“Told you it was pretty far gone.” He ducked through the low entrance into the darkness. After a second of hesitation, she followed, stopping just inside to allow her eyes to adjust to the dim light. The relief from the battering wind was immediate.
“As long as we’re not sharing it with a bear, I’ll take it.” She looked around the tiny space. To her relief, no bears or any other woodland creatures were present.
Derek gave a distracted smile as he crouched on the other side of the cabin, examining something on the floor.
“What’d you find?” she asked, squatting next to him.
“Lighter.” He held it up so she could see. “And cigarette butts. Someone else was in here not too long ago.”
The shiver making its way down her spine had nothing to do with the cold. “Define ‘not too long ago.’”
He moved one of the butts with his gloved finger. “Sometime over the last few months, I’m guessing.” His expression was teasing when he glanced at her. “Although I could be wrong, since I didn’t get to take your forensics class.”
Standing, she bumped his boot lightly with one of hers. “Funny.”
His hand curled around her calf as he grinned up at her, and both her heart and her stomach did a roller-coaster swoop. As he released her and straightened to his full height, Artie remembered how it felt to have him next to her, so strong and protective.
Trying to shake off the longing he inspired so easily, she asked, “No picture for the sheriff this time?”
“Nope. I’ll let him know about it, though. It’s probably kids, but we can’t have them burning down the forest. Enough damage was done by the wildland fire this past summer.” He roamed to the other side of the cabin, examining old bits and pieces of furniture that remained from the long-ago homeowners. “Hang on.”
“What is it?” Joining him next to an old wooden crate, she crouched beside him again. “Wow. This is ancient.”
“Yeah, but this isn’t.” He carefully opened a plastic grocery bag inside the antique box. “Neither are these.”
As she leaned forward to peer at the contents of the bag, she teetered and put her hand out to catch her balance. His thigh muscle tightened under her palm, and she flushed red as she removed her fingers from his leg as casually as possible. Risking a glance at his face, she saw that he was staring at her, not the plastic bag. Their gazes caught for a few seconds before she managed to tear hers away and focus blindly on the crate. When she realized what the plastic bag contained, she blinked.
“That’s strange.” She pushed the plastic out of the way more so she could see all of the items. “And random. Nail polish remover, hair spray, rubbing alcohol, paint thinner, linseed oil…it’s like a medicine cabinet and a wood shop got together.”
Pulling a box of matches from between two of the containers, Derek held it so she could see. “Not that random. These are all very flammable.”
Her breath caught in her chest as she realized the ramifications of what they’d found. “The wildland fire.” When she met his unusually grim gaze, she almost didn’t want to ask. “Do you think it was set by the person who left this stuff here?”
“The fire chief’s official word was that the cause was inconclusive, but I’m pretty sure he had a feeling in his gut that screamed ‘arson.’ We’ve been having a string of those, actually.” Derek pulled out his radio and attempted to reach Rob, but only silence followed his transmissions. Swearing under his breath, he pulled out his phone and took some pictures before straightening. When he offered his hand to her, she gripped it and let him pull her to her feet. Once she was standing, neither one of them let go.
“So we might be in an arsonist’s lair.” Her words had a tremor, thanks to her chattering teeth. Now that she knew the girls were safe and she wasn’t walking, the cold had crept under her clothes. She told herself that her shakiness had nothing to do with worry that a criminal might return at any moment.
Derek looked at her sharply. “Come here.” He reached out and caught her hands, pulling her toward him.
“I’m fine,” she protested, although her words were contradicted by a hard shudder that rocked through her.
“Quit being stubborn.” His tone was affectionate as he caught her against his chest, backing them into the corner with the fewest holes in the walls. Although she frowned at his bossiness, she couldn’t resist tucking her face against his neck and warming her cold nose.
When he reached between them and unzipped his coat, she pulled back, startled. “What are you doing?”
He switched to unzipping her jacket, and she flinched as the cold air instantly chilled her middle. “I’m sharing my body heat. And I was hoping to steal a little of yours.”
Derek pulled her close again as she opened her mouth to respond. The hard warmth that pressed against her belly and breasts made her close her mouth before she did something embarrassing, like moan with pleasure. As he wrapped the edges of his coat around her back, she returned her face to the spot under his chin. The heat made her realize how very cold she’d been.
“Tuck in a little closer,” he said, his voice low. He and his fabulous warmth were too tempting to refuse. Sliding her arms around him under his coat, she squeezed, flattening her front to his. “Perfect.” His voice sounded rough.
Artie heard the slide of the zipper behind her. It was a tight fit in his zipped coat, but she basked in his heat and comfort.
“We could’ve just used the emergency blanket from the backpack,” she said without moving.
“Sure, but this way’s more fun.”
Wrapped up in his heat, Artie had to agree. As she grew warmer, she realized how tired she was.
