Amber Grayson crouched beside a pine tree, trying not to make the slightest sound. She held her breath and watched the deer root through the new fallen snow, looking for what little grass there was to graze on. Easy now, she thought. One little noise, and he’ll be gone. She got her sites on the deer and brought him into focus in all his majestic glory. And man, what an antler span! The deer raised its head and looked right at her.


It froze.


Amber froze.


This is just too perfect, she thought. My brothers back home won’t believe I saw such a deer, let alone got a shot at it! She held her breath, readied her finger, then pressed down.


Nothing happened.


“Shoot!” She groaned. “Dang it all to heck!” Her camera was jammed.


At the sound of her voice the deer bounded off into the trees. There went her perfect shot!

“Damn it!”


Amber rose to her feet at the sound of another voice; a very mad, male voice. A man dressed in all his hunting glory; camouflage pants, orange vest, the works, came toward her, looking like a bull on the rampage.


“What the hell did you go and do that for?” he yelled, and threw down his cap.


Amber thought he was going to stomp on it, but instead he picked it back up, slapped the snow off against his leg and jammed it on his head. He was quite good-looking for a hunter. Amber felt her heart give a curious little jolt. Furious, brown eyes glared at her.


“I’ve been tracking that deer for days! I had the perfect shot!”


“Don’t blow a gasket. I’m sorry you missed your shot.” Amber thought for a second. “No, actually I’m not sorry. Why do you want to kill something so cute?”


“Because it makes cute sandwiches.” His voice dripped with sarcasm.


Amber rolled her eyes. “It makes even cuter pictures.” An icy wind cut through her layer of clothing causing, her to shiver. The snow that had been falling steadily, was falling even harder now, and it was a good five mile hike back to her car. She didn’t really have time to stand there and argue about what made a deer look appealing.


“Look, it’s getting late. I’d love to argue about this some more, but I’d prefer not to freeze to death while doing it. Plus it’s about to get dark, and I definitely don’t want to be out in this storm in the dark.” Amber gathered up her equipment and turned to leave.


“How far do you have to walk?”


Amber turned back around and shrugged. “Four or five miles.”


“How well do you know this forest?”

Amber sighed in irritation, and adjusted the camera strap on her shoulder. “I know my way around the woods. I was raised in the wild. I’ll just simply follow my footprints in the snow back to my car. Okay? Are you happy now?”


The hunter raised his eyebrow. “What footprints?”


Amber looked in the direction she’d come and gasped. Not a footprint was in site. She’d been so caught up in getting a picture of that elusive deer that she’d let common sense drain right out of her brain. First order of business, don’t panic!


“My name’s Cody Wells.” He extended one large hand toward her.


She was stuck out here in the middle of nowhere, with a snowstorm howling through the trees, and he was introducing himself? She couldn’t keep the incredulous look off her face.


“I figured since we will be spending the night together, it would be a good idea to at least know each other’s name.” A wicked, playful grin spread across his handsome face.


Amber opened her mouth but no words came out. Color crept into her cheeks at the thought of how pleasant it might be to spend the night in this man’s arms. She hoped he would think it was the cold wind making her cheeks so red.


He laughed. “Don’t look so scandalous. I wasn’t suggesting anything lewd. There’s no way you’ll make it back to your car before night-fall. Even the best trackers would have trouble finding their way in a storm like this.”


“Then what were you suggesting?” She didn’t like the way his laugh had made her heart do triple time.


“There’s an abandoned cabin just over that ridge.” He nodded his head in that direction. “I think it would be best if we waited out the storm there.”

What he said made sense, but her independent streak wanted to find another solution. She gazed back in the direction she had come.


“You can try it if you want, but I don’t recommend it. I really would hate to find your pretty, body frozen solid in the morning.”


“Well, since you put it like that.” She shivered and clapped her numb hands together to try and bring life back into them. Even with gloves on, they felt like blocks of ice.


Cody took one long last look where the deer had been standing, shook his head, then started in the direction of the cabin.


Amber reluctantly followed and fell in step beside him. “Amber Grayson.”


His only response was a nod.


“If I’d known you were here, I wouldn’t have scared the deer off,” she offered in a way of a truce. She hadn’t really wanted the deer to be shot, but this man looked so disappointed at not getting it, she felt a little bad.


“I should have warned you,” he said.


Amber frowned. “Warned me?”


“I watched you for about five minutes while you were waiting for the ...” He gestured toward the camera ... “perfect picture.”


“You could have shot that deer at any time during that five minutes.”


“I know. I was just waiting for ... never mind.” He picked up his pace, and Amber almost had to run to keep up with him. She saw the cabin nestled in between the ridge they were on, and the mountain across from them.


“Waiting for what?” she asked a little breathlessly.


“Nothing. Forget I said anything.”

“Don’t “nothing” me! I want to know what you were waiting for.” They reached the cabin and walked up on the porch.


“You are either awfully curious or you just like to argue about everything.” Cody gave the door a mighty kick. The solid oak door didn’t budge.


