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Index
Prologue
Chapter 1 Five years later “There’s been a change of plans.” Michelle froze and her tired, aching muscles seized up. She pressed her cell phone against her ear and stepped out of the restaurant’s back door and into the gray, empty alley. The cold nip in the October evening felt good after being in the hot, steamy kitchen. “You guys don’t need me to come home?” She should be relieved. Really. She’d rather save that vacation time to catch up on her sleep. Or clean her rinky-dink apartment. Get audited by the IRS. Anything but participate in another Horseradish Festival. So that didn’t explain the disappointment flooding her. It was thick and heavy, pulling down until her knees were about to buckle. “No,” her brother Danny replied. “We need you here more than ever.” That didn’t sound good. “What happened? Is the festival still on?” “Yeah, and the scavenger hunt is still on, too. We’re getting a lot of buzz on that event.” Yay. Michelle rolled her eyes. She would never have agreed to take
Chapter 1
Chapter 2 Hearing his name was a jolt to her system. Michelle’s heart shuddered from the impact as she stood motionless, watching Ryan Slater stroll toward her. Her brain went on the fritz, filtering his approach in a dizzying collage of stop-motion images. Ryan’s slow, casual gait didn’t fool her. One look at those long, powerful legs and she knew he could catch her. That thought did little to calm her nerves. Michelle’s gaze seemed to gravitate to his soft, faded jeans. His body was as lean and tapered as when she last saw him. Maybe even more so. It took some effort, but she managed to yank her attention upward. The autumn breeze tugged at his pale blue shirt, hinting at the sleek contours of his flat stomach and sculpted muscles. Her stomach clenched as the old embers of desire stirred. No, no, no. She wasn’t going to make that mistake again. No matter how hot and sexy Ryan looked, she knew from experience it was all false advertising. That piece of knowledge was the only thing tha
Chapter 2
Chapter 3 “Now, contestants,” Vanessa said, turning to face the scavenger hunt participants, “would you please join together for the official photo?” As the teams huddled together for the photographer, Brandy slid toward the center of the group. Ryan felt rather than saw Michelle’s violent hop before she slammed against his arm. Ryan stretched his arm around her shoulders and held her before they both fell into a heap. “Sorry!” Michelle winced. “Are you okay?” When she nodded he asked, “What was that about?” “Trust me,” she said through her picture-perfect smile aimed at the camera, “you don’t want to know.” Ryan had a feeling Brandy stomped on Michelle’s foot, but he couldn’t say if it was an accident. Whatever happened, he benefited from it. There was something deeply satisfying having Michelle tucked against his side. “Give us a kiss!” someone yelled from the crowd. But that might be short-lived, Ryan decided as other onlookers found that a great idea and demanded the same. He chose
Chapter 3
Chapter 4 Ryan blinked hard, but he couldn’t see anything in the room except for the pale light outlining the door. He tried to recall how the room was situated. The desk was immediately behind him and the chair to the right. Had there been a file cabinet? He didn’t want to jog his memory by walking into it. “I don’t believe this!” Michelle’s indignation echoed in the small room. “Why would they make us do this in the dark?” he asked. This assignment didn’t make sense to him. “Sexy, Carbon Hill style.” Ryan’s hands clenched the tray and the pieces rattled. “What?” he asked hoarsely. “I said it was se—” Michelle stopped abruptly. Ryan could imagine her pressing her lips together. The cold air twanged around him and goose bumps blanketed his skin. This was not good. It was bad enough being alone in a small room with Michelle, but after that kiss, it was bad timing. Especially since the kiss was all he could think about. That, and wondering when he could kiss her again. He might not be ab
Chapter 4
Chapter 5 “You’re quitting over a horse?” Ryan’s disbelief rang in Michelle’s ears. It probably did seem strange since she had told him that they weren’t quitting. And had sounded as though she wouldn’t budge on her position. And she had meant it, too. But he didn’t realize that there were special circumstances. Like horses. Big ones that looked as if they could knock you down with the flick of their tails. “I can’t ride it.” He stroked her upper arm. “Sure, you can.” Michelle was already shaking her head. “No, you don’t understand.” “It’s going to be okay.” His voice was kind and gentle. Ryan was being very patient. And that was making her very suspicious. He was probably figuring out the best way to throw her onto the horse like a burlap sack. “Have you ridden before?” Ryan asked. “Yes,” she answered with false brightness, “and I have fallen before, too.” His hands curled around her shoulders. “The rule is to get right back on the horse.” “I did that,” she said as she hunched. “I rod
