The Drifter (7 page)

But there was one thing he worried over. Would there come a time when the excitement of being with her faded? Or would he always feel as if there was much more to explore?

They parked the truck about a mile in. Charlie handed Eve a small daypack with bottled water, protein bars and a map. Then he hauled his large pack out of the back and slipped his arms through the shoulder straps. He’d packed light and they weren’t at altitude, so the hike wouldn’t be difficult compared to some he’d done.

“What do you have in there?” she asked.

“Two down sleeping bags, a tent, cooking supplies,
food, your clothes, my clothes, stuff to make a fire. And two bottles of wine.”

Eve shook her head in disbelief. “You’re a really good packer,” she said. “I have to give you that.”

He slammed the cargo door on the SUV and shoved his keys in the pocket of his hiking shorts. “All right. Let’s go. We’re heading that way,” Charlie said, pointing to the north.

It was an absolutely perfect spring day. The sun was warm and the breeze cool. They hiked at a moderate pace, chatting as they walked. For the first time since they’d met, they had a chance to really get to know each other. Without the option of jumping into bed, they could enjoy each other’s company. She told him about the moment she decided to become a chef, about cooking school and about buying the Garden Gate.

They laughed and teased, falling into an easy camaraderie that Charlie had rarely found on any of his adventures. When they reached the head of the hiking trail, he asked if Eve wanted to rest, but she was willing to go on.

They reached the campsite about a half hour later, a beautiful spot set at the edge of a high meadow with the Rockies providing a perfect backdrop. Not far from the site was a river, fed from the snowmelt.

Charlie shrugged out of his pack and set it against a tree, then helped Eve out of hers. “You did well,” he said.

“I’m exhausted and my feet hurt,” Eve replied.

“Take off your boots and lay your socks out to dry.”

She sat down on a nearby log and did as she was told. But as she pulled her socks off, she winced in pain. Charlie walked over and examined her foot, startled by the angry red blisters on her big toe and the back of her heel. He helped her out of her other boot and he found another blister on her little toe.

“Why didn’t you tell me your feet hurt?” he asked.

“I really didn’t notice until now. They’re just blisters.”

“They’re going to be even more painful on the walk out,” he said.

She laughed. “I’m a lot tougher than you think I am.”

Charlie gave her a wary look. “You sit. I’m going to set up the tent. Then I’ll go get some water. You can soak your feet and they’ll feel much better.”

As he pulled the poles for the tent out of the pack, Charlie glanced over at Eve. He’d always had just one person to worry about on his adventures—himself. But now that Eve was with him, he needed to be more careful.

Hell, there were a million and one things that could hurt you in the woods—bears, mountain lions, rattle snakes. A simple fall could kill you. He felt uneasy
about the responsibility. Yet there was no one else he’d rather have looking after Eve than himself.

When he finished setting up the tent, he stepped back and pointed to it with a flourish. “Home, sweet home,” he said.

Eve laughed. “That barely looks big enough for one person, let alone two.”

“We don’t need much room,” he said. “It’s not that much smaller than my bed and we get along fine there.” He held out his hand. “Come on. Let me give you a tour.”

She stood up and gingerly walked across the hard-packed ground. They both crawled inside and Charlie leaned back, bracing his elbows behind him. “This is the bedroom,” he said. “And the living room. The kitchen is out there. As is the bathroom. The bathtub is down by the river.”

“It’s a lovely home,” Eve said, turning to him and placing a soft kiss on his lips. “And you built it just for me.”

“Some day I’ll build you a bigger and better one, I promise.”

Eve looked around. “I kind of like this one,” she said. She pushed him back then crawled on top of him, tossing her jacket aside. “Maybe we ought to break it in?”

Charlie growled playfully as he pulled her into a long deep kiss. “We are in the bedroom, after all.”

E
VE SAT NEXT TO THE FIRE
, wrapped in Charlie’s sleeping bag, her chin resting on her knees. Sparks drifted upward on the night breeze, disappearing over heard into the starry sky. “I love this,” Eve murmured.

Charlie glanced up from tending the fire. “What?”

