Read Online Stay With Me by Carolyn Astfalk - Free Book Online Page A

feel a little
heated.
    The rain eased.
    “Just a passing shower, I hope,” Chris said. “When
it stops, we can go to the camp store down at the entrance and get some
supplies.”
    “Whatever you say. I’m the newbie.”
    After fifteen minutes, the rain stopped and the sun
came out. They drove out of the campground and to the store near Big Meadows,
aptly named, she thought. That’s all it was—a big, big meadow. When she looked
carefully, she noticed more deer nibbling their way around a copse of small
trees.
    Chris grabbed a basket in the store, and he picked
up an extra camp towel, a small whisk broom, and enough food for dinner and
breakfast. She left him to finish his shopping while she browsed the tee shirts
and typical tourist trap items—Christmas ornaments, magnets, shot glasses, and
back scratchers. She meandered into the children’s section and perused a
variety of bug catchers and magnifying glasses. She selected one of the small
bug holders and took it to the cashier.
    “Found something you like?” Chris had a bag in each
hand.
    She held up her own small bag.
    “Bug holder. There are lightning bugs down here,
aren’t there?”
    “Yep.”
    “I kind of never got over catching them.” She
shrugged and gave him a sheepish smile. She couldn’t resist catching as many
fireflies as she could every opportunity she got. Silly, but true.
    ***
    Chris planned a day hike for the afternoon. Rebecca
knew that he slowed his pace for her, but he didn’t seem to mind; they took
their time and enjoyed the natural beauty that surrounded them. Chris knew all
about the cabin foundations they passed, what kind of trees lined the trail,
and even where to find some elusive little salamanders that lived only inside
the park. He acted as a personal park guide for her.
    Despite their leisurely pace, Rebecca was dog-tired
by the time they got back to the campground. When Chris told her he’d handle
dinner, she sunk into the hammock with relief. She must have been more tired
than she thought, because an hour and a half later, Chris leaned into the
hammock, nudged her arm, and summoned her to dinner.
    She hadn’t counted on more than hot dogs and beans,
but Chris had grilled steaks, baked potatoes in the fire, and cooked corn on
the cob, too. Between mouthfuls of hot, buttery potato she praised his cooking.
    “Thank you. I’m sure I’m not as good a cook as you
are a baker. Those peanut butter bars were out of this world. I do think
everything tastes better over a campfire though.”
    “So, do you cook in a kitchen, too, or just over a
fire?”
    “Uh, let’s just say my indoor cuisine is limited to
things I can boil and microwave.”
    Rebecca leaned away from the picnic table and
patted her full belly. “I’m stuffed. What’s for dessert?”
    Chris laughed. “You remind me of Alan. He used to
eat about three nibbles of his dinner when we were kids, say he was full, but
then tell my mom there was still room in the ‘dessert part.’ And, I do have a
bag of marshmallows.”
    “Ooh, marshmallows. I can do dessert. You point me
in the direction of the marshmallows and the long fork-thingies, and then go
put your feet up by the fire.”
    “The marshmallows are in the bear box, and the
‘fork thingies’ are on top of it.” Chris must have been beat, too, because he
went right to his camp chair, unlaced his boots and propped his feet on an old
log to the side of the fire pit.
    Rebecca came back with the forks and marshmallows
and tore open the bag so she could place a couple of marshmallows on each tine.
“So, do you like your marshmallows burnt, toasty with a gooey inside, or
lightly browned?” She ticked each option off on her fingers.
    When he didn’t answer right away, she looked over.
Chris’s hands were behind his head, which he had leaned back as far as he
could, and his eyes were closed. “I could go for something hot and luscious.”
    That had to be a double entendre—one she chose to
ignore. He