They had sex in the hot springs. Nadia relived the moment later that night when she returned to indulge in the natural bath. She left Lincoln and Perry back at camp, and she folded her toiletries in her extra shirt. When she arrived at the serene pools, she wedged her torch between two rocks.

She unbraided her thick, dark hair and sank beneath the rippling water. Her hair floated around her pale face, and she opened her eyes. The water was the clearest blue—so clear that she could see the flame of her torch dancing on the surface. Her body ached in all the right places and all the right ways, and she remembered Lincoln’s masterful thrusts, Perry’s sensual kisses.

They had held her against the edge of the pool, taking turns ravishing her. When she was weak with desire to come, they had drawn out the torment, edging her until she begged for it. She remembered Perry’s rigid staff gliding past her lips and depositing his tangy, salty essence on her tongue. Lincoln had drenched her in his silver rain.

And after that, they did it all over again.

Nadia reemerged from the hot spring with a satisfied sigh, reaching for the soap plant bulb Perry helped her find earlier. She worked the slippery bulb in her hands until it began to lather. Then, wriggling her fingers through her hair, she massaged her scalp. It felt and smelled divine. She wondered if she was finally getting used to the doomsday prepper lifestyle.

She had written to Maria to tell her about getting lost in the woods, knowing her friend would find the story hilarious. But the letter had only served to make Nadia return to the question of what she would do with her feelings when it was time to leave.

Even as she told herself to be sensible, she dreamed up ways to make the polyamorous relationship work. She was moneyed. She could travel. Maybe buy a big house in the woods where Perry would feel comfortable living. Lincoln could work in LA and return home between movies.

She could not turn down the job in Texas, however, no matter how much she wanted to—and that was the monkey wrench in her plans. There was no way to keep a healthy relationship going if ninety-five percent of her time was spent in a lab a thousand miles away. Plus, her father would make her life miserable the minute he learned she was dating two men. Of that there was no doubt.

She was a Marson. She was supposed to be modest and conservative. This kind of behavior was unacceptable in her social circle. Nadia lost her train of thought when she heard tinkling bells nearby. It was Perry’s alarm system. She hastily swam to the edge of the pool to cover herself, but it was only Lincoln hobbling along the path.

“There I was,” he narrated dramatically, “lost in the thick of the woods, pummeled by icy rain, dragging my bum leg. When the last of my strength failed me, the only thing that sustained me was the memory of your glorious face. I owe you half my life, dear lady.”

“Only half your life?”

“The other half is indebted to the gallant knight who carried me home.”

“I thought you were one of Rick Feldman’s minions,” she giggled.

“Your instincts are spot-on. He just showed up in camp. I left Perry talking to him. I can’t stand to be in the same place with the snake. Thought you might like some company.” He settled on a large stone near the glistening pool and smiled warmly.

Nadia lifted a brow in surprise at his comment. “Perry and Rick are meeting up, what’s that about I wonder?”

“From what I heard, Rick is trying to weasel his way into a deal with Perry to blend our groups, but Perry’s not having it. I’m sure Rick wants the acclaim he thinks he’ll get from having me in his class. If he only knew. I likely don’t have anything in the pipeline for months. And, when I do get busy again, I only plan to put Survive Anything on the map. Rick doesn’t deserve any good publicity.”

“I’m sorry about Jasper Kent,” Nadia said softly. Lincoln gave her a small smile. “Don’t give up hope. You said that role was written for you, and I believe it. I’ll be rooting for you down in Texas.”

“Ever thought about moving out west? You could put your degree to use doing something you really like.”

“My doctorate,” she murmured, looking down. “And, don’t talk like that. We all know we don’t belong together.”

“Yeah, but, what if?” Lincoln pressed. She met his intense blue eyes and saw the questions lurking just below the surface, questions that mirrored her own. What if they could make it work? She swallowed thickly and swam to the other side of the pool.

“The problem with our situation is that there are too many of us with too many different goals. That’s why we can’t be together. You’re at the top of your career—”

“Gosh, I hope not,” he laughed.

“—And I’m at the start of mine. Perry is comfortable with his solitude. As good as this feels, it’s temporary. So, no talk about moving out west, understand?”

He held up his hands in surrender with a playful smile still in place. “Point taken. Would you like me to rinse your hair?”

She presented her back to him, and Lincoln tenderly dunked her silky tresses in the steamy spring. She closed her eyes, wishing she could have his hands on her forever. He took his time washing her hair and finger-combing thick bundle, and he piled the mass atop her head in a tight bun. Nadia smiled gratefully.

“After we get done with this class, I’d like to help you get Perry whatever publicity he needs.”

“Now, I’m trying to play by your rules, but that sounds a lot like you’re making longer term goals,” he murmured. Nadia opened her mouth to protest, but was stopped in her tracks by the sound of gunfire.

* * *

Nadia pushed through the undergrowth with Lincoln following closely behind. She struggled into her clothes as she ran. He limped, wishing he could run, too. What had gone wrong in the handful of minutes he was with her at the hot springs? When they burst through the thicket at the edge of camp, he frantically surveyed the scene. Perry stood with his gun pointed at Rick’s chest, a murderous glint in his eyes.