Chapter 5
Chapter 6 Michelle pulled away. “Stop the horse!” “Uh…that wasn’t a choice.” “Right now, or…or…” Her spine was ramrod straight, but she was still too close to him. Every breath she took was short and shallow. Oh, jeez. What had she been thinking? She was tempted to raise a shaky hand to her forehead and see if there was a dew of cold sweat. The kind a person got after a close call. She needed to be on the defense. She had almost caved! All to sleep with Ryan Slater? After all that had happened? It was laughable. And here she was, considering his offer! Why? Just because his kiss made her turn to mush like it always did. Or that he had the most amazing tongue and he was really too hot and sexy for his own good? And…why was she saying no, again? “Or?” Ryan prompted her. Or what? Oh, right. My God, the guy managed to rattle her so fast and furious, she couldn’t think straight. “Or…I’ll jump.” She cautiously looked down. It was pretty far. It wasn’t going to be pretty. Ryan snorted with la
Chapter 6
Chapter 7 Michelle strolled around the backyard of the bed and breakfast as everyone else ate their morning meal. She hoped she didn’t appear rude, but she was unwilling to handle conversation with Brandy. About Brandy. Brandy all the time. It was enough to give her indigestion. She noted that the weather was warmer and took that as a good omen. She had already found something unexpected this morning. Walking around the Wirts’ farmhouse, Michelle got a better sense of Homer and Ida. The grounds were unkempt, but with her untrained eye, she could tell that the enormous garden had been lovingly planned. The landscaping was much more formal than she expected from a Midwestern farmhouse, complete with sculptures and a rather ornate birdbath. It was as if the struggle of their double life played out in the garden. Common household plants wrapped around a broken Grecian urn. The herb garden by the kitchen was designed in artistic geometric shapes, but impractical. Instead of thick hedges or
Chapter 7
Chapter 8 Michelle wasn’t going to say a thing, she decided as she silently tapped her toe. She’d done pretty well for the past twenty minutes. She was even standing in the tiny Historical Society office right next to Ryan, acting as if she was listening to some local historian drone on about the town’s railroad industry. It helped to focus on the historian’s odd hairstyle. The man unsuccessfully hid his bald spot by moving his part all the way to his ear. Distracting, to say the least, but she still felt tempted to interrupt. She wanted to break her polite silence, present Ryan with a flourish, and announce, “Did you know that you have a talented local artist in your midst?” She wasn’t going to. She wasn’t going to say a word. Because, first of all, Ryan would kill her. He didn’t have to say anything for her to arrive at that conclusion. There were some unspoken rules that a person just knew. Most of all, it would be a waste of breath. She had a feeling everyone already knew about Rya
Chapter 8
Chapter 9 Michelle screamed and dove for the ground just as a paint-ball whizzed past her. She coughed as the dust billowed around her and she clenched her paintball gun as if it was her only ally. Her only hope. “We are never going to get out of here alive!” “These guys are good,” Ryan said, peeking over a corroded sheet of metal. The sunlight glinted off the sweat dripping from his lean cheekbone. Not looking at the bright side of the situation right now, are we? Michelle noticed with grim satisfaction. That could mean only one thing. There wasn’t a bright side. It was all bad. They were so in trouble. Michelle wiped the dust that settled on her goggles. The goggles that looked mean and sleek on everyone else but made her look like an amphibian. Her mom would have a conniption fit if she saw her. What would the consequence be if they just got caught right now? Annie wouldn’t tell them, but it couldn’t be that bad. Not as bad as being hunted down by guys who’d watched way too many dum
Chapter 9
Chapter 10 “Stop!” Michelle said as she quit kicking the fallen leaves when she heard the rush of water. She couldn’t see it, but they had to be near. And about time, because she was one step away from chewing her hand off to regain her freedom. “I said stop!” “You keep falling behind.” Ryan slowed down and looked over his shoulder. “Are you okay?” “Oh, yes. Thank you for asking,” Michelle said as she brushed the hair out of her eyes. “I’m fine. I would feel even better if a guy wasn’t dragging me handcuffed across the countryside.” She lifted her right hand and jingled the chain that connected them. Ryan walked toward a tree stripped of its leaves. “Catch your breath here for a few minutes.” “Minutes?” She leaned against the thick trunk. It was scratchy and leaned at an odd angle, but it was better than walking. “How about a half an hour?” “We don’t need to get caught.” Like she hadn’t figured that out on her own. “We are well off the beaten path. What am I saying? There is no path.”
