The Treasure (16 page)

“Adrenaline,” Brody said, staring at her with a look she had never seen before on his face.

“I like it. It’s exciting. I feel like I could conquer the world.”

“I knew you had it in you.”

Stunned by his words, she stopped moving to stare at him. His expression was soft, serious. Intimate.

Heart pounding because of the way he was looking at her she smiled, blushed. “It felt good,” she admitted. “Empowering.”

His smile said it all and she felt it like a ray of sunshine, warming her from the inside out, and she knew at that moment that she was completely, absolutely, in love with Brody Kern.

“Brody,” she murmured.

The next thing she knew, he had closed the distance between them, pulled her into his arms and crushed his mouth to hers. Nothing could have prepared her for Brody’s kiss. It was hot, wild, exciting, and utterly terrifying. Her arms wound around his neck, her hands burrowed into his silky hair while his mouth devoured hers. She had never been kissed so completely, so possessively. His mouth commanded hers and her pulse shot up.

One of his arms circled her waist, lifting her off her feet so he could have better access. His tongue parted her lips, dove inside, and swept her mouth. A moan of pure pleasure escaped her. This was so much better than what she imagined. And she had been imagining it a lot over the past couple days.

A strong hand cupped her nape as Brody drew her bottom lip into his mouth and sucked gently. She gasped as a sharp stab of arousal shot through her. Then, she turned the tables and did it to him. Wanted to act even bolder when he deepened the kiss, bringing their bodies closer together so she could feel every hard inch of him.

“Brody … ” she moaned, wanting him inside her with a fury she never felt before. Her body was out of control with need only he could appease.

But instead of tearing her clothes off her like she wanted him to, he pulled away, breathing heavily as he stared down at her with passion-filled eyes that made her want to come undone.

“What are you doing?” she groused, trying to pull his head back down for another kiss. He was having none of it.

“We’re in the middle of the street,” he mused. “We have to go.”

That snapped her back to reality. Looking around, she saw they were indeed drawing attention. Garcia had let them go, but that didn’t mean he would be so understanding with their public display.

“Oh,” she said as he lowered her to her feet. “Right. But I don’t have the map.”

Brody linked her hand in his and started walking. He tapped his forehead. “Don’t need it,” he said. “It’s all up here.”

Smiling, she tapped her own forehead, feeling euphoric. “And here. I’ve looked at that map so many times I know it by heart.”

“Not only that, but I saw something when you threw it down on the table.”

Curious, she glanced up at him, tried to match his pace. “What do you mean?”

“Pan was a crafty woman. I can’t believe we didn’t see it earlier.”

Excitement filled her voice. “What are you talking about?”

“With the map folded I saw where the treasure is really buried. Garcia and anyone else won’t find it unless they fold the map.”

She squeezed his hand. “What did you see?”

“The crescent moon symbol is incomplete.”

Amelia frowned, her mind racing with possibilities. Of course, Aunt Pan would hide the key to the treasure in the map in case this very thing happened. She trusted Amelia to figure it out.

Images raced in her mind as to what it could be while Brody waited for her to put the missing piece together. When, finally, it clicked.

With a smile she met his gaze. “A heart,” she guessed. Two crescent moons would make a heart when the map was folded together.

Brody nodded and grabbed her hand. They veered off the main road into the jungle to begin their search again.

Only this time they were a team.

“You’re sure this is the only way?” Amelia asked, staring up the rocky cliff that loomed in front of them.

Brody’s expression said it all. Yes, this was the only way. And he was none too happy about it.

“This … this is the cliff Aunt Pan fell from?” She swallowed hard, imagining that awful day.

“Yes.”

“And now we have to climb it in order to find
Paraíso
?”

Brody nodded and Amelia looked at the jagged rock face one more time. Her aunt fell from this cliff, almost died, and needed to be air-lifted out of the jungle to the nearest hospital. Then, soon after, returned to climb it again and map the way to
Paraíso.
The courage it took floored her. Her aunt was truly a brave woman. Or crazy, like her sisters believed.