“Ever thought about turning the door knob?” Amber grasped the knob and turned it. The door swung open.


“Women always have to do things the easy way.” Cody followed her into the cold cabin.


“Doesn’t look very abandoned to me.” Amber looked around the furnished room. A black leather couch, matching chair and loveseat filled the center of the room. Bookshelves lined one wall, and a huge fireplace took up most of another wall. A hallway lead down to what she assumed was the sleeping quarters. The living room and kitchen were separated by an island bar. She ran her finger through a thick coating of dust on an end table. “But no one has been here in quite some time. That’s for certain.”


“Why would they go off and leave the door unlocked?” Cody asked.


Amber shrugged. “Maybe they went out for a walk.”


Cody snorted. “Yeah, and you’re Goddilocks, and I’m the hunter that’s gonna save you from the big bad wolf.”


Amber laughed. “You’re mixing up your fairy tales.”


Cody shook his head and unloaded his gun, leaning it against the wall. “I’m going out to find some firewood so we can put that fireplace to some good use.” He pointed toward the kitchen. “You might want to see if there is any food.”


After Cody shut the door behind him, Amber set her camera case on the love seat. Rubbing her arms to stir up some heat in her frozen limbs, she walked toward the kitchen.

A search of the cupboards turned up three packs of instant chicken noodle soup, and a half a pack of saltines. “Boy, I hope we don’t get stranded here.” The thought of being stranded with the handsome hunter didn’t seem all that bad, though. She could think of worse things that could happen to her. A smile spread across her face, as a warmth spread throughout her body when she thought of Cody. What on earth are you thinking? she berated herself. Now was not the time for her sex drive to kick into high gear!


The cabin door swung open and Cody came back in carrying a load of wood. The icy wind blew toward the kitchen, causing Amber to shiver. She hurried to close the door behind him.


“Are you trying to freeze me to death?”


Cody dropped the wood in front of the fireplace without bothering to answer her.


“There’s not much to eat, so I hope we don’t have to stay here too long.”


Cody looked over his shoulder at her. “We could have had fresh deer meat tonight, but no, somebody had to go and scare the deer off.”


“You’re not the only one who’s disappointed because the deer got away! I didn’t get my shot off either.”


“You can’t eat a picture.” Cody began stacking wood in the fireplace.


“Like you were actually gonna eat that deer after putting a bullet through it.” Amber moved back toward the kitchen and rummaged through the cabinets looking for a pot to heat the soup in.


“I always eat what I shoot.”


“Oh, really? I figured it was just a sport to you. Look at me, I can shoot a helpless, defenseless animal, I’m a man now!” Amber was being unfair and she knew it. She’d grown up around men who hunted. Her father and three brothers lived for deer season, or whatever animal season was open, so they could get out in the woods and satisfy their urge to kill something. And they always ate what they drug home.


Cody turned back to finish building the fire, but not before Amber saw the hurt look on his face. She had struck a nerve, but was confused as to which one.


“I’ll just heat this soup up.” She found a beat up pot in the bottom cabinet, and placed it on the eye of the stove. She was rewarded with the electricity actually being on.


Fifteen minutes later she brought a mug of hot soup and extended it toward Cody. He took it and nodded his thanks, turning back to gaze at the now blazing fire.


“It’s getting a little warmer in here,” Amber said.


Cody nodded again.


Amber almost groaned out loud. Just like a man to shut out a woman where his feelings were concerned.


“I don’t have anything against hunters. I hunt animals too, but I prefer to shoot them with a camera rather than a gun.” She took a sip of her soup, savoring the salty, chicken taste. When Cody didn’t say anything she continued. “Besides, isn’t it true that most hunters hunt for the sport of it?”


“Not always, no. I like to get out in the woods and get away from the daily grind of life.” He set his soup on the end table and sat back. “I enjoy being out where I’m the only person for miles around ... well, almost the only person.” His gaze slowly swept her from head to toe. A pleasant shiver snaked its way up her spine. It felt like Cody had just made love to her with his eyes.


They fell silent for a few minutes. Amber hated it when she prejudged someone based on what they did. Not all situations were the same. Not all hunters were the same.


“Why didn’t you shoot the deer when you had a chance?” she asked. That unanswered question had been niggling at her all evening.

Cody sighed. “Because I wanted you to get your picture first.”


Amber almost dropped her soup in surprise. She knew she must look ridiculous with her mouth hanging open, but she couldn’t help it.


“But why?”


Before he could answer, something thumped against the wall, causing something to clatter against the ground outside, followed by another thump.


“What was that?” Amber asked, looking toward the back door.


Cody stood up. “Maybe it’s the big bad wolf coming home from his walk.” His tone may have been joking, but Amber watched him reach for his gun and load it before going to the back door.


She followed, and peered over his shoulder when he opened the back door. The darkness didn’t let her see much, until Cody turned on a flashlight he’d slipped from his coat pocket.


