They glanced around and shrugged.
“In the privy?” Grayson guessed.
Tess poked her head into Carter’s tent and sighed. “I think I know who your Bigfoot is. Carter!” she yelled at the creature. “Quit messing around.”
The shadowy figure sauntered on, unaffected by her command.
“Seriously,” she hollered. “Get back here.”
“What if he’s sleepwalking?” Logan said.
Tess huffed. “He never mentioned he did, but it’s possible.”
They moved as a group to confront the “beast.”
“Carter?” Tess whispered.
“Are you supposed to wake someone who’s sleepwalking?” Ashton said.
“I don’t know,” Tess hissed. “But we can’t just let him wander off. What if he falls off the cliff? Or gets lost in the woods?”
“Good point,” Grayson said. “Try the bear horn.”
“Or the spray,” Logan suggested maliciously.
Ignoring that suggestion, Tess moved closer and continued to repeat Carter’s name, a little louder each time.
Finally, he glanced her way, blinked hard, and looked around. “What the…?”
“Why didn’t you tell us you walk in your sleep?” Tess asked. “That’s kind of an important thing for me to know.”
Carter was fully awake now and genuinely confused.
“I haven’t done it since I was ten years old,” he said. “Well, not that I know of anyway.”
“Maybe ’cause you’re so tired,” Ashton said.
Carter shrugged. “Why you all up? Did I do something crazy?” His head snapped down. “Whew. At least I’m wearing pants.”
“Grayson thought you were Bigfoot and woke us all up,” Tess said, shooting a glare in Grayson’s direction.
“Sorry, guys,” Grayson said. “I couldn’t sleep and heard a noise. When I peeked out, thinking it was the bear again, I saw Carter. From afar and in the moonlight, it looked like him.”
“All right,” Tess said. “Everyone, back to bed. What are we going to do about you? Can’t have you wandering around at night.”
“I could sleep in your tent,” Carter said with a mischievous grin. “Then you’d know if I got up again.”
For some irrational reason, Logan wanted to punch the smile right off his face. His flirting was getting really annoying. Especially since Tess seemed to be buying into his charming, aw-shucks flirtations.
“Just put something outside his tent that will make noise if he tries to get out,” Logan said before Tess could answer. “Like the pots and pans, or one of those foil blankets.”
“Good idea for now,” she said. “I’ll rig up something better tomorrow.”
Back in his tent, Logan wriggled into his sleeping bag. He drifted off thinking about a small #1 at the end of a long, shapely leg.
Tess was unlike the women in Houston. At least the women in the circles he ran in. She was strong and smart and sexy as hell.
He shook that notion right out of his head. In a couple of months, she might be his employee! A seed of guilt was on the verge of sprouting. Should he have told her upfront about his intentions to buy The Outpost? Nah, she probably already knew the place was for sale. Once she found out her job was safe—he’d be sure to have her kept on—it wouldn’t affect her at all.
