Read Online Look What the Wind Blew In by Ann Charles - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ann Charles
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this claustrophobic.” She slid deeper into the tunnel. In her line of work, she couldn’t afford to get fidgety in tight places. “Come on, it’s only like this for about ten feet.”
“Then what?”
She looked back at him. “Then we crawl.”
His eyes widened in alarm. “There’s no way in hell you are getting me in that tiny crack. I’ll wait out here, see if Esteban needs some help.”
No, he wouldn’t. Esteban would fill Quint’s head with tales about Xtabay and curses. Besides, she really wanted him to see what was down this particular rabbit hole.
“Don’t tell me you’re afraid,” she taunted. “Not a big, strong, brave photojournalist like you? I thought you ate adventure for breakfast every morning.”
“That was in my twenties. Adventure gives me heartburn now. I prefer breathing on a regular basis to risking life and limb every other day.”
“Come on, Parker. Don’t be a wuss about this.”
“You can call me all of the names you want, but I’m not going to get stuck and possibly crushed in a temple wall today. It’s not on my agenda.”
“You won’t get crushed, trust me. Maybe just pinched a little with a scrape here and there.” She held out her hand. “Take my hand. I’ll keep you safe.”
He shined his flashlight in her eyes. “Being nice to me now, Dr. García, will not lure me into that snake hole.”
She squinted in the brightness. “I’ve been nice to you since you got here.” She hadn’t sent him back to the village like she’d originally wanted to, had she? Not even after the game he’d played last night.
“Not nice enough to get me in there.”
“Take my hand, Quint.” She spoke soothingly this time, trying a different tactic.
He frowned, lowering the beam of light. “Why do we even need to go in there?”
“Because there’s something I want you to see. Something that will ‘wow’ you.”
“Really?” His gaze strayed down over her profile, stalling on her hips. “It’s been a while since I’ve been ‘wowed.’”
That made two of them. How long was he talking? Was there a wanna-be Mrs. Parker back in the States pining for him? She’d noticed the lack of a ring or tan line, but that didn’t mean he was unattached. Maybe she could figure out a way to hint at …
What in the hell are you doing?!
Shit.
Double shit.
This couldn’t happen. Not now. Not here. Not with Jared on site. And certainly not with her father’s future at stake. She needed to diffuse the situation somehow.
Making a show of rolling her eyes, she tried to jest about what had passed between them. “Parker, did you really just go there ?”
“Hey, I can’t help it that my mind would rather go there than inside this crack where I could get squished flat.”
“You won’t get squished.” She slid closer to him, stretching her hand out further. “Come on.”
After a few more seconds of hesitation, he took her hand, his palm slick with sweat. He slid sideways inside the fissure with her.
“Before we do this,” he said, dragging anchor until she stopped, “I want to apologize for what I insinuated a moment ago. You being an attractive woman doesn’t give me license to be crude. My mother would have flicked my ear for not being a gentleman. I blame testosterone.”
He thought she was attractive? Even in this heat when she was constantly covered in sweat and dirt and grime? Even without a hint of makeup and her deodorant struggling to keep up? Sheesh. He must not have been ‘wowed’ in a really long time.
Appreciating his apology, she joked, “I thought I told you to leave your testosterone back in your tent.” She tugged him onward.
“No, you ordered me to leave my smart ass comebacks behind,” he whispered, as if afraid his voice might bring down the walls. He licked his lips. “Are you sure there aren’t any snakes in here?”
“Mostly.”
His grip on her hand tightened. “You’re not being very comforting.”
“I’m already holding your
“Then what?”
She looked back at him. “Then we crawl.”
His eyes widened in alarm. “There’s no way in hell you are getting me in that tiny crack. I’ll wait out here, see if Esteban needs some help.”
No, he wouldn’t. Esteban would fill Quint’s head with tales about Xtabay and curses. Besides, she really wanted him to see what was down this particular rabbit hole.
“Don’t tell me you’re afraid,” she taunted. “Not a big, strong, brave photojournalist like you? I thought you ate adventure for breakfast every morning.”
“That was in my twenties. Adventure gives me heartburn now. I prefer breathing on a regular basis to risking life and limb every other day.”
“Come on, Parker. Don’t be a wuss about this.”
“You can call me all of the names you want, but I’m not going to get stuck and possibly crushed in a temple wall today. It’s not on my agenda.”
“You won’t get crushed, trust me. Maybe just pinched a little with a scrape here and there.” She held out her hand. “Take my hand. I’ll keep you safe.”
He shined his flashlight in her eyes. “Being nice to me now, Dr. García, will not lure me into that snake hole.”
She squinted in the brightness. “I’ve been nice to you since you got here.” She hadn’t sent him back to the village like she’d originally wanted to, had she? Not even after the game he’d played last night.
“Not nice enough to get me in there.”
“Take my hand, Quint.” She spoke soothingly this time, trying a different tactic.
He frowned, lowering the beam of light. “Why do we even need to go in there?”
“Because there’s something I want you to see. Something that will ‘wow’ you.”
“Really?” His gaze strayed down over her profile, stalling on her hips. “It’s been a while since I’ve been ‘wowed.’”
That made two of them. How long was he talking? Was there a wanna-be Mrs. Parker back in the States pining for him? She’d noticed the lack of a ring or tan line, but that didn’t mean he was unattached. Maybe she could figure out a way to hint at …
What in the hell are you doing?!
Shit.
Double shit.
This couldn’t happen. Not now. Not here. Not with Jared on site. And certainly not with her father’s future at stake. She needed to diffuse the situation somehow.
Making a show of rolling her eyes, she tried to jest about what had passed between them. “Parker, did you really just go there ?”
“Hey, I can’t help it that my mind would rather go there than inside this crack where I could get squished flat.”
“You won’t get squished.” She slid closer to him, stretching her hand out further. “Come on.”
After a few more seconds of hesitation, he took her hand, his palm slick with sweat. He slid sideways inside the fissure with her.
“Before we do this,” he said, dragging anchor until she stopped, “I want to apologize for what I insinuated a moment ago. You being an attractive woman doesn’t give me license to be crude. My mother would have flicked my ear for not being a gentleman. I blame testosterone.”
He thought she was attractive? Even in this heat when she was constantly covered in sweat and dirt and grime? Even without a hint of makeup and her deodorant struggling to keep up? Sheesh. He must not have been ‘wowed’ in a really long time.
Appreciating his apology, she joked, “I thought I told you to leave your testosterone back in your tent.” She tugged him onward.
“No, you ordered me to leave my smart ass comebacks behind,” he whispered, as if afraid his voice might bring down the walls. He licked his lips. “Are you sure there aren’t any snakes in here?”
“Mostly.”
His grip on her hand tightened. “You’re not being very comforting.”
“I’m already holding your
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