Moonlight Read online

  Lucas terrified me. Okay, that wasn’t exactly true. What I felt for him terrified me. It was an attraction that I couldn’t quite explain. I’d had crushes on guys before, but what I felt with him went way beyond a crush. It was so strong that it was almost overwhelming—and a little bit embarrassing since obviously he wasn’t returning the feelings. If anything, he tended to avoid direct contact with me. I tried to keep my feelings buried, but whenever I looked at him they would bubble to the surface and I was certain that he would see in my eyes what I fought so valiantly to control.

  His nearness made my heart gallop and my mouth go dry. I wanted to comb my fingers through the long multicolored strands of his hair. When I’d first met him, I’d thought the unusual shade came from a bottle. I’d never seen anything like it. But then, I’d never seen anyone like him either. He was so intense. He’d been one of our tour guides last summer, but he’d seldom spoken to me. Still, I often caught him watching me. It was as though he was waiting—

  “Blow out the candles, already,” Connor said.

  His words snapped me back to the moment. I made my wish without thinking and then blew out the writhing flames with one big breath.

  “Here you go,” Brittany said, handing me a cupcake. “Sorry it isn’t an official cake, but these are easier to serve in the wilderness.”

  “It’s great,” I said, beaming again, grateful for the distraction. “I wasn’t expecting anything at all.”

  “We love surprises,” Lindsey said. “But you guys could have been quieter getting here. She heard you. It almost ruined everything.”

  I playfully slapped Lindsey’s arm. “That’s what I heard?” Relief enveloped me, but at the same time, it didn’t seem like the right explanation.

  “Well, yeah, they had to be in bed when you and I left, so you wouldn’t suspect anything, but they were supposed to hurry ahead to get things set up. And be quiet while doing it.”

  “But I heard something behind us, just before we got here.”

  “Like what?” Lucas asked, stepping away from the tree.

  His deep voice sent a shiver of pleasure through me. It was just a voice and yet it touched me on a level I’d never experienced with anyone else. My absurd feelings made me self-conscious. I wasn’t the type to attract guys who were as darkly handsome as Lucas was. Having his attention focused on me was unnerving, and suddenly I felt silly about my concerns. “I’m sure it was nothing.”

  “Then why mention it?”

  “I didn’t. Lindsey did.”

  I knew any normal girl would crave his attention. So why did he make me nervous? Why did my conversational skills take a hike when he was around?

  “Relax, Lucas,” Connor said. “It probably was us. You know how it is. When you try to be quiet, you end up making more noise.”

  But Lucas was staring at where we’d come from. If I didn’t know better, I’d have thought he was sniffing the air. His nostrils flared and his chest expanded with the deep breath he took. “Maybe I should take a look around, just to be sure.”

  I knew he was nineteen, but he seemed older, maybe because he was a senior sherpa. He was the one in charge of our little group. If someone had a problem, he or she could go to Lucas. Although I’d probably let a wild bear eat me before I’d ask Lucas for help. Whether right or wrong, I suspected that he only respected those who solved their own problems. I had this absurd need to prove myself to him.

  “Now you’re as paranoid as Kayla,” Lindsey said. “Grab a cupcake and sit down.”

  But Lucas didn’t move. He kept his gaze on the path we’d taken to get here. It was strange but I knew if something had been following us, whatever it had been, Lucas would protect us from it. He just gave off those vibes. It was probably the reason that, as young as he was, he was given such authority and responsibility. He was so bold standing there that I didn’t want to look away. But I also didn’t want to give the impression that I was a lovesick kid.

  Logs had been placed around the fire. I sat on one and peered over at Lucas. He was tall and in great shape. He wore his T-shirt like a second skin that outlined his muscles. I had this overwhelming urge to run my hands up those granite arms and across his shoulders. Pathetic. I was pathetic. He’d never given me any reason to think that he might return my interest.

  “So what did your parents give you for your birthday?” Brittany asked, bringing my attention back to the others.

  It didn’t look as though anyone had noticed where my attention had wandered. Least of all Lucas. He always seemed so alert, I was surprised he wasn’t aware of my assessment of him. On the other hand, it was also a relief that he gave me so little direct attention. Nothing was quite as embarrassing as one-sided obsession.

  “A summer away from them.” I grinned.

  “They didn’t seem that bad when I met them last year,” Lindsey said.

  “They’re not,” I admitted, taking the candle out of my cupcake and tossing it into the fire. “They’re really pretty cool.”

  But they’re not my real parents. I chided myself as soon as I thought those words. They were my real parents; they just weren’t my original parents, from birth. Maybe what I’d sensed on our way here was the ghosts of my birth parents calling out to me. How silly was that explanation? I never had, never would believe in anything paranormal or supernatural.

  “So what did they get you?” Brittany persisted.

  “All the equipment I needed for a summer of trekking through the wilderness.”

  “No car?” Brittany asked.

  “No car.”

  “Bummer.”

  “What difference does it make?” Connor asked. “Cars aren’t allowed in the park.”

  Brittany gave him a sideways glance, then shrugged. “I guess.”

  There was something in her expression that I couldn’t read, but it made me wonder if she liked Connor.

  “Anyone else think this group we’re taking out tomorrow is a little odd?” Rafe asked.

  For a few minutes that afternoon, we’d all met Dr. Keane, his son, and several of the professor’s grad students. We were going to escort them to a predetermined spot in the forest. Then we’d leave them for a couple of weeks before returning to retrieve them. They’d mentioned that they were hoping to spot some wolves.

  “Odd in what way?” I asked.

  “Dr. Keane is an anthropologist,” Rafe said. “Why does he want to study wolves?”

  “Wolves are certainly more interesting than people,” Lindsey said. “Remember those wolf cubs we found when you were home for spring break, Lucas?”

  “Yeah.”

  He was obviously a guy of few words, which only made him more intriguing—and intimidating at the same time. It was difficult to figure out what he thought about things, what he thought about me.

  “They were the cutest,” Lindsey went on, unperturbed by Lucas’s lack of enthusiasm for the subject. “Orphaned. Three of them. We sort of adopted them until they were ready to go out on their own.”

  The other sherpas had all been working in the park at least a year. I should have felt like an outsider, but something about the group made me feel as though I belonged. They weren’t like the cliques at school. I’d never been part of those. I wasn’t the wildly popular, cheerleader type. I wasn’t a total math nerd, either. I wasn’t quite sure I could actually define myself. Maybe that was the reason I was so comfortable out here. Everyone was the same: nature lovers appreciating the great outdoors.

  Lucas shoved away from the tree. “We’d better head back.”

  “You’re such a party pooper,” Lindsey said.

  “You’ll thank me in the morning when you have to be ready to leave at dawn.”

  Everyone groaned with the reminder that we had an early morning. The guys put out the fire and flashlights came on.

  I thanked everyone. “This was a great birthday surprise.”

  “Well, it’s not every day you turn seventeen,” Lindsey said. “We just wanted to do somet