Wilde One (31 page)

“We didn’t do anything wrong.”

She sighed. “What about the gold bar? You don’t want to share that?”

“Hey, we did win the contest. The gold should be our reward.”

“Seems reasonable. I’m nervous. Excited but nervous.” She crossed her arms over her chest then sat forward to stare at him. “I’m afraid to get my hopes up too high because the disappointment would be hard to take if the news isn’t what we want to hear. Better to have low expectations and avoid the heartache.”

Uneasiness inched down his spine. Was she still talking about the treasure? The way she was looking at him… He shifted in his chair and cleared his throat. “I have a good feeling about this. I don’t think we’ll be disappointed.”

“Let’s hope not. We’ve invested a lot of time and energy and…emotion in the final outcome.” She rose to her feet. “We’ll have to get up early to make it to our appointment on time. Do you want to go to bed?”

All his misgivings faded as the blood drained from his head to pool in his groin. He gave her a long, lingering look then took her hand. “That’s one question you never have to ask.”

Ainslee stood on the sidewalk outside the air terminal, emotions churning. She pressed a hand to her stomach and thanked God she’d only had a single muffin for breakfast while Griff plowed through bacon and eggs and a stack of pancakes. So he was leaving for a few days. Big deal. Didn’t mean he wasn’t coming back. Her anxiety was completely without basis, yet she couldn’t fight off the uneasiness that had descended like a cloud of doom when he’d first told her he was going to Utah alone. Damned if she’d let him know she was still upset. She’d put on a cheerful face for his departure if it killed her.

There was nothing hesitant about his smile. It tilted firm lips and brightened sparkling green eyes as he gazed down at her. “One hundred and thirty-six thousand dollars each. And that’s just for the gold.” He let out a whoop. “You don’t have to stress over finding a job now.”

“I can’t do
nothing
for work. I’d go crazy with boredom, but I’ll admit I’m relieved. The pressure to find immediate employment is off. I can take my time and look for something I’ll really enjoy.”

“Exactly, and we don’t even know the value of the jewelry and painting yet. The appraiser should have an estimate for us in a couple of days.”

She gave an abrupt nod. “I’ll call you as soon as I hear from him.”

Griff stepped closer and rested his hands on her shoulders. “I’m not sure how great the cell service is in the river canyon, but I’ll check in when I can.”

She took a deep breath then let it out slowly. “You’d better go. Getting through security can take forever, and you don’t want to miss your flight.”

His gaze held hers, and a frown creased his brow. “Are you okay? You were pretty quiet at breakfast.”

“I’m fine. Honest.” She smiled as the lie slipped easily from her lips. “What could be wrong when I have a big, fat check in my purse? My only worry is getting to the bank to deposit it.”

He bent to kiss her, lips lingering as his arms tightened around her back. “I wish Sawyer had room for you in the rafts. I’m going to miss you like crazy.”

Her stomach lurched again as she pushed a hand against his chest. “You’ll be having too much fun to notice. You’re meeting Blake Benedict, remember? Anyway, it’s only for a few days.”

“Yep, you’ll barely know I’m gone.” His eyes clouded as he finally stepped away and hoisted his duffle bag.

She blinked back a sudden rush of tears. “Enjoy your trip and stay safe.”

“I will. You, too.” As he walked backward, the glass doors slid open behind him. “Love you…” His voice was drowned out as a shuttle bus stopped beside her with a squeal of breaks. Then he was gone.

“Lady, you need to move your car.” The sky captain hurried toward her, shoes slapping the pavement. He resettled the cap on his balding head and frowned. “This isn’t a parking lane, you know.”

“Sorry. I’m going now.” Blinking away a few more tears, Ainslee ran around the front of the SUV and slipped inside. With shaking hands, she shifted into gear to pull out into the line of traffic inching through the terminal. She glanced over at Rocky, perched on the passenger seat, nose pressed against the side window. “Griff said he loves me.”

The dog turned to give her a long look through solemn brown eyes before returning his attention to the action on the other side of the glass.

