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“Oh, yeah? Why is that?”
“Because you’re going to help me.”
I arch an eyebrow. “I am?”
“You showing up here isn’t a coincidence. Remember when we used to work on the school paper together? We had a knack for convincing people to spill their secrets to us. It would be fun to work together again after all those years.”
“I don’t know. I’m not sure my brothers will be happy about me taking time off to go on a wild goose chase with you,” I say.
“Oh, come on, Titan. I’m sure they’ll understand. We make such a great team.”
She’s right. It would be amazing to spend time with her. Ever since she left to pursue a career in film, I’ve missed her like crazy. I can’t imagine a more thrilling way to spend the next few weeks. Only… after she gets her scoop, she’ll leave Bearclaw Ridge. Who knows how many years it’ll take before I see her again? I don’t know if I can deal with that. Unless… I swallow. Unless I convince her that we belong together. Unless I finally make her mine—something I should’ve done a long time ago.
Because we belong together. Fucking hell, we really do.
“The Titan I knew never backed away from a challenge,” she says with a playful wink.
“I guess you need someone to keep you safe, right?” I joke.
She nods. “Oh, absolutely.”
“In that case, okay, I’m the man for the job. I’ll protect you.”
“Really? You’re saying yes? Thank you!”
Her arms fly around my neck, and she kisses my cheek in her enthusiasm. My synapses start firing in all the wrong ways, and my dick grows hard thanks to her soft skin touching mine. Was this a bad idea, after all? How am I going to survive working with her if I can’t caress that beautiful face and her luscious curves?
The second she lets go of me, I already miss having her close.
“Let’s get you up to speed about the murder case,” she says, excitedly clasping her hands together.
“Fill me in,” I say, even though I’d rather be filling her.
Jesus Christ, Titan. Get a grip.
“Okay, so a couple of years ago, a girl named Isabella Cinder disappeared while hiking in the mountains. The police claim she got lost and succumbed to the elements, but rumors are circulating in the community that foul play was involved. Some people believe the girl stumbled upon something she wasn’t supposed to see and was silenced to keep the secret hidden.”
I run my hand through my beard. “I heard about that. They found her backpack near a steep incline, right? I personally believe she fell. It’s a real tragedy, though, no matter what happened.”
Harper nods. “Unless she’s still alive. The lead that came in a few weeks ago was about Isabella Cinder being sighted with a man about a week after she went missing.”
“It could’ve been her, but it also could’ve been someone who looked like her,” I say. “Or they had the timings wrong. It’s been years, after all.”
“All of those answers are possible.” She gives me a mischievous grin. “Why don’t we try to find out which of those statements is true? All of my material is back at my parents’ place.”
“Great. Let’s go,” I tell her, eager to spend the day with Harper.
Chapter Two
Harper
Walking around Bearclaw Ridge with Titan makes me feel like a teenager again, except for the small detail that a lot has changed since high school.
First, Titan himself has changed. He has always been a hottie, but now that he’s pushing thirty, he’s grown into a real man, which makes him even hotter. His shoulders are broad and muscled, he’s got a big beard, and I can only imagine the six-pack he sports underneath his shirt. The twinkle in his eye and his tendency to protect me haven’t changed, though.
When we first met, I tried to get him out of my mind immediately, but it was useless. I fell for him faster than a lightning strike hits the ground when it storms. He never made a move, so I knew my feelings for him were unrequited. It hurt like hell, but he was way out of my league, anyway. Still, I wanted nothing more than to be with him.
Now that we’re chasing scoops again together, all those feelings I had buried deep inside of me come rushing back to the surface. It’s going to be hard to concentrate with him around. I’ll have to find a way to focus because I need this scoop. I’m so close to being a full-time podcaster.
