Melt My Heart (Print)

Melt My Heart (Print)
Kate Steele
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2019 Kate Steele

“Who knows? Maybe something exciting will happen today.”

“Oh, sure. Like maybe you’ll catch a bear shitting in the woods. Be sure to take your camera,” advised the voice on the other end of the phone line before it dissolved into laughter.

Rolling his eyes and shaking his head at the sentiments of his coworker and best friend, Charlotte Adams, Mark Bartel chuckled and then continued to stuff a thermos of coffee and a couple of sandwiches into his backpack. “Very funny.”

“Seriously, Mark, you should have stayed in town. We could have done stuff together, like go shopping -- I know how much you love browsing the used bookstores -- or we could have taken in a movie or a play. Oh, and that new Thai place opened. I hear it’s really good.”

“Char, we always do those things. The whole point of coming out here was to get away to somewhere quiet for a while and just relax. Besides, I’m on vacation and you’re working. I’d still have had mounds of time on my own.”

“I know, and I also know how much you love it there in the boonies -- even though just the thought of the great outdoors makes me shudder.”

“Can’t see yourself roughing it, huh?”

“Honey, my idea of rough is going two weeks without a manicure. Oh, crap, there’s a call for me on the other line. Listen, you have fun, but be careful. I’m counting on you for the Madison project. I don’t want that prick Swenson anywhere near it; if I end up having to work with him, I won’t mourn you, even if you do get eaten by a bear.”

Mark suppressed a small shudder, not at the mention of bears, but of Derek Swenson, a colleague of his and Char’s who had made suggestive remarks to him more than once. The man had even gone so far as to deliberately seek Mark out, seeming to go out of his way to find reasons to touch him -- none of which had been welcomed. Swenson gave Mark the willies.

Pushing such unpleasant thoughts aside, Mark replied, “Gee, thanks. Nice to know how much I’m appreciated. ‘Bye, Char.”

“‘Bye.”

Mark ended the call, shouldered his backpack, and whistled for his dog Chip, a big English setter. Once outside, they found and followed a favored trail, hiking some distance into the national forest/wildlife refuge that bordered Mark’s property.

The breaths of man and dog were clearly visible as they traveled. Crisp and cold, the air was enough to invigorate, but not so frigid as to burn the skin at its touch. The entire area that surrounded them was beautiful, even this far into winter. All of the deciduous trees had pretty much shed their leaves, but the stark display of bare branches was relieved by the plentiful presence of evergreens. On the ground, autumn leaves were fading from reds, oranges, and yellows to rusty brown. They rustled underfoot as Mark and Chip marched briskly along the trail.

They’d seen a few deer and other, smaller examples of wildlife such as rabbits and squirrels. A well-trained Chip remained at his master’s side, sometimes quivering with the obvious desire to give chase. Mark let him flush a few birds, quail and pheasant, just for practice and as a reward for his pet’s obedience. Mark wasn’t a hunter, but Chip had been trained to point and retrieve, so Mark gave him rein to do his thing, knowing the dog enjoyed the excitement.

Mark was contemplating stopping for his midday meal when he caught the smell of woodsmoke. Fearing that a fire might somehow have broken out, he and Chip followed the scent, eventually emerging into a small clearing where someone had set up a camp. They were a good two-day hike from the park’s visitors’ center.

A tent had been pitched on the leeward side of a closely packed stand of pines, and a small fire burned merrily in a shallow pit near the center of the camp. A short distance away, an underground spring had made a random aboveground appearance. Sparkling water trickled over and formed a small pond around a jumbled grouping of rocks. Mark was wondering where the camper had disappeared to when a man emerged from the tent as though in answer to his thought.

Mark’s breath caught in his throat at that arresting sight. The stranger was tall, exceeding Mark’s own five-foot-nine-inch frame by four or five inches. Dark blond hair, long and caught back with a band at the nape of the man’s neck, gleamed beneath the bright sunlight, the bulk of the locks falling over one broad shoulder as he ducked through the tent’s entrance. A few shorter strands that had escaped the band fell artlessly over his wide forehead. Streaked blond brows and long lashes shaded deep blue eyes. Below them, the camper’s nose was straight, with a slight downward curve at the end that drew the eye to a pair of lips that had Mark licking his own. His firm jaw was accented by the barest hint of sexy stubble. An open coat revealed a tucked-in tee as well as an unbuttoned flannel shirt over a pair of jeans, accentuating what appeared to be a slim yet muscular body. A well-worn and rugged-looking pair of hiking boots completed the outfit.

Despite the shadowed and preoccupied expression that rested upon his fine and faintly patrician features, this modern-day rendition of a rugged mountain man was one of the most devastatingly attractive males Mark had seen in a long time. He had the distinct impression he might’ve seen this man somewhere before, but had that truly been the case, surely he would have remembered where. Someone who looked like that would not be easily forgotten. Regardless, his stomach clenched, and he inwardly cursed at how just the sight of this stranger sent his pulse racing.

Momentary surprise crossed the camper’s features when his blue-eyed gaze turned in Mark’s direction, but he quickly recovered and offered Mark a tentative smile. “Oh, hey, I wasn’t expecting to see anyone out here.” His voice was rich and smooth, the almost husky timbre like a warm caress down Mark’s spine.

Mark repressed a shiver as his toes curled inside his hiking boots. “Sorry. My dog and I were out hiking and I smelled your smoke.” He grimaced. “I mean the smoke from your fire, not cigarette smoke. I didn’t mean to imply you were smoking. Not that there would be anything wrong with that, although it is bad for your health.” Mark felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment and wanted to kick himself for his rambling, tongue-tied explanation. “Do you have any idea what I’m getting at here?”

The stranger chuckled. “I think I do. You thought something might be burning. It was considerate of you to check.” He came forward and offered his hand. “I’m Joe Moning.”

Admonishing himself to get a grip, Mark reached for Joe’s hand. Startled by a spark and snap, he snatched his hand back. “Ow!”

Joe’s rumbling laughter broke out. “Sorry about that. I’ve been zapped a couple of times myself this morning. It’s the blasted static electricity from the dry air -- either that, or it’s your electric personality,” he added with a teasing wink.

Mark raised a brow, giving Joe a slightly scornful scowl that he diluted with a half smile. “Yeah, right,” he scoffed. “Better stick with the dry-air theory. I’m Mark Bartel. Pleased to meet you, Joe.”

“Same here. So what brings you to the great outdoors?”

Mark indicated the dog sitting obediently by his side. “Just getting some exercise, me and Chip. We’re on vacation and staying at my cabin about five miles north of here. Thought I’d take advantage of the weather and get some hiking in before that snow the weatherman’s calling for starts flying in a couple of days.”

“Good idea. I plan to be out of here myself before it hits.” Joe turned a puzzled frown on Mark. “I didn’t realize they allow private homes in the park.”

“Oh, they don’t. My land and the park share a boundary.”

“Um, you’re lucky. I wouldn’t mind having a home around here.” Joe’s face took on a somewhat melancholy expression. “I love this place.” He seemed lost in thought for a moment, then returned his attention to Mark. “I was just about to fix some coffee. Care to join me for a cup?”

Mark accepted with a smile, squelching the memory of the thermos of coffee that rested in his backpack. He wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity to spend a little time in Joe’s company. It wasn’t every day that he stumbled across a gorgeous man in the woods.

It’s certainly better than a shitting bear. Wait till I tell Char, Mark thought with an inward smirk.