Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 119597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 598(@200wpm)___ 478(@250wpm)___ 399(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 598(@200wpm)___ 478(@250wpm)___ 399(@300wpm)
“Yes, ma’am.” I smack a kiss on her lips and return the manual to the bag. “What’s this?”
Something catches my eye at the bottom, and I reach in, removing a thumb drive.
My mind swims, and apprehension trickles in as I conjure endless ways Denver can still fuck with us.
“I don’t want to know what’s on this.” My fingers clench around the casing.
“Don’t break it.” She plucks it from my grip and drops it in the bag. “Might be important.”
“Might be a trick. More twisted discoveries about our fucked-up history.”
“We won’t know until we have a computer or something with power to read it.”
“This is everything? A flight manual and thumb drive?”
“Yeah, but we can check again.” She squints at the slope that descends into the cave. “Since we’re staying in there, I’ll show you where I found it. Maybe I missed something.”
“Not likely. The manual is more than I hoped for, but…”
“The key to restoring the electricity would’ve been the cherry on top.” She glances at the dry bag. “I wouldn’t put it past him to put instructions for the power system on a thumb drive that requires power. I’m expecting that, actually. It will no longer matter after we freeze through the winter.”
“I’ll keep you warm.” I lower my brow to hers.
“I’m counting on it.”
Over the next several hours, Frankie helps me field-dress the bear. We dump the unusable parts in the river, tie the organs and meat in tarps on the sled, and haul enough coal and river water into the cave to keep us sustained for a few days.
By the time we finish, we’re bone-tired and covered in blood.
After we remove our snowshoes, she sets up our double sleeping bag, and I start a fire in the stone pit I’ve used many times through the years.
Doesn’t take long to coax a blaze strong enough to chase away the chill in our small alcove. We shed our outerwear, heat the water, and roast our dinner.
As we wash our skin and clean our teeth, I can’t help but marvel at her beauty.
Her delicate bone structure, sculpted by the harshness of this unforgiving land, shimmers in the light. Long strands of hair cascade down her back like trails of fire, swaying with her movements as she scrubs away the remnants of a very long day.
Green eyes, vibrant and alive, reflect the flickering glow of flames with a mesmerizing intensity. They hold a depth that speaks of the challenges she’s faced, the trials endured, and the hardships still to come. Yet there’s resilience in her gaze, a stubbornness that refuses to be broken by the brutal realities of our existence.
A swell of gratitude washes over me as I watch her work. Grateful that she’s by my side, that she survived the day. Each stroke of her hand, each drop of water mingled with blood, attests to her courage and determination.
Despite the savage storm that surrounds us on all sides, there’s a warmth in her presence that fills me with hope. Hope for tomorrow, hope for a future where we can leave this treacherous place behind and build a life together.
But for now, at this moment, I’m simply grateful she’s here, beside me, her beauty a glimmering orb of light in a cold, dark cave.
As the smoky scent of meat saturates the air, my mouth salivates. She smells it, too, pausing to stare at the sizzling slab with longing.
“Here.” I tear off a piece and hold it to her lips. “Blow.”
She clutches my wrist as if I might pull it away and frees a soft breath, cooling down the morsel. As I slide it into her mouth, I feel her groaning satisfaction in every cell of my body.
Providing for her, putting that radiant smile on her face, it satiates a deep, fundamental need. She would call me a caveman for that, and maybe I am. My lips twitch as I glance at my surroundings.
“You better eat.” Humming, she slips another strip between her lips. “Why are you smiling?”
“You’re beautiful.”
Soft warmth suffuses her expression. Drifting closer, she lifts a bite of meat to my mouth, and I suck it from her fingers, licking her slender digits.
Fuck, that’s good. The rich, gamy flavor sweeps over my taste buds, making my eyes roll back into my head.
Cooking it over the fire adds a charred exterior while retaining moisture inside. I’ve never eaten anything this appetizing.
“Delicious, isn’t it?” She pops another savory treat in my mouth. “Tastes like beef but with its own unique flavor profile.”
Bear meat is usually tougher and more fibrous, but not tonight.
Tonight, it’s a gourmet meal, a luxurious delicacy that melts in the mouth.
The experience of tasting it after being hungry for so long probably intensifies its flavor, making it seem more satisfying and nourishing than it actually is.
I don’t care. The joy in her eyes shines so brightly it illuminates the cave, penetrates my chest, and settles into the notch at the base of my spine.