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“We got everything you can imagine,” Pete answered enthusiastically. “There’s caribou, Dall sheep, bears—”

“Bears?” She refused to listen beyond that.

“They’re a nuisance if you ask me,” Pete continued. “That’s why most of us have caches so—”

“What’s a cache?” Lesley interrupted.

“A cache,” he repeated as if he was sure she must know.

“It’s like a small log cabin built on stilts,” Chase explained. “It’s spelled c-a-c-h-e, but pronounced cash.”

“Bears and the like can’t climb ladders,” Pete added. “But they do climb poles, so we wrap tin around the beams to keep ’em off.”

“What do you store there that the bears find so attractive?”

“It’s a primitive freezer for meat in the winter.”

“I keep extra fuel and bedding in mine,” Pete said. “And anything else I don’t want the wildlife gettin’. You’ve got to be careful what you put outside your door, but Chase will tell you all about that, so don’t worry. We haven’t lost anyone to bears in two, three years now.” He laughed, and Lesley didn’t know if he was teasing or not.

She swallowed uncomfortably and pushed the thought out of her mind. “I think moose are interesting creatures,” she said conversationally, remembering Lori’s comment.

“We get ’em every now and then, but not often.” Once more it was Pete who answered.

By the time they landed, ninety minutes later, Lesley was both exhausted and worried. After they’d parked the plane in a hangar and unloaded their luggage, Pete drove them to a cabin nestled in a valley of alder, willow and birch trees. Lesley didn’t see any other cabins along the way, but then she wasn’t expecting Chase to live on a suburban street. Neighbors would have been welcome, but he didn’t seem to have any within walking distance.

“See you in the morning,” Pete said, delivering two of the suitcases to the porch. He left immediately, after slapping Chase on the back and making a comment Lesley couldn’t hear. She figured Pete was issuing some unsolicited marital advice.

“You’re meeting him in the morning?” Lesley asked. Chase had told her he needed to be back at work. But she’d assumed he wouldn’t have to go in right away, that he’d be able to recover from his travels first.

“He’s picking me up,” Chase said. “I have to check in. I won’t stay long, I promise.” They were standing on the porch and Lesley was eager to get a look at her new home. The outside didn’t really tell her much. She’d seen vacation homes that were larger than this.

Chase unlocked the door and turned to her, sweeping her off her feet as if she weighed no more than the suitcase. His actions took her by surprise and she gasped with pleasure when she realized he was following tradition by carrying her over the threshold.

Lesley closed her eyes and reveled in the splendor of being in his arms. They kissed briefly, then Chase carried her into the bedroom and they sat on the edge of the bed together.

“This has been the longest day of my life,” Lesley said with a yawn. “I could kill for a hot bath and room service, but I don’t think I’d stay awake long enough for either.”

“I’ve dreamed of having you in this bed with me,” he said in a low voice.

Lesley cupped his face and tenderly kissed his lips. “Come on. I’ll help you bring in the luggage.”

“Nonsense,” Chase countered. “It’s no problem. I’ll get it.”

Lesley didn’t object. While Chase dealt with their suitcases, she could explore their home. The bedroom was cozy and masculine-looking. The walls were made of a light wood—pine, she guessed—with a double closet that had two drawers below each door.

A picture was the only thing on the dresser and Lesley knew in an instant that the couple staring back at her from the brass frame were Chase’s parents. The bed was large, too big for the room, but that didn’t bother her. The floor was wood, too, with several thick, braided throw rugs.

There was a small guest room across the hall, simply furnished with an iron bedstead and a chest of drawers.

Moving into the living room, Lesley admired the huge rock fireplace. It took up nearly all