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“Top notch,” I humor her, unwilling to be pulled into a useless argument.
Her eyes shine with mischief. “Worried I’d show up in a skirt?”
And, despite myself, I discover my lips curling in an amused grin. The lady sure is direct, I’ll give her that.
“The thought crossed my mind,” I confess. “Glad to see I was wrong.”
She gives me a curt nod that I hope means the matter is settled once and for all.
“I told you, not my first rodeo,” she says, then turns, yelling, “Shotgun!”
She climbs into the front seat of the Jeep, leaving me with a mental image of her riding a wild horse in cowboy boots—braids and all—permanently ingrained in my brain.
* * *
Winter
After a rocky start yesterday, things are shaping up to run much more smoothly today.
Satan had to basically eat his words about his prejudices toward me, while Archie is really working hard to make me feel part of the team. Although, to be fair, most of his friendliness is probably an attempt to get a sexy thank you from me before the end of the trip. But if he tries something, I’m confident Archibald Hill is the kind of man who can take no for an answer and not be surly about it.
So, all things considered, I’m having a much better time today than I thought possible.
Tucker is driving our Jeep, while Archie and Logan ride in the back. Satan isn’t much company at all. He pulled his hat—a wide-brimmed, sable fedora so Indiana Jonesy, I almost asked where he’d left his whip—over his face the moment we took off and has been sleeping with his arms crossed over his chest ever since. Thankfully, Archie and Tucker are better travel companions, and have been very chatty about anecdotes from their previous trips while also telling me more details about the research that preceded this expedition and what they hope to find in the jungle.
I listen carefully as we drive further inland on the dirt road, taking the occasional shot of the thick vegetation surrounding us.
“So,” I say, turning back toward Archie and pointing at his seatmate. “Is he always so uptight?”
A struggle between loyalty to his friend and the need to make a smart remark plays on the sweet Viking’s face.
Loyalty wins in the end. “This expedition is really important to him.”
“Why?”
Before he answers, I catch him and Tucker exchanging a stare in the rearview mirror.
“It’s potentially the greatest archeological discovery of the century,” Archie says. “Lots of eyes pointed his way. Anyone would be nervous.”
“Okay, boys.” I shift my gaze back to the road ahead to avoid getting car sick; I can’t show any weakness when I’m with Satan, even if he’s sleeping. “Cut the bullshit and tell me what you’re leaving out?”
Archie is quieter than a tomb. So I train my eyes on Tucker.
He caves under pressure. “It might have something to do with Tara.”
“Dude,” Archie says. “Not cool.”
A woman? Someone who’s not cool to talk about… interesting. Could it be the mysterious “she” Archie referred to yesterday? Who is this woman? What happened? What’s the story? I need to know.
“Who’s Tara?” I ask.
“None of your business,” a gruff voice replies from the back of the Jeep.
“Ah, so he lives,” I comment sarcastically, spying Logan in the rearview mirror.
He’s removed the hat and is now glaring at me—via the car’s mirror—very much annoyed. So I let the subject drop. No point in pressuring Satan to share details of his life; it is known all masters of evil are very private about themselves. But at least now I have a name to investigate. I’ll have to sweet-talk Tucker into telling me what the big deal about this Tara woman is.
After a few more hours of winding dirt road, we reach the village. It’s a bumpy, dusty trip that leaves my back sore.
