Disclaimer—See Chapter One

A/N:  I'm back now!  Sorry for the delayed post!  (But I had a great time on vacation—nice and relaxing!)  So here is the next chapter for you as promised!  Thank you again so much for all your feedback!!  I hope you continue to enjoy this story!  Oh and by the way, this next part is based on a true story…let's just say my family went camping a lot.  I'm taking a bit of artistic license with Brennan's character in the beginning of this story, but I just couldn't help it!  Bear with me; he won't stray too far out of character!  Thank you again so much!!  I missed you all and this site while I was away! J

Of Wind and Wood—Chapter Five

Shalimar's first instinct was to fear for her own fate, but she quickly pushed those thoughts aside as she helped Brennan take stock of his body.  Fortunately for him, the rash seemed to be only on his arms.  The shirt he slept in had protected his chest.  Brennan held his breath as Shalimar finished her examination of his face, turning his chin this way and that into the light.

"Nope, nothing yet." She finally announced.

His shoulders drooped in relief as he blew his breath out.  "Thank God." 

"Now let's just hope it stays that way," she muttered, looking at her own hands. 

"I can't believe it's not that itchy yet," he mused as he studied the bumps on his arms with morbid fascination.

"Considering your reaction last time, we'd better get you back to camp," Shalimar patted his back in sympathy as they headed back down the trail. 

Delicious smells of frying bacon and eggs tempted them forward as they entered camp.  Brennan stared longingly at the frying pan set up over the fire grill as Shalimar shook her head and pulled him over to the tree their gear was strung up in.  Shalimar gazed up at the comical sight of their tent and bedding flapping high in the trees; at least they looked dry now.  The spring storm had passed quickly during the night, allowing them to borrow a plastic tarp and sleeping bags from Ana.  She eyed their packs next.

"Hey, Bren?"

"Yeah, Shal?"

"Any idea which bag we packed the first aid kit in?"  She turned towards him, freezing at his blank look.  "Brennan?"

"Uh, Shal?"

"Yeah, Bren?"

"Was the first aid kit by chance the one that was in that little black bag?  The one with the zippers?"

She tapped her toe, "What did you do to it?"

His hand rose to scratch his hair, leaving it more spiky than it already was, "I, ah, thought it was just another one of your make-up bags, so I ah—"

"You took it out?"  She turned frustrated eyes on him. 

He pawed the ground with his foot.  "I needed room for my books."

She pinched her nose, forcing a calming breath.  "Ana!" 

Brennan cringed.

Their guide approached them, munching on a strip of bacon.  "You two better get your gear down and packed, we leave in an hour."  

"Show her, Brennan." Shalimar demanded.

Brennan reluctantly held out his arms. 

Ana raised her brows, before turning around and walking away.  They watched in silence as she dug around in her bag for a moment before returning back to them. 

She held out a tube of ointment to Shalimar.  "Honey, I gotta admire your patience."  She shook her head at Brennan as she again walked away.

Laughter bubbled out of Shalimar's chest at the insulted look at Brennan's face.  She reached up and planted a quick kiss on his pouty lips, cupping his stubbly cheek and smiling until he met her with his own resigned smile. 

Brennan soon forgot his misery as he heartily dug into a heaping plate of eggs and slightly burnt bacon, cheeks bulging as he shoveled it in as fast as he could.  Shalimar popped a huckleberry into her mouth as they made small talk with some of the other passengers around the fire.  There were a total of twelve in their little group, a mix of couples and college kids on spring break.  A couple of boys openly gaped at Shalimar, giggling as they teasingly nudged each other back and forth.  But Shalimar only had eyes for Brennan as she leaned back against a tree and warmed her fingers around a tin coffee cup.  She peeked at him under her lashes as she took a sip, admiring the way he easily chatted with the others.  He smiled charmingly as he answered their questions, knife and fork waving animatedly in the air between bites.  She studied the fine line of his chin and the smooth plane of his face.  A dark shadow covered his jaw, and her heart jumped at how alive and virile he looked, despite the patches of white spots dotting his muscled arms.  Like everything else in this place, he hit her senses at maximum intensity.  The beautifully molded line of his top lip caught the firelight as it curved into a warm smile as he looked over and caught her eyes.  The answering elation she found in his gaze as a current of intimate understanding flashed between them let her know he knew her thoughts.  Clumsiness and all, he's mine.  Her eyes raked down the corded muscle of his forearms and long legs stretched toward the fire.  All mine.

Two hours later, she wished for that feeling back as she stared irritated at Brennan's broad back in front of her as they frantically paddled the portable kayak.  It would be romantic, he had told her.  It would give them some time alone, he had promised.  It would be easy and relaxing.   And she had believed him.

