• • •
Miles kicked a tiny patch of dirt with the toe of his shoe while he waited for the start time to finally roll around. He hated this morning send off ritual they were forced to participate in for the show. But that was part of being on a reality show whether he liked it or not.
Now if only the rest of the teams would show up so they could get started … of course, it was his new alliance that was missing. Figures.
The girls came around the corner of the lodge and out to the front lawn where they started each day. Zoe looked her usual high-maintenance self, but Paige …
Well, Paige looked like a brunette version of Zoe.
Instead of her usual hiking boots, she came strolling — teetering, actually — toward them on the spindliest heels he’d seen on anyone other than Zoe. The sun reflected off the surface, causing a million sparkles to shoot from her feet.
Interesting choice for the day’s activities, which included a fair amount of hiking if every other day they’d been on the show was any indication.
Along with her shining high heels, she wore another pair of tight jeans and her usual yoga top. Although there was something decidedly different about her shirt today. He couldn’t quite pinpoint what was unusual about it. He was sure he’d seen her wear it at least once before, and yet it looked … even sexier than before somehow.
As they strolled up to the start line to join everyone else, Miles realized exactly what was different about Paige.
Boobs.
And cleavage. Where the hell had those been hiding? Maybe she’d been wearing one of those workout bras before today. Those things always made even the most voluptuous women look flat-chested. That had to be it.
And why the hell had she been keeping them under wraps? Breasts like those deserved to be served up front and center for the world to admire. Or at least every straight man in the area … and possibly some gay ones too. They really were great breasts.
Paige folded her arms across her chest and it was as if a fog lifted from his brain. As his gaze traveled up to her face, he noticed she was staring back at him, but he couldn’t tell if her expression was one of amusement or annoyance.
“Welcome to day ten of Treasure Trekkers,” Spencer started. “Before you head out for the day, let’s tell everyone at home how our teams are doing so far. The team who has stayed at the top of the leader board for the entire week is Team Firefighters with an outstanding one hundred and twenty-five caches logged so far.”
The firefighters patted each other on the back. The other teams smiled and cheered a little, but no one was really thrilled with having a team so far in the lead.
“The next in line is Team Father Daughter who has a very impressive eighty-eight caches logged.”
Miles tuned out while Spencer went through the ten teams, listing off their cache totals so far. By the time he got to Miles and Ben, the pit in his stomach had grown into a giant lump of embarrassment. He’d known the show would be a challenge, but somehow, he never thought they’d get this brutally beaten.
An alliance, even one with the stiletto girls, was looking better and better all the time.
“Now,” Spencer spoke again, drawing Miles’s attention back. “Before you head out for the day, we have a little surprise for you.”
Great.
“Today we’re mixing things up a little. Instead of racing with your normal partner, you’ll each join forces with another team. One member of each team will pair up together for the day.”
Well, that wasn’t so terrible, Miles thought. At least they’d made their alliance last night so the choice was an easy one. Surely other teams had alliances formed in secret already too. Seeing who paired up together might even give them a little insight into the teams working in alliances.
“One more thing. All of the caches you find today will apply to both teams. That means if you find any prizes, they are to be shared. And any points for the cache are awarded to each team. So choose your partner wisely. This could help you or it could help another team. I’ll let you have a moment to discuss your choice with your partner before we begin the day.”
Miles and Ben moved to stand beside Paige and Zoe. Obviously as a new alliance, it wasn’t a question of which team to work with, only how to split up.
“So how are we going to split the teams?” Ben asked as if reading his mind.
“I’ll go with Ben and Paige can go with Miles,” Zoe said as if it was already discussed and decided. Annoying, but definitely not worth the effort of complaining.
“Sounds good,” he said, trying to come off as indifferent.
“Has everyone picked their new team and their new partner?” Spencer asked. The new teams all nodded and voiced their agreement. “Great. Then, treasure hunters, start searching.”
The other teams raced into the parking lot while their two teams sort of moseyed. Miles sighed. This wasn’t a better start then usual. Maybe teaming up with the girls wasn’t going to be as beneficial as some of the other pairings.
“Paige and I’ll go in our SUV and Ben can ride with Zoe.” They nodded as they came up to the vehicles. The other teams were pulling out of the parking lot already so they were able to talk candidly.
“We’ll take cameraman Evan with us,” Zoe said, pulling Evan toward their SUV.
“No way,” Paige shrieked, pulling on Evan’s other arm. “He’s coming with me and Miles, no exceptions. I know how you are, Zoe, and I don’t trust you with him.”
“Why, you two hooking up or something?” Ben asked motioning between Paige and Evan.
Better not be.
“No, he’s engaged to my best friend. And I know how much Zoe loved flirting with him on The One. Cassidy would never forgive me if I left Evan in her care for the day.”
Friend’s fiancé.
Miles couldn’t stop the smile of relief from coming to his lips. For some reason, it made him so happy to know she wasn’t hanging on Evan because she liked him.
