Lost & Wild: A Joshua Brown Story

Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

Harper emerged from the trapper shack alone a mere few moments later, to see most of both groups gathering around the fire pit as dinner was almost near. Braden and Jack saw her leave and teasing wagged their fingers at her. She stealthily flipped them off, hiding her offending finger as Ami saw her.

"Come get some dinner, your squirrels are delicious!" She praised, holding morsel of the meat between her fingers. Everyone around the fire agreed.

"Geez, ma, we're the ones that went out and got them." Gabe said, "All she did was drove a nail through their head and pulled the skin off."

"Well see if I help you again!" Harper teased him. She took the plate Ami offered, thanking her.

She found a spot by Alex and Matt, sitting cross-legged between them, setting her plate in her lap. She glanced up as she heard Bam leave the trapper shack and head towards them. He got his own plate, settling himself across the crackling fire from Harper. She had to make a conscious effort not to let her eyes follow his every move, but stole a peek, appreciating the way his butt looked in those jeans. She grinned to herself.

"C'mon, keep it together..." She scolded herself. She winced as she bit down on something hard.

"Ok, who was using a shotgun..." She said trying to swirl the buckshot bb to the front of her mouth.

"Ah, that was me," Matt admitted. She playfully spit the bb out at him, it bouncing off his cheek.

"Nice." He said wiping his cheek, laughing along with everyone else around the fire.

"Oh, Harper, I'm so sorry, I usually don't miss those." Ami said, looking guilty.

"Ami don't worry about it, comes with the territory. It won't be the last bb I'll ever bite into. Though where I come from, if you have to use a shotgun instead of a .22 to shoot a squirrel, you've got no business with a gun." She teased Matt, nudging him. He smiled, but couldn't come up with a good rhetoric.

"I think that's the first time I've ever seen Matt not come up with something to say, ever." Billy joked.

Her brother, Alex, leaned into her ear making kissing noises. She went to lightly smack his face away from her, but misjudged how close he was, punching him in the nose.

"GAH! Dammit, woman!" He swore, holding his nose.

Harper felt bad, but couldn't help but laugh under her breath a little.

"Well don't get all up in my business, then." She teased.

As difficult as it was, Harper managed to not ogle Bam over the rest of the evening around the fire. Being this far North, the sun being out longer was still throwing Harper for a loop. The sun was setting, but it was close to 10 o'clock. The crew began gathering their things, packing their equipment. They were staying overnight on the boat and leaving for Juneau in the morning to upload some of their footage and pick up some more equipment they'd ordered. It was almost officially a 'weekend' from the cameras. Harper's stomach did a flip flop, she'd almost completely forgotten they were leaving. She had to admit the timing was pretty good, considering the deal she just made with Bam.

The feeling in her stomach wasn't going away. Her dinner now felt like a rock in her stomach. Now she was going to be nervous? She'd never made a 'deal' for sex before. It always just sort of happened. She'd also been in a relationship for a while before it happened as well. She liked sex, she just wasn't about throwing it around. She worried a little that she had made it too easy for him, would he still respect her? Would she be able to calm down enough to even enjoy it? At the last thought she looked down and noticed she had her hands balled up and her knuckles were white. She loosened her hand, tapping the top of her thighs with her palms, trying to appear normal. She hoped nobody, especially Bam would notice any anxiety.