Joshua Bam Bam Brown: Collection of Short Alaskan Bush People Fan Fics

Lost and Found

Her laugh is what caught his attention the first time. She was standing on the deck of a small fishing boat that was docked near an island not too far from his own. Her head was lifted to the sky and her long dark hair hung down her back. She was wearing dark sunglasses and white earbud cords dangled from her ears down to the phone she held in her hands. She was listening to music, Bam thought. But then she smiled, and then she laughed out loud, the sound diving straight into his heart and making him smile, too. What was she listening to that was making her so happy?

Bam watched her for as long as he could. He had cut the motor on the skiff and was drifting slowly in the water, his eyes fixed on her. He looked away only once, when she turned toward him and he thought she had seen him. But her expression never changed and she turned her face back up to the sun and laughed again. By then, he was hooked.

When he had drifted as close to her boat as was safe, Bam started the motor on the skiff. She dropped her head and swung her head around, startled. He made sure to smile as he watched her stuff the phone in her vest pocket and look closely at him. She didn't look like she was afraid of him, but he wanted to make sure she knew he wasn't dangerous. Raising his hand in a wave, Bam blinked in surprise when she immediately smiled back at him. Her smile directed at him stopped him cold. She was beautiful. It was a bright, sunny day and he wrestled with the disappointment that he couldn't see her eyes. But as she continued to smile at him, she lifted the sunglasses from her face and Bam's heart lurched in his chest. She was stunning. The wind shifted and her scent, light and floral, reached his nose and he inhaled so deeply he felt a little dizzy.

Her head suddenly turned and an older, dark-haired man stepped onto the deck next to her. He gathered her in a quick embrace and then caught sight of Bam in the skiff.

"Who's that?" He asked with a slight frown.

"I don't know yet." She leaned over the railing and reached out her hand for Bam to shake. When he touched her fingers, a hot tingle spread through him and he jerked his hand away quickly, confused.

"Do you live around here?" She asked, motioning to the tree-filled island nearby.

"Not too far." Bam heard himself speak from what seemed like a million miles away. He felt like he was falling into her and he didn't know how to stop himself.

"We were just doing a little fishing here. Is this a good spot?" Her voice was soft and low and Bam strained to hear her, but he hung on every word.

"Yes." His gaze swung to the man behind her whose cool stare spoke volumes. "Enjoy your fishing." Bam said suddenly as he reached back for the tiller.

He didn't need to know all the details to know that he needed to stop himself now before he said or did something that would cause a problem for both of them. But as he raised his hand to wave goodbye and began to pilot the skiff back to his family's land, he knew in his heart it was already too late.

Weeks later, Bam stared at the back of her head and hot anger bubbled to the surface. Not anger at her; she was just living her life. The anger was directed at himself. He knew she might be fishing on this island but he couldn't make himself stay away. He was familiar enough with his own emotions to know that he was in love with her. He'd fought his feelings about her long enough so that he was immediately tired and drained every time he thought of her.

She wasn't free. He'd known that from the beginning, too. But that didn't stop him from wanting her. His dreams were filled with visions of her face and her smile, and his waking moments were tormented by sounds that reminded him of her voice and her laugh. He had tried to tell himself that he was only going by that island to fish. That he didn't expect to see her there and that he would never see her again. But deep in his heart he knew it was a lie. So when he saw the small familiar fishing boat, his heart had pounded in his chest and even then he tried to force himself to sail right past.

As Bam approached the island in the skiff, she didn't move. Her dark hair was pulled up into a ponytail on top of her head. Her back was to him and she seemed focused on something near the tree line. His mind churned as he imagined the conversation and he had been preparing himself for whatever she might say. Now that the moment was here, he wasn't sure what he really wanted to hear from her. But he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her for weeks and he knew he couldn't let this opportunity slip away. He carefully piloted the skiff to the beach and set the anchor.

"Hi." Bam called out to her when he was still a few yards away. She turned to face him and his throat constricted with desire at the sight of her.

"I remember you." She smiled and let her camera swing down as she reached out for Bam's hand.

"Really?" He was afraid to take her hand because he didn't know if he would ever be able to let go. His eyes flicked down to her left hand and he was relieved to see it was bare of rings. Maybe he had a chance after all. Bam looked back up into her eyes and he knew he had to have her. She had already captured his mind, now she owned his soul. He took her hand.

"Of course I remember you." Her eyes flicked down to his left hand and back up to his eyes. Bam's eyes widened as he realized she was checking to see if he was taken, too. "You're the man my brother called 'the red skiff guy'.

"So that was your brother?" The joy in Bam's voice was so obvious that they both laughed.

"Yeah, my brother." Her laugh blew him away.

"I've been by this island several times hoping to find you again." Bam admitted as he pulled her closer to himself and breathed in her scent that he would never forget.

"And now that you've found me?" She teased, moving the camera aside so that their bodies could meet.

"I'm never letting you go."