She refused to see her aunt as anything but fearless. Her sisters didn’t see her like Amelia did. And if Aunt Pan could do it, so could she. She spent her life climbing trees and scaling buildings, pretending she was Superwoman. Heights didn’t scare her. Climbing didn’t scare her. So what was stopping her?

“Nothing,” she murmured, turning to Brody. “Okay, let’s do this.”

Minutes later, he had them rigged for what he called a ‘free climb’. It was nothing more than rope and a metal piece of climbing equipment Brody had in his pack. Brody called it a belay device, supposedly to help him prevent her from falling. To call Brody prepared would be a gross understatement. And she was glad for it because this was not going to be easy. Maybe if Aunt Pan had a guide like Brody, she wouldn’t have fallen.

Amelia had no intention of falling. Brody was a competent climber; she had faith in that. He explained how to use her legs instead of her arms to climb and that balance was very important.

“Ready?” he asked after rechecking the rig.

She nodded. Something deep and haunted lingered in his eyes and she knew he was remembering the time he pulled Pan from the jungle, broken, but not beaten. Despite his gruff attitude, he was a protector and it would kill him to see history repeat itself. That was exactly the reason she was determined to see that it didn’t.

But this wasn’t just for Brody. It was for herself, too. To prove she could do it. To climb her mountain, as Brit called it. Only in the literal sense. And instead of being nervous, she was excited.

And that was how she climbed her mountain. With vigor and determination.

After twenty minutes of climbing Amelia’s entire body protested. The rope connecting her to Brody gave her the confidence to go on and push the pain aside. Her leg muscles trembled with strain as she mimicked Brody’s movements, put her hand where he did and her foot in the same foothold. Sometimes it was barely enough to stick her toe into; other times the ball of her foot. Their boots were not ideal and probably not the wisest, but they had no choice.

Sweat rolled down her back even with the setting sun. In the last hour, the humidity had risen, if that were possible, and the air was heavy with the promise of rain. It always smelled wet, but Amelia suspected a storm was on its way. Hopefully, it would wait until they were over the top before it hit. Climbing slippery, wet rock didn’t sound all that appealing.

She paused to look up and was elated to see the top of the wall. More than halfway there. What a relief. Her body would be sore later. Staying in shape had always been important to her and taking a spin class at the gym three times a week with her sisters kept her in shape, but this was wearing her out.

Brody looked down, met her eyes. “Okay?”

He was only a body’s length away so his voice carried easily. Thus far, she had managed to stay in step with him, though she suspected he slowed his pace for her. That worked. Any faster and she would be in trouble.

“I’m good.” More than good.

For a moment he studied her, then looked away and reached over his head for the next handhold. Amelia took a moment to watch him. For a big man, he scaled the rock with ease and strength and grace. He wasn’t even breathing that hard. Every move he made was precise, planned. The muscles in his thighs bunched and rolled beneath his cargo pants. They had changed out of the clothes Garcia loaned them before tackling the mountain. She had put on a pair of jeans and pink T-shirt. Right now, it clung uncomfortably to her skin, the denim sticking to her legs.

His biceps bulged as he found a handhold and used his legs to lever himself up. Desire swirled through her. The man was gorgeous. And she had never lusted over anyone like this before. Casual sex sounded more and more appealing. It would so be worth it to spend a night wrapped in those muscular arms.

“Get a move on, Sawyer,” Brody ordered.

Shaking herself out of her thoughts, Amelia reached up and grabbed the edge of a jutted rock. Focus, she chastised silently. The side of a mountain was not the place to be fantasizing about the sexy man above her.

Getting a good hold, she tried to remember where Brody put his foot and stretched, without losing her grip, in order to reach it. His legs were so much longer than hers, it wasn’t an easy reach.

A raindrop bounced off her nose. Followed by another. Looking up at the sky, she saw dark clouds had moved in. Not good.

“Brody?” she said when the clouds suddenly opened up and warm rain poured down on them. She scrambled upward, her fingers slipping on wet rock.

“Take your time,” Brody coached. “It’s just a little rain.”

Thunder cracked above their heads.

“This is more than a little rain. Get moving, Kern.”

