Read Online Wilderness Passion by Lindsay McKenna - Free Book Online
Authors: Lindsay McKenna
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robbery.” He shook his head. “The only way you get injured out here is if you’re blind, deaf or dumb.”
Libby saw his point “You’re making me feel ashamed,” she said. “But people have to live where there’s money to be made. That’s why cities exist.”
Dan rose, smiling grimly. “Thank God I can have my cake and eat it, too. My line of work doesn’t require me to go to the city to earn my pay.”
Standing, she tossed him a brilliant smile. “The only time you have to go to the city is when the chief biologist from Cascade Amalgamated asks for your presence in her office.’’
He took her bowl and a small washcloth from a plastic bag. “I didn’t find it that painful.” And then he added, “Matter of fact, it was a pleasant surprise in one way.” A wicked gleam came to his eyes. “I figured I’d be stuck with some old man who was bent over with arthritis and who would gripe every step of the way on our trek. Instead I find a bright, beautiful woman who I’m discovering has a very commendable streak of naturalness still left in her.” He halted, holding her startled gaze. “I’m surprised the city hasn’t jaded you, Libby.”
She tossed back her head, laughing. “Dan, you oversimplify things!” She picked up her towel, washcloth and soap from her pack and accompanied him down the gentle incline toward the small but swift-moving creek. “You know,” she drawled, “cities aren’t monsters, and the people in them aren’t evil trolls.”
“You certainly aren’t.”
“Give us a break. You should feel compassion for city dwellers, not disdain.”
Dan knelt downstream of her, washing out the bowls. “Now you’re overreacting,” he accused lightly. “And, believe it or not, I do go into the city every once in a while.”
Libby gave him a dramatic look, dipping the washcloth into the icy water. “Whatever for?”
“I occasionally like to see a play or go to hear a symphony.” And then he added dryly, “I suppose you thought I was the Hermit of the North Woods?”
She grinned, leaning down and splashing the water against her face. The icy tingle left her skin feeling taut and refreshed. “Good guess, Dan.” She was about to tease him about his poor wife, who was probably locked away in some dark little cabin, but decided against it. There was no ring on his left hand, but that didn’t mean anything. Suddenly she doubted all of her neat assumptions about Dan Wagner. Was he married? And then she asked herself why it should matter to her if he was. Libby frowned, highly uncomfortable with her shortsightedness, disliking her reaction to the question. She would never knowingly date a married man. She stole a look at Dan. He was so different from the men she had known in her life! And that difference made her feel incredibly exhilarated. He made her happy. That thought alone twisted the knife of loneliness more deeply into her heart. If he was married, she had to destroy those blossoming feelings.
Four miles from camp, Libby called a halt. They had reached the crest of a mountain range. A flowing green carpet of trees met her gaze in every direction. She saw the gleam in Dan’s eyes as he stood there, surveying the countryside. Funny, she mused, how they saw the woods in different ways. He saw it in terms of mature trees, wood products and dollar value. She looked upon the forest as an incredibly beautiful cape thrown about the earth’s shoulders by nature. One that should not be disturbed.
Unrolling the map and pinning it down with four rocks the size of his hand, Dan called out the coordinates for each mountain. Libby took the binoculars and began to decide what environmental tests and evaluations would have to be initiated to return the forest to its original beauty when the timber had been logged. Hours fled by as they worked in unison. He told her where he would be placing the all-important logging roads and she scribbled down the environmental measures that would have
Libby saw his point “You’re making me feel ashamed,” she said. “But people have to live where there’s money to be made. That’s why cities exist.”
Dan rose, smiling grimly. “Thank God I can have my cake and eat it, too. My line of work doesn’t require me to go to the city to earn my pay.”
Standing, she tossed him a brilliant smile. “The only time you have to go to the city is when the chief biologist from Cascade Amalgamated asks for your presence in her office.’’
He took her bowl and a small washcloth from a plastic bag. “I didn’t find it that painful.” And then he added, “Matter of fact, it was a pleasant surprise in one way.” A wicked gleam came to his eyes. “I figured I’d be stuck with some old man who was bent over with arthritis and who would gripe every step of the way on our trek. Instead I find a bright, beautiful woman who I’m discovering has a very commendable streak of naturalness still left in her.” He halted, holding her startled gaze. “I’m surprised the city hasn’t jaded you, Libby.”
She tossed back her head, laughing. “Dan, you oversimplify things!” She picked up her towel, washcloth and soap from her pack and accompanied him down the gentle incline toward the small but swift-moving creek. “You know,” she drawled, “cities aren’t monsters, and the people in them aren’t evil trolls.”
“You certainly aren’t.”
“Give us a break. You should feel compassion for city dwellers, not disdain.”
Dan knelt downstream of her, washing out the bowls. “Now you’re overreacting,” he accused lightly. “And, believe it or not, I do go into the city every once in a while.”
Libby gave him a dramatic look, dipping the washcloth into the icy water. “Whatever for?”
“I occasionally like to see a play or go to hear a symphony.” And then he added dryly, “I suppose you thought I was the Hermit of the North Woods?”
She grinned, leaning down and splashing the water against her face. The icy tingle left her skin feeling taut and refreshed. “Good guess, Dan.” She was about to tease him about his poor wife, who was probably locked away in some dark little cabin, but decided against it. There was no ring on his left hand, but that didn’t mean anything. Suddenly she doubted all of her neat assumptions about Dan Wagner. Was he married? And then she asked herself why it should matter to her if he was. Libby frowned, highly uncomfortable with her shortsightedness, disliking her reaction to the question. She would never knowingly date a married man. She stole a look at Dan. He was so different from the men she had known in her life! And that difference made her feel incredibly exhilarated. He made her happy. That thought alone twisted the knife of loneliness more deeply into her heart. If he was married, she had to destroy those blossoming feelings.
Four miles from camp, Libby called a halt. They had reached the crest of a mountain range. A flowing green carpet of trees met her gaze in every direction. She saw the gleam in Dan’s eyes as he stood there, surveying the countryside. Funny, she mused, how they saw the woods in different ways. He saw it in terms of mature trees, wood products and dollar value. She looked upon the forest as an incredibly beautiful cape thrown about the earth’s shoulders by nature. One that should not be disturbed.
Unrolling the map and pinning it down with four rocks the size of his hand, Dan called out the coordinates for each mountain. Libby took the binoculars and began to decide what environmental tests and evaluations would have to be initiated to return the forest to its original beauty when the timber had been logged. Hours fled by as they worked in unison. He told her where he would be placing the all-important logging roads and she scribbled down the environmental measures that would have
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