Wilde One

by Jannine Gallant

  “I will. Here, Ainslee.” He held out the plate.

  She shook her head. “No way. Make my piece about half that size.”

  “You’re like me.” Eden glanced up as she continued to slice the pie. “I don’t need all those calories, but Griff never gains an ounce.”

  “Which is crazy considering the way he eats.” When Rocky jumped off the couch and headed toward the door, Ainslee stood. “Hold off on serving mine for a minute while I take Rocky out, if you don’t mind.”

  “Sure.”

  When Ainslee returned after a quick trip to the yard, Eden scooped ice cream onto her plate, and they all enjoyed their dessert with conversation about Griff’s latest completed salvage project and his plans for the future.

  Boyd leaned back in his chair. “I know you mentioned California, but where exactly do you intend to go?”

  “The Big Sur area. The Wilde Chick is currently down in Santa Barbara. The outfit who leased her will turn her over at the end of the month, so I’ll bring her north then.” Griff scraped his plate then licked one finger. “I’ve already leased the Wilde Lady to a company out of New York until the end of the year.”

  Ainslee swallowed her last bite of pie and dropped her napkin on her plate. “Wait a minute. You have two boats?”

  “It wasn’t economical or time efficient to shuffle the Wilde Lady clear down to Panama then back up the coast when I wanted to work on the opposite seaboard. This way, I simply rent out the vessel I’m not using.”

  “Smart.”

  He grinned. “I’m not a complete moron—despite some of the stupid things I’ve done and said recently.”

  “Oh, I never doubted your intelligence. You may be a tad clueless at times…”

  Eden choked and coughed. “You know him so well already.”

  “We’ve spent nearly every waking hour together for over a week now.”

  “And you haven’t killed him yet? Impressive.”

  Ainslee’s smile faded. “I haven’t.”

  Griff nudged her with his elbow and gave a slight head shake. “I hate to break up the party when Eden’s on a roll, maligning my character, but we need to get some sleep. Three o’clock comes early.”

  “You really intend to leave in the middle of the night?” His mother’s hands stilled over the dessert plates she’d stacked. “Surely you can stay another day.”

  “Sorry, Mom, but we need to get to San Francisco before one of the others beats us there. After chasing clues clear across the country, we don’t want to lose because we took a day off.”

  “I see your point.” She sighed. “Maybe you’ll be able to visit again soon, and I hope you’ll bring Ainslee with you.”

  “You bet.” He dropped a kiss on her cheek then gave his dad a back-slapping hug.

  Ainslee received hugs all around before following Griff out of the room and up the stairs with Rocky trotting at her heels. “Your family’s terrific. For having a last-minute guest sprung on them, they certainly made me feel welcome.”

  “That’s because they liked you so much. You impressed the hell out of my dad, and my mom is probably praying you don’t wise up and send me packing.”

  She pressed her hand to her lips to keep from laughing. “Now, why would I do that?”

  He slipped an arm around her waist. “No reason I can think of.” Steering her down the upstairs hall, he led her into a room decorated in shades of green with a queen-size bed. “This was my room growing up. Mom redecorated. Apparently she didn’t appreciate the poster collection I had taped to the walls.”

  Hands planted on her hips, she studied the utilitarian pine furniture while Rocky sniffed the cream-colored dust ruffle before jumping up onto the green and tan quilt. A pair of tasteful woodland prints decorated the wall over the dresser.

  “Rock stars, rodeo heroes or centerfold models?”

  “Pirate ships.”

  Ainslee sank onto the end of the bed and shook her head. “You’re one of a kind, Griff. No doubt about it.” She pointed to her suitcase lined up next to his duffle bag in the corner. “I could swear my bag was across the hall earlier.”

  “I moved it. No one’s going to get bent out of shape if we share a room.”

  “As long as you don’t try to bend me out of shape.” She stood and headed over to dig a T-shirt out of her suitcase. Long and baggy and completely un-sexy. “It’s a quarter to ten. If I have to get up at three o’clock, all I want to do is sleep.”

