“I always finish.” Her eyes blazed so clear and beautiful that he had no doubt she’d devour, drain, and exhaust him if he let her. But he wasn’t sure they were talking about the same thing.
“Now hold still.” She used two fingers to scoop up the honey onto her palm and then smoothed the sticky stuff onto his stomach.
Her gentle technique—dip into the honey, slide it on his skin, dip into the honey, slide it on his skin—would have been less painful had she used sandpaper. Trying not to squirm, not to take some honey and swipe it on her, grew more difficult by the second.
“This cure is amazing,” she said. “By tomorrow morning your burn will be completely gone. The tricky part is letting it absorb into the wound for a couple of hours. There. Finished.” She sat back on her haunches and studied her work, avoiding eye contact.
McCall noted the generous layer of honey before scooting to the edge of the couch and pulling Lucy up onto her feet. No way were they done.
“What are you doing?” Her startled reaction was exactly what he expected.
His hands held the hem of her T-shirt. “Checking you for burns. Maybe I need to put some honey on you?”
She squirmed and stepped back. “I’m fine.”
“Show me.”
“This is not show me yours, I’ll show you mine. I barely felt a thing when I dropped you to the floor.”
“Liar.” He’d bet his village she felt his growing arousal while she wiggled against him.
“I’m not lying. See?” She lifted her shirt for exactly two beats and then let it fall back down.
“I see.” The quick peek proved two things. She hadn’t lied about getting burned. And her tanned, trim middle was sexy as hell. “But I wasn’t talking about a burn.”
She rolled her eyes again. “Whatever you think I felt during our brief body slam has completely escaped my mind. Which can only mean one thing. It didn’t leave a big impression.”
He laughed. “Clearly the barriers between us are at fault.” He reached down and unbuttoned his jeans. To mess with her, to see if he could redden her cheeks further.
“Don’t even.”
It worked.
“I’m going to my room. Alone.” She tripped in her haste to escape.
“You know this isn’t the end of anything,” he called after her. She’d seemed more than willing before the candle fiasco, but he wouldn’t push. Hell, if he were smart, he’d forget the whole thing.
She tossed a flirty look over her shoulder. “I know.”
Chapter Six
A full moon drew the kind of shadows over the campsite that kept most people tucked safely in bed. The spooky kind of shadows that Lucy loved because they offered protection from curious eyes.
She zipped up her jacket and leaned against the fencing at the camp entrance. Her boot tapped the ground. Her finger flicked her flashlight on and off. Where the hell was he?
Headlights finally appeared out of the corner of her eye, sending a rush of emotion through her. She blinked repeatedly to stop the tears pricking the back of her eyes. When the car stopped and Owen McAllister stepped out, Lucy thought she might collapse from sheer delight. He rounded the hood and wrapped her in his arms. His hugs always settled down the tension at the base of her neck.
“I’m so happy to see you,” she said, squeezing him back and holding tight to the man who was like a father to her.
“I’ve missed you, too,” he whispered before pulling back. “Now let me look at you.” He scanned her from top to bottom. “You’ve lost weight.”
“I’m fine.”
“And still prettier than any girl has a right to be.”
Lucy gave him another hug. “Thanks for making the drive from California.” She hadn’t seen him since the funeral and hadn’t realized until this moment how much she missed him.
“You know I’d do anything for you.” Owen had been her father’s closest friend and confidant. He never worked for Malcolm, but he was an engineer slash gadget genius and had helped them in their recovery efforts numerous times. “Now why am I here and not at the Aztec village?”
The original plan had been for Owen to meet her at the village and use the camera he’d invented.
The “magic snake,” as she liked to call the camera, looked like a hose with a tiny five-pronged head. The prongs drilled through any material, a small lens followed it, and four feet of camera cable with an LED light and zoom feature came next. It was an amazing device that could see over, into, and around anything. It would help her find the Tlaloc sculpture inside the sandstone walls without causing too much damage.