“I love that you brought me here. I didn’t think I’d like it, but I do. It’s so peaceful. I haven’t thought about the restaurant since we left Boulder. How is that possible? I think about the restaurant all the time.”

“What were you thinking about?” he asked.

“You.” Eve didn’t think it was wrong to admit the truth. “How strange it is that you came back into my life. How it seems like only yesterday that you left. And how funny it is that we picked up right where we left off.”

“Things are different,” he said. “We’re both a little older and a little wiser.”

“I guess so,” Eve replied. Was that a good thing? Somehow, Eve didn’t think that her divorce had improved her attitude about love and commitment.

“Do you want to talk about what happened last night? Why you got so angry with me?” Charlie asked.

“I just don’t think we should talk about the future,” Eve said. “I want to enjoy the present, this moment,
right now. And I want you to know that when you leave again, I’ll be all right.”

“You’d be all right if I left next week?”

Eve nodded. She would. But there was one caveat. “As long you as you promised that you’d come back.”

“When?”

“I don’t know. Whenever.”

Charlie shook his head. “You’d be fine with that. If I just wandered off for a year and then came back.”

Eve nodded. “I would. It’s who you are, Charlie. And I think I need to accept that. You’ll drift in and out of my life and we’ll be together when we can. It wouldn’t be so bad.”

He gave her an odd look, as if he didn’t find the idea all that appealing. What wasn’t to like? He could have his cake and eat it, too. She was giving him permission to be exactly who he was. And in turn, she’d have the freedom to do what she wanted.

He walked over to his pack, which he’d braced against a tree, then withdrew a plastic bag and tossed it her way. “Dessert,” he said, indicating the bag of marshmallows. “But don’t drop any around the campsite. Bears love them.”

“I haven’t had roasted marshmallows since I was a kid. God, I’d kill for some chocolate bars and graham crackers.”

“I have those, too,” Charlie said, walking back to where she sat with another plastic bag. He reached
behind her and grabbed a green branch he’d stripped earlier. “There are some nice embers in the fire.”

“Tell me about your next adventure,” Eve said as she stuck a pair of marshmallows on the stick.

“It’s going to be something completely different,” Charlie said. “Something I’ve never tried before.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m not sure yet. But you’ll be the first to know.”

Well, at least she’d get fair warning and be able to prepare herself, she thought. “We really shouldn’t eat dessert before we have dinner,” Eve said, quickly changing the subject.

“You ate an entire bag of granola,” he said. “And you’re still hungry?”

Eve laughed. “All this fresh air does make me think about eating.” She watched as Charlie pulled the marshmallows out of the fire. They were perfectly brown and gooey. She held out a graham cracker topped with a piece of chocolate, then put the hot marshmallows on top. Sandwiched between another graham cracker, it made the perfect treat.

“Here,” she said, holding it out to him. “Try it.”

“You first,” Charlie said.

Eve took a bite and the marshmallow dripped down her chin. Charlie leaned close and licked the sticky mess away, then let his mouth drift over her lips. He kissed her softly. “Take your clothes off,”
he murmured. “I want to make love to you under the stars.”

“It’s cold,” she whispered.

“I’ll keep you warm.” He pulled the sleeping bag down over her shoulder, then exposed a tiny bit of skin. His lips and tongue were warm and she felt a rush of desire course through her body. He took her hand and drew her to her feet, then spread the sleeping bag out on a spot near the fire.

Slowly, Charlie undressed her. Her skin prickled with goose bumps, but she didn’t feel the cold. Instead, the cold seemed to heighten the sensation of his touch and she found herself craving the warmth of his hands as she never had before.

When she was naked, Charlie stripped out of his own clothes, then pulled her down onto the sleeping bag. This all felt so strange, Eve thought. She felt all the baggage of her past just disappear in the dark. This was simple and primal, lust and longing in its most basic form.

She pressed him back against the ground, then straddled his hips. His erection, already fully aroused, rested against the damp spot between her legs. She moved against him, tipped her head back and closed her eyes.

