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“So, were you there to rob me? Did I hire a thief to take me out?”
Sarcastic laughter ripples out. “And what if you did?”
“Fuck. My decision-making skills are broken these days.” A tinge of humor in his tone almost masks the underlying disappointment. The part he’s trying to keep hidden. Maybe it has something to do with why he’s here. After I tie the boat to the dock on the main island, I wait for him to disembark. He quirks his eyebrow in question.
“No, I wasn’t trying to steal from you. I was helping the hotel since a couple girls came down with a sickness. I used to work there.”
“Phew.” He blows out an obnoxious breath as he stands to get out of the canoe. “I was about to hand you my wallet to get that out of the way before we started our day.”
I cross my arms and stare at him in disbelief. “You mean to tell me you’d stay knowing that I’m robbing you blind?” How ignorant of a man can he be? The appeal is starting to wear off.
“You wouldn’t be robbing me blind if I handed it to you.”
“That’s beside the point.” Irritation spikes and his smile drops.
“Calm down, Whiskey. I’m messing with you. It’s obvious you aren’t a thief. Or, at the very least, not a good one. Every time I see you, you’re doing different jobs.”
I shrug, heading to the Jeep. “Variety is the spice of life.” With a quick glance over my shoulder, I make sure he’s following me.
“Spice is one of my favorite flavors,” he rumbles, licking his bottom lip.
I’m sure it is. But I am not one of those spices.
The Jeep squeaks as I pull myself up into the open vehicle. He slides into the passenger side, tossing his bag in the back.
“Seems you’re a jack of all trades.” Why is he calling me Jack? My brows furrow in confusion and I blink several times. “It’s a saying that you do a lot of things,” he clarifies.
“Do all men named Jack do many things?”
He lets out a heady laugh. “I’m assuming no. I have no idea why they use the name Jack.”
“Do you use sayings that you don’t understand often?” He runs his hand through his hair and avoids my glances. I cringe. Why can’t I think before I talk sometimes? “I’m sorry. That wasn’t meant to be rude.”
“No, it’s okay. I’m just not used to being questioned on American day-to-day expressions.”
When I peek over, he dominates the space in the Jeep. Everything about him is large, even his presence. He flips his hat backward, and rests one of his hands on his leg, the other, out the window. Everything about him exudes sexual energy.
My hand slips from the top of the steering wheel and lands on the horn. I jump and look forward, searching for who honked at me. Wait, that was me. My cheeks burn as Ryker laughs out loud. I groan in embarrassment and fiddle with the keys to start the engine. He flusters me just being around him.
And the day hasn’t even started yet.
Chapter Six
Aspen
“Are you sure this is a trail?” He shuffles his feet in the heavy undergrowth and steps over rocks. There’s a path under there somewhere. The locals would rather not have foreigners find it so they keep it in its natural state.
“You said you wanted an adventure. This is about as adventurous as you will get out here.” He’s physically fit enough for the climb. It’s a demanding trail, though. “But it’s not for the weak.”
“I’m good at challenges.”
Is that why he hired me? Does he see me as a challenge?
At the entrance, I step on a rock so I can stare him dead in the eyes. “Are you a stubborn man?”
He’s amused by my place on the rock. “More like determined.”
“Stubborn it is,” I retort. His smile deepens with laughter. It dies down when he figures out I’m being serious. “Listen, Ryker, you have to be careful. Watch where I place my feet and hands. Don’t go all rogue thinking you’ve got this… because you don’t.”
