THE PARKING LOT OF the Bunny Shack began to fill shortly after noon. The place was located on the highway between Vulture Creek and Holman, a single building amid the desert landscape.
They’d put the canvas top up on the Jeep for shade, and Sofie sat slouched in the passenger seat, fiddling with her cell phone. Cameron glanced over at her. Since her discussion with Jimmy Chaca that morning, she’d been quiet and distracted, receiving and sending texts for most of the morning.
She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t notice him watching. Cameron’s mind wandered back to their early-morning encounter in the Airstream. How much longer would it be before they woke up together?
It was hard to ignore the desire he felt for her. But it wasn’t just a physical attraction. He was curious about her, about the woman she was. He wanted to know everything about her—what made her laugh, what made her cry, what made her sigh with pleasure. But they’d been so busy with the case, they’d barely had time to talk about anything else.
After meeting Jimmy Chaca, they’d driven out to the airstrip to look around. She returned to Millie’s to ask the woman about the people from the dig and any suspicious behavior that might have been noted. Then they’d driven into Harmon to use the library Wi-Fi to do a search on the head of the dinosaur dig, Dr. Leonard Crowley.
“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Cameron asked.
She looked up. “What?”
“What’s with all the texts? Does it have something to do with the case? I’m your assistant investigator—I think you need to keep me informed.”
She blinked. “I’ve been talking with my brother Marco. The one in the DEA. I was asking him if anything had popped up on their radar with the dig near the airstrip.”
“And what did he say?”
“No,” Sofie replied. “Nothing.” She frowned. “I can see how it might work. With the airstrip about two miles away, they could fly the drugs in at night, move them over to the dig on ATVs and then just ship them out with whatever dinosaur bones they’ve found.”
“But what does Walter have to do with any of this?”
“That’s what I don’t get,” Sofie said. She twisted in her seat to face him. “If he’s involved in drug running, then this case is much more complicated than I thought. Maybe he found out about the operation and is shaking them down? Cheating on his wife is one thing, but there’s a whole other level of violence that comes along with drugs.”
“I can imagine,” Cameron said.
“No, you can’t. You have no idea how far these guys are willing to go to protect their territory. They wouldn’t think twice before shooting anyone who might get in their way.” She shook her head. “Maybe this isn’t such a good idea after all.”
“I’m just going to go inside, sit down, have a little lunch and chat with a few of the patrons.”
“But don’t move too quickly.” Sofie handed him her cell phone. “If you can’t remember details, just excuse yourself to make a phone call and record them. Just push that button on the side. It’s all set up. And if an opening doesn’t present itself, then don’t force it. I don’t want you to—”
Cameron reached out and pressed his finger to her lips. “It’s no big deal. Don’t worry.”
She nodded, then pressed a wad of bills into his palm. “Tip the girls. Buy yourself some lunch. There’s enough there for one lap dance but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t enjoy it.”
Cameron looked down at the money and grinned. “I can hardly wait to tell my brothers about this,” he said. “They’re probably out there working some boring job for minimum wage, and I’m having lunch at the Bunny Shack.”
“Don’t get too excited,” she said.
“I’m sure I can control myself,” Cameron said.
Just then, Sofie straightened in her seat, her gaze fixed on the side-view mirror. “There he is. Blue Olds convertible.”
Cameron watched as Walter Fredericks parked his car in the first row, about ten yards from the front door. Though Cameron had studied the photo in Sofie’s file, the man who climbed out of the car was much smaller than he’d imagined. He was also older, his hair now completely gray instead of the salt-and-pepper of the photo.
“Just don’t be too eager. Just play it cool at first and—”
This time he decided to stop her advice with a kiss. He grabbed her face between his hands and pressed his lips to hers. Slowly, he softened the kiss until her lips parted beneath his. They’d become so familiar with each other that kissing was easy, almost instinctual. There was no hesitation, no clumsiness, only a simple expression of need.
But he knew it wouldn’t be long before the desire overwhelmed them. With Sofie’s mercurial nature, it might happen in an hour or sometime next month.
Strangely, that didn’t bother him. He knew it would be worth waiting for. He drew back and looked into her eyes. “This is so strange. I’m kissing you in the parking lot, and I’m about to go stuff dollar bills into other women’s G-strings.”
