Lost in You Read Free

him.  
    Lacy demanded, “What did you say?”  
    “It’ll probably taste just like chicken.” His cool brown eyes dared her to contradict him.  
    An enormous black buzzard landed on the log, cawing loudly. Beady eyes zeroed in on the snake carcass.  
    “Go find your own dinner, scavenger,” Becker said, chasing the bird away. He tossed a smug look over his broad shoulder. “You too, cupcake.”  
    Right then Lacy knew she’d have to eat the snake. Even if it gagged her. Even if it killed her. Better to embrace the idea now, rather than having to…well, eat crow later and admit he’d been right.  
    Before she lost her nerve, she picked up the tail end of the snake.  
    Eww. It was still warm. “How are you going to cook it?”  
    Did Becker suddenly look a little green?  
    “Can’t sauté it in a white wine and cream sauce, now, can I?” He chopped off the head, picking up the leftover chunk. “We’ll roast it like a hot dog. Let’s go. Gotta log a few more miles before dark.”  
    “What am I supposed to do with this?”  
    “Carry it. The rattle might scare off other snakes.”  
    “ Other snakes?”  
    Becker smiled before he shouldered his pack and started down the trail.  
    Insufferable jerk. She had no choice but to play follow-the-leader.  
    Every once in awhile she rattled the snake tail, just to be safe.

    Hours later, Lacy’s feet were sore, blistered and probably bleeding.  
    Her back ached and she still clutched a dead reptile.  
    She groaned. “I can’t move another step.”  
    Becker stopped and stretched. “Fine. We’ll take a break.”  
    “ You can take a break. I’m done for today.”  
    She lifted her face to the breeze, listening to the birdsong and the faint sound of water trickling nearby. With the mountains rising all around them, this remote area was one of the most magnificent places she’d ever seen. “This is breathtaking.”  
    “I’ll say.”  
    Becker wasn’t looking at the scenery, but at her.  
    Oh man. He flustered her with one look. What would happen if he actually touched her? She’d probably erupt like Old Faithful.  
    She refocused on their surroundings.  
    They’d left the jagged cliffs behind and hiked into a deep canyon. Pine trees grew on a steep incline towering to reach the periwinkle sky. To the right, a small clearing packed with tall, pale green grass eventually sloped up into another craggy hill. It wasn’t the flower-filled meadow she’d expected, but it was stunning.  
    “We’ll make camp here. It’s almost dusk anyway. You’d better gather some stuff to burn for the fire tonight before you get too comfy.”  
    “Fine. What are you going to be doing?”  
    “Skinning the snake. Of course, if you’d rather do it, I’ve got no problem trading jobs.”  
    Lacy shuddered. “No thanks.” She handed him the limp remains and trudged toward the trees, cursing her swollen feet.  
    “Don’t go far,” he called. “I don’t want to spend the rest of the night wondering if you’ve become a mountain lion snack.”  
    “Bite me, Pecker.”  
    His soft laughter echoed around her. Seemed the acoustics in the canyon were better than a microphone. Or Mr. Nature had the hearing of a bat.  
    Or Becker was more focused on her than she realized.  
    A shiver ran through her, not one of revulsion.  
    Half an hour later Lacy proudly eyed the pile of pinecones, twigs and decayed logs she’d gathered. In the flattest spot, Becker had lined rocks in a circle and dug a shallow fire pit.  
    Home sweet home.  
    But Becker was nowhere to be seen.  
    She wiped the sweat and dirt from her forehead with the back of her hand. Ick. Snake germs. She crossed the meadow toward the tinkling sound of water. She stumbled over a tree root and her tongue when she saw a shirtless Becker standing in the stream.  
    Lacy quickly ducked behind a clump of bushes and gawked.  
    His wide, muscled shoulders were tanned golden brown. Rivulets