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It’s time to begin your quest for treasure.
Your first clue is very near,
So lucky you, have no fear.
I run around the backyard, but never move.
Buckle up, partners, it’s time to groove!
Good grief. Someone had had too much time on their hands when they’d made this.
Cian towered over me, his eyes intense. “What do you think?”
I think I don’t like being in close proximity to you. I think you hid the fact that we slept together because you are up to no good. And I think I don’t trust you. Not one bit.
“Um…” I turned in a half-circle and took in our surroundings. According to the map, we were towards the edge of Covington’s property, which meant miles upon miles separating us from any other person.
“A fence.” Cian pointed towards a wooden fence on the other side of the water. “What do you think?”
I tapped my lip and gazed at where he pointed. If it was a fence, then it meant we had to cross the water, which I pointed out to him.
“Nothing wrong with getting a little wet.” He winked and headed in the direction of the stream.
It suddenly seemed like it was a hundred degrees outside, instead of the seventy degrees my trusty weather app had promised me this morning. He was doing it on purpose, trying to be sly with his little remarks. Did he think I wouldn’t say anything about knowing he knew who I was? Because of course I was going to say something. I just hadn’t figured out how to approach the subject. The most important thing was for Cian to keep his mouth shut to Ryzen. If he told Ryzen about what had happened those months ago, it could jeopardize everything. No, I would have to approach the subject casually. But now was not the time for that.
Cian stood at the edge of the raging water and stuck a tree branch in it. “Three feet deep. We can manage it.” He handed me the backpack and water bottle, then began removing his shoes, then his socks. “Hook the water jug to the bag and then put it on.”
I arched my eyebrow at him. “Why?”
“We’re going to cross, and I’m going to carry you.”
I scoffed and bent down, untying my Converse. “I don’t need to be treated like a child, Ryzen.”
Cian was in front of me in an instant. I jerked up and my breath caught at the look in his eyes.
Crap.
“Sorry.” I laughed and averted my gaze. “Bad habit.”
Cian lifted my chin, his fingers gentle. Red alert, red alert. This was not a good thing. “Don’t make that mistake twice, Nova.” He stroked my bottom lip, and I had to fight the urge to stick my tongue out and lick him. His jaw tensed as if he could read my mind, and I cleared my throat.
And just as fast as it had happened, it stopped. He took a step back and grabbed his shoes, tying the laces together and throwing them over his shoulder. “It’s nothing to do with treating you like a child. Today, me and you”—he pointed between us—“we are a team, and there’s no reason for us both to get dirty and wet. So, climb on.” He held his arms out.
Dirty and wet, huh? Real sly, but I was on to him. He was right, though, and my shoulders sagged at the realization. I slipped my shoes back on and put on the backpack. “OK, well, turn around, Commander, so I can get on your back.”
He shook his head, and I was pretty sure he was fighting back a smile. “We’ll tip over with the weight of the backpack. Come here.”
I yelped as he lifted me up at the waist and my legs instinctively wrapped around his torso while my arms wrapped around his neck. “This is an absolutely terrible idea,” I mumbled, my mouth inches from his neck.
His chest vibrated against mine with laughter, but I didn’t dare turn to look at him. Seriously, if someone saw us now, they would think we were two lovers getting it on in the woods. He wrapped his arms under my ass and lifted me up higher, my arms holding onto him for dear life as he took the first step into the deep water.
I gasped as he slipped slightly, and his hands gripped me. “I will not let anything happen to you, little mouse.”
I let out the breath I had been holding and didn’t acknowledge the nickname. The water was splashing against us, cold droplets landing on my bare legs. I wondered what would have happened if Ryzen were here. Would he have offered to carry me across the raging waters? I didn’t think so. If you had asked me that hypothetical question a few days ago, I would have said of course he would have. Maybe I was wrong, though.
Had I said how terrible of an idea this was? The more Cian gripped on to me, the tighter my legs wrapped around him. The tighter my legs wrapped around him, the more my crotch was rubbing against his shirt. The smell of him was intoxicating. If I was reading one of those Fabio-esque romance novels Juliet liked to read, it would read “he smelt like oak trees and rainwater, and the raging water of the stream wasn’t the only thing dripping wet.” I involuntarily flexed the muscles in my thighs, and he stopped right in the middle of the water.
“Why did you stop?” My voice was husky, and I cleared my throat. He didn’t move. “Cian, why are you stopping?” I pulled back to look at his face.