  “Really? You’d choose sleep over…” He wiggled his eyebrows.

  “In a heartbeat.”

  “Fine. I’ll go take a shower—a cold one—to get the last of the blood out of my hair. I told my mom I got the bump on my head when I slipped and fell. I didn’t say anything about the rock-pusher.”

  “I thought you had. Sorry. That’s why you gave me the keep quiet look earlier.”

  “Yeah. No reason to worry them.”

  “I agree.” She held up her toothbrush. “Before you hop in the shower, can I…”

  “Go for it.”

  Ainslee was still awake fifteen minutes later when Griff slipped into the room.

  “Off the bed, Rocky,” he hissed.

  The dog growled.

  With a sigh, she flipped over and gave him a shove. “For some reason he thinks he owns the place.”

  “You’re not asleep?” The mattress sank beneath his weight.

  “Almost.”

  He wrapped strong arms around her, and warmth encircled her along with Griff’s unique scent. She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Maybe sleep was overrated…

  “Get some rest. I set the alarm on my phone for a quarter to three.”

  When she nodded, her cheek brushed against his chest, so she left it there. This was how she wanted to go to sleep every night. Griff’s heart beating beneath her ear. Griff holding her close. Griff’s lips resting on the top of her head, moving down to caress the side of her neck. He tilted her chin to kiss her, his breath minty as it fanned her face.

  “Just one kiss.” His lips clung, explored and left her longing for more when he finally pulled away.

  A shaky exhale slipped out. In the few short days they’d been together, liking for this man had turned to love. Sure, lust was involved. He was beyond hot with those hard-muscled arms and washboard abs. Not to mention the sexy green bedroom eyes that told her without words he wanted to taste every inch of her body then come back for seconds. His sense of humor and innate kindness held her heart captive, but she feared his free-spirited view of life would eventually push her away. God, she hoped not. She slid her arms around his waist and tightened them as she pushed her knee between his legs.

  “Ains.”

  “Hmm?” Her lips brushed his chest.

  “I’m not going to be able to sleep with you wrapped around me like that. Not that I’m complaining, mind you...”

  “I’m not as tired as I thought I was. My brain won’t settle.”

  “No?” His fingers sifted through her hair. “I know a great tension reliever to relax you.”

  She smiled. “A back rub?”

  “Sure, we can call it that.” He eased her onto her stomach then straddled her. His hard hands dug into her muscles through the T-shirt, moving from her shoulders downward.

  “Oh, God,” she moaned. Her eyes closed tight as he lifted the shirt up and over her head. The kneading continued on bare skin. Her limbs turned to liquid as she melted into the mattress.

  When he levered himself up and left the bed, she mumbled a protest, but he returned before she had much of a chance to miss him.

  “Protection.”

  His breath tickled her neck as he shifted and lowered to cover her. He caressed her ear with warm lips as something even warmer slid between her legs and pressed into her. She pushed her face into the pillow to keep from crying out when the feeling tightening every inch of her body built at warp speed. An explosion of sensation r
ocked her while he shook and gasped above her then lay still.

  “Holy mother of God, that was something.”

  Ainslee’s lips curved upward as she turned her face to draw in a deep breath. “Now I know why they call it a happy ending.”

  Laughter rumbled through him. He rolled to his side, taking her with him. “Are you relaxed enough to sleep now?”

  “Oh, yeah.” Her eyes drifted closed. Breathing deep, conscious thoughts floated away. “Love you.” The words came out in a faint mumble.

  The hand stroking her hair stilled. “What?”

  What? The last thing she heard as sleep took her.

  Chapter 17

  The moon shimmered low on the horizon, covered now and then by a fast-moving cloud. A stiff breeze blew out of the west, rustling the prairie grass along the road. With the windows rolled down, Griff strained to hear any sound that didn’t belong. Tires on gravel popped like miniature firecrackers in the night. Every few hundred feet he rolled to a stop. No hum of an engine in the distance. Nothing but the sleepy chirp of a sparrow disturbed by their passing.