Sofie groaned, pushing him back. “Just act like you’re having fun.”
He nodded, then opened the door and stepped out of the Jeep. He glanced back once before walking inside, but he couldn’t see her through the sun’s reflection.
The Bunny Shack wasn’t quite what Cameron expected. The interior was shabby and worn and smelled of stale beer and cigarette smoke. The music blared out of speakers that were tinny and distorted. And the women, though not unattractive, plied their trade with a casual boredom that didn’t add much to the experience.
He scanned the room, a maze of elevated runways with bar stools lining the edges. Cameron settled in a few seats away from Walter Fredericks, then ordered a beer from a scantily clad waitress.
He wasn’t quite sure where to look. Everywhere he turned there was naked flesh, but it wasn’t the naked flesh he wanted to see. It was difficult for him to believe that any man found this atmosphere sexually arousing. He was more turned on by the scent of Sofie’s hair than the sight of a half-clad female writhing in front of him.
Cameron observed the dancers distractedly as he sipped his beer, his mind wandering to the woman waiting for him out in the parking lot. His mind substituted an image of Sofie, dressed in lingerie, her lithe body moving in front of him.
He watched out of the corner of his eye as another waitress delivered lunch to Fredericks and the older man took a huge bite of a burger. Food. The perfect conversation starter.
“How’s the food here?” Cameron asked. “Any good?”
Walter wiped his mouth with a paper napkin and nodded, still chewing. “It’s not bad,” he said, nodding. “Stick with the burgers and sandwiches. Everything else is pretty bland.”
“Thanks,” Cameron said. He took a sip of his beer. “Can’t go wrong with a cold beer and a little entertainment.”
“Nope, I’d have to agree with that,” Walter said.
“So, do you live here in town?” Cameron asked.
“Yeah, I’ve got a place nearby. But I spend most of my time in Albuquerque. Where are you from?”
Cameron slowly turned on his stool, bracing his arm on the edge of the bar. “Seattle. But I’m thinking of settling around here. I’m tired of the rain. You’ve got plenty of sun around here.”
“We do have that in abundance. So, are you looking to buy or rent a place?”
“I’m not really worried about buying somewhere to live right now. I’m just looking for some good investment opportunities.”
Walter stood up and moved over another seat, sliding his plate along the bar. “Well, now, you picked the right place. And I just happen to be a real-estate broker. I could show you some things.”
“I’m not just interested in real estate,” Cameron said. “I’m looking for anything that can make me some fast cash, if you know what I mean.”
“So, you’re willing to take some risk for a big reward?”
“Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m looking to do,” Cameron said.
For the next fifteen minutes, Walter regaled him with stories of his own investment schemes, ranging from golf courses to oil wells. Unfortunately, nothing the man mentioned came close to being illegal. Cameron decided to play hard to get, hoping that Walter might tempt him with something more interesting, but the older man obviously still had a few suspicions.
“You mentioned you were from Seattle. What do you do up there?”
“I design custom sailing yachts,” Cameron said.
That brought a look of surprise and Walter laughed. “If you’re looking for waterfront property, you won’t find it around here.”
Cameron laughed, then glanced down at his watch. “Oh, hell. I’ve got to go. I have an appointment with an agent here in town and—”
“Cancel it,” Walter said. “You’re not going to find anyone better than me. I’m plugged in. I know everyone in town.” He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a business card, then slid it along the bar to Cameron. “Give me a few days to set up some things. I’ll let you in on a deal or two that no one else has access to. Monday morning would be—”
“I’m really interested in looking this weekend,” Cameron said with a shrug.
Walter sat back and sighed. “Hey, I wish I could, but I’ve got plans.” He lowered his voice. “Truth is, my girlfriend is taking me to a spa in Taos for our anniversary. What the hell am I going to do at a spa?”
Cameron took a swig of his beer. “Hell if I know.”
“Well, you know how the ladies love their pampering. You married?”
Cameron shook his head. “I just like to look, not buy.”
“Smart man. You make all your own decisions. You don’t have to check with the little woman before you invest.”
