Territory (22 page)

To clear the snow berm, Briggs gunned the motor and the vehicle lurched forward. Once all four tires caught, the truck slowly climbed the road, gradually inching higher.

“Once,” Briggs began as the truck hit a bump and was rocked from side to side. “Mama’s brother Doug came up here with his wife Robin. It was near spring and most of the snow had melted with the exception of one thin snow berm that ran straight across this road. Uncle Doug got up some speed thinking he’d just crash through the berm. Imagine his and Aunt Robin’s surprise when they discovered the snow berm was solid ice. They flew through the air, and crash landed.” Briggs’ grin was infectious. “To this day I can’t hear reference to the Duke’s of Hazard or the General Lee without thinking of Uncle Doug and his snow jump.”

Briggs burst into laughter and Kya followed suit. “Aunt Robin still refuses to drive up this road with him, she walks the whole way.” Briggs shook his head still laughing as he pulled the truck to a stop at the top of the hill just next to the cabin. “And Uncle Doug still hates it when I call him Douglas Knievel.” Briggs’ grin widened again.

Briggs smiled at her a moment longer before he turned off the ignition and pulled his keys out. “Finally here. Ready to check the place out?”

As Briggs climbed down from the truck and raced around to Kya’s side to help her out she watched as he crossed in front of the truck, his chin tucked down against the bite of the wind. Her belly fluttered with barely restrained excitement and nerves.
Ready as I’ll ever be.

The cabin wasn’t what Kya expected at all. When Briggs told her they were going to a cabin in the woods she thought of dirt floors and outhouses, but this cabin was nothing like the dank hut she’d expected.

Briggs led her through the front door. “Make yourself at home. Look around. I’m going to turn on the heat and water. Then I’ll unload the truck.”

Walking through the front door Kya was greeted by a small pristine kitchen with a deep brown linoleum floor. The kitchen housed a fridge, microwave, oven, cabinets, and a sink that sat nestled just under a window that looked out at the truck. She shuffled from the kitchen to her right, opening a door that led to a bathroom with a toilette, sink, and shower.

“Wow,” she yelled after Briggs, “a shower? I was a little nervous when you said we’d be here for two weeks.”

Briggs yelled over his shoulder as he descended a staircase in the living room, “I like roughing it, just not too rough.”

Kya exited the bathroom and crossed from the kitchen into a dining area. The living space of the house was an all open floor plan. No walls separated the kitchen from the dining room, or the dining room from the sitting area.

Kya’s feet sunk into plush white carpet as she crossed in front of an empty fireplace to the farthest end of the cabin. Instead of a wall, the southern end of the cabin was made up of long tall panes of glass. Pulling back the blinds, Kya gasped at the stunning beauty that lay just beyond the windows. Rolling hills dotted with green pines stood to the forefront as snow tipped peaks rested majestically in the background.

A sliding glass door led out onto a balcony and Kya imagined how wonderful sitting on the balcony must be on a warm summer’s day. She smiled to herself as she watched a small herd of deer bound down from a line of trees, stopping to stick their faces in the snow foraging for food.

She spun as she heard Briggs tromping back up the stairs. The set of stairs leading down sat just opposite the fireplace.

“What’s down there?”

Briggs slapped his hands together as he ascended toward Kya, rubbing them swiftly in what appeared to be an attempt to warm them. “Go take a look.”

Too narrow for two bodies, Kya waited until Briggs was completely up the stairs before she went down. The lower level of the cabin housed the water heater and a second sitting room. Plus a door leading out created a daylight basement. The door led to an area just under the balcony where a porch swing hung invitingly to her left.

Kya stomped a foot, feeling like a petulant child. “Look! I’m going to carry my weight out here so you can hand me something or I’m just going to stand here and freeze.”

Briggs stood up in the back of the truck and glowered down at her, debating on calling her bluff. Finally deciding she was too obstinate he handed her a sleeping bag.

“Really? A sleeping bag.” Kya held it up and looked at it disgusted. “Gosh, I sure hope I don’t break my back carrying this thing in.”

her, resting both hands on his lean hips, his pitch-black hair lifting in the harsh Montana wind.

Briggs slowly stacked coolers, duffle bags, and totes just inside the kitchen door. Unsure what else to do, Kya rolled a large cooler to the fridge and began unpacking. She loaded the fridge with soda, water, beer, burgers, hot dogs, bacon, eggs, cheese, milk, and butter. Then she moved to a second cooler and filled the small kitchen’s cupboards with boxes of macaroni, microwave popcorn, cereal, pancake mix, coffee, sugar, and other essentials.

Once finished unloading the truck, Briggs joined her in unpacking. It was an hour before the cupboards and fridge were full, their luggage was taken upstairs to a cozy loft, and the wood crate in the living room was stocked with neatly piled logs.

“Finally. Time for a break.” Briggs sauntered up to the fridge as Kya tucked the last of clean kitchen towels into a drawer. “What would you like to drink?”

Briggs stood taking a long drink of his beer, eyeing Kya over the brim before he righted the can and licked his lips. “Just took you for a latte kind of girl is all.”

