She fanned the flames. The wood smoke wafted in the air. The fire crackled happily, consuming the dry wood eagerly. Standing, she brushed her hands on her jeans. Now to figure out what she was going to eat. She turned to see where she had put her pack and slammed directly into a flannel-clad chest.
"Hey!" Lydia brought both hands up and shoved.
The chest disappeared then there was the sound of a thud as someone hit the ground.
Lydia blinked. "Damn," she said, looking down at the most gorgeous hunk of man she had ever seen.
He looked up at her with eyes as black as night, and a grin with dimples that could break her heart. "Got one helluva shove there."
Lydia reached out her hand. "Sorry. You spooked me." He grabbed her hand and she pulled.
Once he was on his feet, she had to look up to find his eyes again. "I thought I was the only person out here in these woods." She took a step back toward the fire. She shoved her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. Her heart fluttered for a moment, then settled. She wasn't sure, but it felt like a mixture of fear and lust. She should be a bit scared of the guy, but good grief, she had never seen someone that damned good-looking before. Dark haired, lumberjack type--just like she had wished for earlier.
The man brushed at the butt of his jeans. "I live just over at a summer camp," he said with a smile. He brushed his right hand on the leg of his jeans then offered it to her. "I'm Eric Raven."
Lydia took his hand. He had a firm handshake, a warm hand. A very warm hand. "Glad to meet you. I'm Lydia Cross." She released his hand before hers started to sweat from the contact. A shimmering thrill ran up her spine. Eric Raven was absolutely a keeper. "Um, you actually live around here?" she asked, moving toward the fire. She'd better put some distance between them. Not only was she really attracted to him, she didn't know him, and meeting someone out here in the middle of nowhere was odd. She squatted down and picked up a stick, poking at the hot ashes. "I thought Maine Paper Land was a 'Wildlife Only' zone."
He moved to her side, and squatted next to her. "There are us loggers, too. By the way," he said, looking at her out of the corner of his eye, "you don't look much like a logger."
Lydia let out a laugh. "Thank goodness." Then she almost choked. "Oh, not that loggers aren't good-looking," she backpedaled. "Especially if they look like you. Um, geez, I'm making a complete fool of myself here, aren't I?" She could feel heat filtering into her cheeks. Oh, good grief. Now I'm blushing.
"Hey, I'll take any compliment I can get." Then he smiled.
Lydia cocked her head. There was something about his smile. He turned his head, looking toward the fire. No, not his smile. His teeth.
"You're not scared," he said, "being out here by yourself?"
"Should I be?" She watched his face. Firelight flickered across his cheekbones, played in the darkness of his eyes.
)