"Come on, Shal," Brennan huffed in front of her, fighting the choppy waters as the little boat dipped and swayed in the current, "Keep paddling!" 

"I am," she gritted out, groaning as her arms screamed at the intense strain they endured as she struggled to steer them against the wind.  Every stroke seemed to be getting them nowhere as wave after wave beat against them.  Their two hour side trip was turning into a four hour nightmare as they drifted further and further from the rest of their party. 

Brennan suddenly stopped his paddling as he lifted his face into the wind.  "Shal, I have an idea, let's go to the shore instead!"

Her eyes drifted to where he pointed. "What shore?"

The bank was a wall of jagged rocks with waves pounding against them in a loud rush. 

"Come on, Shal, we can do it!" He panted as he dug his paddle into the water again. 

She glared at his back; he was surprisingly cheerful considering their predicament.  She knew he hated water, and yet he unwaveringly refused to give up.  She shook her head in wry disbelief.  Who knew he would suddenly turn into nature boy?

As they approached the shore, Brennan again stopped his paddling.  "Grab onto a rock, Shal!" he instructed her, struggling to anchor the boat with his paddle as she clamored over the stern and latched onto a slippery rock. 

"What am I doing this for?" She hollered into the wind, sputtering as a wave backwashed over the rock and hit her in the face. 

"I have an idea!" He repeated, eyes gleaming as he dug through their pack, holding up the tent in triumph.

"What?" She wrinkled her brow in confusion.

"This wind is perfect for sailing, right?" He reasoned. 

She cast a skeptical glance at him over her shoulder as she struggled to keep her arms around the rock.

"So," he deduced as he pulled the rain cover out and stuffed the rest of the tent back into the pack, "I can make us a sail!"

"What??"  She stared at him; he had lost his mind.

"Trust me," he gleefully chuckled to himself as he pulled duct tape out of his pack. 

"You brought tape, but not batteries??" 

"You'll see," he predicted, conveniently ignoring her sarcasm, ""This'll work." 

For twenty minutes she clutched to the slippery rock and spit out river water as Brennan bit his lip in concentration, meticulously concocting his sail out of the tarp and his paddle.  She suddenly straightened as a thought hit her.

"Brennan?"

"Hmm?" He held up his invention and tested it in the wind.

"If your paddle is part of the sail then how are you going to help me row?"

He shrugged.

"Brennan," her voice dropped to a low growl.

"Don't worry, Shal," he reasoned, "This will work out great, all you'll have to do is steer." He flashed her a grin.  "Trust me." 

She had to admit, it didn't look half bad as he eventually announced he was finished.  She sighed, releasing her precarious hold on the rock and stumbling back to the stern, picking up her paddle. 

"Ok, Shal!" Brennan yelled, "Paddle us back out into the open water, and then we'll be sailing our way down the river." 

She moaned as her aching arms bore the weight of pushing them against the current once again.

"This is good, Shal!" Brennan finally decided as the wind whipped her hair into her face. 

She spit out a wet curl and watched as he proudly held up his sail.  "Ta-dah!"

Nothing happened.

He fiddled with it for a moment and tried again.  "Ta-dah!"

The sail flapped wildly, but still caught no wind. 

He stubbornly played around with it and tried again.  Finally, the sail started to catch some wind.  "Ok, Shal!  Start steering!"

She dipped her paddle in the water, surprised when they actually started moving. 

"Whoo-hoo!" Brennan whooped, tipping his head back into the wind, proud of himself. 

While Brennan was basking in his glory, Shalimar raised an embarrassed brow at the family of ducks lazily swimming past them.  Not only were they not going any faster than before, but she was now paddling with all her might by herself.  Still, she stayed silent.  Some things are just better left unsaid, she decided as Brennan finally stopped his hollering long enough to realize they weren't moving very well.  Silently, he lowered his sail, ripped off the tape, and dipped his paddle back into the water, not daring to look back at her. 

Two hours later, they reached the lunch site, exhausted and wet.  Shalimar stumbled out of the kayak, arms numb and shaking with cold.  Brennan clasped her hand as they staggered up the bank and collapsed by the fire, legs sprawled out in front of them.  Still, she stayed silent, and he flashed her an appreciative grin as heat from the fire washed over them and another couple handed them plates of fried fish.  He balanced his plate on one knee, while pulling her to rest against his chest with his free hand, trailing his fingers up and down her spine in quiet apology.  Uh-huh, she mused, moving a little closer to him as his touch tingling through her, All mine.