“At least I think he did.” She gripped the wheel with shaking hands. They’d made love twice the night before, and afterward he’d held her like he never intended to let her go. But he hadn’t said anything about his feelings, and she hadn’t asked. If she’d learned anything about Griff during the time they’d spent together, it was that he sucked at communicating his emotions. She could empathize with his last girlfriend, the one who’d felt the need to cling. His zipped-lip approach to relationships was enough to give even the strongest woman an inferiority complex.

As she neared the freeway onramp, her phone chirped from the center console, and she glanced down at the display. Devin. A smile stretched her lips as she pulled to the side of the road to answer it.

“Hey, stranger.”

“I’ll say!” As usual, her best friend’s voice was filled with straightforward confidence. “I was afraid you’d fallen off the face of the Earth, it’s been so long since I heard from you. How are you?
Where
are you? Last time we talked, you were leaving New York.”

“I’m in California, and your timing is perfect. I needed to hear a friendly voice today.”

“Happy to provide you with one. California already? I thought you were going to take your time driving across the country to see the historic sites.”

“I was, but then…” She let out a long sigh. “My transcontinental journey is way too complicated to explain sitting this close to a freeway with traffic whizzing by. Can I call you back once I get somewhere more conducive to a conversation?”

“Sure. I’m actually in California, too, if you can believe it. In an airport to be precise, waiting for the limo to get here to take Congressman Hinsdale to the hotel before his function this evening. Apparently the driver got held up in traffic. Walton has one of those pricey dinners scheduled where wealthy supporters pay a few grand each to hear him talk. He’s trying to fill his campaign coffers before the big push as the election approaches.”

“God, I can’t believe you might be the personal aide to the president of the United States come November.”

“Actually his term would being in January. Except, as an Independent party candidate, Walton’s a long shot. Still, I think the other contenders are getting nervous. He’s moving up in the polls.”

“That’s awesome, Devin. Where’s this dinner.”

“Somewhere in the Silicon Valley. The fundraiser is aimed at the filthy rich techno-geek crowd. I’m sure I have the exact location on one of my many lists, but I honestly can’t remember at the moment.”

Ainslee’s grip on her cell phone tightened. “Are you serious! The Silicon Valley is the San Jose area, right? I just left the airport not ten minutes ago after dropping off a friend. Is that where you’re at?”

“Yes! Oh, my God, Ains. Can you come back? Damn! There’s the freaking limo now.”

“Do you have any free time? Can we meet somewhere?”

“I should have a couple of hours this afternoon.” Papers rustled before Devin spoke in a rushed tone. “We’re staying at the Grand Central Hotel in Santa Clara. Can you meet me in the lobby at two o’clock?”

“Of course. I wouldn’t miss seeing you for anything.”

“Awesome. Thanks so much. Crap! The congressman has that irritated look he gets when his schedule’s been thrown off, and his wife isn’t along on this trip to smooth his ruffled feathers. I’d better go do it.”

“Then go. I’ll see you at two.” The connection went dead, and Ainslee dropped her phone back onto the console. She couldn’t stop grinning. For once, the gods of fate were on her side. She hadn’t seen Devin in nearly a year. A visit with her best friend was better than meeting a Hollywood hottie like Blake Benedict. It even took the sting out of saying good-bye to Griff. She drew in a breath. Some of the sting, anyway. Damn, she missed the man already.

She glanced over at Rocky. “We’ve got a couple of hours to kill. Let’s go find a park and take a walk. Right after I deposit that fat cashier’s check burning a hole in my purse. Thank goodness my bank has branches all over the country. I don’t want to risk losing my ticket to financial stability.”

Rocky gave a sharp bark.

Ainslee couldn’t help but smile. Walk was a word he recognized. “A nice, long walk. You deserve one.”

With the smile growing, she checked her mirror then pulled back out onto the street. The day was definitely looking up.

* * * *

Griff claimed the only vacant spot on the private commuter plane, shoved his duffle bag beneath the seat in front of him, then let out a long breath. He’d made the connection. Barely. And only after sprinting through the Salt Lake City airport like a race horse headed for the finish line. His seatmate, a burly guy with arms like a linebacker and dreadlocks hanging down his back gave him a friendly nod. Griff offered a return smile then glanced around at the other passengers—and nearly toppled forward when the plane began to move. Hero of the silver screen, Blake Benedict, sat opposite him.