  “I don’t think anyone’s around.”

  Ainslee blinked and yawned. “So I woke up at three in the morning for no reason?”

  “Think of it as getting an early start.” He drove minimally faster as more clouds passed over the moon, temporarily leaving a bright orb to illuminate the road. The last thing he wanted was to wind up in a ditch.

  “Are we almost to the highway?”

  “Less than a mile to go.”

  Crack! Metal ricocheted off metal. Griff stomped on the gas and gripped the wheel. The SUV bounced and jolted along the road. A second shot roared through the night.

  “Shit! Get down, Ainslee. The asshole’s shooting at us.”

  “Be careful, Griff!” She hunched over Rocky, staying low.

  When another shot echoed, he wasn’t sure if the whimper came from her or the dog.

  “He missed with the second two, but the first one clipped the back.” Griff eased up on the gas for a curve then swerved left when the tires neared the road’s edge. “Goddamn clouds. I can’t see where I’m going.”

  “Maybe the headlights…”

  “Might as well put a bull’s-eye on us. No, we’ll make it. The highway’s just up ahead.”

  She didn’t respond.

  Straining to see, he sped over the final few hundred yards then was forced to flash his headlights to make the turn onto the access road. Another shot sounded, too far in the distance to be accurate. With a grunt of satisfaction, Griff merged onto the highway and drove another quarter mile before turning on the lights.

  With a shaking hand, he touched Ainslee’s shoulder. “We’re good.”

  She sat up straight and let out a breath. “I can’t believe that just happened.”

  “I can. The freak’s escalating. At this point, I imagine he doesn’t care if he hurts us or kills us, just so long as he stops us from getting to the treasure first.”

  “Let him have it, then! I don’t want either of us to get killed.” She clenched her fists and rested them on Rocky’s back.

  The dog circled on her lap then flopped down with a grunt.

  “Hey, are you okay?”

  “No.” Her shoulders shook. “Yes. Maybe. I don’t know.”

  “Other than a dent to your car, he didn’t do any real damage. We’re fine.”

  “He’ll just find us again.”

  “Why do you think I’m driving ninety miles an hour right now? He’s not going to catch us because we’re smarter than he is.”

  She glanced over her shoulder. “I see lights way back behind us.”

  “I’m not surprised. I’d have to guess those shots came from somewhere near the Dixons’ place. He probably parked on their driveway and used the hill their house sits on as a vantage point since it’s the only high ground around. By the time he stopped shooting at us to follow, we had at least a mile head start.”

  “What if he’s driving faster than we are?”

  “I hope he is. There’s a curve in the highway up ahead. Just past it, a dirt track cuts across a couple of ranches to hook up with a county road. From there, we can take a different route back to the highway. It’s a bit of a detour, but that can’t be helped.” He stepped harder on the accelerator, and the SUV shivered and shook in response. “The shooter should go whizzing straight past the turn, and by the time he figures out he’s lost us, we’ll be long gone.”

  “Your plan sounds like it’ll work.”

  “Have some faith. It’ll work.” Tires screeched as he rounded the corner then hit the brakes. Turning left onto the rutted track, he killed the headlights but kept rolling forward. They’d gone a couple hundred yards from the highway when a car roared by. “Sweet. Worked like a charm. Let’s give him a minute or two to put some distance between us before we turn on the lights again.”

  “From the tone of your voice, I’d swear you’re having fun. If it wasn’t too dark to see your expression, I’d probably know you’re enjoying this.”

  “Not the getting shot at part, but outwitting this bastard is a bit of a rush.” He peered through the windshield at a darker blur in the distance. “Yes! There’s a grove of trees near the stream up ahead. Beyond that, he won’t be able to see our lights even if he doubles back to search for us.”

  “Do you think he’ll find this road?”

