expected. It wasn’t just herself that she was hurting for. It was Raven.
„He saved my life, too,“ Janna continued in a tight, desperately calm tone. „And he won’t even let me thank him.“
„Gratitude is like milk,“ Raven said roughly. „It’s bland, coats your tongue and turns sour after a few days.“ He turned toward the boy who was manning the fuel pump. „You finished yet?“
„Gettin’ there.“
„Good,“ Raven growled, impatient to be off the dock. „Where do you live?“ he asked, turning back to Janna.
„In a small house on the beach at the edge of the park.“
Raven frowned. „The shack with the bear feet hanging on the mailbox?“
„Is that what they are? I was pretty sure, but I was afraid to ask.“ Janna shuddered, remembering her horror when she had encountered the mailbox in the twilight rain. „The first time I saw them I thought they were bare feet as in no shoes, no socks, nothing but bones. Human. There was no reason to think otherwise. The claws had been cut off, and the articulation of the foot bones and ankle looked just the same as I remembered from my anatomy class. I nearly turned around and ran for the RCMP.“
Almost reluctantly, Raven grinned. „You wouldn’t have been the first. The Mounties had a bad summer a few years back. Someone shot several bears, took the claws and skin and dragged the carcasses out to sea. The beachcombers who found the feet washed up with rope around the ankles felt the same way about it that you did. So did the Mounties until they figured out what had happened.“ His smile faded. „Nadine has a grisly sense of humor. Has she fixed up that shack you’re renting?“
„It only leaks when it rains,“ Janna said, shrugging.
„Like the boat,“ retorted Raven. „It only leaked when it was floating. Now it doesn’t leak at all.“
Raven’s narrowed eyes told Janna that he disapproved of her summer lodging. Well, there was nothing she could do about that. The price had been right and had included the use of a boat and an outboard engine. Unfortunately, both boat and engine were at the bottom of Totem Inlet.
„Know any place to buy a used boat?“ Janna asked, then added hastily, „Cheap.“
„I’ll take care of it,“ Raven said. „Old Nadine has gouged her last tourist.“
„That isn’t necessary. I can – “
„Care to flip me for it?“ Raven interrupted smoothly.
Janna started to argue, took one look at the suddenly hard lines on Raven’s face and decided that now wasn’t the time to object. She had discovered that every time she mentioned Nadine’s boat, Raven lost his sense of humor. Janna knew why. He kept thinking that if he had slept harder or started out to help later or never been at the inlet at all, Janna would have drowned.
The same thought had occurred to Janna more than once, usually in the small hours of the night, bringing her awake with her heart pounding. It had been very reassuring to feel Raven’s warm presence by her side at those moments, to curl against his body as he gathered her close, to fall asleep knowing that she was safe.
„No, I don’t care to flip you for it,“ Janna admitted, smiling slightly. „You use the damnedest coins.“
Raven smiled in return, remembering both Janna’s startled look and the creamy curves of her bottom as he had stroked it. „That leaves dinner to settle.“ He turned toward Hawk. „You two staying with Uncle?“
„He wouldn’t hear of anything else.“
„I’ll bet. Uncle has an eye for beauty. Better keep Angel on a short leash. Uncle’s quite the lady’s man.“
Hawk’s mouth curved in a small smile. „Handsome devil, too. It’s not hard to see where you got your pretty face.“
Angel burst out laughing. „Hawk, you ought to be ashamed. Uncle is as homely as a muddy clam and you know it. Raven definitely is
„He’s too small for my taste,“ Hawk said blandly.
Raven chuckled as he stepped forward and enveloped Hawk in the kind of hard hug that men reserve for brothers or the rare unrelated male whose friendship is uniquely valued. „I’ve missed you, Hawk. I’m glad you could get away for a few days.“
„So am I. We don’t see much of you in Vancouver anymore.“
„I’ve been – restless.“
„Yes,“ Hawk said softly. „I was restless, too. Once.“ He looked at Angel. „But no more.“
Angel looked up at Hawk and smiled.
If Janna had had any lingering question about Raven’s status in Angel’s life, that doubt vanished. Angel’s smile said silently that Hawk was as deeply rooted in her as her own soul. It was the same for Hawk. The single caressing touch of his fingertip on Angel’s cheek proclaimed that she was a radiance that illuminated every darkness he had ever known.
Janna looked at Raven and saw his gentle smile as he watched the almost tangible currents of love flowing between his friends. Abruptly a feeling of sadness swept over Janna, a strange, almost overwhelming compassion for Raven. Angel and Hawk were two halves of a very beautiful, very powerful whole. Raven not only accepted that, he celebrated it, loving both of them equally, enjoying the visible evidence of their love for one another.
„Janna? What’s wrong?“ Raven whispered.
Slowly Janna realized that she was leaning against Raven’s hard, warm chest and his arm was unobtrusively supporting her.
„Nothing new,“ she said, looking up, giving him the best smile she had at the moment. It must not have been very good. His eyes narrowed and he looked at her closely. „I guess it’s all catching up with me,“ she said, waving her hand around vaguely. „Coping with civilization and all that. Eden was… addictive.“
Raven’s eyes kindled. His arms tightened around Janna. „It doesn’t have to end,“ he whispered. He took a harsh breath as he heard his own words. He was doing what he had promised he wouldn’t, pressing her, using her gratitude for his own ends. „You have a few more days, don’t you? If you want?“
„I want,“ Janna whispered, giving in to the need within her soul and holding on to Raven suddenly. „I want that very much.“
Both of Raven’s arms went around Janna. He straightened slowly, lifting her feet off the dock, loving the feel of her completely supported within his arms. When he finally set her down again, he was aware of Angel’s amused, approving smile.
„It’s settled,“ Raven said. „We’ll meet for dinner at Janna’s place at five. I’ll bring the food, Angel will cook and Hawk will clean up afterward.“
„That doesn’t leave anything for me to do,“ Janna pointed out.
„You,“ Raven said, touching her nose with his big finger, „are sentenced to a long, hot bath. Then you will sit in my lap and whisper to me about the lives and lusts of frumious bandersnatches.“
„I don’t think you’re old enough to hear stuff like this,“ Hawk said, covering
