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Chapter Six
Emeralds and Canyons
His words made me want to kiss his very tempting lips and hide under a rock.
“It’s a combination of ice, a lot of concealer, foundation, and makeup in general.”
I generally wore makeup sparingly and even less lately. It took time, concentration, and money. All of which were devoted to figuring why I was going insane and surviving my doctoral program.
“That’s some damn good makeup,” he said.
“Yeah, I have a real talent for it. You ready to go?”
“Uh, sure. I can take your bag and put it in the back.”
“Oh, um, okay. I just need to grab my book first,” I said, dropping the pack on the ground and sliding out the book on the top.
I saw Logan’s eyes sparkle with confusion, and a small grin grazed over his mouth. “You brought a giant encyclopedia on a hiking trip?”
“No, I was just going to read it during the car ride, and it’s not an encyclopedia,” I said, clutching it under my arm.
He shook his head. “Whatever you say.”
I followed behind him as he secured my bag in the truck bed.
He had a few black bags and some equipment that I had never seen before. Two black cases were locked and strapped down with wide ropes.
I hopped into the truck cabin. The interior was a soft gray and smelled of dark spice. There wasn’t a piece of trash in sight, and the seats looked like they had recently been wiped down.
Hmmm… tidy and charming… rarely seen in the straight man community.
Logan opened the driver’s door and slid in. The sweet scent of cinnamon and sandalwood filled the truck. I tried not to enjoy the scent. I leaned back and buckled my seatbelt.
Logan glanced over to me, then placed the car in drive.
“So what did you need to talk to me about?” he drawled roughly in a low voice.
I gripped onto the leather passenger’s seat. I’d never been a good liar. I couldn’t tell Logan I was really here to save his life. I turned my body to watch him ease out of the driveway, taking a left onto the street.
His left arm was slung casually over the driver’s side door. He gripped the steering wheel lightly in his large, tan hand. Dark gray hiking pants encased his long legs, and his expansive chest rose and fell slowly, covered in a thin white shirt. The lines of his faces were smoothly drawn into a slight grin. He looked comfortable as he navigated down the street. His dark green eyes flickered back to me.
His stare was serious, almost anxious, betraying the appearance of his body.
Maybe he was worried that I would hold him up while he was trying to get his work done. Or perhaps he only begrudgingly allowed me to weasel my way on the trip because he wasn’t sure how to turn down my unusual offer. Either way, his eyes did not match his nonchalance.
I drew in a deep breath.
If whatever attacked me really was lurking in this canyon, too, telling Logan about it would only make me seem psychotic.
“I was wondering if you saw anyone else off the trail yesterday, maybe further up than I was?” I asked hesitantly.
Logan turned into the lane leading to the interstate. “Why do you ask?”
I twisted my legs so I could face him in the truck. I wanted to watch his eyes. I was fascinated by the depths of the emerald color. The shades changed with his mood.
“I’m not sure. I wanted to ask you first before I bias your memory,” I said.
“How scientific of you. I saw two men about a mile and a half ahead of you. Maybe twenty minutes before I found you. That was it, though.”