Lucy explained the entire situation with McCall, her car, and Clay’s surveillance on the village.
Owen ran a hand through his graying hair. Even with only a scrap of moonlight across his face, Lucy saw the disapproval in his eyes. “You need to back off, Lucy. The site is protected and that means it’s off limits.”
“You know I can’t.”
“I know you’re blaming yourself for something that wasn’t your fault. Let it go.”
“I can’t.” Every muscle in her body went taut, as if they’d snap in two if she moved too quickly. “I promised I’d find the sculpture.”
“And you have. Now leave it alone.”
“You know that’s not what I mean.”
“Lucy.” Owen put his hands on her shoulders. “Your dad would not want you putting yourself in jeopardy like this. If you get caught, you’re going to jail. There’s over a dozen federal and state laws protecting national monuments from any loss of integrity.”
“I won’t get caught.”
“Goddammit.” He twisted away. His shoulders were more rounded since the last time she saw him.
It was her fault Matt and her dad were dead and she’d do whatever it took to fulfill her last promise to them. She owed them that much. Once she did, she’d finally be free to forget the horrible things in her memory.
She thought she’d done the right thing, separating from them in the Guatemalan cave.
The tunnels had been dark and dank, until the pentagonal opening that took her into another world. Monolithic columns and a cathedral-like cavern looked like a set from a science fiction movie. The earth beneath her feet was spongy, false floors prevalent. No one was supposed to get close to the ancient Mayan crystalline artifact that helped explain the Mayan’s beliefs about the underworld
Lucy had navigated the wide perimeter and gotten to the ancient rock formation believed to house the crystal with careful, precise steps. Her heart had pounded inside her chest. When she looked over her shoulder to find her dad and Matt across the cavern and on their way, relief and worry washed over her.
Their footsteps weren’t as light or cautious as hers. She wanted to yell to them to watch out, but she’d been sick with laryngitis and could barely whisper. A whistle would get their attention, but she couldn’t do that either.
They fell into a disguised pit fifty feet deep and had only survived for minutes before their injuries took them from her.
The recollection knocked the wind out of her. The risk of letting someone get close again and then losing him or her reminded Lucy why she kept her distance. She struggled every day to see why she’d survived and the two people who meant the most to her had not.
Retrieving the Tlaloc sculpture was the only way to atone for what she’d done.
She leaned against the fence. “We just need to adjust our plan.”
“Because there’s a goddamn Navy SEAL keeping night watch. Yeah, I’d say so.” Owen paced around his car.
“I can use the camera on my own. If you distract him, I can sneak inside the village, do what I need to do, and be out in under twenty minutes.”
Owen let out a resigned sigh. “This is dangerous, Lucy.”
“When has that ever stopped me? I’m going to do this with or without your help, so what do you say?” She could get the sculpture without the camera. It would just take longer.
“How do
you feel about this McCall fellow?”
Lucy picked up her knapsack, anxious to get going. “What does that matter?”
“It matters a lot. It’s his site and if I’m reading you right, you like him. You’ve never taken an artifact away from someone and that’s what you’ll be doing.”
“I don’t like him. I’m stuck with him.”
“Okay,” Owen said, stretching his arms behind his back. “How about staying close to him. Volunteering at the site and working with his crew. You could gain access to the village legitimately that way.”
Lucy hadn’t thought of using that approach. But McCall had said he’d stop her. He didn’t care about making a “find.” His priority was to preserve the site. Period.
Besides that, staying close to McCall for longer than necessary might lead her to act on the impulses he’d awakened.
“I don’t want to stick around here longer than necessary. Let’s do this thing tonight and then you can go home and I’ll take care of the rest.” She reached for the passenger door handle.
“Just like that?” His annoyed tone almost cut through Lucy’s resolve. She hated arguing with him.
“Just like that.”
