A Rare Breed Read Online Free Page A

the man's hand wrapped around hers. She recalled Bonnie's first reaction to her lover.
    We stared, surprise in both our faces. Our eyes met. . .
    Jake quickly moved away, and Brit fumbled as she tucked the handkerchief around a handful of ice and went to Frank. His eye was already beginning to swell.
    With a sideways glance, Brit watched as the tall stranger knelt beside a groaning, groggy Rudi. "Hey, you okay? I didn't hurt you, did I?"
    Rudi mumbled something unintelligible, then seemed to wake fully and cursed a blue streak.
    "Sorry, bud." Jake offered his hand and pulled Rudi to a sitting position.
    "Sorry?" Yolanda was furious. "You jackass! You knocked my husband all the way over here! You could have hurt him badly. What the hell's wrong with you?"
    "Look, lady," Jake said between thinned lips. "I don't know exactly what's going on here, but your husband was beating up that man over there. And he's bigger. I didn't see either of you women able to stop it. Somebody had to do something."
    "It was a guy thing." Yolanda pouted defensively.
    "No, it was a stupid fight, as most of them are. Now, why don't you get some ice for your husband, and we can talk about your situation."
    Finally they gathered around the stranger, Brit and Frank on one side of him and Yolanda and Rudi on the other. As he spoke, Brit was reminded of Bonnie's description of her Indian lover.
    I knew immediately that he was a rare breed of a man.
    "Let's exchange names as a reasonable beginning. I'm Jake Landry, and I teach at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. I'm down here working on a research project."
    "I'm Frank Scofeld, the pilot of this shipwreck. And these folks are my passengers." Frank held the iced handkerchief on his eye and gestured for the rest to introduce themselves.
    "I'm Yolanda. And this man you knocked around is my husband, Rudi Romero."
    Rudi spoke up. "She's the comedian on TV, Yolanda." Rubbing his jaw, he grumbled, "Damn, this hurts. You pack a wallop."
    Jake shook their hands. "I don't watch much TV, but it's nice to meet you. Sorry about the punch, Rudi." He turned a curious expression to Brit.
    "I'm Brit Bailey." She felt caught in the strange power of his dark gaze.
    "Are you with them?" Jake asked.
    "Me?" She shook her head vigorously. "Oh, no. I'm, uh, traveling alone. We just happened to charter the same flight to L.A."
    "If you were heading for L.A., how did you get so far off track?"
    Rudi stepped forward. "We were trying to show Yolanda the Grand Canyon."
    "Yeah," Yolanda added scornfully. "And here it is!"
    "Engine trouble," Frank inserted. "I was trying to land on this sandbar when we hit the trees."
    "Probably a good thing." Jake shook his head and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "You're lucky to get out alive."
    She smiled up at him. "And lucky you found us."
    "But we're not lucky to have lost valuable luggage and clothes and jewels," Yolanda reminded everyone.
    "My camp's not far away." Jake walked around and gave everyone a rudimentary inspection. "If you're ready for a little hike, there's some food left, maybe not enough for a feast, but enough to share."
    "We have shrimp and champagne in the cooler," Frank offered.
    Everyone was silent for a moment, balancing the incongruity of shrimp and champagne with their predicament.
    Jake looked at Rudi, then at Frank. "Okay, guys, listen up. No more fighting, you hear? Whatever is going on between you two will have to stop. Agreed?"
    After a moment's hesitation, and encouragement from Brit and Yolanda, both men nodded stubbornly.
    "How the hell do we get out of here?" Yolanda asked.
    Jake rubbed his chin. "I'm supposed to receive a food drop tomorrow. I’ll notify the pilot that we need a rescue and he can go for help."
    "What are you talking about?" Yolanda demanded, hands on hips. Her jumpsuit was torn and wet and she looked like she'd been in a fight, herself.
    "Well," Jake explained slowly. "There's a pilot who flies over regularly and drops food once or