“Nope.”

“Well, my sweater got wet helping out a friend. So it’s drying. My other jacket got dirty the first day on the trail. I thought two would be enough. Guess not.”

“Powder didn’t have anything?”

“I’m wearing her skirt.”

That drew his eyes down to her legs. Ashley stopped his words before they could form. “Powder said some nice guy would probably lend me his flannel shirt. I had a pretty good shot at it too, until you walked up.”

Caz sighed, reached down, and pulled his white cable-knit sweater over his head. Underneath he wore a cream-colored long-sleeved T-shirt.

Ashley grinned and held up her arms. “Touchdown.”

Caz dropped the hem over her head. “That’s an American reference.”

She pulled her arms through, the knit still warm from his body. The material fell almost to the hem of her skirt, and she hugged it close. “You understood well enough. Mmm. Nice, thanks.”

Caz pulled her hair free of the collar and patted the length down her back. Instead of joining the crew at a picnic-style table, he led her to a corner table for two.

The restaurant’s food choices centered around wild game, but in this cold, there was no contest. They both ordered the hot potato soup. Eyeing him over the rim of her spoon, Ashley blew to cool it and took a bite, eating a creamy square of potato.

“I thought over dinner you could tell me about the kissing pentagon.”

Her spoon dropped back into the soup, and the handle made a small clatter against the side of the dish.

“You said if I was nice.” Caz gave his sweater a sweeping nod.

“Is it really a nice gesture, if you do it to get a reward?”

“Yes.” Caz leaned closer. “So, you’d call the kissing pentagon a reward?”

Smiling around her next bite, Ashley nodded.

“Intriguing. Will I call it a reward?”

Ashley considered. “Maybe, I don’t know what you like. But the kissing pentagon doesn’t involve rain.”

“They didn’t create the technique in Britain then.”

Her gaze caught sight of Jason, wearing one of his button-down shirts under a full navy sweater, leading Powder by the arm. He seemed annoyed, and Powder seemed satisfied. That would teach Jason to be late. Poor UCLA guy, Ashley thought, and wondered what the water polo equivalent of a strikeout was called.

Caz tapped his spoon on the side of the bowl and drew her attention to him.

Ashley said, “It’s kind of cool that no one here recognizes you.”

“The eight layers and coats with hoods help.”

“You’ll have to vacation in Alaska,” Ashley said. “Freedom from photos.”

“Or maybe it’s because there’s mostly guys here,” Caz said. “They don’t scream as much as the women.”

Ashley rolled her eyes.

“That guy was being quite forward,” Caz said. “He fancied you.”

“You call that forward?”

“He asked you out when you’re clearly with me.”

Ashley didn’t let her happy reaction to his words show. “Well, he didn’t take any of his clothes off and throw them at me, like women do to you.”

“I inspire passion.”

“I should do womankind a favor and keep the kissing pentagon a secret. That knowledge, coupled with your already irresistible self, would be too much of an advantage.”

Caz finished his soup and pushed the bowl away. “Tomorrow there could be more rain, or bears, or an earthquake. We have to grab the chance at life while we can.”

“Really? You’re giving me the we may not make it out of here alivespeech?” She took another bite and stirred her soup.

“Is it working?”

“A little. I don’t like earthquakes.” Ashley let the spoon drop and leaned close. “The technique works better as a demo than a speech.”

“Yes, show me.” Caz popped to his feet, eyes bright, and pulled her up from the table. They looked in the bar area but it was still packed. Caz led her to the front door. “Wait here one second, I’ll be right back.” He returned within a few minutes carrying a large coat.

Coats and front doors meant one thing. “No way. The weather’s too cold and damp.”

“You have on a sweater.”

“But I’m wearing a skirt.”

Caz shrugged on the coat. “How long is the pentagon’s first step?”

“Not that long.” Ashley looked toward the crowded, well-lit interior and toward the exit. “Okay.”

Caz opened the door and they slipped outside. The cold hit them instantly. It was a damp cold because of the rain, a Houston kind of cold. Brr.

Caz led her over to the side of the lodge, away from the bright front entry lights.

Shivering, Ashley reached for him. The building only blocked a little of the bitter breeze. He was going to have to serve as the other barrier if he wanted her to stay out here much longer. Caz wrapped his arms around her and she backed up until she felt the log cabin’s wall at her back, and said, “You know what would be great?”

“Hmm?”

“If we do this back in LA. Picture your cozy trailer, or even my car in the parking lot. That’s very American, you know, so you should experience that—making out in a car.”

“Okay, yes,” he agreed. “But now show me step one.”

Ashley heart thumped and she felt a little less cold. She tilted her head back against the log and looked up. He was kind of tall to demonstrate the first step on, unless they had a chair.

The night was pitch-black around them, lit only by the lights from the hotel and the ton of stars in the sky, their sheer numbers and brightness something never seen in LA. The difference highlighted how unreal the night felt. She lifted her gaze to his face, but couldn’t really read his expression in the dark. “Powder told me the steps, but didn’t say anything about conditions. I don’t know if the techniques work out here in the cold.”

“Jeez, now I have to know.”

She gave a small laugh. “Okay, I have to reach your mouth to do this.”

“So far it doesn’t sound that unique.”

“You’re awfully talkative for someone who wants to learn something.”

“That’s because I like it when you say nice things about my voice.” Leaning down, Caz tilted his head toward hers.

Ashley rose on her tiptoes, then saw a better option and pulled back. “Hey, see that? What is it? An arbor?”

Caz turned his head. A rustic wooden structure stood in the darkness, not too far away. “No, I think it’s for people who want to sleep outside.”

“When there’s a lodge thirty feet away?”

He shrugged. “Let’s check it out.” The camping structure had a wooden platform about two feet off the ground, three wooden walls, and a missing fourth wall.

Caz said, “Look at this, there’s a whole bit missing.”

“They left it off on purpose, so you can enjoy the view.”

“Of the bears?”

“Again, I’m with you. Climb in. You’ll be like those first British explorers who came to America under rough conditions.”

“My people stayed in England.” Caz climbed in and gave her a hand up. The inside was dark, and much less chilly without the wind. Leaning against the wall, he pulled her close.

“You’re tall.”

Caz slid down the wall to the floor and pulled her down onto his lap. After opening his coat, he pulled her close. The wooden floor was cold against her knees and her tights were definitely getting snagged, but he was warm.

“Mmm. Okay. You start with this—”

Chapter 16

Ashley kissed his mouth, a soft, fleeting touch. He pressed upwards and she pulled back, not letting him reach her. “This one’s all about being frustrated.”

She couldn’t clearly see him, but she could hear the grin in his words. “Ashley, that’s never the goal.”

She kissed the other corner of his grin then pressed her lips lightly to his bottom lip.

“Caz.” Next, she touched her tongue to his mouth and pulled back. “I like how you taste. Kind of foreign and exciting. It’s too dark out here to see, but sometimes when I kiss you your eyes darken and—”