He found her breasts, her nipples hard from the cold, and he teased until she ached with desire. Eve wanted him inside her without anything between them. After her divorce, she continued to take her
birth control pills, thinking that any day, she’d need them again. That day had finally come.

She reached down and guided him into the depths of her warmth. At first, he seemed to resist, but then Charlie accepted her silent invitation. Slowly, she came down on top of him, until there was nowhere left to move.

Eve sighed, a smile curling the corners of her mouth. Had this ever felt so good? So perfect? She couldn’t imagine anyone else in the world affecting her the way Charlie did. When he moved inside her, she was completely free to feel, to experience every shade and hue of her desire.

The light from the fire cast his profile in soft relief and she watched the interplay of pleasure and anticipation on his features. His eyes were closed, his jaw set, as if he was trying to delay the inevitable.

Eve knew there wasn’t much in this relationship that she could control. He would come and go as he pleased. But she could make him wait, make him beg for his release. She slowed her pace, rising up on her knees until he was nearly free of her warmth before plunging back down again.

He opened his eyes and looked at her, surprised by what she was doing. Eve smiled, then bent down and kissed him. Charlie was right. There was a something beautiful about making love outdoors. She felt completely exposed, her emotions laid bare for him to see.

If she didn’t love him now, Eve knew it was only a matter of time. How could she resist a man who made her believe in the possibilities of a future? She wasn’t sure she could save herself from another round of heartache and disappointment. But there were moments, like this one, when all the heartache would be worth it.

When he moved to touch her at the spot where they were joined, Eve grabbed his hands and pinned them on either side of his head. She was going to control this one small thing. She was going to make him want her as much as she wanted him.

And in the end, he gave in to the pleasure she offered. But to Eve’s surprise, the seduction was more than she could handle. His soft whispers sent her over the edge and she collapsed against his chest in a string of delicious spasms.

He wrapped them both in the sleeping bag, drawing her tight against his warm body. Eve sighed softly, snuggling into the curve of his arm. “You were right,” she whispered.

“About what?”

“I need to get outside more and get some exercise,” she said. “I feel so much better already.”

Charlie chuckled, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “This isn’t exactly what I was thinking about. And it’s not something you can do in Boulder.”

“It might be kind of fun,” she said. “Sneaking around looking for places we can be alone.”

He drew back and looked into her eyes. “Really? ’Cause I know a few spots.”

She reached down and smoothed her hand over his belly. “We wouldn’t have to stay in town. I think I should take a bit more time for myself. I work hard. I deserve a break every now and then.” She smiled. “So where should we go next?”

“You know where I’d love to take you? India. No, Turkey. And then Nepal. And China.”

“I was thinking about Estes Park,” Eve said. “But I’ve always wanted to see the Great Wall. And there’s a lot of vegetarian cooking in China. I do a lot of Asian-influenced cooking. I’d love to go to Thailand.”

“We’ll go there first,” Charlie said. “You’ll love it.”

“Hmm,” she said. It was a nice diversion to dream about such things. But Eve knew that the chances of them traveling to Thailand were slim at best. She had a restaurant to run, he had his work.

“I’m not just blowing smoke here,” Charlie said. “I’m serious. I think we should travel.”

“I thought we discussed this,” Eve said. “It really isn’t good to make promises we can’t keep.”

“I’m not making a promise. We get along well and I’m tired of traveling alone. I think you’d make a good companion.”

“I’d want to spend all my time in restaurants,” she said.

“I have to eat. And I’d want to spend my time seeing the countryside.”

“I need exercise,” she countered.

“See? We’d make the perfect pair.”

Eve closed her eyes and curled more deeply into his embrace. They did make a good pair. But as nice as that felt now, Eve knew this infatuation would fade over time. Sooner or later, they’d have to deal with the realities of their relationship. The impossibilities would overwhelm the potential.

She sighed, her breath clouding in the chilly air. There was no predicting when the end would come or how it would happen. But Eve already knew how she’d feel. He’d always be the one that got away, the one she could have loved.

“I
JUST NEED A LITTLE ADVICE,
”
Charlie said. “I thought I’d start with the appliances.”

