Chapter 76: Taking It EasyEarly the next morning, Bella, Luke, and Nathan met up with Morgan at the café. Nathan had a backpack with a few essentials plus the GoPro camera Bella had given him. Luke filmed as the trio discussed plans for meeting up the following evening. They said their goodbyes and Bella hugged Nathan before sending him and Morgan on their way.She and Luke stood watching as the two joined the other hikers who were setting off for the day. Bella turned to the camera. "Now we'll find more adventure here on the Camino. And cut."Luke put down the camera. "Well, now what, m'lady?" he asked her."I'm not sure," she answered. "Truthfully, I'm not feeling that great. My stomach's a little queasy, like I ate something I shouldn't have."He looked at her with concern. "Maybe we take it easy today?"She shook her head. "Oh, I'll be alright. I'll find some tea or something. Let's see if we can talk to the owners of the hostel down the street."They went to the inn
Chapter 77: The Question of Christmas PlansBella woke up smiling, remembering their time together the night before. It seemed like it had been such a long time since they'd…Well, they were always making love, but how long since they'd taken their time, used the things they'd collected, the cuffs, the blindfold…God, she loved not knowing what he was going to do, where he was going to touch her, and with what.Luke opened his eyes and smiled back at her. "Good morning, m'lady. Penny for your thoughts," he said."You know what I'm thinking," she replied, arching her eyebrow mischievously."I suppose I do," he grinned. Kissing her deeply, he pulled her to him.She rested her head on his chest. "Let's just stay like this," she said, stroking his chest lightly."Okay with me, baby girl. I'm sure Nathan won't complain about another night with his girl," Luke mused.Bella sighed. "We have to meet them today. We can't put it off another day. But," she moved her hand lower, "we don't a
Chapter 78: Oh, Shit!After T-Nathan left, Bella thought about how she'd miss him and how much she'd enjoyed having him on the road with them. His segments had gone so well. And Morgan? She shook her head, wondering where that relationship was going to go. She chose to ignore, for a moment, the way T-Nathan had strong-armed her and Luke into spending the holidays together with him, Tre, and Cornelia in Birmingham.She and Luke spent the rest of the day low-key, enjoying their last evening in Spain. They uploaded the footage to Charlie and chatted with him briefly. According to Charlie, their next and last stop would be Cagliari, Sardinia. Bella went online and made reservations for the Panoramic Suite at T Hotel, but she was annoyed. The ultra-modern lodgings were not what she had in mind but she'd missed out on Hotel Miramare, her first choice, an historic building located in the heart of the old marina district. It was completely booked.Luke looked over her shoulder at the
Chapter 79: DistractedLuke glanced at Bella seated next to him on the flight to Sardinia. To his surprise, she was wide awake, fidgeting with her charm necklace, its new silver charm of St. James glinting in the sunlight pouring through her window. She noticed his gaze and flashed him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes."Are you alright?" he asked."Yeah. Sure. I'm fine. Why? How are you?" she responded overly brightly."I'm good," he said, smiling slowly. "You just seem a little nervous or something.""Truthfully, my stomach still feels a little icky. Maybe shellfish last night was a poor choice," she said reasonably.He wasn't convinced, but he recalled her mad dash out for 'girl stuff' before they left the hotel and chalked it up to hormones, once again glad to be male.Bags in hand outside the airport in Cagliari, they boarded a hotel shuttle just ahead of a group of five women who, as it turned out, were heading to the same hotel Bella had booked. On the drive, Bel
Chapter 80: Test ResultsThe bedside clock blinked 5:12 am. Bella couldn't wait any longer. What little sleep she'd gotten had been fitful, troubled.She looked over at Luke who was snoring softly, and her heart skipped a beat. She loved him so much. He'd been kind the night before, not mentioning her breach of protocol, recognizing her need to be at his feet. After her knee time, he'd taken her to bed, holding her tenderly to his chest, allowing her to let go of her concerns for a short while. She knew he assumed she was having her period and she hadn't bothered to correct him. Plenty of time for that, she thought.Quietly, she got out of bed and went into the bathroom, carefully closing the door behind her. She switched on the light and located the brown paper bag she'd gotten from the pharmacy the day before. Opening the box, she removed the flat plastic stick from its wrapper. She reread the instructions, then followed them meticulously, knowing she couldn't bear to get t
Chapter 81: Acts of GodBella stood before him wearing only the pink satin robe he loved so much. Her nipples were sharp pebbles pressing against the smooth fabric. She smiled at him, crooking one eyebrow. "What do you want, Cowboy?" she asked.God, she was sexy. She untied the robe's sash and let it fall open, revealing the inside curves of her breasts, the neat patch of ginger where her legs met. His erection strained against the fly of his pants. He wanted her. But then, she knew that.She leaned over him in his chair, taking his face in her hands and kissing his lips hungrily. He kissed her back, taking the opportunity to fondle her breasts as they dangled close, and she moaned softly. He pushed the robe from her shoulders, and it fell to the floor. She leaned back from him a bit and gave him another knowing smile before dropping to her knees between his feet. "What have we here?" she asked, stroking the bulge on his lap. She unbuckled his belt and slowly slid down the
