Mark, on the other hand, had not even begun to pack. Every available inch of space was littered with his clothes and geology books and gold pans and pickaxes and pry bars and what seemed to be hundreds of rock samples. The shack was too small for this much clutter, but Rebecca had soon given up on trying to keep Marks gear in order. She kept the cooking area clean because they had to eat, but she left Marks stuff strictly alone. He didnt complain, at least out loud.

She heard his step on the path to the cabin and looked up when the door opened. “Youre early, she said. “I havent even started lunch.

“I know. No, its okay, he said when she put her work to one side and began to rise. “I wanted to talk to you.

His face was grave and her heart skipped a beat. “What about? Is something wrong? Had Nushagak Air Taxi somehow left a message that through some unavoidable mix-up they wouldnt be picked up on Monday?

He pulled out a chair and sat down opposite her, leaning forward to place his hands on her knees.

She looked at him and some part of her thrilled yet again to his dark good looks, the thick black hair curling against his collar, the dark eyes, the firm-lipped mouth. His shoulders were broad, his hips narrow, his legs long and well muscled. Naked, he looked like a god. They had made love standing in front of a mirror once, and she still marveled at the memory, dark and light, masculine and feminine, strength and softness. It remained her best orgasm to date.

He took the piece from her hands and examined it. “Whats this?

“I dont know yet.

“What do you call the method again?

“Bead weaving.

“Right, right. Pretty, whatever it is.

She removed it from his hands, square hands with strong fingers and neatly clipped nails, permanently grimed now after three months of grubbing in the dirt. “You didnt quit work early to come in and talk about my beading. Whats up?

“Besides me? His hands traced a firm path up her hips, urging her legs apart. It melted her, as it always did. He knelt between her legs to suck at the pulse in her throat, nibble on her earlobe, bite her nipples through the knit fabric of her T-shirt.

He raised his head and kissed her, long and slow, flirting with his tongue and his teeth. She dropped her beadwork and reached for his zipper.

He pulled back and framed her face in his hands to smile down at her. In a low, husky voice, he murmured, “What would you say if I told you I wanted to quit my job, and for us to stay out here year-round?

Newenham, September 1

The hopelessly drunk, the terminally idiotic and the criminally inclined had for a change taken the rest of the day off, and Liam was home by five-thirty and gloriously off duty, as Prince was on call for the evening. “Tim? he said when he stepped in the door. “Wy?