now.

“It'll just be half a day. I have to check on things at the office before Hodari Lodge shuts me down and gives my space to someone else. The only delay would be if someone staying at the lodge wants to book a helicopter tour. I can't afford to say no.”

“Don't worry about us,” Tessa assured him. “Kesi promised to show me how to make her curry and Mugi told Nick about their computer. He said that if Nick helped clean up after their chickens and put in some time on a few maintenance projects, he'd let him play on it for an hour or so.”