Chapter 82: Bella's MissingLuke shook his head. Now it all made sense. She'd mentioned feeling queasy even while T-Nathan was still with them. At the time she'd blamed it on something she'd eaten. Then there was the rush out to the pharmacy for 'girl stuff'. He'd just assumed…On the flight to Sardinia, she'd seemed anxious, unable to relax. She skipped wine with dinner last night, and later she'd waited on her knees for him. His baby girl, topping from the bottom, craving the quiet intimacy knee-time provided.She'd suspected. But she'd had to wait until morning to do the test. Then she'd done what she always did. He had to smile. Bella, when she tried to be in control. She was probably worried about his reaction.What was his reaction? He sighed. A baby. This is an unexpected development, he thought, then chuckled to himself. Who am I, Spock from Star Trek? What did he think? Or feel? He was stunned, he realized. They'd always been so careful. Well, usually they
Chapter 83: Beneath the Rubble"Bella? Talk to me, Bella. Are you alright?"Bella slowly became aware of someone calling out to her, the far-off sound reminiscent of the tin cans-and-string telephones she'd made as a child. Someone was patting her arm. She tried to open her eyes and found that she couldn't, that no matter what she did, everything was black."Tanya?" she croaked, her throat dry, dust-filled. She coughed, relieving a little of the discomfort. She noticed that their voices were oddly muffled. "I can't see," Bella said."Bella, thank God!" Tanya exclaimed. "It's pitch dark. We're under the building," she explained. "You were out for a few minutes. How are you? Are you hurt anywhere?""I don't know. My head," Bella began, reaching up to touch her forehead. It felt wet and sticky. I'm bleeding, she thought."I'm afraid you might have a concussion. We've got to keep you awake," Tanya was saying."What about you?" Bella asked. "Are you hurt?""I'm fine," Tanya
Chapter 328: Epilogue"Just one more push, you're doing great," the doctor said."How are you holding up, Dad?"Bleary-eyed, he nodded to the pink scrubs-clad nurse. He was ready for this long night to be over.He felt her starting to squeeze his hand again. "You've got this, babe," he murmured, kissing her forehead.Eyes closed and teeth clenched, she bore down, releasing a grunting squeal with the effort."Stop! There we are, Mom. The head is out. Now don't push, just breathe for a moment."Still holding her hand, he leaned over to see the back of the baby's head. His heart was in his throat and tears streamed down his face."Now this is it. On the next contraction, go ahead and push."He turned back to her. Eyes wide, she panted, gripping his hand for dear life."Oh, God, here it comes," she cried."You're doing great, I'm so proud of you," he murmured, turning to watch as their child was born.Fifteen minutes later, he strode down the hospital corridor to the family waiting
Chapter 327: No Time Like the Present"You should go home and get some rest, Jackie."Without taking her eyes off Scott, asleep in his hospital bed, she reached for Blake's hand. "I can't. I need to be here when he wakes up.""You're sure?"She nodded, then looked to her brother. "Can you take care of the kids? I hate to impose, but…""No worries, Jackie. Now that the storm's over, we'll take them back to our house. Amy's more comfortable there, anyway. We'll have a sleepover party."Jackie sighed. "I know they're ready to be back in their own beds. But I'll be home tomorrow, for sure, at least overnight.""Okay, sis." He kissed Jackie on the cheek. "Keep us posted."In the quiet of the hospital room, Jackie pulled a chair beside Scott's bed. As soon as they'd arrived back at the lodge, Blake and some of the others had carried Scott to the battered Suburban, laying him on the back seat.At Amy's insistence, Blake had driven Jackie and Scott to town. By the time they reache
Chapter 326: Dream Versus RealityHe was staring up at an azure sky. A warm summer breeze caressed his face. He turned his head and Jackie smiled at him, her deep blue eyes sparkling. "Where were you?" she asked.Scott shrugged. "I don't know.""Well, you're back now. That's what counts." She took his hand and led him to a bed in the middle of a sun-drenched field full of flowers. The bed's sheer white canopy billowed in the breeze. Kissing his hand, she released it, reaching up to slide first one, then the other spaghetti strap of her filmy white dress, allowing it to slide down her body and pool at her bare feet. His gaze slid from her sapphire eyes to her succulent lips. Then it traveled over the firm globes of her breasts with their pert pink nipples, to the flair of her hips, to the junction between her thighs where tight black curls were neatly trimmed. When he met her eyes again, she smiled knowingly and sank to her knees, bowing her head and resting her hands palm
