Free Mountain Fire by Brenda Margriet Page B

before June had met Alex on top of Longworth Mountain, and gave a list of transportation details, hotel accommodations, and conference seminars in regards to a trip Richard had made to Vancouver.
    She slipped the folder back in its slot, slid the drawer shut and was thinking about checking Facebook to kill time when her cell phone buzzed.
    ****
    Alex would have suffered untold tortures before admitting to anyone how many times he’d changed his mind about calling June.
    He had been upset and aroused, disappointed and disturbed when he’d left her house last night. Kissing her, touching her, had set off a firestorm inside him. He still had her scent in his nostrils—soap and fresh air and something even more basic, more primal, he couldn’t define. When she’d asked him to stop, to wait, he’d struggled for the control she’d wanted from him, but had been willing to slow things down. The need for her had pumped through his system as he’d waited impatiently for her to invite him to her bed.
    And then she’d told him no.
    It wasn’t that he couldn’t handle rejection. But he’d never wanted to be with a woman as strongly as he wanted to be with June. When she told him she wasn’t ready, wanted more time to decide, something very much like panic had balled in his gut, and desire had faded into fear. He’d hid behind anger, until her stricken face extinguished his fury.
    It had taken a severe act of will to head out into the night. Tall and slim, she had beckoned to him like a flame in the dark, but he couldn’t let himself go to her. Wouldn’t, until he knew what he wanted from her. Was able to give her what she wanted from him.
    One sleepless night had made him realize he hadn’t walked away from her for good. If she needed time, he’d give it to her.
    As long as she gave him another chance.
    The phone rang so many times he worried it was going to voice mail. When she finally answered, he spoke briskly, striving to hide his nervousness. “How’s the new gig?”
    At first he thought she wasn’t going to answer. When she did, her tone was blandly polite. “It’s fine, thank you.”
    “Good, that’s good.” More silence at the other end of the line. Alex drew in a deep breath and felt fifteen again. The worst of it was he deserved the treatment he was getting. “I’m sorry,” he said bluntly. “I want to apologize. I acted like a jerk last night.”
    “We both needed to say some things, and we did. Now we know where we stand.”
    Alex gazed unseeingly out his office window. She didn’t sound welcoming, but at least she was talking to him. “I don’t usually react that way when a woman tells me ‘no.’”
    “I don’t imagine it has happened too many times.”
    A hint of warmth coloured her voice. A powerful wave of relief swept through him. “Maybe it should happen more often.” He hurried on. “I want to see you again. Soon.”
    “I’d like that. I’d like that very much.”
    “I’ve got a meeting tonight I can’t miss. Iain Provost...remember him, you met him that day at the office...” she made a noise of assent “...has arranged a big get together about the McGregor kills to brainstorm a direction for us. And I’m scheduled to be on call the next two days, so I’m not supposed to leave town. But Iain owes me a couple of favours. Let me see if I can get him to cover for me. If I can swing that, could you arrange to come hiking with me? I’m thinking of heading to Fort George Canyon.”
    “I should probably ask Richard about my schedule first, but I can’t see why he would mind. I’ll let you know.”
    “June?”
    “Yes?”
    “Thanks for taking my call.”
    ****
    June dropped her phone back in her bag. The hard knot that had taken up residence in her stomach after last evening dissolved as she’d listened to Alex’s apology. She’d been so afraid she’d put an end to their relationship practically before it began.
    Richard re-entered the office.
    “All set?” White