He got in the car. “If I didn’t know how goddamn stubborn you are, I’d take you to California with me right now. But that would only delay you. What’s the plan?”
She slid on her seatbelt. “Thanks, Owen. We’ll drive up to the village and you’ll tell Clay that you’re a professor and you heard the Aztec village was haunted and wanted to check it out. You’ll lure him away from the car first, and then to the south side of the village. Toss out some necromantic shit and keep him entertained while I sneak into the north side.”
“Necromancy is not shit.”
Lucy laughed and put a hand on his arm. “I know.”
They got to the settlement and under a full moon, Lucy tiptoed in one direction while Owen worked his magic in another. Inside the walls of the village, the air felt stagnant, as if the inner chamber wanted to squeeze the breath out of her before she upset the stillness.
That’s what happened in the dead of night. Treasure sites imbued a mysterious force field that daylight somehow countered. All those stories told around campfires and bedtimes about being afraid of the dark caused these crazy thoughts.
She shook her head and found what she thought to be the right spot. Religion was a staple with the Aztecs and they worshipped hundreds of gods. Ceremonies were important and according to reliable scripture she’d read, she was positive she was at least close to the sculpture’s position.
With a gentle hand, she slipped the camera and other equipment out of her knapsack and did what she’d come to do.
…
The fact that Lucy came back meant something, right?
McCall feigned sleep when she eased open the sliding glass door and tiptoed back to her room. Despite the clench of every muscle in his body, he was relieved to see her. The digital clock on the nightstand read five thirty-two. He’d noted her absence at three forty-five when for some reason he needed to check on her. And wipe the damn honey off.
When she padded by him in pajama shorts and a tank top to use the bathroom, his damn libido forgave her before he even blinked. Her long legs, perfect ass, and sculpted arms teased him into dismissing her agenda.
No doubt she’d been up to no good.
He pushed himself up.
A minute later she crept by him again, her attention on the floor. Which made the jutting out of his arm that much sweeter.
Something sounding like oomph spilled from her mouth. He couldn’t be sure because he’d stood, brought her into his arms, and her mint breath short-circuited his brain.
“McCall!”
That he understood. “Yeah?”
“Let me go.” She squirmed against him.
He flipped on the bedside lamp. He could get used to this wiggling of hers. “So you can sneak back out?”
Her body stilled. Seconds of silence dragged between them. In the dim light of the room her eyes twinkled with excitement. “I told you I had things to do.”
Being so close to her, the last thing he wanted to do was talk. But until he knew for sure what the glow on her face was about he’d keep his distance.
“Okay.” He sat back on the bed, willing to let her win this round. She couldn’t have gone far without a car, could she?
She wrapped her arms around herself. “Quit looking at me like that.”
“How am I looking at you?”
“Like I’ve been dipped in a caramel chocolate swirl.” She stared at him in fascination. Her chest rose and fell. Heat entered her eyes, no mistake about it.
He stood. “My favorite.”
She took a big step back and put her hand up. “That wasn’t an invitation.”
“What was it then?” He stopped just shy of her palm.
“I don’t know. I’m half asleep and can’t be held responsible for the idiotic words coming out of my mouth.”
He couldn’t help it. His gaze dipped to his favorite part of her anatomy—her mouth. One kiss. One kiss and he could stop fantasizing about what she’d taste like.
Then reality clocked him upside the head. She didn’t know what she was saying because she’d been awake all night figuring out a way to get what she wanted in his village. He sat back on the edge of the bed. “Right. Why don’t you get some more sleep then? We’re heading out at ten.”
She frowned. “We aren’t going anywhere.”
“We are. I think we should get to know each other better before our date Sunday night.” He’d keep Lucy close and try to get her to confide in him. She intrigued him far more than he cared to admit and discovering what she was all about while safeguarding his village was a priority.
“You have something against asking? Do this. Do that. I’d be less surly if you asked me to join you.”