“Well, Mr. Fredericks. Why don’t we plan on meeting here for lunch on Monday?” Cameron suggested. “And then we’ll get some business done.”
Walter held out his hand. “I don’t even know your name.”
“Cameron Quinn.” He finished the last of his beer then tossed a ten-dollar tip down next to the empty bottle. “I’ll be in touch,” he said as he pushed up from his stool.
He was almost to the door when Walter approached him from behind. “Hey, listen. I’m going to be at the Serenity Spa and Resort in Taos. What do you say I get you a room there for Saturday night—my treat—and we can find some time to talk business? You just enjoy yourself, have a seaweed wrap or a massage, play a round of golf, and then we can get together for drinks. You can even meet my Vivian. You’ll like her.”
“I don’t know,” Cameron said. “I’m really not much of a spa guy.”
“Most guys aren’t. But there’ll be plenty of good-looking women there, without their husbands, if you know what I mean. A guy like you is bound to get lucky.”
“I’ll think about it,” Cameron said.
“You do that!” Walter called.
Cameron strolled to the front doors and out into the afternoon sun, squinting against the light. Sofie was waiting in the far corner of the parking lot, sitting in the passenger seat of the Jeep, her eyes closed, the wires from her iPod dangling from her ears.
He slipped in behind the wheel. Startled, she sat up. “You’re back already?”
He turned the ignition and threw the Jeep into Reverse. “He invited me to the Serenity Spa in Taos. He and Vivian are leaving tonight. He said I should join them tomorrow night.”
“What? Join them? Like in—a threesome?”
“I don’t think so,” Cameron said, frowning. “Jeez, I hope that’s not what he meant. I just think he wants to throw some money around and impress me. He and Vivian are spending their anniversary there. And he doesn’t want to wait until Monday to talk business.” Cameron groaned. “He said I’d really like Vivian. Did that mean he planned to…share her?”
“Just drive,” Sofie said, pointing to the road. “I need some time to figure this all out.”
* * *
SOFIE SAT AT THE small table inside the Airstream, picking at the remains of the take-out dinner they’d picked up from Millie’s. After Cameron’s visit to the Bunny Shack, they’d visited the county courthouse in Gallup to check on the deed to the ranch where Vivian was living.
To Sofie’s surprise, Vivian Armstrong was listed as the sole owner on the deed. Sofie knew that Vivian and Stella had money from their father’s estate, but why would a single woman choose to live out in the middle of nowhere? Vulture Creek was at least an hour outside of Albuquerque. Certainly she and Walter didn’t need that much distance to keep their affair a secret.
Sofie had never really understood the kind of woman who’d cede control of her life to a man. Even with Sam, she had made all her own decisions. Maybe that was why it hadn’t worked out. But it was hard to trust someone with her life, and her heart.
She glanced across the table at Cameron and smiled. They’d known each other for two days, and yet she sensed he was the trustworthy type, in every sense.
“You’re awfully quiet,” Cameron said.
She glanced up at him and smiled. “You did a good job today. I couldn’t have done what you did.”
“It was kind of fun. Pretending. It was a new challenge.”
“Sometimes I wonder if that might be what I need. A challenge.”
Cameron reached out and took her hand, weaving his fingers through hers. “Like what?”
“I don’t know. That’s the problem. So much of my life has been tied up with being a cop.” Sofie shook her head, then pushed to her feet. “I should do these dishes. Are you done eating?”
“Sofie, we can talk about this. I’m a good listener.”
“No, it’s just something I have to figure out on my own.” She picked up his plate and hers and carried them to the small sink.
“I really enjoyed today,” Cameron said.
“Even the naked girls?” she asked.
“No. I mean, they were friendly and they knew how to dance pretty well, for strippers that is. But I liked trying something new. For about fifteen minutes I felt like a private investigator.” He stood and finished clearing the table. “It’s strange,” Cameron continued. “When we were driving back here, I was thinking about what my grandfather had said, about trying out a different life. And I got to wondering what things would have been like if my parents hadn’t disappeared on that trip.”
Just the thought of what he’d gone through as a boy was enough to bring tears to her eyes. She saw the aftereffects in the man he’d become—so careful and controlled. At times, he could be funny and relaxed, and then, in the blink of an eye, he’d lose himself in his thoughts.
