Chapter Five

 

 

As she walked, she brushed her hair and pulled it into a thick braid. It would pop out when she shifted, but until then, it would keep the branches from tugging at her locks.

Scarlet followed Hiro’s scent deep into the forest where she found him lacing up hiking boots next to a large pack.

“Wow. I thought I packed heavy.”

“I have to bring my instruments and a sketch pad. The kind of tech I would normally use doesn’t play nicely with the Crossroads.” He finished knotting his boot, and he got to his feet. Dressed in jeans and a tight black shirt, he looked like a bouncer at a strip club.

The light was fading fast, but she could still see enough of him to appreciate his genetics. He was truly lovely.

She sighed and put attractive on her mental list. It may make her shallow, but it would make dealing with a mate easier if she enjoyed looking at him.

Scarlet waited while he grabbed his pack, and she cocked her head. “Do you have a direction in mind?”

“Yes, standard directions don’t apply, but walking away from the setting sun will take us where we want to go.”

“How long?”

“Four hours. Are you up for it?”

“Of course. Lead the way.” She settled her pack on her shoulders, and he gestured for her to step beside him.

“We are not in a forced march. You can be here, and we can talk.”

She stepped toward him until they were even. “My night vision is pretty good, but if I am heading off a cliff, let me know.”

He grinned. “I promise to keep an eye out for you. My night vision is excellent.”

With that promise, they walked into the dimming woods in search of a mountain and a hot spring.

 

“Can you smell that?” Hiro lifted his head, and his chin jerked in profile.

“I can. The humidity and minerals are unmistakable.”

“Excellent. We will head into the caverns, and I will start a fire. Perhaps I can rig up a shower, and we can have a proper soak.”

“That sounds great.” Scarlet stretched and shifted the burden of her pack. The scent of the hot springs wasn’t pungent, just a little mineral. It made it very easy to hike across the stone in order to find the source.

When they reached the cave, she removed her shoes out of reflex. Her mother had been strict on it. No shoes in her home. Now, she had to fight the urge to remove her sneakers when she entered a shop. It was a hard habit to break, and since she didn’t have to worry about it, she didn’t.

Hiro was bending over, and he removed his shoes just as she did.

She laughed. “That is kinda funny.”

“My mom would kill me for wearing hiking boots into a spring. Her obsession with nature is all consuming, and nothing is more natural than bare skin touching the world.”

“Oh, wow. Sounds like my dad. The whole family would fur out and just spend whole weekends in the woods. It was easier for my dad though, he got to keep his thumbs.”

“It sounds like fun.”

“It was. We would see how high he could throw me.” She removed her pack and slipped it over one shoulder for easy access, walking inside through the dim light that seemed to emanate from deep in the cavern.

The source of light was around several deep pools. Moonlight streamed in from a hole in the cavern above, and the light refracted and spread on the thick coils of steam above the water.

“Oh, wow. This is lovely.”

Hiro walked up behind her. “It truly is. Now, let’s see what Teebie packed for dinner. She has a knack for knowing what is required.”

He set his pack on the floor and opened it. A box twice as wide as the one Scarlet had opened, emerged. He set it on the ground and removed the lid. The moment that it was open, it expanded until it was nearly the size of a basket.

“That is odd. It is all strips of meat.”

Hiro chuckled. “Not all.” He pulled out a long and wide tin and shook it. “She sent us a portable charcoal grill.”

“Us? She knew that I would be here?”

He crouched and started a fire before setting the charcoal on top of it. The entire mass was within the wide tin and wouldn’t leave any trace in the cavern.

“I might have said that I was interested in speaking with you after seeing you at the bar. She also knows that I was headed into the woods and you were headed into the woods.”

“Ah, so a logical extrapolation.”

He blew on the charcoal for a moment before looking at her and smiling. “Exactly. There, that will be ready in a few minutes, so that leaves me time to work up a shower.”

Scarlet sat next to the pools and watched with amusement as he pulled a folded black bag with an attached hose and sprinkler out of his pack.

“All you need is a hook, and you could hang it on the wall.”

He set the bag aside and fished around in the bottom of the pack. She heard a zipper, and then, he pulled out a six-inch hook that appeared designed to be pounded into wood.

Hiro gave her a slight smile. “Could you set this in stone?”

“Sure, but you have to pick the spot.”

“I will. Follow me.” He placed his hand in the smallest of the pools, nodded and walked toward a shadowed corner that sloped down and away from the pools. He patted the wall and nodded. “As high as you can get it.”

She smiled and held out her hand for the hook. “You might want to stand back for this.”

He handed her the hook and took two long steps back. “I am out of the way.”

Scarlet nodded, arranged the hook in her grip, and looked at the wall. She took a step back, channelled her strength and jumped, fist first.

When she dropped to the ground, the hook was seven feet up, and only the curve was sticking out of the rock. “There you go.”

Hiro grinned and went to the hottest of the pools. He filled the five-gallon bag and carried it back to where she was standing. “Technically this is for hanging in the sun, but with the hot springs, the sun isn’t necessary.”

He reached up and put the bag up on the hook. “Would you like the first shower?”

The charcoal was beginning to glow, so she nodded. “Yeah, it sounds like a good idea. I didn’t pack any soap, though.”

“I have some. I can scrub your back for you if you like.” He smiled slightly, enthusiasm in his gaze.