They stood in the kitchen of the Garden Gate, Charlie sitting on the edge of the prep table and Eve moving easily around the kitchen.

After their night in the wild, Charlie had noticed a subtle change in Eve. She was a bit more distant, more introverted. The sex was still incredible, but he felt as though she were pulling away.

He could guess what she was worried about. The more time they spent together, the more it became apparent that he and Eve belonged together. But convincing her to see the possibilities would be difficult. He had a lousy track record with women. And it wasn’t something he was proud of. But a guy could change…if he really wanted to.

“That’s not how you design a new kitchen,” Eve said. “First you figure out the layout and outline the
work areas. Then you pick out cabinetry and countertops and flooring. And then, you decide on the appliances.”

Charlie flipped through the catalog. “This is why I need help.” In truth, it was important that Eve like his kitchen. He was renovating it for her. If things continued to go well between them, then she’d be spending all her time at his place. He wanted her to feel at home there.

“Maybe if you told me what you want out of your kitchen, I could give you better advice. Do you plan to do a lot of gourmet cooking or are you more of a thirty-minute meal kind of guy? Are you looking for something that looks fancy or do you want functional?”

“Yes,” he said.

“Yes to what?”

“All of it. I want to make it something a professional, like yourself, would enjoy working in. Why don’t you come home with me and we can discuss all of these points in greater detail?”

She regarded him suspiciously. “I know what you’re doing,” she said, waving a wire whisk at him. “This isn’t about your kitchen. This is about your…” She pointed to his crotch. “Utensil. I have work to do. I’m doing a cooking segment on a morning news show next week and I have to be ready.”

“You’re going to be on television?” he asked, grabbing a peeled carrot from a nearby bowl. He took a
bite, then chewed slowly. “Cool. Are you going to wear that hat? ’Cause it doesn’t do you any favors.”

She snatched off the toque and tossed it aside. “In fact, I might have my own cooking show. I’ve had a couple of offers, one from PBS and another from the Food Channel.”

When he’d first met Eve, she’d been a hired chef at the Garden Gate. Now, she owned the place, had written a vegetarian cookbook and was considering television offers. She’d become a different person in five years, at least on the outside. She had people depending upon her and important things to do. And all he cared about was luring her back into bed.

“We can talk about this later,” he said, closing the appliance brochure and pushing it aside. “I’ll let you get back to work. I’ll see you when you get home.” He turned for the door, but she reached out to stop him.

“I was just going to walk down to the farmer’s market. Do you want to come with me?”

“You want me to come vegetable shopping with you?” Charlie asked. “Wow, I’ve had some thrills in my life, but I’m not sure I can handle something that intense. Are we just going to be buying green vegetables, or will there be other colors, too?”

Eve groaned, shaking her head. “They sell more than veggies there. There’s a really great Mexican food stand at the market and they make the best corn tamales. We could have lunch.” She paused.
“And then, I suppose I might want to take a nap afterward.”

“I could use a nap.”
Nap.
That had become their euphemism for sex in the middle of the day. They’d spent most of yesterday afternoon “napping,” after they returned from camping.

Though he needed to start going over his notes for the lectures he’d be giving tomorrow night, Charlie was more than happy to be distracted by her naked body in his bed.

Eve slipped out of her white chef’s jacket, then grabbed her sweater from the desk in the corner of the kitchen. “Grab those bags,” she said. “I’ve got the list.”

When they stepped out onto the street, the midmorning sun was warm and the breeze gentle. Springtime in Boulder was his favorite time of the year. And he was glad he’d chosen to spend it with Eve. He grabbed her hand and when she looked over at him, he smiled. “Do you have a problem with this?” he said.

“A public display of affection usually requires an explanation.”

“Do you really think we’ll need one?”

She shrugged. “I know a lot of people in this town. I haven’t been dating. Someone is surely going to be curious. What am I supposed to tell them?”

“Tell them I’m your boyfriend,” he said.

