The Drifter by Kate Hoffmann Page A

They freeze to death or fall. For what?”
    “I don’t know,” he said.
    “What do you mean, you don’t know?”
    “I used to believe that it was about the challenge, facing nature head-on and coming out the winner. Conquering my environment. You do it, too. I’ve seen you in the kitchen. When things seem to be the most chaotic, you get this look on your face. This determination to overcome anything that fate throws in your way.”
    “No,” she said. “There’s no comparison. My life doesn’t hang in the balance because of a cheese soufflé. Weren’t you scared you might die out there?”
    “No,” he said. “I never thought about it.”
    “Maybe that’s because you didn’t have something to live for,” she said.
    “Maybe,” he murmured.
    She was right. If he’d had a wife and kids, he wouldn’t have had the nerve to risk his life. Even now, after just a few days with Evie, the stakes were suddenly so much higher. Though he didn’t have her—not yet—there was the possibility he might have her sometime. And that was enough to keep him on level ground.
    “And it’s not all that dangerous,” he said. “It is if you make stupid decisions. But if you’re smart, the odds are pretty good you’ll get up and down safely.”
    “So, what’s next?” she asked.
    “I thought maybe you’d like a bath,” Charlie re plied. “You always take a shower before bed. I thought a bath might be nice.”
    “I meant, where are you going next?”
    “I know what you meant. I don’t know. I’m just thinking about a bath right now.”
    “You just want me to take my clothes off,” she said.
    “I could take them off for you if you don’t want to,” he suggested.
    “Go ahead,” she murmured. “I’m too tired to move.”
    He pulled her to her feet and led her to the bathroom. As he filled the tub, Charlie slowly undressed her. He loved the way her body moved beneath his touch, always seeking the warmth of his hands. He’d become incredibly possessive over the past few days, almost jealous of the time she’d spent with her ex.
    As he skimmed her jeans down over her hips, she wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes. He took his time as he came back up, smoothing his palms over her hips and torso. Though he’d grown familiar with her curves, her body never failed to intrigue him.
    He wanted to know about the tiny scar on her knee and why she always painted her toes red but left her fingernails untouched. He wanted to analyze the patterns of freckles on her arms and memorize thescent of her hair. Would these things ever begin to bore him? Or would he always find things to intrigue him?
    When she was completely naked, he helped her into the tub, then sat on the floor beside it. “This is wonderful,” she murmured, sinking into the hot water. “I never take baths.”
    “Maybe you should start,” he said, smoothing his hand over her damp shoulder.
    “It’s relaxing,” she said, her eyes closing and her lips parting slightly. He watched her as she drifted off to sleep, her body relaxing completely and her features growing soft and girlish. Charlie couldn’t remember ever feeling this content. He wasn’t thinking about where he had to be next or what he had to do to get there. He wanted to be here with Eve, to fall asleep with her in his arms and to wake up to the sight of her pretty face.
    “God, you’re really losing it,” he murmured, smoothing a strand of hair out of her eyes. This was crazy. Something had happened to him on that mountaintop. The lack of oxygen had scrambled his brain. He was actually imagining he’d fallen in love with Eve.
    He stared at her face, at the features that had quickly become so familiar to him. Something was driving him forward, pushing him to learn more, todeepen their relationship just to see where it took them both.
    Maybe this was just another adventure, he mused, another environment to conquer. But what then? Would he move on? Would she turn into