“No, of course not,” Dane said. “You’re right. You take up the rear. Pete, you walk in front of Miranda.”
Well, that wasn’t exactly better. She suspected that she was getting stuck with end-of-the-line duty so Dane wouldn’t have to look at her. Figured.
“All right, let’s go.” Dane waved them forward and then turned, beginning to march through the trees. He pulled out a satellite phone, murmured something into it, and then shut it off.
One by one, they fell into place behind him. Miranda picked up the rear, her light pack bouncing against her shoulders as they walked. The ground was uneven and a bit rocky in places, and pebbles scattered under their feet.
“Now, one thing I should warn you guys about this ranch,” Dane said, glancing back at them as they walked. “Five years ago, this ranch was the biggest emu farm in the South before the owner died and the assets were sold off. The emu were moved to different breeders, but there’re one or two still trotting around on the property. Just warning you in case you run across one this week.”
One of the businessmen—Miranda thought his name was Steve—stopped. “What the heck is an emu?”
“Big, giant bird,” Dane said casually. “About five feet tall. Kind of like an ostrich, but with a nasty temper. Just be on the lookout.”
“You mean to tell me that you’ve got overgrown birds out here?” Steve sputtered. “Are you even sure that’s safe?”
“Not sure if it’s safe,” Dane drawled. “But there’s not a lot that’s ‘safe’ in the wild, if you catch my drift. You’re here to learn how to take care of yourself in the wilderness, and maybe that includes a lesson on emu-avoiding, maybe not.” His big shoulders braced and then he began to jog up an incline. “Come on, let’s pick up the pace. We’ve got a long way to go tonight before we hit the area I’ve designated for our camp.”
They had no choice but to follow their leader. One by one, they followed Dane up the incline, Miranda’s sneakers sliding on the gravel a little.
“You all right back there?” Dane called.
“I’m fine,” Miranda called back, her tone a little strained. This was already getting tiresome—she could walk just as well as any of the men. “Don’t you worry about me.”
“Oh, I won’t,” Dane called back. “Let’s go, men. And woman.”
And with that, he began to jog into the woods.
That day, Miranda began to have a reluctant appreciation for Dane’s athleticism. They jogged for a bit—mostly to get away from the headquarters cabin and into the wild. Once the lodge had been out of sight for about fifteen minutes, Dane slowed the group to a brisk hike. He led the way, climbing over rocks and brush like he was born to the wild.
The rest of the team followed behind him, much slower and far clumsier. Two of the older businessmen were panting and frowning, but all kept up with their instructor as he skirted them up a dry creek bed, grasping tree roots for handholds. The others followed close behind, and when it came to Miranda’s turn, Pete offered a hand down to her.
She ignored it and clambered up the side of the embankment on her own. “I’m fine, thanks.” Her voice was crisper than it needed to be, but she was getting irritated at him and it was only day one.
And what a long day one it was. She was covered in sweat—they all were—and tendrils of her hair were sticking to her face, but she was keeping up with the men and that was just fine. Pete seemed to be struggling, his steps slowing as they hiked.
As they walked, Dane began to chat with the students in his group, his voice casual. It had always been easy for Dane to make friends, Miranda remembered, and he seemed right in his element. The men told him about their jobs, their families, and previous hunting trips they’d been on.
When it came to Pete’s turn, he immediately began to brag about his company. “I run Hazardous Waste Games. It’s a billion-dollar company—”
Miranda rolled her eyes and tuned him out as he rattled on about shooters and gaming.
“—but that’s me,” Pete eventually concluded with a grin. “Married to the job unless I can find the right woman to make a new man out of me.”
He grinned back at Miranda, obviously thinking that his business assets made up for his lack of other assets.
She made a face and hoped he couldn’t see it. His chalk-pale face was flushed a florid red, and his hair was stuck to his forehead. Big circular sweat stains had bloomed under his arms, and he was beginning to smell.
He needed a woman to make a new man out of him? It sure as shit wasn’t going to be her.
As if sensing her thoughts, Dane spoke. “What about you, Miss Hill?”
She jerked, startled. “Oh, I’m not interested in finding a husband, thank you. I’m here to learn survival skills.”
The men snickered.
“I meant,” Dane said in a patient voice. “What about you? Tell us about your family.”
“You know my family, Dane Croft,” Miranda said. “My mother, Tanya, runs the local antiques store, and my daddy was a no-good trucker who only showed up every few years. I’m surprised you forgot.” Before he could reply to her jab, she hurried on. “But other than that, it’s just me. No husband, no kids.”
Two and a half weeks and she’d be working at a massive corporation, doing what she was always meant to do.
Everything between now and then wasn’t important. It was just finishing off the story of Old Miranda, the Boobs of Bluebonnet. Soon she’d just be a local legend.
Her eyes narrowed at Dane’s back. A local legend with a really good ending, she decided.
When the sun was high in the sky, the group made it to the area Dane had designated as the first campsite. The men grumbled and joked about how tired they were. Dane had half expected Miranda to complain, but she was the only one on his small team that took the rigorous exercise in stride. Her face was flushed and sweaty, but she remained strong and calm, and he was reassessing his initial thoughts about her. With those bright red bras and silky panties, Dane had thought she’d be a girly girl. Maybe not.
He was sweating, too, his body aching in a good way at the exercise. The weather was perfect. Just cool enough to make the day pleasant, and warm enough to take the edge off of the night. He inhaled the fresh air and grinned to himself. He was enjoying the time in the woods, even if his team was not.