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Worth the Risk: (A Contemporary Bad Boy Romance) by Weston Parker (8)

 

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Caleb took the empty seat across the fire from the professor. She ignored him, concentrating instead on her cooking, a ghost of a smile on her face. The firelight played across her features, warming her skin and making Caleb's stomach clench with need. He steeled himself against it and stared into the fire, wondering how best to start.

She broke the silence before he could. "Want one?" She held up her hotdog, its juices falling into the fire and sizzling noisily.

Yeah, he was hungry. Not for hot dogs. "Sure." He didn't look up as she pushed another dog onto the fork and held it over the fire. The silence built between them, filling the campsite until his muscles felt rigid under its weight. Still, he said nothing. Why couldn't he get the words out?

The professor stared at him, and for the longest time, he avoided her gaze, seeing her posture straighten, her muscles go stiff, and finally her mouth tighten into a fierce line. "What are you still doing here?" she asked when the silence was almost unbearable.

Her words launched his brain into action. He knew what he needed to say, what he had to do. "I found a glimmer of a trail that faded just a few yards beyond your campsite. The prints headed down to the water and got lost in the reeds near the stream. They might have come in boats."

"They?" she asked, pulling the hotdogs out of the fire.

"There were two sets of prints. What looked like work boots. Definitely not your typical hiking boots."

"Mm-hmm." She laid out two buns, then filled them. "Ketchup? Mustard?"

"Both," he said, standing and walking over to the table that held her supplies. She handed him a plate, and he took it without a word, staring down at her. Danielle met his gaze then turned away, picking up her own plate and returning to her seat.

He stared at her back for a moment, hating the awkwardness of the situation. He'd always left when things got uncomfortable, shit, before then if possible. But this time he wasn't ready to go.

He latched his gaze onto the fire, methodically chewing his hotdog until her voice forced his eyes to meet hers. "So what do we do now?"

"Although we have no evidence of a crime, as I said earlier, I'm convinced that it might be more dangerous for you out here than anticipated. I think you should pack up your things and postpone your research, at least until we can make sure it's safe."

"What?" She jumped up from her seat, her plate spilling off her lap and the remains of her hotdog hitting the dirt. "That's not possible!"

"Hear me out," he said, holding up one hand in an attempt to calm her. This woman jumps from zero to sixty faster than a German luxury sedan. Lord knows she's as sexy as one.

"You've only been here two days, and already your campsite's been tampered with. We have reason to suspect that there are criminals in the park, ones that might not want to leave any potential witnesses around to jeopardize their plans. It's too dangerous to remain here alone."

"Nonsense!" Her cheeks were bright red, and not from the heat of the fire. "First of all, you said that you only suspect that criminals are somewhere in the park. What hard evidence do you have? None. Secondly, who knows if it was even anyone involved in this supposed mining operation that invaded my campsite? It could have been hunters, or hikers, or even some kids passing through. Just because you've heard a rumor of a potential threat doesn't mean that I'm in danger."

She reached down, jerking up her pant leg and exposing a small holster, a little black pistol nestled inside it – again, as if she were bragging. "Besides, I can take care of myself."

Caleb shook his head. A flash of mystified anger was followed by a fierce craving that made him sweat. A fucking handgun. The little professor was packing heat. Would wonders never cease?

He stood up. "You're right. I don't have proof. But these aren't the type of guys to leave clues lying around. If there are miners somewhere in the park, I might not be able to find them, and I know the land around here better than anyone. These guys are professionals, backed by someone with a lot of money to risk on an even bigger fortune. They aren't the type to hesitate when someone threatens to interfere with that fortune. You'd be a fool to stay."

And I'm a fool to want you to stay.

He nearly flinched at the thought. No, he didn't want her to stay; he wanted her to get the hell out of his park and away from danger.

Her dark eyes narrowed as she stepped around the fire and closer to him. Crossing her arms over her impressive chest, she glared up at him. "Then I'm a fool, albeit a rational one. I'm not going to let some unsubstantiated menace frighten me out of the biggest opportunity of my short career. Unless you can prove that my life is seriously at risk, I'm staying!"

Caleb took a step closer, lowering his gaze to meet her eyes. He wanted to take her in his arms and shake some sense into her. But he was afraid that once he got her in his arms, shaking her would be the last thing on his mind. "Is your career really worth it?"

She nodded up at him. "Yes. Isn't yours?"

He considered her words. His career was everything to him, his one safe harbor in a world that had been filled with chaos. He would do anything to defend his park, even if it put his life in danger. In fact, he was already putting himself at risk deciding to go after the criminals without assistance.

But more than that, he wanted her to stay. He realized it now, watching the firelight reflected in her eyes, mirroring the same fiery spirit that burned inside of her. She was different, like someone from another world, a world his own had never connected with before. Yes, her staying here was dangerous, but Caleb wasn't sure if her going might not be worse somehow. Before his rational mind could interfere, he spoke. "You're right." He straightened and looked out over the forest. "For now, you're right. But I'll be keeping an eye on you. Let me see your phone."

Confusion showed on her face, but she reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell, handing it to him. He took it, typed in his contact information, and handed it back to her. "Now call my phone." The professor pushed a couple of buttons, and his phone rang in his pocket. He pulled it out and saved her number, listing her under "Professor Greenhorn."

"You've got my number," he said and slid his phone back into his pocket. "If you see anything, call me immediately, then call 911. I've put signal boosters in a few trees so your phone should work through most of the park. I'll come if you call."

"For a guy who isn't into being tied down, you're certainly making yourself available." She blinked as if the words had flown out on their own.

He stiffened. "This has nothing to do with what happened earlier. This is your safety we're talking about."
"Right." Her eyes flicked away, her face not able to hide her embarrassment.

"I'll call in once a day to check on you. If you don't answer, I'll assume the worst and come looking for you." He took one last look around the camp. Nothing seemed out of place, and he couldn't spend all night here watching over her. Besides, he needed to keep some space between them, for her sake as much as his. Caleb started walking toward the ATV but turned back before he reached it.

"Do you know how to work that thing?" he asked, pointing to the holster that was poking out beneath her pant leg.

"Sure," she said with a big smile. "I'm from Texas."

He laughed, and it surprised him. She joined him, and their mutual tension seemed to ease. "Goodnight, Professor Greenhorn," he said with a salute, and she snorted, then slapped a hand over her mouth. He smiled as he climbed into the ATV and headed off into the night.