Chapter 10
Chapter 11 Then again, the wilderness was not all that it was cracked up to be. She stared at the area Ryan wanted them to camp in. “I’m not going in there!” “It’s not that big of a deal.” “Ha!” She pointed at the cave, the opening yawning at her like a giant mouth, ready to take a bite out of her. “That hole is huge.” “Michelle, we can’t go any farther on the trail because we don’t have a flashlight. This is our only option. It’s going to be okay.” She knew everything Ryan said was true and reasonable, but her gut instinct told her to keep moving. “You want me to sleep in a cave?” “Technically it’s not a cave,” Ryan said as he patted the rocky ledge jutting out. “Think of it as an alcove.” “I’m thinking of it as unacceptable. There could be a bear in there. Or a wolf.” She wasn’t sure if bears and wolves were indigenous to the area, but she was certain a bloodthirsty creature with really sharp teeth lived in that cave. If for no other reason than that was how her luck was running. “Th
Chapter 11
Chapter 12 As they made it to the top of the bluff bright and early the next morning, Ryan felt torn about seeing the other players at the checkpoint. He was relieved the level they were stuck on was finally completed, but he also preferred having Michelle to himself. “Ryan! Michelle!” Margaret hustled over to them, her face lined with concern. “We were worried about you two. Are you all right? Where were you?” That was going to be a sticky answer. He was prepared to be vague when Michelle spoke. “We were still on the trail when it turned dark,” Michelle explained. “So Ryan made us sit in the cave all night.” Ryan wanted to pull her aside and warn her. She was dancing on the edge of being talked about. Obviously she had been living in the big city too long. Margaret looked properly horrified. The older woman scanned their wrinkled clothes that were streaked with dirt. “That’s terrible.” “I know!” Michelle agreed fervently. “It was!” “It was?” Ryan asked, arching an eyebrow. To hell wit
Chapter 12
Chapter 13 “We came in first!” Michelle jumped on Ryan at the obstacle course’s finish line. She threw her arms around Ryan’s shoulders and held him tight. She felt as if she was going to burst with pure joy. “Can you believe it?” “No.” “That ten-foot wall with the knotted rope almost killed me,” Michelle confessed. “I mean, what the hell was that about? It isn’t romantic. It isn’t horseradishy. What were these hunt organizers thinking?” “Who cares? We came in first!” His arms went around her and he twirled her around. She squealed as her legs went horizontal in the air. “Congratulations,” Annie said as she walked a wide berth around them. “Because you came in first, you get to go first on the final challenge.” “Did you hear that?” Michelle asked as Ryan lowered her down to the ground. “The final challenge.” “We’re almost done.” His smile was tired but relieved. “No, besides that.” She leaned forward and whispered, “We could actually win this thing.” His blue eyes twinkled. “I thought
Chapter 13
Chapter 14 Michelle launched in on Ryan the moment he touched the ground. His face was pale, his mouth pinched with tension. Guilt and relief slapped up against her so hard it knocked her silly. “You did it!” She gave him a fierce hug that made him stumble back. “How do you feel?” “I’m never doing that again.” “You don’t have to. I promise.” She waited until he took off the harness and then she pulled him to the side, away from everyone. “Once is more than enough.” She noticed he wasn’t smiling. Far from it. His eyes looked glassy. “Really, Ryan. Tell me the truth. How are you feeling? Are you okay?” He nodded dumbly and looked straight ahead. “I’m okay.” “I kept thinking I pushed you too hard.” She held her hand against her sternum. “That you would never forgive me. But we’re good now, right?” “Ah, no.” Ryan turned and looked directly in her eyes. “I’m still pissed off at you, and nothing is going to make that change. Not even if you deep throat me again.” He paused and reconsidered.
Chapter 14
Chapter 15 “Yes,” Michelle answered. She didn’t hint at the shock zinging inside her. What really surprised her was that she didn’t even hesitate with the answer. “No,” Ryan answered, just as swiftly. “Hmm-mm.” Mrs. White looked at Michelle, then at Ryan, and back again at her. “Well, that’s enough chitchat for now. Come along, Michelle. We need you to judge the horseradish recipes.” “There wouldn’t by any chance be a Bloody Mary in the finals?” Michelle asked. Mrs. White stopped and pivoted on her chunky high heels. “Excuse me?” she asked icily over Ryan’s chuckle. “Never—” Michelle stumbled into silence as she watched Mrs. White pull something glittery out of a plastic shopping bag. “Is that my crown?” “Yes!” The older woman showed a glimmer of enthusiasm. “Your mother found this and your sash. She gave them to me for the judging. Isn’t that wonderful?” Define wonderful. Michelle’s calm and serene smile was firmly in place. “You want me to wear them? Now?” “Of course.” Mrs. White gav
Chapter 15
Chapter 16 Ryan’s hands shook as he gripped the basin of the marble birdbath. He twisted it one way, putting all of his strength into it. It didn’t budge. “Didn’t anyone try to look in the statues?” Michelle asked nearby as she studied a partially nude Venus. “I guess not,” he said through clenched teeth as he tried to turn the basin from the other direction. “Why would they? Buried treasure makes most people think it’s underground.” The basin gave way and water sloshed over the rim. Ryan paused, his eyes widening as excitement pinged against his ribs. And maybe a hint of nerves. Michelle was suddenly at his side, the garden art forgotten. “Need help?” “No, I got it,” he said softly as he kept pushing. Hell, why was he whispering? Because he was scared, that’s why. What if there was nothing there? He wouldn’t know how to handle Michelle’s disappointment, let alone his own. But he would eventually get over it. He knew that. And he also would believe that the treasure was somewhere else,
Chapter 16
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