Nadia yelped and threw herself between them. Lincoln grabbed his wrist and wrestled the gun down. “Don’t do this, buddy. This isn’t the way,” he pleaded.

Perry’s blue eyes hardened as he stared at his nemesis. “I merely fired a warning shot. Showing Rick what happens to wolves when they come sniffing around our camp. I think he got the message.”

“Loud and clear,” Rick spat angrily. When he swiped his arm across his forehead, his hand shook, but he set his jaw. “You’re making a big mistake. You lucked up on two prime students, but I happen to know your business has been in the red for a long time. I’m your best bet for giving Clyde MacAskill more than empty promises. Empty promises don’t pay the bills.”

“Sorry, but we don’t live in the world of the hostile takeover,” Perry murmured. “I listened to your proposal, and I turned it down. Now, I think I’ve been generous enough, even hearing you out. I suggest you get the hell out of my area before my generosity runs out.”

Rick Feldman backed away. “Don’t come crawling to me when the money runs out.”

The three of them stared at the place where he had been standing as the bells echoed through the woods. Then, he was gone. Lincoln slowly exhaled and locked eyes with Nadia. They both looked at Perry. “What the hell happened?” Lincoln asked.

“He tried to strong arm me into going into business together.”

“I gathered that much, but why did you try to shoot him?”

“I told you it was just a warning shot, and I pulled the gun because—I hate to admit it but—everything he said was right. I wanted to shut him up. Before this course, I hadn’t had a class in months. It’s the worst possible time for Clyde to be bedridden. Honestly, I don’t know if he’ll be well enough for another group to come through after you guys, and we’re losing money like a leaky faucet.” Perry sighed and ran a hand over his face.

“What can we do to help?” Lincoln asked.

Nadia’s eyes it up. “I know! I have a team of people who handle my image. That’s what you need, Perry! A PR team to rebrand you. And, with Lincoln’s endorsement, you can target upmarket clients and increase the price of your courses.”

“I do this to get away from words like ‘rebranding’ and ‘upmarket’,” Perry chuckled dryly. “I don’t peddle pricy getaways to rich people looking for a unique travel experience. That’s Rick’s job. I started this business to teach everyday folks how to survive off the land.”

“Perry, your business has to evolve in order to sustain itself,” Lincoln replied quietly.

“There has to be a better, more authentic, way.”

“There is,” said Lincoln. “Why struggle to lure students month after month when you can reach an audience of millions on a weekly basis?” An idea began to take shape based on something Carmen had said on the phone back when he was lost in the woods. Nadia seemed to pick up on his line of thought.

“Oh, my gosh! You’re brilliant!” she gasped.

Perry eyed them warily. “What are we talking about here?”

“I’m talking about your own television show,” Lincoln replied. “Think of it. With the right team, the right pitch and my industry connections, we can make Survive Anything the number one show in America. You have the body, the look, the credentials!”

“Wait a minute, wait a minute. You can’t be serious. Acting is your thing, not mine,” Perry protested.

“And the wilderness is yours, but you brought us into your world and taught us how to make it. I’m not talking about acting. I’m talking reality. Reality TV.”

“Give me your phone,” Nadia commanded, moving with the momentum. She marched over to Perry’s bags and dug out his cellphone. “I’m calling my assistant. She’ll have everything arranged for us to meet with a branding specialist as soon as we make it back to civilization.”

“I think I know who to tap for a production like this.” Lincoln bubbled with excitement as Perry shook his head in disbelief. His stunned expression morphed to one of extreme happiness. It was like watching the sun come up. Nadia moved to the round lodge to chat with her assistant while Lincoln pondered how to convince Carmen to get her father onboard.

Perry sat down by the fire and said, “I can’t believe you guys are doing this. Just know, if it doesn’t work out, I really do appreciate the gesture.”

“But, if it does work out, would you do it?” Nadia asked as she ended her call. Perry shrugged, committing to nothing.

“You have to, Perry. You’ve kind of grown on us,” Lincoln joked.

Perry lifted his eyes to him. “That’s what I’m worried about,” he said.

* * *

That week, as Perry taught health and well-being, he tried not to think of Nadia and Lincoln’s lofty plans for him. Their suggestion of a reality TV show came from a place of good intentions but impracticality. Even if they managed to find a network willing to give him a chance, Perry was not sure he wanted to dive into the world of rabid fans, paparazzi and constant scrutiny. He valued his privacy more than most.

He was right at home in the woods and, to that end, he pretended the conversation by the campfire had never happened. He handed out pocket-sized guidebooks about medicinal herbs and plants and told them to guard it with their lives. He showed them how to make teas, tinctures and salves for common ailments. There were lectures on how to set broken bones along with ones on how to handle stomach aches and joint pain.

Using sinew with needles fashioned from bone, he taught them how to do rudimentary stitches for bad cuts and gashes and how to apply natural antibiotic ointment like spruce sap to speed healing. He also taught them how to recognize a medical crisis that required immediate outside help.