  Griff flipped on the headlights and picked up speed. “Maybe, but he isn’t going to know exactly where he lost us. He’ll have to drive slowly and search both sides of the highway, and this isn’t the only track that cuts away from the main road. If he chooses the wrong one, he’ll end up on someone’s ranch.”

  “Hopefully a ranch with a couple of pit bulls or Dobermans to discourage strangers.”

  “I like that idea. Our shooter getting his ass chewed off.” The car jostled and bounced as he drove as fast as possible down the dirt road. “My guess is he’s going to have to give up the hunt, figure out the stinking clue for himself, then beat us to San Francisco if he wants to win. Basically, we’ve leveled the playing field.”

  “In that case, there’s no reason not to forge ahead. We’ll be safe—at least until we get to the next clue.” She let out a sigh. “Honestly, at this point I’m getting a little tired of playing the game. I really hope we find the treasure in California.”

  “Hey, we’re headed to the Golden State. Must be a good omen, right?” Reaching over, he squeezed her hand. “Don’t let this asshole suck the fun out of the journey for you.”

  “It isn’t just the fact that someone wants to kill us, assuming that’s the goal, rather than to scare us away. In the beginning, we planned to enjoy the trip, take breaks and see a few sites along the way. Then the focus shifted and became all about getting to the next clue. Visiting with our families for more than a few hours would’ve been nice. Now, we’re just in this crazy rush to get to the prize.”

  He glanced over but couldn’t see her face in the dark. “Do you want to stop or take a few days off? We can. We’ll reach the entrance to Yellowstone in less than an hour. Want to go see Old Faithful?”

  “I wish, but we don’t have time. Obviously at least one of the other players is dead serious about this—with an emphasis on dead. We’ll finish what we started first.”

  “Afterward we’ll take some time to kick back and relax. Maybe go look at old mines and missions or whatever they have to interest history buffs in California. I’m easy. I still have a few weeks before I need to focus on work again.”

  “Don’t remind me.” Her tone was dour. “I have to find work, not to mention a place to live. I can’t afford to screw around for much longer.”

  Griff wasn’t sure what to say. He was used to a cheerful, positive Ainslee, not one who sounded as if the problems of the world weighed her down. After opening his mouth, he closed it without speaking. At this point, chances were something stupid and guaranteed to
piss her off would come out.

  “Sorry.” She pushed a hand through her hair. “I’m just tired and worried and a little stressed. I didn’t mean to dump on you.”

  “I don’t mind.” Not the complete truth, but not exactly a lie. If she needed to vent, he was willing to listen. But after what he thought he’d heard her say the night before…

  She let out a sigh and straightened. “Everything will work out. It always does.”

  “You’re right about that. Often the unexpected leads to something even better.”

  They drove in silence for several minutes. As they bumped along, he couldn’t help reflecting on the past week. He’d certainly never planned to get involved with a woman this summer. Sure, a quick fling wasn’t out of the question, but not a relationship that involved his emotions. Was he in love with Ainslee? He wasn’t sure. Maybe. Having little experience with the L word, he wasn’t positive he’d recognize love if it jumped up and bit him on the ass—like the pit bull she’d mentioned. All he knew for sure was he didn’t want to lose her at the end of this journey. She might be an unexpected detour in his life, kind of like the road they were currently on, but she was better than anything—or anyone—he’d experienced in a long, long time. He glanced over at her profile outlined by the lights on the dashboard. Maybe ever. Drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, he brought his concentration back to driving.

  They reached the paved rural route and turned back toward the highway. Ainslee fell asleep as the car rolled along the deserted road. At least he assumed she was asleep based on her even breathing and lack of conversation. Nothing but blackness surrounded them except for a wealth of stars shining in the night sky. As the moon disappeared below the horizon, the clouds dissipated, leaving the promise of a spectacular day. Griff blew through the east entrance to Yellowstone, unmanned at this hour. When the first hint of dawn lightened the sky, he pulled over beside the shore of Yellowstone Lake and roused Ainslee.

  “I thought you’d want to see this.”

  She straightened and rubbed a hand across her eyes. “Where are we?”