He also kept his distance and kept his mouth shut, sure when she relaxed a little more, she would realize he was still the same man who had taken her virginity with sweetness and care. Feeling himself stir at that hot, shadowy memory, Marc pulled on his coat and stepped out into the very cold Illinois air after motioning the wolf to stay.
They were camped in a large, one-room log cabin deep in the Eagle Creek Recreation area, this particular building chosen for its complete lack of Christmas decorations. The area in which he had chosen to make camp was on the farthest edge of the resort complex, away from the main clubhouse and lavish apartments. He'd even shunned the golfing side, choosing instead to hole up deep in the campground. It was almost serene here, no damage visible thanks to the thick forest around them, and he was glad they had finally cleared the St. Louis quake zone.
The cabin had no yard to speak of, just dense willow and oak trees that hung thickly over the rustic rails. Marc hefted himself into their canopy, wanting to see what (who) was around them, but even with his scope, the leaves were too thick to see the outlines of the wealthier resort area. Only the shadows of blackened foliage told him that Angie's words of a huge fire were true. Not that he'd doubted her.
Frowning, Marc stayed in the tree, watching. Their first week together had gone smoothly. Even crossing the ugly, swollen Mississippi River had been easy, by using an out of the way dam. He tried to do things for her, but she was stubborn, always insisting on the hardest path. The tone of her voice seemed to beg for another mile each time he asked if she was ready to stop for the night, and he always gave in. As a result, she was exhausted, and he was tired, so much that they weren't unpacking anything but their bedrolls and the heater most nights. Marc sighed again. She needed a break. Soon, they both would.
2
Angela awoke abruptly, instantly aware that other than the wolf, she was alone in the chilly room. She concentrated, worried Brady had tired of babysitting her and left, but she found him just outside and tried to relax. Between the fear of Kenny's reaction hanging over her head like a noose, and her dreams of the twins, she was freaking out a little. She knew Marc was picking up on it and was grateful for the things he did to make her feel better, but there would be hell to pay once Kenny…