“I think I recognize this.” Galen sounded excited.
Travis looked at his finger on the map. “What?”
“This rock formation. It’s been years but if I remember correctly, it’s about twenty minutes from where we are now. We could travel on foot tomorrow and find it.”
“Yeah, but Mattie and the others don’t know why I’m here and I want to keep it that way.”
“They’re here for a purpose too, right? We can use that to go on foot. They can look for their flora or fauna or whatever it is while we search for the rocks.”
Travis wasn’t sure if that was such a great idea. He didn’t want Mattie to find out why he’d offered to guide them. She wouldn’t think too highly of him if she did, and for whatever reason, he cared about how she felt. He respected her. He wanted her to respect him, but keeping treasure that belonged to the Templars wouldn’t gain him her regard.
“I think we can pull it off, Travis. Mattie will never have to know.”
He wished he could be as confident.
“All right. We’ll give it a try but if the ladies get suspicious, we’re waiting.”
“Deal.” Galen rose. “I’m going to bed. After what happened today, I could use some shut-eye.”
“I’ll be behind you in a few minutes.”
After Galen was gone, Travis took in a deep breath. He wasn’t so sure it was wise to look for treasure with the women under their watch. He had a sinking feeling that doing so was putting everything in jeopardy of falling apart, including his budding romance with Mattie.
The thought had his stomach plummeting. They’d just started this love affair and he wasn’t ready for it to come to an end just yet.
“What’s wrong, Travis?” Mattie’s singsong voice brought him out of his troubled thoughts.
He turned to look at her, his breath catching in his throat as he looked over her T-shirt clad body. He was amazed by her athletic legs that seemed to go on forever.
His gaze moved upward to where her nipples poked through the material of the shirt barely covering her.
Travis gulped, his throat going dry. He remembered all too well the feel of those breasts, the taste of her skin. The woman did things to him no other had—stirred his body to painful proportions. He wanted to touch her so badly his fingers ached.
“Travis?”
“Yes.” He tried to focus on her face.
“Are you okay?” Her eyes shone concern.
“I just have a lot on my mind. Are the ladies asleep?” Travis prayed they were because he wanted Mattie in the worst way.
“Yes. What about Galen?”
He smiled, then rose from the chair. “Yeah, he went to bed. Why aren’t you in yours?” he asked, inching closer to her.
She looked up at him, her eyes filled with passion. “I wanted to share yours tonight.”
He growled and pulled her next to him, his lips coming down hard on hers. He couldn’t believe how powerful their desire was—how intense.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him, her tongue playing at the crease of his mouth, licking a heated trail across his lips.
Christ Almighty. If she didn’t slow down he was going to have her on the ground—drive into her before the minute was up. That way he’d have satisfaction, but she wouldn’t.
As if she’d read his mind, she pulled away and stripped off her T-shirt and stood waiting for him to do the same. “If we don’t hurry, we could get caught,” she whispered, her serious expression getting him moving. He stripped his shirt off, then started to unbutton his pants.
“Let me do that,” she said, her fingers working the button through the hole. Then she slowly unzipped them. Every move she made sent a little tremor through him.
Her palms slid down into the back of his pants, her fingernails jabbing into the flesh of his ass. He’d never felt such wonderful pain in his life. Feeling helpless, his own hands slid up to cup her breasts, the soft mounds instantly responding to his touch.
Before Travis lost all semblance of control, he lifted her into his arms and carried her away from the tents, not sure where he was headed. All he knew was things were going to get noisy between them and he didn’t want an audience when they were in the heat of passion.
“Where are we going?” she asked next to his ear, the vibration of the words igniting a fire in his belly. Everything the woman did drove him crazy, made him want her more.
“I’m not sure. But I plan to get loud and I don’t want everyone hearing.”
Her soft chuckle had him up against a tree.
He placed her down just long enough to pull his pants to his knees; he lifted her, wrapping her legs around his hips, then drove into her, the feel of her heat around him just about buckling his knees. She hung on tight and moved against him, her mouth finding his, her lips slanting over his in a frenzy. Travis thrust into her until his world shattered and he came, her womb contracting against his cock, milking him.
Minutes later when his breathing leveled out, he glanced at her. Her eyes were filled with unshed tears.
Travis’s heart stopped. How could he have been so rough and not know it?
“I hurt you,” he said in a ragged breath.
Her eyes grew wide, then she shook her head. “No, Travis. It was amazing.”
“Then why are you crying?”
She covered her face with her hands.
”Tell me, Mattie.” He pried her hands away. “If I didn’t hurt you, then why the tears?”
“Because I’ve never had such a powerful orgasm before,” she said, then she covered her face again.
Travis blew out a relieved breath, then smiled. It was a turn-on to know he’d given pleasure to someone he cared about.
“Why does that embarrass you? I’m glad I could do that for you.”
She slid one hand away and peeked at him. “Really?”
“Yes, really. And you gave me as much pleasure as I gave you.”
She lowered her other hand, looking unsure about his claim.
“Have no doubts. I’ve never felt anything even remotely close to this with anyone else.’’
