“Make yourself as large as possible,” Charles answered.

“That’s right,” Jeff said.

Professional. She had to act professional. Don’t let them smell fear. “Why don’t you and I take turns keeping watch? I’ll be happy to take the first shift.” She couldn’t imagine what he’d been thinking bringing six children up here alone. How responsible was that?

Matt laughed out loud, several others muffled snickers. She glared at them. Then again, they weren’t exactly helpless babies, were they? Mountain lion bait, more like it.

“What for?” Jeff asked, though there was something about the tone of his voice.

Willa turned back to him. His lips contorted as he tried to smother a laugh. “For predators!” she exclaimed outraged. Duh!

Losing his battle, Jeff laughed long and hard, sending a rush of burning fury straight to her toes. “Mountain lions are not interested in us. Just make sure all the dishes are cleaned and the food is sealed up, and the uh…predators will have no reason to come near here.”

Willa cringed. How had she gotten herself into this situation? Why hadn’t she just booked a hotel room like the captain had suggested? Because she could find them in an hour, no problem, she silently mocked. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

“You can have my tent tonight.” Jeff’s voice cut through her torturous thoughts.

She looked up astonished. “No, I couldn’t do that.” She clamped down on her lip, regretting the words the instant they slipped out of her mouth. Of course, she could. “Where would you sleep?” she asked softly, and berated herself for sounding like the wimp he believed her to be.

“Out here under the stars. I’ll keep watch for the predators.”

She glared at him, certain he was laughing at her again. She could even see the laughter dancing in his eyes. She ached to punch him.

“Unless of course, you’d rather keep watch. I understand you’re pretty good with your feet.”

“No, that’s quite all right. You’ve seen one star, you’ve seen them all. But, thanks, I’ll take you up on the tent offer.”

“My pleasure.” He leaned close, his warm breath tickling her ear and sending shivers straight down her spine. “Maybe in the morning you’ll tell me exactly what you’re doing here, Blondie.”

Dread sunk to the bottom of her stomach. He knew. What to do? What to do! “Um, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll go to sleep now.” Direct avoidance, a woman’s best tactic. She muffled an oversize yawn. “It’s been quite a day. I’ll see you in the morning.” She got up, took her gear into the tent and zipped it up tight.

Only then did she allow herself to breathe. She’d get the evidence while he slept, then get out before dawn. With luck, she’d be halfway down the mountain before he even woke and realized she was gone. She arranged her sleeping bag then climbed in, squirming as she tried to find a softer bit of ground. What was under her anyhow, granite? Giving up on comfort, she laid back and stared into the darkness.

After a while, the noises died down, or maybe she just became used to them, and the kids went into their tents and all fell quiet. Taking a deep breath, she peeked through the tent’s opening. True to his word, Jeff lay sprawled on the ground in front of her, staring up at the sky. How could anyone sleep where bugs and who knew what else could crawl all over you?

He wouldn’t be out there if it weren’t for you. She sighed. He was incredibly handsome, and kind, too. And the first man to set her heart racing in a very long time. And he thought she was a hooker. Oh well, what difference did it make? There wasn’t a man alive who could see through to the real her. Not the cop—underpaid, underappreciated, and misunderstood—or the woman who’d obviously been alone for too long.

Maybe Ben was right; maybe she did need a life. Not that she’d had much luck with men in the past. As soon as they got close, they were trying to change her, control her, mold her into their idea of the perfect woman. Well, perfect never looked good on her.

At last, his breathing evened. As quietly as possible, she opened the zipper and slipped out of the tent. In the dying glow of the firelight, she methodically searched around his sleeping bag for his jeans, but couldn’t find them. Did he still have them on? She chewed her bottom lip. Of course he did; nothing about this trip was easy. Why should this be any different?

She grabbed the metal tongue of his sleeping bag and, inch by inch, slid the zipper down until the bag was opened to his waist. She glanced up at his face, her heart pounding so hard in her chest, she was afraid he might be able to hear it. She slipped her hand inside his bag and felt around. Tentatively, her fingers scraped across denim. Yep, he was definitely still wearing his jeans. She swallowed hard, then moved her hand around to the vicinity of his back pockets. He let out a soft groan.

Terror leaped into her chest.

His eyes opened.

She froze, unable to move, unable to breathe.

His eyes closed, then he rolled onto his side giving her easy access to the pen. She slipped it out of his pocket, and all but threw herself back into the tent. It wasn’t until after she had herself zipped in tight and settled back down, her heart and breathing returning to normal, that she realized she’d forgotten to rezip his sleeping bag.

“Oh, man,” she muttered. There was just no way, no way, she was going back out there to do it again. He was an expert mountain man; he’d just have to take his chances with the lizards and snakes and all the other predators out there. Poor, poor man, Willa thought as she drifted to sleep.