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“Please. I heard he’s the best,” she said. She’d done her research and the only person who could help with her mission was him.
The woman beamed. “He’s my son,” she said, pride in her voice. Then she lowered it slightly. “He is the best, but I may be biased.”
Anna laughed. “Well, if he’s available, I can wait...” She didn’t love the idea of prolonging her stay, but if it meant securing the coast guard rescue pilot as her guide, it would be worth it.
The woman scanned the system again and nodded. “I can get you out tomorrow morning with Dwayne around 9:00 a.m.?”
“Perfect!” Anna smiled, relief flowing through her. A 9:00 a.m. flight would have her back home again before all hell could break loose.
CHAPTER TWO
A 9:00A.M.FLIGHT? Had his mother forgotten that he wasn’t exactly a morning person?
With his third coffee of the day in hand, Dwayne lifted his sunglasses up over his hat as he entered Madden Heli-tours the next morning.
He knew from his mother’s text that it was a treasure-hunting tour—his least favorite. The economy of his small hometown was based on the Serpent Queen myth, and almost everyone in town made their living from tourism. His family was no exception.
But the Port Serenity that was available to tourists was just the tip of the iceberg. The town’s secrets were protected by locals, and the treasure-hunting tour just felt...intrusive. As though outsiders had any right to lay claim to fortunes hidden on Alaskan soil.
Over the years, he’d seen many try...and fail.
And this...Anna Armos, his schedule report listed...was no different than all the others to flock to Port Serenity in the last eighty years since the Winters Lot treasure was reportedly lost in the wilds.
Except that she was late twenties and stunning, instead of late sixties and delusional.
Dwayne froze when he saw his tour guest enjoying a latte, sitting in the tour meeting area. Wearing hiking boots and khaki cargo pants, an army-green tank top hugging her curves, the woman had to be the sexiest real-life version of Lara Croft he’d ever seen. She’d certainly dressed the part of a tomb raider.
This morning’s flight was actually starting to look up. He could definitely spend two hours in the air with this woman. Although, if she really did believe there was treasure in the Alaskan backwoods, she might not be the most sensible woman in the world.
“You must be Anna,” he said, striding toward her, hand outstretched, his most charming smile on display. “I’m Dwayne. Heard you requested me.”
She eyed him quickly, assessing him with dark, piercing emerald eyes as she stood, then nodded. If she was charmed, she hid it well. “Shall we go?”
Not wasting any time. He cleared his throat. “Of course. Whenever you’re ready.”
“I’ve been ready since nine...the time we were scheduled to leave.”
Okay, so a little prickly. He checked his watch. It was quarter past.
Behind the counter, his mom hid an impressed grin as she pretended not to watch the interaction. No doubt she was enjoying another woman holding him accountable for his tardiness.
“My apologies for keeping you waiting,” he said to Anna, opening the door and gesturing for her to exit first. His gaze slid lower as he watched her walk in front of him.
Prickly, but a fantastic ass.
She turned unexpectedly, her long dark ponytail nearly whipping him in the face, and caught his stare. She folded her arms across her chest and raised an eyebrow. “Do you check out all your tour guests like that?”
“Only the attractive ones,” he said. He was busted anyway. Might as well admit it.
He caught the faintest hint of a smile playing at the corner of her mouth, but she was all business again. “I’m kind of in a hurry.”
“I can tell. But treasure hunting takes time, so just relax and enjoy the ride,” he said as they reached the chopper on the helipad. He opened the door and offered a hand to help her climb inside. She ignored it and hopped up without any effort, immediately reaching for her headset.
Impressive. Obviously, not her first time flying in a chopper.
Moments later, he was seated next to her and ready for liftoff. He communicated with the tower and prepared for flight. He gripped the cyclic in one hand, the collective in the other, and his feet operated the foot pedals that controlled the tail rotor. He opened the throttle completely to increase the speed of the rotor and pulled up slowly on the collective. Depressing the left foot pedal to counteract the torque produced by the main rotor, he continued pulling up slowly on the collective while depressing the left foot pedal until the aircraft slowly left the ground.
He glanced toward Anna and noticed her white-knuckled grip on the door. “You okay?” he asked through his headset.