Her lips quivered and at that moment he knew he was falling in love with her. She had an innocence about her, yet she made love to him like she knew all the nuances of passion. She was a contradiction and that intrigued him all the more.
“We better get dressed. Galen has ears like a bat. I bet he’s lying in bed right now trying to think of something irritating to say when I come into the tent.”
Her eyes grew huge again. “You mean he knows about us.”
“He guessed. I never told him. Don’t worry. He won’t say a word.” He paused. “What about Sara and Dana? Do you think they suspect?”
“I think Dana might. She’s pointed out that you look at me differently. Sara wants you for herself. I imagine she doesn’t want to see anything.”
Travis frowned. “I wish she’d stop dogging me. I only gave her attention to try and distract myself from you. As you can see, it didn’t work.”
She smiled. “Sara thinks Galen has a thing for her too. I thought I knew her well enough but I never saw this side of her before. It’s not pretty.”
“Galen isn’t the kind of man any decent woman would get involved with. He’s a friend, but he’s looking for a woman with money. That’s the only thing that would prompt him to marry.” Travis fastened his pants.
“What about you?” The question was one he expected but wasn’t ready to answer. If he did, she’d never speak to him again. He might be falling for her but he knew anything serious was not in his genetic makeup and never would be.
Travis pulled her toward camp. “We’d better get dressed and go to bed. We have a lot to do in the morning.”
Chapter Fifteen
Mattie emptied water into the basin and dunked her cloth, the heat already causing sweat to form on her skin. As quickly as she could, she washed, donned a pair of khakis and a light blue top, then sat and pulled on her
boots.
She still didn’t know what to think of Travis’s reluctance to answer her question last night. He’d changed the subject and ushered her back inside her tent.
Maybe he’d been afraid to tell her the truth. That they shared nothing more than a physical connection and that’s all it would ever be. The thought itself made her heart ache. She knew with a certainty last night after they’d had incredible sex that she loved Travis and she’d follow him anywhere just to be with him. He, on the other hand, didn’t feel that way, otherwise he would have told her so.
Mattie tied her boots and rose. She had to fight the pain that knowledge inflicted on her heart. He never asked for her to love him, and she needed to remember that.
She ducked from the tent and glanced at the table where Travis, Galen, and the women sat.
Mattie walked to the table and retrieved a cup, then filled it with coffee and sat next to Dana.
“What are we going to do today?” she asked Travis, who was across from her.
“I thought we’d hold camp for now. Travel on foot so you can catalog today.”
“That sounds great.” Mattie’s excitement returned. Maybe they’d get a chance to find yet another new species of plant. The odds were against them but maybe they’d get lucky. Perhaps after all the trouble they’d had, things would look up.
She glanced at Dana, who looked as optimistic as she. Sara seemed annoyed. Why had she even come to the Amazon if she didn’t want to do her job?
“Don’t let her ruin this for us,” Dana whispered in her ear.
Mattie smiled. Dana was right. Sara could be unhappy but she wasn’t going to let it affect her. This expedition was a major opportunity and no one was going to spoil it for her.
“When do we leave?” she asked Travis.
“After you all eat. A long walk in this heat will be hard on you. You’ll need something in your stomach.”
Mattie wasn’t all that hungry but knew Travis was right. She’d eat what she could so that the trek wouldn’t be as rough.
An hour later, after they’d all eaten and cleaned up, Mattie smeared insect repellent over herself and handed the bottle to Dana. They would be traveling into dense foliage and being protected was necessary.
“Does everyone have bottled water?” Travis asked as he came out of his tent. He’d gone in to grab his machete. The thing looked menacing.
Mattie nodded when he looked at her.
“Stay together and tight. I’ll lead. Galen will take the rear.”
Mattie rushed to catch up with Travis, wanting to stay close to his side. Since she realized she loved him, she found herself wanting to be next to him, just to talk, to get to know him better. After all, what did she really know about him beside the facts that he was a guide and knew how to send her body into convulsions of pleasure?
As he hacked through brush, Mattie found herself enthralled by his flexing biceps as he swung the blade, the same arms that had held her last night. She could tell this wasn’t the first time he’d cut through the underbrush. He was definitely no stranger to hard work. She liked that about him.
A half hour into their traveling, he came to a stop in front of a series of rocks. Just beyond was a clearing.
“Why don’t you ladies get to work. Maybe over there?” Travis pointed to an area twenty feet from where they stood.
Mattie looked it over, then nodded and trotted off toward the spot, Dana trailing behind her. Sara stood next to Travis, wiping at the sweat on her forehead, looking as if she weren’t planning to join them. As soon as Mattie returned to the States, she was going to make sure everyone in the botany department knew Sara had been of no help to them here. They were here to work, not flirt with their guides. Mattie might be having an affair with Travis but she wasn’t letting it interfere with the job she was sent there to do.
“Don’t worry about her.” Dana placed a hand on her shoulder. “Travis thinks she’s annoying. I think Galen is starting to see that as well. Let her stay with them and make a fool of herself. At least she’ll be out of our hair.”