“It must have been hard.”
“I don’t think much about it.”
She turned the tap and filled the sink with warm water.
“Let me do that,” Cameron said. “I’m supposed to be earning my keep here.”
Sofie handed him a dish towel. “You can dry,” she said.
He took the towel from her hand, then grabbed her waist and pulled her away from the sink. “I think we can leave those for later. Let’s take a walk. I need some fresh air.”
The sun was nearly at the horizon, the western sky blazing in colors of orange and pink and purple. Cameron took her hand and they walked out behind the trailer. The desolation of the high desert was spread out in front of them, and they walked toward the sunset, the landscape bathed in a pink hue.
“It’s a lot like the ocean,” Cameron murmured after he drew a deep breath. “Just a big expanse of nothingness. It makes everyday details seem kind of small and insignificant.”
“When we were kids, my grandfather used to take us out into the desert. He’d teach us all survival skills and talk to us about the Hopi culture, what it meant to live in the world and not on it.”
“John Muir,” Cameron said.
She nodded. “My grandfather was a big fan. We used to study everything and discuss its purpose in the desert. ‘When we try to pick out anything by itself,’” she quoted, “‘we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.’ That’s how the desert works.”
“I like that,” Cameron said.
“I learned to make fire without matches and how to find water. The ultimate test for my brothers was to spend forty-eight hours alone in the desert.”
“Really?” Cameron asked.
Sofie nodded. “All of them had done it by the time they turned thirteen. My grandfather said it was a rite of passage, the time when boys became men. But when it was my turn, they wouldn’t let me go. I begged and begged, but my parents told me that I couldn’t.”
“I suspect that was the wrong thing to say to you,” Cameron said, smiling down at her.
“I was so mad. I told myself that when I grew up, I would never, ever let anyone make decisions for me.” She kicked at a small rock with the toe of her boot. “Sometimes, I think that was the moment I decided that I would show them all that they were wrong about me.” She shrugged. “Maybe I should have learned to be more flexible.”
“No,” Cameron said. “You’re strong and independent. You know what you want. You don’t need to change, Sofie.” He pulled her into his embrace. “I like you just the way you are.”
He stared down at her, his gaze searching hers. When his lips touched hers, Sofie clutched at his shirt, her body feeling suddenly boneless. “You’re not scared of anything, are you?” Cameron said.
Sofie’s first response was the one she always had when challenged by her brothers. No, she wasn’t scared of anything. But if she really thought about it, there were a lot of things that scared her. As she looked up at Cameron, she realized that maybe she didn’t always have to be the toughest woman in the room. “That’s not true,” she said.
“What are you afraid of?”
“I’m afraid my hip will never get better. I’m afraid I’ll never get to be a cop again. I’m afraid I’ll—” She stopped, realizing that she’d already said too much.
“What? Say it.”
“I’m afraid I might always be alone. There. I said the thing that every woman shouldn’t say. The reason that women stay in horrible relationships.”
“No,” he said, hugging her tight. “You won’t be alone.”
Sofie pulled out of his embrace and strode toward the sunset. It didn’t help to have him here, touching her and kissing her whenever she needed reassurance. She’d already come to crave those moments when she forgot who she was and just…reacted.
She heard his footsteps behind her and then felt the touch of his hand on her shoulder. “Did you ever do that quest, you know, spend the two nights in the desert? All on your own?”
Sofie sighed. “I did. I was fourteen and we were here visiting my uncle. I grabbed a sleeping bag and some supplies and just walked out there,” she said, pointing. “I didn’t tell anyone where I was going.”
“And?”
“I was terrified. I didn’t sleep at all the first night. By the second night, I was so exhausted, I slept like the dead. And when I got home, I was grounded for six months.” She paused. “I feel that same kind of fear right now.”
“Are you afraid of me?”
“No. Well, yes, kind of. I’m afraid that you’ll…”
“What?” Cameron asked, turning her chin up until their eyes met.
“I—I’m afraid you’ll change me. You’ll…knock me off course. I know what I want, Cameron. And a guy like you doesn’t really fit into those plans, no matter how much fun it is to kiss you and touch you.”