Ben sagged against the girls’ SUV, already looking tired when the day had barely started. Maybe following each other around wasn’t the most effective use of their time. Paige scooted past Ben, opening the back door and leaned in to grab her things, then transferred them quickly to the boys’ SUV. Maybe going their separate ways would be a better idea just for today. That way, Zoe and Ben could travel a little slower while Miles and Paige tried to cover as much ground as possible.
As Paige slammed the back door closed, she wobbled on her heels, falling back against the vehicle. Or maybe they were screwed either way with both girls in those silly heels. Of all the days she decided to wear ridiculous shoes. Still, they’d probably be better off on their own. Besides, the thought of spending the day alone with Paige was pretty appealing. And not only because of her new boobs. It was nice to hang out with her in the evenings with everyone else, but a little alone time on the race wouldn’t be bad either.
“I know we talked about following each other around in the cars today and doing the caches together, but today all the caches we find will count for both teams even if we’re not together. If we split up, we may be able to get more done, quicker,” Miles offered.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
“Good thing we compared logbooks last night,” Ben said. “All those other teams are going to have to waste time figuring out which caches neither of them have found yet. That’ll save us a bunch of time.”
Miles nodded. “We’ll start with the first half of the logbook and you guys focus on the second half. Tonight we’ll compare them again at base camp.”
He walked around the front of the SUV to climb into the driver’s side, but as Paige walked past him, she rolled her ankle on a loose piece of gravel and fell toward him. Instead of opening the door, he turned to catch Paige in his arms.
She peered up at hi
m through surprised eyes. “Thanks,” she said, her hands gripping his shirt.
“Is there a reason you didn’t wear your usual hiking boots today?” he asked.
“They didn’t go with this outfit.”
Not true. They’d gone with that outfit plenty of other days. He’d noticed. She looked cute in her hiking gear. Cute enough he could imagine her in rock climbing gear at his side. Not that he wasn’t enjoying the heels too. They made her legs look long and lean. The kind of legs he’d like to feel wrapped around his waist. But they were impractical for hiking and he’d much prefer she save those for a time that made sense so they could be enjoyed, appreciated.
No. She had some other reason for suddenly dressing up for the show, but finding out why would have to wait. They were already behind and now they needed to get on the road or they’d never get anything done today.
“Well, I wish you’d consider going back and changing into your boots before we leave.”
She shook her head and a few hairs fell down around her face, dangling into her also-new cleavage. Now that new development he couldn’t think of a single complaint for. He set her gently back upright on her feet.
“I like these shoes and I’m going to wear them.” She smoothed down her shirt then pulled open her door. “Today you’re stuck with me and my shoes.”
Miles cocked an eyebrow at Paige’s confident reply. Maybe she wasn’t as shy and unsure of herself as he’d originally thought.
As she got in, Zoe passed by the side of the truck, pausing at Paige’s open door. “Note he didn’t complain about the new bra,” she whispered loudly enough for him to hear in the front seat.
A quick glance in the rearview mirror revealed a red-faced Paige as Zoe pushed the door closed. Paige didn’t say anything in response. She was far too busy examining her new shoes for words.
Interesting. New shoes, new bra — push-up by the look of that lift — and new pink cheeks to match. What exactly was Paige playing at?
He suddenly had a new mission for the day. Find out why Paige felt the need for these new wardrobe additions. Or maybe the better question was who were these new additions for?
Chapter Eleven
Paige slumped back against the seat and stared at the ceiling while the hottest man on earth followed her navigation directions to the next cache. If curling into an invisible ball of nothingness in the backseat was an option, she would have. But no. She had to sit in the back with her breasts feeling distinctly like torpedoes, aimed and ready to fire, while her cheeks still burned with embarrassment.
Great start to a day that was supposed to be filled with getting Miles’s attention.
Maybe attention was the same as press — even the negative form was still beneficial.
There was no denying that he’d noticed her transformation. She’d seen the look in his eyes when she’d walked up this morning. She’d seen the look in his eyes when his gaze had traveled down to her chest and gotten stuck there. And there’d been no mistaking the look in his eyes when she’d been in his arms and he’d been peering directly down her shirt.
Nope.
He’d noticed the twins, in all their pushed-up glory.
She’d noticed something too. Namely how his chest felt under her hand when she’d held on to him, all muscular and firm. If there’d been any doubt in her mind about his physique before, it was long gone. He was rock solid. Climbing did his body good.
And she’d also noticed how hard his heart pounded against her palm. Just about as fast as hers had. Interesting. Maybe the bra was a better purchase than she realized.
This was definitely the ka-pow effect Zoe had mentioned. Miles had been so glassy-eyed when he’d caught sight of her new boobs, it was as if he’d been clocked a good one right upside the head. Ka-pow!
She could get used to this superpower.