The rock grew slick, making the climb difficult. Amelia concentrated on keeping her balance as she fought wind and rain to get to the top. The rain cooled her hot skin, washed away her sweat, and rejuvenated her senses. The challenge only spurred her determination to make it.

Brody disappeared over the top and in her rush to catch up she missed a foothold. Her boot slipped on the wet rock. With a scream of pure terror, she plunged backward.

The rope around her waist pulled tight and jerked Amelia to a stop before slamming her into the rocks. Stars danced in front of her eyes as she swung in a tight circle, suspended.

“Amelia!”

Brody’s panicked voice rang through her ears, snapped her out of her shocked state. “I … I’m okay,” she called, grasping the rope securing her to him.

“I’m going to pull you up.”

Too shaken to do more than hold on, she kept her eyes on Brody as he brought her to the top. When she got there, she grabbed his outstretched hand and scrambled over the edge, her breath coming in small gasps.

She looked at Brody, saw something haunted in his eyes and the reality of what happened sank in fully. She had almost plunged to her death. Just like her aunt. In her quest, she had brought Brody’s worst fear to light and made him relive that horrible incident. His chest rose and fell heavily, his fists clenched at his sides.

In effort to reassure him, she reached out a hand. But he didn’t take it. He was frozen in place. In the past.

“Brody,” she said softly. “I’m fine. See?” She held out her shaking hands to show him. “You saved me.”

Her breath hitched when he suddenly pulled her into his arms. The belay system prevented full body contact. Heat from his body radiated into hers as he lowered his head and claimed her lips. Consumed, possessed. All of what he couldn’t say was in that kiss and she understood fully how much she scared him.

His hands moved frantically down her spine to cup her hips and pull her against him.

When the equipment got in the way, he tore his mouth from hers and growled. His eyes blazed down into hers. Still stunned from his kiss, she stared back, unable to speak.

“Tell me to stop,” he demanded, chest heaving beneath his soaked T-shirt as rain sluiced over rock hard muscle.

Stop?
That was the last thing she wanted him to do. If Brody Kern made love like he kissed, she was in for an incredible night. And she ached to feel his passion, his touch. Reassure him she was all right.

“No,” she said. Never had she wanted anything more than this handsome, brooding warrior.

His eyes flashed and her breath hitched. The air crackled with tension as rain fell softly around them. Amelia blinked a raindrop off her lashes and waited.

After a moment, he stepped away and her heart plummeted to her feet.

“We need to get to shelter.”

Stunned, she stared at him. Pain knifed through her. “You’re rejecting me?”

His frown erased the ache that question caused. “Hell, no. I’m not making love to you in the rain.”

A thrill shot through her. Had more romantic words even been spoken? “Tent?”

“In five minutes.”

“Hurry.”

Brody found a nice spot in the trees to set up their tent and within six minutes they were inside, protected from the rain. It was like a sauna in the small space, but Amelia didn’t notice. All she cared about was the handsome man sitting across from her. She longed to feel his hands on her. His mouth kissing her senseless.

“Brody?” she questioned, worried he had changed his mind. “Is something wrong?”

He moved then, sliding closer to cup the nape of her neck and pull her head down. His lips hovered above hers, their breath mingling. “This is what you want?”

“Yes,” she breathed. “More than anything.”

And then he was kissing her and any doubt she may have had flew by the wayside. His mouth devoured hers as she tugged his shirt up his chest, needing to feel his skin. He broke the kiss to toss his shirt aside and bent his head to trace a fiery path down her neck. A groan escaped her lips as she cocked her head to give him better access. When he nipped the pulse pounding in her throat she gasped, pleasure stabbing through her.

Her hands slid over his damp chest, rigid with muscle beneath smooth skin. Brody’s hands skimmed her body, setting her on fire with every caress. Unable to take it any longer she pulled away, shucked her clothes until she was naked, and froze, feeling suddenly very vulnerable and self-conscious.

But Brody’s hungry, appreciative, aroused expression sent her unease packing. Her nipples budded beneath his gaze as it swept over her, her breath coming in short pants. Never had a man turned her on with just a look.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmured. “And I almost lost you.”