Summer packed her samples into her test kit, flustered at how Chance affected her. Getting unbelievably turned on while conducting a scientific investigation was unprofessional. She had to get herself under control. Chance wasn’t even her type.

That’s what she kept telling herself anyway.

Nevertheless, every time she looked at him or got a whiff of his musky cologne she practically swooned. The whole thing about taking up gardening after coming back from Iraq–– that just did it. She was lost in a haze of sexual attraction she couldn’t understand.

She handed Chance the testing kit as they walked together down the hill. Neither of them spoke, only stealing shy glances at each other as they trudged through the underbrush. When they made it to his truck, Chance opened the door for her and offered her his hand. She looked at him like he’d lost his mind.

Finally, she took his hand. His skin felt warm against hers, and that spark of desire flooded through her as he helped her climb the high steps into the raised truck.

“Thanks,” she said.

She didn’t really need help climbing into the truck. It was like two steps. But the fact that he had offered, and the feeling of his hand on hers, made her start to reconsider her original assumptions about him.

He was a gentleman for sure. That trait had its place and was incredibly attractive from an ex-military guy as big as the broad side of a barn. Summer never expected to be turned on by that kind of thing. But there was a small place inside her that always felt vulnerable in the world. Usually, she shoved that part of herself down as far as she could. Chance seemed to uncover that vulnerable spot and hold it in his strong hands, making her feel protected and safe.

Back on the highway, they turned into the parking lot of the mine and found a space near the front office. Summer set her expression, ready for a fight as she got out of the truck. She’d have to stay focused, stay tough. These mining corporations were as slippery as they came. They’d hide any wrongdoing behind wall after wall of bureaucracy. She hoped Chance had the willpower to stick around to do the digging.

She took a deep breath as Chance pulled open the door and held it for her to walk inside. At the front desk, a skinny, blonde receptionist fluttered her eyelashes and smiled broadly as soon as she saw Chance approaching.

“Chance Baker, didn’t expect to see you around here today. What brings you out to the Black Butte Copper Mine? And who’s your friend?” she said, frowning at Summer.

“We’re here on official business. A shifter was found poisoned to death downriver from here. We need to investigate the mine for any possible environmental issues.”

“We just had our environmental oversight inspection not two weeks ago,” the girl said irritably.

“High levels of arsenic were found in a pool downriver from here,” Summer said. “How do you explain that?”

Chance frowned and waved his hand. “We just need to look around and ask a few questions,” he said. “We can come back later with a warrant if we need to.”

The girl sighed and pushed away from her desk. “I’m sure that won’t be necessary. I’ll inform Mr. Leland that you’re here.” She stood and walked through a doorway, closing it behind her. Summer put her hands on her hips and glared at Chance.

“We should just get a warrant anyway,” she said. “There’s no way they’re going to tell us the truth without one.”

“I’m sure we can find out everything we need to know just by looking around and asking a few questions.”

“You have a lot more faith in these people than I do,” she grumbled under her breath as the office door opened.

A man with dark hair, dark eyes, and wearing a Western-cut suit walked into the front lobby and held out his hand to Chance. “I paid for my fishing license this year. Emery Leland,” the man said with a grin, reaching out to shake Chance’s hand. “What brings you out to the mine today, Warden?”

“We found a dead grizzly shifter downriver from here. Autopsy confirms it was arsenic poisoning. Our consulting scientist found a sample containing dangerous levels of arsenic in a popular fishing hole near where the dead shifter was found. We took another sample today, and it was clean. We just want to have a look around and ask a few questions.”

“That won’t be a problem,” Emery Leland said, scratching his chin. “As I’m sure Stacy told you, we had our environmental checks just a few weeks ago, and the reports will be coming in soon. We have some of the strictest environmental regulations of any mine in the country. We all fish these waters ourselves,” Mr. Leland said, slapping Chance on the back. Chance growled and frowned, looking uncomfortable. This guy was laying it on thick. Summer didn’t buy it for a second.

“I know you do, and I’m sure you’re right, but I still have to do my due diligence. Don’t want to have to go through the trouble of getting a warrant.”

“Of course, look around as much as you need. Stacy will show you around.”

Stacy looked at Summer and glared. Sighing, she stood from her reception desk. “Follow me,” she said, directing them to the entrance of the smelting plant.

They took their tour, and Summer got to ask extensive questions of the engineers around the wastewater processing for the smelting plant and mine. They answered all her questions, which seemed to satisfy Chance. Summer still wasn’t convinced. She was sure that the engineers were hiding something. There was no other explanation for the shifter’s death. And proving that the mine was contaminating the river was the entire reason she’d come to this part of Montana in the first place.

At the end of the tour, Stacy offered them the use of the breakroom, where they could get some soda from the vending machines before they left. Chance got himself a soda and offered to buy something for Summer.

“I’ll take a bottle of water,” she said. Chance bought her water and handed it to her just as a group of miners walked into the breakroom.

“Mr. Leland has been laying off all the shifters who work here as soon as they come out. How do you explain that?” asked a big, burly man with a dark beard and dark eyes.

“Because shifters are lazy animals who take more deserving humans’ jobs,” said a man with a wrinkly, tanned face in a sneering voice.

The first man approached the second man, growling, and they pushed each other as if a fight was ready to break out. Chance stepped in front of Summer and blocked her from the gathering crowd of angry miners.

“Let’s get out of here,” he said, taking her hand and leading her out of the room. When they got to the parking lot, he open the passenger door first and waited for her to climb inside.

“Why did you hurry out of there when those men started fighting? We could’ve gotten some valuable information.”

“I wanted to keep you safe,” he said, starting the engine.