“Charlie, I—”

He turned and grabbed her face in his hands, then kissed her, lingering over her mouth for much longer than he should have, his tongue teasing at her lips provocatively. If she was worried about public displays of affection, she needn’t bother. He’d just given the crowd a public display of naked lust. “I’m your boyfriend, Eve. That’s all there is to it. We have a romantic relationship. I don’t know where the hell it’s going, but that doesn’t matter. Now, just say it.”

“Say what?” she asked breathlessly.

“Say, ‘Charlie, you are my boyfriend.’”

“Charlie, you are my boyfriend.”

“There, that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

She shook her head. “I guess not.”

“So, now we can hold hands. We’re officially going together.”

“This sounds like high school,” Eve commented wryly.

“Maybe that’s where we should start.”

“I think we’ve gotten a little ahead ourselves. What we’ve been doing wasn’t even a possibility in high school. I was a very naive girl. I didn’t even know that tongues were involved in kissing until I was a junior in high school.” She paused. “But then, I suppose you were quite the Casanova.”

Charlie shook his head. “Actually, no. I didn’t lose my virginity until I was a sophomore in college. I didn’t spend a lot of time with girls in high school. I was too busy climbing rocks and kayaking down
rivers. Girls really didn’t like to do that stuff, so until I had my first sexual experience, I didn’t have much use for them.”

“And then?”

“And then I realized how much fun they were,” Charlie said.

“And then you had a lot of sex,” she said.

“And then, I realized that a lot of sex wasn’t necessarily a good thing. When I came back to Boulder, I realized there’s a lot more to like about a woman than what you experience in the bedroom.”

“And what do you like about me?” Eve asked, turning to face him.

He slipped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. “I like that you want me to eat better. And that you fold up my clothes when I throw them on the floor. I like how you look when you wear my T-shirt, and only my T-shirt, to make us breakfast. And I love the way you smell when you come out of the shower.”

She seemed taken aback by his rhapsodizing. A pretty blush stained her cheeks and she turned away to stare into a shop window. When she turned back to him, she smiled. “I’m hungry. Are you?”

Maybe he had been a bit too open about his feelings for her, but Charlie was sick of playing games. He liked Eve, a lot more than he’d ever liked any woman before. Hell, he might even love her, though he wasn’t sure he’d recognize the feeling if he did.
There was absolutely nothing wrong with telling her what was on his mind.

“Eve!”

A man’s voice brought them both to a stop at the entrance to the farmer’s market. He heard Eve’s voice catch in her throat and she cursed softly.

“What?” Charlie said.

“It’s Dave,” she said. “My ex.”

“Matt,” Charlie corrected.

“Dave, Matt, it doesn’t make a difference what I call him. He’s coming over here right now. I really don’t want to talk to him.”

“Then don’t,” Charlie said.

Charlie had never formally met Matt, though he’d seen him once, five years ago, chatting with Eve in front of her restaurant. The guy looked like an accountant, all buttoned-up and business-like, his hair trimmed short and his shirt pressed perfectly. Charlie didn’t like him for a myriad of reasons, the primary one being that he’d swooped in and married Eve when she’d been most vulnerable. Charlie cursed inwardly. But then, whose fault was that?

“Hello, Eve,” Matt said.

“Hi.” She forced a smile.

“I’m glad we ran into each other. I just wanted to let you know that I met with my lawyer yesterday. I’ve decided to move ahead with what we discussed.”

“Discussed?” Charlie said, glancing between the two of them. “What did you discuss?”

“Nothing,” Eve said.

Matt sent Charlie a dismissive glance. “Who is your friend?”

“I’m not her friend,” Charlie said. “I’m her boyfriend. Charlie Templeton.” He didn’t bother holding out his hand in greeting. He was afraid to move his arm, afraid he might just deck the guy right in the middle of a crowd of onlookers.

“You didn’t mention you were involved, Eve,” Matt said, an uneasy look on his face.

“It’s none of your business,” Eve said. “If you’ll excuse us, we’re going to lunch.” She grabbed Charlie’s arm and pulled him along the sidewalk. “Ugh, he just makes me so angry.”

“What was that thing about his lawyer?”