“Take the next left and then I think we’re going to have to go on foot from there,” she said, directing Miles as close as she could to the cache location.
He turned left onto a side road then pulled over onto a grassy shoulder. There didn’t appear to be any kind of trail to follow, but the cache was definitely close by. And hidden in the cluster of trees if her guess at distance and direction was right.
“Can I see that?” Miles asked, motioning to the GPS unit in her hand as they stood beside the truck. She handed it over, curious if he would come to the same estimation.
“It’s through those trees somewhere, I think,” she said, pointing off into the distance.
“I think you’re right. Are you sure you don’t want to change your shoes before we off road it?” He grinned, obviously teasing her.
Yes, I do, but I’m not going to because that’s not what Zoe would do.
“Nope, I’m good,” she said, setting her jaw tight and straightening her shoulders. She’d prove to him — and herself — that she could look good and still get the job done. She took a few steps forward, sinking into the soft ground of the ditch. And hopefully she wouldn’t break her ankle while she was out here.
He chuckled and fell into step at her side. “So what made you decide on the footwear change all of a sudden? Hiking boots not working out so well for all the hiking we’ve been doing?”
Paige glanced to the side but he was looking straight ahead. Now what would Zoe say if she was in this position with him?
She’d flirt her ass off, of course.
But how? Paige wasn’t a natural flirt. She didn’t understand how people could put themselves out there like that by saying flirty things. Probably a big reason why she’d never really made any connection with bachelor Brad on the last show.
Did she want to make the same mistake this time around? It was only a little harmless flirting. And probably better to jump in and get her feet wet out here where she’d only embarrass herself in front of Miles and Evan and not in a room full of other teams, which was exactly what would happen if she waited to start flirting until she was back at base camp.
“I think your fascination with my footwear is rather interesting. Most men wouldn’t remember what color shirt a girl wore today let alone her choice of shoes on previous days.” She swallowed. Oh boy. “Maybe you have a hidden shoe fetish thing going on.”
Fetishes were sexy-talk, right?
He chuckled again. “No. But I can’t help it if I pay attention to things I like.”
Oh, well then … What was I just saying?
She tried to make her voice sound sexy like the women in movies always did when they were trying to seduce someone. “So you do like the stilettos.”
“I do,” he said quietly. “But they don’t strike me as being your style.”
“You don’t really know me well enough to know my style,” she challenged, suddenly feeling like she had to defend her shoe choices. “Maybe these are the shoes I wear everyday in my normal life outside of the show.”
Just then a tree root popped up out of the ground and grabbed her ankle on purpose as if the universe had a point to prove, causing her to stumble. Before she could catch herself, Miles caught her, holding her against his chest for the second time. It was even better than the first.
“You were saying about your normal shoes?” He smirked.
She met his gaze, putting on her best poker face. “That could have happened in flats.”
“Could have, but didn’t.” He set her back on her feet, letting his hand linger on her lower back for a few steps while she got her balance again. A difficult task when his hand on her back made her knees feel like they’d been replaced with silly putty.
“Maybe you should save these shoes for around base camp at night and use the hiking boots for hiking.”
“If Zoe can hike in stilettos, I can too.”
“Not everything Zoe does should be copied.”
Since
when did men have anything negative to say about Zoe?
For the next quarter mile, they walked in silence following the arrow of the GPS. A few more minutes and they should reach the cache. Paige leaned in closer to the unit, watching the distance on the screen decreasing. Ten more feet.
The ground fell away beneath her and she was suddenly on her back, sliding down a very bumpy surface. After a short slide, she came to a stop, staring up at the canopy of trees.
Ouch.
Footsteps pounded down the slope after her then Miles was down on his knees in the dirt beside her.
Well hello there, Mr. Muscles. Let’s get dirty together.
The image of getting dirty in the forest with Miles was a little more sex kitten than her usual train of thought. Did I hit my head on the way down?
Or maybe it was the influence of the super hot, super built man hovering over her with concern in his eyes that caused the shift in her mental state.
“Are you okay?” Miles asked, touching the side of her face and turning her head first one direction and then the other. Her eyes never left his.
“I’m fine. Just dirty — muddy,” she clarified. Not that he could read her mind, but still. “I’ll get up now.”
“Let me help you,” he said, standing over her and wrapping his large hands around her upper arms, pulling her up to stand in front of him. His hands dropped to her waist and she found hers groping his chest again. Seemed she couldn’t keep her hands off of him. Not that the rest of her complained in the least.
“Thanks,” she whispered, looking up to meet his gaze. The mix of concern and … something else made her breath hitch in her throat. Damn.
“My pleasure.”
Her feet went out from under her again, but this time she didn’t slide down the slope. Possibly because she’d managed to drag Miles down to the ground with her. Perhaps his body weight pressing her into the soft dirt was enough to stop her from going anywhere.
Unscripted Love: The Complete Reality TV Romance Collection Page 33