“Meaning you’ll agree with my plans?” He expected her to laugh or at the very least harrumph. Instead her shoulders relaxed and a soft sigh gave away her acquiescence.
“Sure.”
“You’re going to blame this conversation on sleep walking aren’t you?” Ten seconds ago she’d seemed ready for battle.
“No. But I am exhausted. So hurry up and ask before I fall asleep on my feet.” A tiny tremor shook her body.
Maybe he’d overestimated her stamina. He almost scooped her up and carried her to bed. But then he’d be tempted to fall into it with her. “Would you like to go climbing with me later today?”
“Okay. Goodnight.” She turned and wobbled to her room.
McCall tried to draw in a deep breath, but shallow was all he got. Hell. Tired or not, that had been way too easy. She was up to something, and he was up to the challenge of unraveling her cagey side.
Her bed creaked. She exhaled into slumber. He fought the lust those sounds stirred inside him by whipping the bed sheets over his aching-for-her hot body. Lucy curled up in bed, all the tension finally drained from her shoulders, turned him on.
Little did she know, though, the surprise was on her.
Chapter Seven
McCall craned his neck to glimpse the tops of the giant five-hundred-year-old Douglas fir trees. Since the day he’d climbed his first tree in second grade to escape the girls who wanted to kiss him, he’d sought the solitude of heights. Time spent far off the ground meant freedom. Control.
Lucy’s fist jabbed him in the upper arm. “Who’s ever heard of climbing trees like this? I thought you meant rock climbing.” Her chin tipped up to the cerulean sky visible behind the tree canopies over a hundred feet high.
“I promise you’ll enjoy it.”
“You have no idea what I’ll enjoy.”
“Oh, I think I do.” Even though they weren’t touching, he felt Lucy shiver.
She bit that damn corner of her lip. “I think I’ll stay down here.”
“McCall, how are you?” Pete Anders’ booming voice arrived a couple of seconds before the man
himself.
McCall extended a hand to his friend in greeting. “Lucy, this is Pete Anders, our guide. Pete, this is my friend, Lucy Davenport.”
Pete raised his eyebrows and gave Lucy a once over that almost wrenched a predatory growl from the back of McCall’s throat.
“Hi,” Lucy said, her tone sweet and sexy. She shook Pete’s hand and McCall watched as Pete puffed out his chest and ran his free hand through his hair.
“Very nice to meet you, Lucy.”
She smiled. Pete smiled. McCall clenched his jaw and just in case Pete got any crazy ideas, put his arm around Lucy.
When she tried to wriggle free, he brought her tighter against him. That got her to stop squirming. He gave Pete a victory grin.
Pete gave a slight nod and wink that probably had steam coming out of Lucy’s ears, but McCall didn’t give a shit. Lucy was his—at least for the next couple of days—whether she liked it or not.
“You guys ready to get outfitted?”
“Let’s do it,” McCall said.
Lucy listened as Pete explained how tree climbing worked and then she pulled the harness up and over her legs and khaki shorts, cinching it around her waist. She double knotted her boots before slipping on the bright yellow helmet and gloves.
Before Pete could step in, McCall double-checked her equipment. Without comment, but a scowl on her face, she dropped her arms to her sides to let him test the give on her straps.
His fingers skated along the curve of her hips, the hollow of her back. Her clothing didn’t stop a surge of electricity from shooting up his arms. Once satisfied, he stepped back and looked at her. Tomboy sexy, it took every ounce of control he had not to haul her against him and kiss her into smiling.
“I’ll be right beside you as you ascend into the canopy,” Pete said. “If you need to rest, just let me know and we’ll take a break. After we spend some time in the trees, we’ll descend down and eat dinner. When night falls, we’ll head back up and settle into the hammocks for the evening.”
“Wait. What?” Lucy said, her voice incredulous.
Oh yeah, he’d forgotten to mention they’d be spending the night in the treetops.
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