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He needed a strategic plan that might involve more than a snakeskin.
When he came up with one, he smirked. By the time he got done,Celebrity Trialswould want nothing to do with Stone Island Park.
Chapter Three
Crystal’s back stiffened as Zach marched toward them, carrying a stack of papers. Same as last time, he moved with purpose, his mouth set in a grim line.
Sydney stood to the side, out of camera range while Trevor filmed.
Zach stopped in front of Crystal, and she crossed her arms. She had a few words for him. “Do you roll out of bed an angry elf or is this performance just for our benefit?”
“You’re the so-called actress. You tell me.”
So-called? Now he was mocking her. She dug her nails into her elbows. “I’ll have you know—”
“Save your breath. I don’t have time for this.” He handed her the pile of papers. “Before you make a decision about using this location, you’ll need to read all the rules and precautions for camping. Especially the section on bears.”
“Bears?” She blinked. Her legs quivered as she peered into the forest. At night a dark animal would be hard to see.
Zach shrugged. “That seems to be people’s biggest fear. Always good to know what to do in an encounter.”
She’d swear she was having one right now, with him. “Grizzly.” The pile of papers he’d handed her could fill a five-inch binder. Her eyes would cross before she got halfway through. Besides, they’d be picking a different location. She thrust the stack back at him. “I’m not much of a reader.”
“What does that mean?” His eyebrow hitched above the dreaded aviators.
“I learn more from videos and chatting with people than slogging through documents. Social media, YouTube, Facebook, that kind of thing.”
Zach placed his hands on his hips, refusing to take back the paperwork. “You won’t findmyrules there.”
Part of a tattoo peeked out from under his sleeve. Numbers of some sort, maybe a date? Below the ink was a jagged scar about three inches long on his bulging biceps. The wound only added to his all-male, rugged vibe. Her mouth went dry and that flutter under her ribs returned.
She’d never had this reaction to anyone. Something about him was different. He didn’t fit the mold of a sculpted gym rat. He had a rawness about him, like he could wrestle an alligator and win. If he’d lose the bossiness, she might appreciate he wasn’t trying to impress or fawn over her.
He waved at her clothing. “Speaking of safety, this outfit won’t work unless you cover yourself in DEET. Spray your entire body and that still might not keep you from getting bit.”
“No way. I don’t put chemicals on my skin.”
He shook his head. “That’s what the last camper said before she got a brown recluse spider bite and spent a week in the hospital.”
Oh no. Spiders? Her skin crawled. She brushed her legs down and stomped her feet.
“Can’t hurt to do that, but it’s better to wear the right clothes. He tapped his boot on the ground. “By the way, I’d suggest youstand on the concrete. Your pedicured toes are perfect bait for fire ants.”
Crystal scanned the dirt around her feet. Sure enough, ants crawled in the soil. Wasting no time, she stepped onto the slab. “Is that what those are?”
“Nope. Fire ants are small and red. They form big mounds of dirt—like that.” He nodded to an orange clay cone the size of a basketball. “If you happen to step on one, they race out and can cover your body in no time. When the queen gives a pheromone signal, they all bite at once.”
Holy crap, she hadn’t signed up for this shit. Her pulse beat faster and more sweat dripped down her back. Biting her lip, she surveyed the ground surrounding the cement. With a gasp, she pointed to the foot of a nearby tree. “Oh my God. Is that a…a…snake?”
Zach squinted. “I’ll be damned.”
“So yes?” She took a step back.
He strode to the tree and picked up a snakeskin, stretching it out to at least six feet long. “This looks like a recent shed. Magnificent.”
Crystal sucked in a sharp breath, and her stomach heaved. “That’s not the word I’d use.”
“Why not? It’s part of nature. Isn’t this why you’re here? To take in the whole experience?” He let go of one end of the skin and it swung from side to side in the breeze.