Mattie smiled brightly. “You’re right. She wasn’t with us yesterday when we discovered a new species. Who’s to say that wasn’t the reason we found it?”
“Exactly.” Dana opened her bag and pulled out her tablets and books. “Let’s get to work.”
Mattie’s enthusiasm surged again. It was a thrill to know they’d already found a new plant species to add to their catalog, but they could still find others before they headed back to Manu. They didn’t need Sara to share in it when she clearly didn’t want to.
Mattie retrieved her supplies and sat, her attention focused on the plants around her. At that moment, Sara, Travis, and Galen could be on Mars for all she cared.
*
Travis looked at Galen, then at the obstinate woman who was content with hanging around them instead of doing her job. “Don’t you think you should join Mattie and Dana?” he asked when she settled herself atop one of the rocks—a formation that may be a clue to the treasure.
She scrunched up her forehead. “They don’t want my help.”
“Why is that?” Galen asked in a sarcastic tone any normal person would have caught. But Travis could tell she hadn’t.
“They’re jealous.”
“Really?” Galen exchanged a glance with Travis and smirked. “Now why would they be jealous?”
Travis turned away from both, afraid Sara would catch his own look of amazement. He couldn’t believe how conceited the woman was. Sara’s attitude contrasted sharply with Mattie’s, who had no idea how beautiful she was.
“They don’t like the attention I’ve gotten from you two. I think they want you for themselves.”
Her insinuation was ironic, if not downright funny. Mattie was the only one he’d ever want to be with, though Dana was a very sweet and pretty lady. Sara would be the last woman he’d sleep with, especially after her behavior the past two days. She was like a spoiled child and that bothered him more than anything.
“I don’t know where they got that idea, but I’d definitely choose Dana or Mattie over you,” Galen said bluntly.
Sara scoffed. “I can’t believe you said that.”
“Why?” Galen’s lips twitched with humor. “You’re too snotty. Besides, you had your chance when I first arrived. Your quota’s up.”
She gave Galen a look of disdain, then turned on her heel and stalked in the direction Mattie and Dana had gone.
Travis waited until she had reached them before he grinned from ear to ear. He glanced at Galen, who smiled back.
“Hey, we had to get rid of her somehow.”
Travis had always admired how his friend could turn a woman on and off like a light switch just with a few choice words.
Galen rubbed his hands together. “Now, let’s look at that map.”
Travis handed him the parchment and glanced at the rock formation. It was hard to know for sure if they were the ones from the map or not. “What do you think?” Travis leapt up on one of the mounds. “Are we in the right place?”
Galen squinted to look around the area. “I wish I could be one hundred percent sure, but I can’t. Do you think the Knights would have carved something into the landmarks?”
Travis thought about Galen’s question. How else would they have known for sure, if they hadn’t marked them in some way? “Let’s look around just in case. You never know.”
Both circled the formation, pushing away brush that had grown up around it. Travis moved between the center rocks and pushed vegetation away. A deep groove at the bottom caught his attention. He dug down into the dirt and found a symbol. “Galen,” he called, brushing the soil away from the rock.
Galen leaned down next to him.
“What do you think?” Travis asked.
A big smile curled on his friend’s face. “I think we have landmark number one. Now what’s next?”
Travis lifted the map again and looked at it. “It shows that the next is another
rock, cut into the earth.” He thought about what Galen said. “Wait a minute. After all these years, the rock could be buried under a foot of dirt and vegetation. How are we going to find it?”
“You’re right. This might be harder. But if we were following the map, it looks to be where the ladies are right at this moment. We may be able to just bypass that landmark altogether and move on to the next.”
“I hate taking a stab at this, Galen. We could be way off on our calculations that way and never find the treasure.”
Galen frowned. “What do you suggest?”
Travis wished he knew. He was at a loss unless they searched the area where Mattie and the ladies were working. He hoped they’d be too preoccupied to notice what he and Galen were up to.
“I suggest we pretend to help the girls and see if we can’t find the rock.”
Galen shrugged. “Are you sure? I’d hate for Mattie to find out you two weren’t destined to fall in love—that her body isn’t the only treasure you were after.”
Travis rolled his eyes. Sometimes his friend could be crude.
“I get the feeling you don’t think I should continue this affair.”
“Not at all. I do think she needs to know what kind of man you are, though.”
Travis wasn’t sure what Galen meant. “What kind is that?”
“The type who doesn’t get serious. Just like me. You forget who you’re talking to. I think I know you pretty well. Neither of us is looking for anything permanent in our lives. Or has all that changed now that you met Mattie?” Galen eyed him closely.
Had things changed since he’d met her? It felt like it had, though he wasn’t sure since he’d never experienced anything like this before.
“Man, you’re in love, aren’t you?” Galen’s tone was filled with wonder.
Travis looked toward Mattie. Was he in love? He wasn’t sure. “I wish I knew.”
“Wow. I can’t believe this. Travis Kane, in love.”
“I said I didn’t know, Galen.”
“That’s as good as saying it. How did this happen? Is the sex really that great?”
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