He forced a smile, fixing his gaze somewhere over her shoulder. “I’m not sure what to say to that. Sofie, I don’t want to make you do anything you don’t want to.”
A tiny laugh escaped her lips. “Yeah, well, you may not mean to do it, but you do anyway.”
Cameron reached up and ran the back of his hand over her cheek, then furrowed his fingers through her hair. She knew he wanted to kiss her and could see what it was costing him to resist. But this had already gone too far. They’d known each other two days, and she was a heartbeat away from falling into bed with him.
“So what’s our next move?” Cameron asked.
“We’re going to go to Taos tomorrow, and you’re going to meet with Walter. I’m going to get a room for myself, then hang around and see if I can catch a photo of him with Vivian. He’s never seen me, so I think I’ll be safe. And then—”
“I meant about us,” Cameron interrupted. “Where do you and I go from here?”
Sofie drew a deep breath. “I’m your boss and you’re my employee.”
She could see her answer wasn’t what he wanted to hear. And it was the last thing she wanted to say. But this was already getting too dangerous, and she was ill-prepared to handle an affair with him. It would be best to stop while they still could.
“You know, maybe I should do a quest of my own.” He turned and started toward the Airstream. “That’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to grab a sleeping bag and some supplies and just walk out into the desert.”
“You can’t do that,” Sofie said. “You have no idea what’s out there. You’ll get lost. You’ll get bitten by a snake or a spider, and then I’ll have to go find you and drag you back here.”
He spun around, stopping her in her tracks. “Then come with me,” he said. “Let’s do it. We don’t have to leave until late tomorrow morning.”
“I can’t,” she said. “We shouldn’t.”
“Which is it, Sofie?”
“Both,” she said.
“Well, if you want to play it safe, that’s fine. But as long as I’m here, I’m going see what I’m made of.”
Sofie cursed as she hurried after him. This was the last thing she needed. They should be focusing on the case, discussing strategies for tomorrow, going over the possible scenarios. “Can’t you see what you’re made of some other night?”
“I think a night alone in the desert is exactly what I need right now,” Cameron said.
* * *
HE DIDN’T NEED TO walk far to lose sight of the ranch house. Cameron had navigated the open ocean without sight of land, steering by the stars. He wasn’t afraid he’d get lost as Sofie had predicted. He’d picked out a point on the horizon and walked until the sun was nearly gone.
He found a spot in the shelter of a rocky outcropping. A nearby wash had enough wood to start a small fire, and he gathered it by the last light of the day. Unfortunately, the lighter he’d grabbed from the Airstream was out of fluid, so he was left with nothing but a pile of wood.
Cameron sat down and stared up at the first star in the deep blue sky. The silence all around him was almost deafening. It was so quiet he could hear himself thinking.
What the hell was doing here? He ought to be back in Seattle, perfecting the new hull design he’d been working on. But in two days, he’d managed to forget all about that life and just slipped into this one. He cursed softly. If his real life was so forgettable, what did that say about it?
Part of it was the girl, he mused. She was the most intriguing woman he’d ever met. But his infatuation for her was bound to fade, as it had with every other woman in his life.
Too bad he couldn’t make it disappear just by sheer will. Then they’d both be happy. But there was no denying how he felt when he touched her. It took all his willpower to keep himself from stripping them both naked and indulging in the desire that they both tried so hard to control.
He understood her fears. He’d had the same fears himself. For as long as he could remember, he’d avoided commitment, afraid that once he found someone to love he was bound to lose her, just like he lost his parents. If fate could destroy his family in the blink of an eye, then it could certainly destroy any relationship he cherished just as quickly.
But maybe those fears had affected him more than he’d realized. He’d always made the safe decision, the conservative choice. When it came time to choose a career, he didn’t even consider stepping outside the comfort of the family business.
And yet now, with his world upside down, Cameron realized that he really hadn’t been living his life. He’d just been…going along. And worse than that, he wasn’t really happy.
“Nice fire.”
The sound of her voice came out of nowhere, causing him to jump to his feet. An instant later, she shined a flashlight in his eyes. “Jaysus, you scared me.”