He moved the flashlight over the back yard from one end to the other and back again. The light swept the edge of the woods, making the trees look creepy in the shadows the light cast out. Two tin garbage cans were overturned. One of them still rolled back and forth. The light picked up two glowing eyes inside one of the cans.


Cody raised his gun and took aim.


“Do you have to shoot everything?” Amber whispered.


“Hell, yeah!”


“Come on. The poor raccoon just wants to get somewhere out of the cold.”


Cody shook his head. “I was just kidding. I have to keep up the macho appearance. I can’t let other people know I don’t kill every animal I see.” He winked.


Amber looked toward the ceiling in exasperation. “Well, I’m the only one here with you, so you don’t have to keep up appearances for me.”

He shut the door. “Happy now?” he asked.


“Very happy.” Her stomach growled loud and clear. “Except for my stomach. That soup just ain’t gonna get it!”


“I can still shoot the raccoon. We can skin it and cook it over the fire.”


“Ewwwww! No thanks! I’d rather starve.”


Cody laughed. “Your call.”


Amber moved back to the fire, and sat down on the floor and gazed into the flames, letting them mesmerize and lull her into peacefulness. The only light came from a night light over the electric range. Amber loved a lighted fireplace in the dark.


“Why did you want me to get my picture first?” she asked again.


Cody sat down on the edge of the couch, rested his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together. “I was hoping you’d forget I said that.”


Amber smiled. “Not a chance. Now tell.”


Cody looked thoughtful for a minute or two, then moved to the window and stared out at the darkness. He didn’t say anything for a long while.


“Well?” Amber prompted.


“I don’t know.” He turned and looked at her, stealing her breath away with the expression on his face. He looked so vulnerable, like he was about to tell her a secret that he’d never shared with anyone else before.


“You do know,” she said softly.


“When I was a small boy, I used to find hurt animals and fix them up; a bird with a broken wing, a rabbit with an infested sore, you know, those sort of things. But I would never let my father know I did this, because he was a big hunter. There was no room for loving animals, unless of course it was a dog. You just didn’t do that sort of thing in the Wells family.” He shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat. “So, when I was old enough to go on hunting trips with dad, I went. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy hunting. It’s challenging to try and outsmart the animal.” He moved back to the couch.


“It takes a real genius to hunt down an animal and kill it.”


“How many times did that deer outsmart you, before you got him in the perfect place for a picture?”


Amber felt herself blush for the third time that evening. More times than she cared to count. Most of the time it was something stupid she’d done, like snapping a twig under her boots, or being where the wind could carry her scent to the deer. One time she’d even worn perfume on one of her nature hunts!


“There have been times when I got the animal in the perfect place to shoot it,” Cody continued. “But I didn’t because I didn’t need the meat. I still got the satisfaction of knowing I could have killed it, but I didn’t actually need to do it to feel satisfied.”


Amber nodded. It made perfect sense. “You didn’t need to bring home a trophy so to speak.”


“Exactly.”


“Then why did you get so mad at me for scaring the deer off?” she asked.


A grin spread across his face. “That appearance thing, again.”


Amber laughed and nodded. “I guess I should apologize. I had you pegged with all the other macho, tobacco chewing, gun toting baboons out there.” She yawned. “Sorry, it’s been a long day. Takes a lot of work to outsmart an animal.” She winked.


“You didn’t do such a bad job.”


“How do you know?”


“Because I watched you most of the day.”


“You were watching me?” Her eyes widened in surprise.

“I was ... um ...intrigued as to why such a beautiful woman was out in the woods wandering around.” He cleared his throat.


“How come I didn’t know you were there?”


“I’m good at what I do.”


Amber laughed. “I guess you are. Are you good enough to find our way out of this forest tomorrow?”


Amber watched, amazed, as his face colored.


“Actually I know exactly where we are. I ... um ... this is my brother’s place. Didn’t you think to question why the electricity was turned on?”


“Why didn’t you just tell me that? I don’t think your brother would have appreciated you kicking his door off its hinges!”


Cody shrugged. “My brother never locks the door, but I had to make it look like I didn’t know where I was. Besides he quit questioning the crazy things I do a long time ago.”


“But why didn’t you just tell me?” Amber asked.


“I didn’t think you’d come here with me. I didn’t want you to get lost in the snow, plus the driving conditions wouldn’t have been good. And ... I ... wanted to get to know you.” He tugged on the collar of his shirt.


Amber smiled as sunlight flooded her insides. Cody looked so sweet she couldn’t be angry with him. Besides he wanted to get to know her. “Well, next time we meet here, I’d like a little more food stocked in those cabinets.”


“Next time don’t scare the deer off, and you’ll have a well stocked fridge.” He grinned.


Amber picked up a couch pillow and threw it at him. Cody blocked it and lunged for her. She squealed when he trapped her beneath his body.

“A snowstorm outside, a nice, cozy fire inside. What on earth are we gonna do to pass the time?” Cody asked.


Amber captured her bottom lip between her teeth, then let it go. “I’m sure we can think of something,” she whispered.


“I know we can.” Cody leaned forward and covered her lips with his.