Pale blond hair and ice blue eyes complimented finely honed features. Ainslee had said the man was good looking. Okay, she’d made a big deal about how hot he was, which hadn’t exactly thrilled Griff. He’d never given the movie star’s appearance much thought, simply enjoyed watching his films, which were always action packed adventures. This current picture promised to be no different if it included a white water trip on the Colorado River. He wondered why the star was slumming it with the crew instead of flying into Utah on his own personal jet.

One way to find out.

He met the man’s intense blue gaze and held out a hand. “I’m Griff Wilde. I’ll be one of your guides on the rafting trip. My brother organized the expedition.”

The actor shook his hand with a firm grip. “Nice to meet you. I’m Blake Benedict.”

As if everyone in the free world wouldn’t recognize the man.

“Should be an exciting trip.”

Benedict nodded. “I was totally stoked to hear we’d be filming on some class four rapids. I took a couple of trips on the Rogue River when I was in high school. We had a blast.”

“Glad to hear you have experience. If a few of the others do, the more technical rapids will be easier to navigate.”

“Half a dozen of the crew and a couple of the actresses have rafted before. The rest of the cast flew out of L.A. this morning directly to Moab on the studio’s jet. I had to make a quick trip up to Oregon first and was lucky to connect with the crew on this flight. Barely made it.”

“Last minute adjustments seem to be an epidemic.” Griff gripped the armrest as the plane roared down the runway. “My brother recruited me after one of the guides broke his arm. Everything’s coming together, though, and I’m looking forward to a great trip.”

“Adventures like this are one of the perks of making badass films.” The actor turned to look out the window as the plane lifted into the sky.

Griff leaned back in his seat and settled in for the short flight. He was on his way to Moab where an adrenaline-filled challenge awaited. He loved rafting and hadn’t seen Sawyer in months. Not to mention he’d just chatted up one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, who seemed to be the down-to-earth type despite his fame. So why the empty ache in his chest that wouldn’t go away? Simple. After only a couple of hours apart, he missed Ainslee.

Damned if he hadn’t fallen in love with the woman. He’d tried like crazy to convince himself it was just a severe cast of lust. He rubbed a hand across his chest. Lying wasn’t going to change anything. It certainly wouldn’t alter the fact that walking away from her at the airport had finally made him realize he didn’t want to let her go. Not even for a few days. Not ever.

He pressed the hand to his forehead and grimaced. So here he was, sitting across from a movie icon, and all he could think about was whether or not he’d totally blown it with the woman he loved. His best hope was that Ainslee was the forgiving sort. If he was lucky, she wouldn’t hold his supreme stupidity and unbelievable lameness at taking so long to come to his senses against him. He winced. She’d told him once before he’d used up all his chances.

“You aren’t going to be sick, are you?”

Griff opened his eyes. His seatmate was immersed in a sports magazine. The question had come from across the aisle.

“No.”

“Because you look like you’re in serious pain. Want a bag, just in case?” Benedict pulled the airsick bag from the seatback in front of him and held it out.

A smile curled Griff’s lips at the wary expression in the man’s eyes. Apparently the star wasn't up for getting puked on. Couldn’t blame him.

“I live on a salvage boat for months at a time. I don’t get motion sick.” He let out a breath. “I was just thinking about what an ass I’ve been and how it might cost me the greatest woman I’ve ever met. That’s enough to make any guy turn green.”

The blue eyes hardened. “What’d you do to her?”

“I didn’t tell her how I feel. Unless shouting the
L
word as I bolted into the airport counts.”

Benedict choked then coughed before a grin spread. “In my experience with women, anything short of saying it with flowers isn’t going to cut it. Unless she has an unbelievable sense of humor, she probably won’t find a shouted confession of love nearly as funny as I do.”

“I was afraid of that. I’m not even sure she heard me.”

“So you’ll tell her after this trip.”

“Last night when we…uh…well, it was different. Like she was giving me one last chance, and I blew it by not saying anything.” Griff let out another sigh. “I just hope she’s still there when I get back.”

“Call her. If she means that much to you, don’t wait.”

The actor’s eyes darkened and filled with regret. Griff was pretty sure he was looking at a man who spoke from experience.