“Lucky I wasn’t a pack of coyotes looking for a late-night snack.” Sofie slipped her backpack off her shoulders and set it down on the dry ground, then bent over the pile of firewood. A few seconds later, the kindling flickered, then caught.
“Thanks,” Cameron said. “How did you find me?”
“My grandfather taught us to track. You’re not hard to follow. You have very big feet.” She poked at the fire with a stick.
“Why did you come?”
“I would never forgive myself if something happened to you out here. I wasn’t going to get any sleep tonight worrying about you. So, I figured if I was out here with you we’d both have a chance to sleep.” She turned and began to rummage through her pack. “Tent,” Sofie said.
“Real men don’t sleep in tents,” he teased.
“Well, I do. You can sleep out here if you want, but I’m going inside. Stay close to the fire. It’ll ward off the snakes and spiders and—”
“Lions and tigers?”
Sofie laughed. “A few bears, too.” She untied the drawstring on the tent bag and dumped the contents on the ground. “There’s a lantern in my pack. Why don’t you pull that out and light it up?”
Cameron bent over her backpack and began to remove the contents. He pulled out a package of marshmallows and two campfire forks, then held them out to her. “What’s this?”
“Dessert,” she said.
“I thought I was supposed to be roughing it.”
“You’re a city boy.”
“I have been camping before. Besides, I came out here to see if I was tough enough.”
She grabbed the marshmallows and put them back in her pack. “All right. You don’t get any s’mores, then. And since you’re tough, you can finish setting up the tent.”
Luckily the tent was similar to the one his brother Ronan owned, so he managed to get it up and staked in about fifteen minutes. He laid their sleeping bags inside, then joined her by the campfire.
She stared into the flames as she roasted a pair of marshmallows, slowly turning them. When they were finished, she held the fork out to him. “You first,” she murmured.
He popped the nearly melted marshmallow into his mouth. “Mmm. Good.” Cameron watched her for a long moment as she picked at hers. “So why did you really come out here? I’m pretty sure I would have survived the night.”
“I feel responsible for you,” Sofie said. “You’re my employee.”
“Is that all there is to it?” Cameron asked. He wanted her to tell him that there was much more, that she’d changed her mind about this attraction between them, that she didn’t want to deny herself. “You can admit it, Sofie.” He leaned closer, drawing in a deep breath, the scent of her shampoo sweet on the night air.
Sofie sighed softly. “It’s not that I don’t want to be with you. I feel it, too. Every time you touch me or kiss me, I can imagine how it would be. But we’ve only just met. And when it comes to men, I just don’t trust myself.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You’re a nice guy. More than nice. You’re the kind of man my mother wants me to marry. And it would be so easy for me to just surrender to that, to take the easy way out.”
“You think love and marriage are easy?”
Sofie got to her feet and brushed off her hands on the front of her jeans. “I’m going to go back. Now that you have the tent and a fire, you’ll be good on your own.”
Cameron grabbed her hand. “Don’t. Sofie, I understand. I’m not going to force the issue.”
She nodded. “I know. But I might.”
Cameron watched silently as she grabbed the flashlight and turned it on. “You sure you can find your way back?” he asked.
“Sure. I know this desert like the back of my hand. And see that brightness over there? That’s the yard light at the ranch. Just in case you need to find your way back in the dark. I’ll leave it on.” She drew a ragged breath. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning, Cameron.”
He watched her disappear into the darkness, her footsteps echoing in the silent night air. Of all the women he’d ever known, there wasn’t one who was smart enough or brave enough to walk through the desert in the middle of the night.
The fire popped and he grabbed one of the forks, loading it with marshmallows. He glanced over at the tent, visible in the light from the fire. She was right to go back, he thought to himself. There was no way they’d spend the night in that tent and not give in to what they both wanted.
In the distance, a coyote howled and Cameron smiled to himself. “How-ooooo,” he sang, the sound carrying off into the distance. He listened and thought he heard a laugh from somewhere in the dark.
His thoughts wandered to his brothers. Where were they and what were they doing? Had they settled into a job, a place to live? In six weeks, they’d be together again. What kind of stories would they have to tell?