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“At least I caught you.”
“Yes, you did. Thank you, a million times.”
“Anytime.” His voice was deep and husky. Brylee wished she could turn and look at him. “Let’s focus on your dedication to your charity until we find your sense of adventure again.”
She didn’t dare tell him she’d never had much sense of adventure and the little she had was smashed at the rocky bottom of this cliff.
“Tell me about your charity.”
“Which parts?” She moved from a tree root to a huge boulder.
“Everything. How you got the idea to what you’re doing with it today.”
Brylee really liked him, and she could easily chat about her charity. She started talking about the cause that was dearest to her heart, consumed her truly. As she hauled herself up and up and up, occasionally being rewarded with Cash’s hands on her legs and his quiet encouragement and praise, she shared her quest. Keeping refugee parents, and especially children, safe from the traffickers. The evil people had figured out they could swoop in at the border with buses, claim they would take therefugees somewhere safe, and then imprison and sell them. Her life’s purpose was keeping the families safe and giving them a spot to regroup until their sponsors came or safe transportation to their final destination was arranged.
Cash was very cognizant of the situations she described. He’d seen more in his service throughout the world than she could imagine, and she could guess he hid the gruesome details of his experiences from her. He asked a lot of great questions and even had some fabulous ideas to improve security at her safe houses.
The incline leveled off some and then they were on semi-flat ground. It was thick enough she couldn’t see the waterfall, but she could hear it.
Cash pulled his machete back out. “Let’s hack our way to the top of the waterfall and that flag.”
“Let’s do it.” Excitement filled Brylee. They’d made it. They were going to get to their first flag and find that treasure.
If the treasure wasn’t there …
Brylee exhaled and said another prayer. She had no clue where they’d go from here. But she’d count overcoming the waterfall and her brush with death as a victory, and she could bet Cash had a plan.
If the treasure wasn’t there, she wouldn’t mind more time with Captain Cash Trapper. She wouldn’t soon forget that he’d saved her life or the feel of being in his arms. He was a steady rock and appreciated her silly humor. Their easy banter was refreshing and comfortable.
At the thought of him rescuing her, she edged around his machete blade, threw her arms around his neck, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. He stared at her in surprise. Then he shocked her when he wrapped his free arm around her lower back, securing her to him. His short beard tickled her lips and being in his arms felt even more perfect than twenty minutesago. This time she wasn’t on the edge of a three hundred and fifty feet drop and recovering from almost falling to her death.
She cherished the hug for a moment and then pulled back before he realized she was hitting on him.
“What was the kiss for?” he asked.
“You saved my life. Thank you. I owe you much more than that.”
His eyebrows lifted. “What do you owe me?”
She wanted to say a kiss on the lips, but her neck and cheeks were heating up and as a redhead, he would easily notice how hard she was blushing. “I make a delectable pumpkin bar.”
“With cream cheese frosting?”
“The most creamy cream cheese frosting on earth.”
“And chocolate chips?”
“Is there any other way to make them?”
He grinned, and she returned it.
“I’ll be bringin’ you some by when we get safely home.”
“All the way to the south side of Chicago?”
“I have been known to leave the blessed state of Texas on occasion. For very important purposes.”
He grinned and pushed a hand through his short hair. “It’s not the worst repayment I’ve gotten for saving somebody’s life.”