She laughed. “You want me to return the favour.”

“Would you? It has been ages since I have been given a good scrubbing.”

Scarlet chuckled. “Sure. I warn you, my mom trained me to scrub Korean bathhouse style. This isn’t going to be fun.”

She took her pack to the far side of the coolest pool and removed her clothing. When she was naked, she walked back to the wall with the water bag, and she removed the nozzle that was hanging just over her head.

“Here is the soap, and here is the scrubber. Let me know when you want me to work on your back.” Hiro handed her the implements, and she triggered the spray, quickly rinsing her body.

The soap didn’t foam up, but it smelled pleasant and herbal as she worked it over her damp skin. Another quick spray slicked the soap up, and she wetted the scrubbing puff. Humming, she worked the soap on her skin into a lather before she turned her back to Hiro. “Please.”

His hands were confident as he scrubbed the puff over her back. He wasn’t nearly as rough as she was used to, and he lingered over the curve of her hip a little longer than was necessary, but she felt better for having the dead skin sloughed away when he finished scrubbing, and she rinsed off.

She was squeaky clean except for her hair and that she would take care of later.

With great ceremony, she handed the soap and scrubber to Hiro. “Your turn. I will be standing by.”

He nodded and started his shower. Her gaze found the startling information that she hadn’t really considered. Just scrubbing her back had aroused him.

She watched as he stretched, soaped, and scrubbed in the same manner that she had, with allowances made for the difference in gender. It took him three minutes before he handed her the soap and scrubber. Now, it was time for her to attack.

Brushing his hair aside, she took the spray and wetted his back. His skin was smooth and had a fine grain that she envied. Once his skin was damp, she rubbed the soap over it, and then, she went to work, scrubbing in rapid up and down motions that caught him by surprise. He leaned against the wall with his palms flat, and he remained silent as she worked her way down his back, leaving his skin with a healthy glow and small balls of dead skin were at his feet.

She gave him a final rinse, and he hissed, arching his back.

She cleared her throat. “Finished, sorry if it was a little intense.”

He swallowed. “That was a good word for it.”

She smiled. “Your skin will recover quickly. It is the biggest bonus to being a shifter.”

He sighed. “Yup. Now, let’s have some dinner, wash up, and then spend the evening soaking.”

She laughed. “It sounds great to me. Can I wash my hair first?”

“Certainly. I will get the meat started.” He smiled and headed for the charcoal barbeque. He placed a grill that had been fastened into the lid over the coals, and then, he fussed with the food.

Scarlet unbraided her hair and got it wet. She rubbed the soap over her scalp, and when she set it down, she went after her scalp with her fingertips. She scrubbed, scraped, and rubbed until her head throbbed. When she was sure that she had gotten every leaf and twig, she rinsed her hair clean.

Completely clean felt wonderful. Scarlet walked back to where he was preparing the food, and she nodded to his hair. “You can go and scrub it if you like. I can keep on top of this.”

His gaze flicked downward. “If you wouldn’t mind, I would love it if you would wash my hair. I envied your head the way you massaged your head.”

She laughed. “Sure. In exchange, you brush my hair.”

“Deal.”

She leaned forward and watched him move the marinated meat and vegetables around on the small grill.

When he pulled out tortillas and warmed them up, she laughed.

“Fajitas!” She grinned.

“Yeah, the hostess has quite the sense of humour when it comes to food. Teebie never fails to astonish me. I am never sure of what I am eating until the last layer reveals itself.”

“Interesting game.”

“With all the guests coming and going, I don’t begrudge her some entertainment at my expense. She is an excellent host, as is her husband.”

“I heard him, but I didn’t see him.”

“You would notice him. He is the embodiment of fire itself.”

“A phoenix?”

“Exactly.” Hiro assembled the meat and vegetables neatly in the tortilla, and he handed it to her. “Your dinner is served.”

She blinked. “Thank you.”

She lifted it to her lips and took her first bite. She nearly groaned with satisfaction, but instead, she kept eating.

When the first one was down, she took the second one he offered, and he passed her consumption as soon as she declined her third.

She knelt on the rock and inhaled slowly. The traces of charcoal and the scent of the dinner still hung in the air, but the moisture was slowly pushing the traces down to the floor and into the water. In a day, no one would know they had ever been here.

A slight clattering came across her senses, but by the time she opened her eyes, all traces of their meal had been packed away with the exception of the coals. “I could have helped.”

“We are on my research trip, so the cooking and cleaning is up to me.”

She smiled, “Well, at least I can wash your hair in thanks.”

He gave her a shy smile. “With a scalp massage?”

She laughed. “Yes, with a scalp massage. Come on, let’s get some more hot water.”

He eagerly got to his feet and got the water. He refilled it from the second pool, so it would be warmer than blood heat but not uncomfortable.

She looked around and found a rock with a flat top. She used her strength and moved the rock to the space under the shower. She patted the surface. “Have a seat. Madame Wilson has room in her chair.”

He took the spot eagerly, and she got to work lathering, rinsing, and massaging. She engaged in light scraping with her nails, and he started purring.

When she heard that sound, she realized that the most intimate part of the day had been when her fingers were running along his scalp. Nudity was fun, but it was the little gestures that made a bond. She just wasn’t sure that the bond went both ways.