“I’m not sure what a ‘latte kind of girl’ is, but you don’t make it sound very flattering.” Kya held the can up to her lips and took a small drink.

“Well, if it’s flattery you want, all you had to do is ask.” Briggs set his can on the counter and turned his smoldering eyes back to Kya.

She didn’t waste a second sidestepping his advance and scurrying from the kitchen while attempting to change the subject. “Did you start a fire?” She squatted down in front of the fireplace to watch the dancing flames.

Briggs chuckled as he retrieved his can and strode casually back to the quaint kitchen. Kya watched his retreat out of the corner of her eye as she toyed nervously with the tab on her can.

Kya watched as Briggs pulled a pan from the cupboard, setting it on the stovetop before crossing to the fridge to rummage through its contents.

“If you’re sure…”

Briggs stood and smiled at her over the fridge door. “I’m sure. Your bag is already up there.” Then his head disappeared again behind the fridge door.

Kya stood and stretched feeling a little guilty for leaving Briggs to do all the dinner preparation, but knowing that she’d rather take advantage of a brief nap then to share the tight confines of the kitchen with his too masculine presence. She bit her lip as she crossed the living room to a steep flight of stairs that led up to the loft. She watched Briggs working in the kitchen and her belly somersaulted as one thought hit her with earth shattering clarity.
Mine
.

Briggs must have felt it too. He stopped what he was doing and dropped his hands onto the counter. He appeared to be leaning heavily onto the formica surface, as if his knees were about to give out. Slowly, he turned his head to eye Kya, who’d stopped just at the bottom of the staircase. Desire swept through her as Briggs eyed her from head to toe, devouring her with his gaze.

Kya shook her head, trying to free her mind from such traitorous thoughts. “Sorry.” She whispered before scurrying up the stairs.

At the top of the stairs Kya stopped and leaned against the wall, wrapping her arms tightly around her mid-section as if the gesture could prevent her desire for Briggs from emanating from her slight frame.

Idiot! How can you honestly entertain such schoolgirl fantasies? You know he only claimed you so that he’d know how to find you. It was out of necessity, not desire. Pull yourself together and stop acting like a fucking idiot!

After several deep breaths, she pushed off the wall and froze in her tracks. She eyed the small loft, which hosted a large bed in the center of the room with a wooden bench resting at the foot of the bed. Turning to the door behind her, she turned the knob and pushed the door open. A closet. Trepidation and excitement raced through her as she sunk to her knees in the plush cream carpet.
Only one bed
.

Eyes tightly shut, Kya had been trying to force herself to nap for the past forty-five minutes. Her eyes snapped open and she sighed her frustration. Sitting up, she turned to punch her pillow for the umpteenth time before plopping back down dejectedly. She knew if her head were resting on the softest pillow in the universe it wouldn’t matter. Sleep would not be claiming her anytime soon.

Lying on her side, she gnawed nervously on her bottom lip as she crammed one hand under the pillow and clamped the other between her knees.

Did he want me to come up to the room now so I’d know what to expect tonight? What should I expect tonight? He doesn’t really expect me to sleep with him just because he’s claimed me…does he?

Kya rolled to her other side, nerves knotting her belly.

Maybe he’ll do the polite thing and sleep down on the sofa.
Kya rolled her eyes and heaved another heavy sigh, knowing beyond a doubt that Briggs had no intention of spending their first night as mates alone on the couch.

Kya sat up and crossed her legs, resting her head in hands.
How? How do I always get myself into the most uncomfortable situations in the world?
She was rocking back and forth when she heard footsteps approach at the bottom of the stairs.

“Kya, dinner’s ready. Come down.”

Brigg’s crisp, calm command sent shivers down her spine. He knew she wasn’t sleeping. Kya wondered for a second if he’d broken his promise and was reading her thoughts. She quickly discarded the notion knowing that Briggs would never go back on his word.

She swung her legs off the bed and quickly re-tied her shoes before grabbing her empty beer can and descending the stairs.

The aroma of barbecue sauce and warm bread wafted up to her. “Mmm. Smells good.”

Briggs pulled out a chair at the dinner table as Kya approached. She claimed her seat and used both hands to tuck her free flowing soft brown hair behind her ears.

“Hope you’re hungry.” Briggs commented as he carried two large plates to the table. He set one plate in front of Kya and the other at the opposite end of the table where his place setting was arranged.

“Wow! This looks delicious.” Kya eyed her plate of barbecue ribs, boiled potatoes, salad, and dinner roll.” She smiled up at Briggs who stood over her with a just retrieved bottle of wine from the fridge.

“Wine?”

“Yes, please.” Kya grabbed the stem of her wine glass and held her dainty glass up for Briggs to fill. “What is it?”

Briggs filled her glass half full before crossing to fill his glass and take his seat. “It’s a white merlot. According to my sister it’s delicious.”

Kya pushed her chair back and retrieved a cold can of beer from the fridge. She cracked it open and set it next to Briggs’ plate.

He took a long drink. “That’s much better. I thought I could feign refinement, but some men just weren’t built for that sissy stuff. No offense.”