“He wants to renegotiate our divorce settlement. I bought him out of his share of the restaurant. Now that the restaurant is making money and I’ve got some other things going on, he thinks he was cheated. He thinks he deserves more.”

“Would you like me to go punch him in the face?” Charlie asked, hoping she’d agree.

“No. Don’t bother. He’s not worth it.”

“There is one good thing I can say for the guy,” Charlie murmured. “He was too stupid to realize what he had when he married you. If it wasn’t for that, you two might still be married. And I wouldn’t have a girlfriend.”

“And there is the fact that he thought the restaurant
would fail without his considerable skills as a businessman. He thought he was getting the better end of the deal when we settled.” She pointed to a small stand. “There it is. Come on. You’ll love this place. The food is healthy and your insides will thank you.”

Charlie wanted to question her more about her ex, but he could see how eager she was to change the subject. There would be plenty of time to learn all the details later. And if the guy got too pushy, Charlie would just have to invite him out for a beer and a little talk.

He smiled to himself as he listened to Eve order the corn tamales. There was a certain pleasure in watching over her, in protecting her. Though Eve could certainly take care of herself, he wanted to be there, to give support when she needed it.

After all, that’s what a boyfriend did. And he was now, officially, Eve Keller’s boyfriend.

“H
EY
, C
HARLIE
!”

Charlie glanced up from his notes to see Kevin Martin strolling down the aisle of the lecture hall. He’d just finished the first of his talks and it had gone better than he’d expected, considering he hadn’t spent a lot of time preparing. The lecture hall had been full and the crowd enthusiastic.

Kevin was a friend he’d met on his climb of Mount Vinson in Antarctica. Now he ran a sports marketing
firm and had been booking Charlie’s speaking engagements and media appearances for the past two years.

“Kevin. What are you doing here?”

“I’ve got the family over at Breckinridge for some spring skiing and I thought I’d drive over and see your presentation. And, I’m bringing some good news.”

Charlie gathered up his laptop and his notes and tucked them under his arm. “What kind of news?”

“I got a call a few days ago from National Geographic. I sent them a reel of some of your appearances and they want you to host a special. About the ecological impact of climbing expeditions on Everest. It’s all part of a yearlong push they’re doing on the environment. They’re funding the whole thing. You’ll prep with the production company in Boston starting next week and then spend a month on site filming in May.”

“Why so soon? How are they going to put it all together that quickly?” Charlie paused, then nodded. “I’m not their first choice, am I?”

Kevin shook his head. “No. They had Dirk Phillips but he had to back out at the last minute. He broke his leg mountain biking and hasn’t fully recovered. Your climbing permit is still good, so you made an attractive substitute.”

“I don’t know,” Charlie said. “I just got back from Everest. I’m still recovering from jet lag. Two climbs in one season is crazy.”

“You’ll have a huge support staff. And they don’t expect you to summit. You’ll film around base camp and advance base camp, interview the Sherpas, the local government officials, the climbing guides. You’ll do most of that in Katmandu as they come off the mountain.”

Charlie knew this was an incredible opportunity. National Geographic was the pinnacle of the industry. Their expeditions were perfectly run, with personnel who knew exactly what they were doing. And if he took this job, there might be others in the future.

As much as he wanted to stay with Eve, he had to find a way to make a living. He couldn’t depend upon her to pay the bills. And this was only for a month. “Do I have some time to think about it?”

Kevin held out a piece of paper. “Take a look at this. It’s the compensation package they’re offering. I don’t think you need to think. This kind of salary puts you in a whole different ballpark.”

“Why me?”

“Look at yourself, Charlie. Guys want to be your best friend and women want to sleep with you. You have a face made for television. I’m just surprised no one has noticed before.”

“Okay,” Charlie said. “I’ll think about it. I’ll call you in a few days.”

“They need to know by Tuesday or they’ll push everything back to next season. And then Dirk will
be available,” Kevin said. He smiled. “Nice job on the speech. Television is going to love you.”

Charlie wandered back to the area they’d designated as his dressing room. It wasn’t more than an empty office with an adjacent bathroom. He sat down on the edge of a table. The offer was too good to pass up. Even he could see that.