Rattled

by Kris Bock

  He gave her a stern look. “There’s one thing you have to understand.”

  Erin nodded, breath held, eyes wide. She wouldn’t cry or fuss if he told her he wasn’t serious about their relationship. At least not until she was alone. She might regret the loss, but she would never regret the time she’d spent with him or the chances she’d taken that had led them there.

  “I don’t take something for nothing,” Drew said. “If I’m a partner, then I do my share.”

  Erin let out her breath. “That’s fair.”

  He smiled slowly. “I was thinking I might stick around town for a while. Sign a longer-term contract to do runs to Silver Valley. Maybe teach some flying lessons. Could be fun to help out with that treasure, too. We hardly got a chance to look around.”

  She gazed into his eyes. She’d gotten this far by recognizing what she wanted, working toward it, and asking for help when she needed it. She saw something she wanted. “I’d like for you to stay. I like having you in my life.”

  He cupped her face in his hands. “When I saw that accident, I never imagined it would lead me to such a treasure.” He rested his forehead against hers. “And in case that was too subtle, I’m talking about you, not that junk in the cave. So thanks for giving me another excuse to stick around, but I didn’t need one. I’ve been thinking maybe it’s time to put down some roots. Staying in your life is part of that.”

  “Oh. Good.” Erin felt a warm glow start inside her and spread throughout her body. She forgot the bruises, the sore muscles, the fatigue. She slid her hands over his shoulders and spoke with her lips an inch from his. “Like you said, we have at least an hour. I’d really, really like a hot shower.”

  Drew made a rumbling sound that reminded her of Tiger’s purr. “I’ll scrub your back.”

  Chapter 35

  Four weeks later....

  Camie stirred a pot of green chile stew while Erin set the table. “When’s that man going to get here?” Camie asked. “I’m hungry.”

  “It smells delicious. And he just texted—he’s on his way.”

  “Great, I’ll open the wine. How does it feel to have a man coming home to you?”

  Erin smiled. “I can’t believe how easy it is. I know we’re still in the lustful pheromone phase or whatever, so things could change—”

  “Screw that. You’re having fun, that’s what counts.”

  “I was going to say, it was never this comfortable with Craig, after five years. It’s never been this comfortable with anyone.” Erin accepted a glass of wine. “Drew’s life has been so exciting, I was afraid he’d be bored with me once the treasure hunting excitement died down. But he swears his work is exciting enough and he just wants to relax when he comes home. We hang out on the couch reading, watch movies, go to the coffee shop, or just talk.”

  “I’m jealous. Okay, not really. I’d be bored. But he sounds perfect for you.” Camie sat at the table and picked up one of the crackers with cheese Erin had artfully arranged.

  Erin took one as well, then adjusted the crackers to cover the gap on the plate. “You’ll find your perfect guy one of these days.” She peeled off a sliver of cheese and fed it to Tiger, who was sitting on one of the chairs. Then she glanced over at Camie. “Wait a minute, you look like the cat that ate the cream. What haven’t you told me?”

  “You know I had that meeting with the government guy who’s interested in The Finder.”

  “Of course, it’s one of our reasons for celebrating tonight. It’s not all about me.” Erin’s schedule had been packed full of interviews and negotiations for articles, maybe even a book, but she hoped she wasn’t too wrapped up in her own success to ignore the progress Camie had made toward selling the patent on The Finder.

  Camie leaned back in her chair and stretched out her legs. “But I didn’t tell you about the guy.”

  “Oh my God! Is he cute? Is he single?”

  “All that and more. The chemistry—like fireworks. He’s planning another trip down here next week and he’ll stay for the weekend. I’m going to take him climbing.”

  “That should be a good test. Funny how these things work out, isn’t it? A month ago, I was only focused on finding the treasure, and now—”

  “You found the real treasure. What would you call him, a diamond in the rough? Worth his weight in gold?”

  “You had to say it, didn’t you.”

  Camie laughed. “Sorry, I’m still a little giddy.”

  “It has been a heck of a month. Treasure found, bad guys defeated, and new romance.”

  “And the summer has just begun.”

  Tiger pricked his ears and meowed. A knock came on the front door, followed by the sound of the door opening. Erin jumped up and met Drew in the entrance hall. His arms went around her. By the time he let go, Erin’s knees were weak.

  “You two going to stand in the hallway all night?” Camie called. “We’re supposed to be celebrating!”

  Drew smiled down at Erin. “We’ve already started.”

  About The Author

  Kris Bock writes action-packed romantic suspense, often involving outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. To learn more about her latest work, visit www.krisbock.com.

  Ms. Bock also writes for young people under the name Chris Eboch. The Eyes of Pharaoh is an action-packed mystery set in ancient Egypt. In The Well of Sacrifice, a Mayan girl in ninth-century Guatemala rebels against the High Priest who sacrifices anyone challenging his power.

  The Haunted series follows a brother and sister who travel with their parents’ ghost hunter TV show and try to help the ghosts. In The Ghost on the Stairs, an 1880s ghost bride haunts a Colorado hotel, waiting for her missing husband to return. The Riverboat Phantom features a steamboat pilot still trying to prevent a long-ago disaster. In The Knight in the Shadows, a Renaissance French squire protects a sword on display at a New York City museum. During The Ghost Miner’s Treasure, Jon and Tania help a dead man find his lost gold mine—but they’re not the only ones looking for it.

  Read excerpts at http://www.chriseboch.com.

  Cover artist Lois Bradley has been a working New Mexico artist since 1992. She has been involved with the design, illustration, and production on several book projects, most recently as the illustrator for Blind Tom: The Horse Who Helped Build the Great Railroad, by Shirley Raye Redmond (Mountain Press Publishing), a New Mexico Book Award finalist. The award-wining artist is currently represented by Framing Concepts Gallery in Albuquerque, New Mexico. See her work at www.loisbradley.com.