Chapter 325: Warrior Princess"Jacks, you can't go out there." Blake's face twisted with concern."He won't come back until he finds Pierce. But he won't find Pierce, because Pierce is here. You can't leave Amy. I'd never even ask. And if Ned Hart won't go out there, I have no other choice." Her voice was deadly calm.She grabbed her grey coat, then put it back on its hook, heading into the dining room. Blake followed. "Jackie, seriously, I don't want you going out there." He grabbed her hand, stopping her. "Scott wouldn't want you going out there.""He can tell me that when I find him. Can I borrow Amy's pink parka? It's brighter than mine, easier to see."Blake exhaled sharply, his tone resigned. "I've known you long enough to know that once you've set your mind on something, that's it. At least let me put together a pack for you."While Blake scavenged from the survival students, Jackie put on Amy's parka and spoke to Grant and Emma. "I'm going out to let Scott know
Chapter 324: From Bad to WorseAway from the wide-open expanse of the lake, the trees blocked a certain amount of the wind, but plenty of snow filtered down. Try as he might, Scott couldn't make out any tracks left by Pierce. He continued up the trail, slipping and sliding as he made his way up a steep ridge. The designated campsite was the clearing at the top, but once he arrived, the area was empty. Even the snow was thin, having been blown into drifts against the bases of the trees surrounding the clearing. Where are you, you little shit? Scott turned in a circle, considering the most likely way Pierce might have gone. The clearing was exposed. He'd have wanted to find a spot that afforded more shelter. Which meant he would have gone lower. But in which direction?Rolling the dice, Scott headed west, where the clearing dropped off in a bluff about thirty meters above a ravine created by a now-frozen creek. He peered down into the gully, willing Pierce not to be there at
Chapter 323: Who's Missing?An hour later, Scott sipped his coffee and gazed out over the room. A handful of his campers had volunteered to help with lunch, and they'd all enjoyed potato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. Now, a group of guests was working on chili for dinner.Out of habit, he mentally counted his group. Tom and Patty Payton, who'd headed up lunch, were playing cards with Justin Sapp and Paula Martinez. Dan Spinelli was talking fishing with the father and sons from Cherub Lake. Not finding Pierce, Adams, or Bennet, he frowned slightly. A trip to the restaurant kitchen revealed Brian Bennett and Keely Adams working on cornbread to go with the chili.That leaves one. Scott returned to the dining room. Jackie was across the room checking on Amy. He cruised by the table where Dan was swapping fish stories. "Sorry to interrupt, but have you seen Pierce?"The younger man frowned. "Not since we ate. But you know, now that you mention it, his backpack is gone." H
Chapter 322: Everyone Shelter at the LodgeAs Jackie and the children hiked toward the main lodge, they heard the snowmobile returning from the island. Jackie sent Emma and Grant ahead with their backpacks, Max galumphing along behind them, while she waited for Scott to secure the snowmobile."How'd it go?"Scott's lips were a grim line. "About how you'd expect. There's nothing we can do about it with the storm coming. Everybody understood, really. Except for Pierce. He's such an asswipe."Jackie's eyes widened but her lips curled impishly. "Oh my, Sire. Language."He popped her ass lightly. "And now my Princess requests a spanking. My day is complete."They both laughed as the entered the lodge. Trina had a huge fire going in the dining room's fireplace, and she'd already been to the cabins to invite guests to gather in the main lodge, where there would be food and heat."Hi, guys," she greeted Jackie and Scott. "I called the crew to let them know to stay home today. Then
Chapter 321: Blizzard WarningFrowning, Scott watched the latest weather report on the early morning local news, his mouth set in a grim line. Beside him, Jackie stirred. "What is it?" she murmured."It's alright," he answered softly. "Go back to sleep. It's not even 5:00 yet."She sniffed loudly and yawned. "I'm awake now. What's the matter?" She pushed up on an elbow and rested her head against his shoulder.He shook his head derisively. "The blizzard. They're predicting the storm to hit by this afternoon.""I thought it was supposed to skirt us to the south.""I hoped it would. But now we're under a blizzard warning." He kissed her temple and slid out of bed."What are you going to do?"He stepped into a pair of fleece-lined jeans and shrugged into a grey thermal Henley. "I'm heading to the island to let the campers know. Obviously, we're postponing the solo outings. I'll offer them the chance to return for free to finish their second week of this session." He glanced
Chapter 320: Winter SessionPulling the hood of his black parka lower over his head, Scott ducked behind the windscreen of his snowmobile and headed back to the lodge. At the bunkhouse cabin, he'd just welcomed Tom and Patty Payton, the only married couple he'd had thus far in his wilderness school.Having checked in with Jackie in the reception area of the lodge, the pair had made their way on foot across the ice to the island where they joined fellow survival students Justin Sapp, a stocky young man with an infectious sense of humor, and Paula Martinez, an attractive thirty-something Latina who wrote a Spanish-language adventure blog.Everyone in this session had broad outdoor survival experience, including the Paytons, who had once spent a year in the Amazon cataloging wildlife. They'd told Scott they were excited to learn winter survival skills in the wilderness of Ontario.That leaves four more clients yet to arrive, Scott mused as he pulled up the slope to park beneath the lodg