Perry hammered home what he considered the most important survival skill which was attentiveness and that lesson was driven home later that week when Lincoln was bathing alone in the hot springs. He returned to camp in a rush, breathing heavily. “There was someone in the woods,” he announced.

Perry was suddenly on high alert. “What did you see?”

“Some guy with a cellphone. I think he was taking pictures or videos of me.”

“Didn’t you hear the alarms?” Perry asked. Lincoln held up the length of cord Perry had strung with bells. The ringers were removed. “Damn it! This is getting out of hand. Let’s check the perimeter and see how much of our system has been compromised.”

“You are thinking that it was Rick?” Nadia rubbed her shoulders and looked around fearfully. Perry squared his jaw as he marched into the woods without answering her. He was certain it was Rick or someone from his crew. Someone who thought snagging nude photos of a celebrity was fair game.

Lincoln limped along with him. “Tabloids will spend thousands for an image like that. Hell, I’ve been ass out in a bunch of movies, but if they’re watching me, it’s only a matter of time before they realize Nadia is who they should really be watching.”

“I know,” Perry sighed as her eyes widened with concern. “But I’m not gonna let that happen. Stay here, Nadia. Let us see if anyone else is lurking in the woods.”

“Thank you,” she said.

Perry wanted to take the war to Rick Feldman. For his clients’ sake, he had to keep his temper in check. But the incident was another reminder on the long list of reasons fifteen minutes of fame was not on his bucket list. He would find another way to save Survive Anything.

He and Lincoln loped off to check the rest of the perimeter bells. They discovered that a section of the line had been cut, offering a point of entry where a lurker could get by undetected. Perry stared at the breach. The land was public, so there was no legal way to go after Rick, or anyone else, for trespassing.

He knew the rival instructor was just trying to undermine him to make it seem as if he could not protect his students. Normally, for someone like Lincoln Easley, a breach of privacy would be a deal breaker, and Rick seemed to be banking on Lincoln trashing Perry’s reputation. Luckily, Rick did not understand the nature of their relationship.

“While this is going on, I think we better stay close to camp. Nadia’s gonna hate staying away from the hot springs, though,” Lincoln said.

Perry chuckled. “Forget the hot springs. We’ve got a hot tub. We’re finishing the course at the cabin instead of in the woods. Everything else I have to teach you guys can be done indoors.”

“Are you serious?” Lincoln asked. Perry nodded. The actor balled his fists triumphantly and shook them at the sky. “Thank you, Rick Feldman!”

Laughing, they trekked back to camp and told Nadia their plans. Perry was not sure which of them looked more relieved. “But it’s too late to move out tonight,” said Perry. “We’ll get everything ready to return to the cabin in the morning.”

They gathered their belongings and packed extra food, and Perry suspended the backpack from a tree to keep wolves and bears away. By nightfall, they sat around the campfire, spirits buoyed by the turn of events.

“I can’t wait to mail these letters off to Maria when we get there,” Nadia said.

“You’re looking forward to mail. I’m looking forward to a decent meal. I’m probably not gonna know what to do with myself when I taste salt again,” Lincoln said.

Perry leaned back on his elbows and gazed up at the tree branches above. “I’ll check on Clyde when we get back. He needs to know what Rick has been up to.”

“Why is Rick so hell-bent on running your business into the ground?”

“It’s a long story.”

“The night is young,” Lincoln said with a grin.

“We went to high school together, played football together. I was a natural, and he struggled. I excelled academically, and he struggled. I became a SEAL, but when I retired from the military, I was damn near broke, unemployed. I shunned family and friends who could have helped me get re-accustomed to civilian life.”

“That had to be hell,” said Lincoln.

“Rick had Empowered Survival, and he was doing well. So, Clyde convinced me to start Survive Anything to teach real bush-craft. Unfortunately, Rick took it as one more thing I was trying to do better than him.”

Nadia rolled her eyes. “Boys will be boys.”

“I never intended for the rivalry to affect the two of you,” said Perry. “For that, I’m sorry. Rick will learn the hard way. I destroy anything that tries to come between me and the people I care about.” He swept Nadia’s hair back from her face, and her lips trembled as he softly kissed her. Dark eyes met blue ones, emotion glistening like stars and suns in their depths.

Nadia seemed to realize they were out in the open. She pulled back shyly. Perry bit his lip and nodded as she turned to Lincoln, clearing her throat. “So, how’s that ankle feeling?” she asked, a little too brightly.

“I care about you, too,” Lincoln said with a grin.

She heaved a shaky sigh and laughed. “Don’t tell me this is the part where we talk feelings. Because I thought we established this is just something to do while we’re out here. My dad would kill me if he found out.”

“I’m rapidly developing a distaste for your dad,” Lincoln said teasingly.

“Come on. Let’s get to bed. It’s late,” Perry replied.

They retired to the round lodge, and Perry stood at the door, and stared into the woods for several minutes. When he was sure that no one lurked in the shadows, he secured the door and stretched out in the bough bed. Sleep was the furthest thing from Perry’s mind.