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“Truly? I want to hear about all these life-saving adventures.”
He chuckled, then shook his head. She doubted he’d reveal his heroics without a lot of prodding and begging. “Later,” was all he said.
She was reminded of the cameras recording their every movement and conversation. Right. He didn’t want to share, or maybe he couldn’t.
“Let’s go savor the view from the top of the waterfall and claim your treasure,” he said.
“Whatever you say, Captain.” She found herself more interested in smiling, laughing, and talking with Cash than rushing to find the treasure.
The million dollars and her charity needed to take precedence, but this looked to be a thrilling adventure. With Cash smiling, laughing, and teasing with her, it definitely upped the excitement.
If they survived.
Chapter
Five
Cash’s headfelt cloudy as they eased their way toward the flag flying in the tropical breeze. Was that due to the exhilaration of the climb and catching Brylee from falling, something to do with his tumor’s progression, or was it all related to Brylee flinging her arms around him and kissing his cheek?
He shook his head to clear it. He’d kissed women; he wasn’t some newb. Why did this innocent, funny, and trusting woman feel … different, like she was possibly the right fit for him? Was it just his lifelong attraction to redheads or his celebrity crush on Scarlett Johannson? When she’d done that accent, he’d barely resisted wrapping her up in his arms. Was Brylee meant to be someone special for him?
No. He had to stop letting his mind wander. Brylee was great, but Cash was not in the market for any kind of relationship. It wouldn’t be fair to a sweet, fun woman like Brylee to get invested in a ticking time bomb like him.
He chopped away a few overgrown bushes and they progressed toward the flag. It was next to the edge of the waterfall, maybe five feet away from it. Thank heavens there had been no stipulation that Brylee had to be the one who dug upthe treasure. He would never let her get close to an edge like that again. She’d obviously been terrified, but he hadn’t minded holding her to calm her down. She had been brave to keep moving and teasing after her near fall. That kiss on his cheek and hug when they weren’t in danger was burned into him.
Think about something else.
Would the treasure be buried, hung from a tree, or sitting out in the open? It was all a guessing game until he had more intel, like something he would have faced in SFQC, but instead of a machete and fully stocked backpack, he would have been given a spoon and a pair of flip-flops. Brainstorming how to conquer this island was a good distraction from remembering Brylee so close, her soft lips on his cheek. What would it be like to have her lips meet his?
Stop, he commanded his wayward thoughts.
Sheathing the machete and sliding it and his backpack off, he set both on the ground. He rolled his neck and stretched his shoulders. The flag was close. No treasure chest visible. From this vantage point, he could only see rock and water around the flag. They wouldn’t have buried it in the running water. Then again, who knew?
From here, he could see the stretch of beach near their camp. He couldn’t see the entire island. This wasn’t the highest point as he’d hoped it would be. The trees were thick on every side, but the stream inclined away from them to the north.
He turned to Brylee. She had also set her backpack on the moss-covered ground and was stretching her hands high in the air. Her shirt was a very nice fit. Cash’s jaw slackened as he stared at her appealing shape. He folded his arms across his chest so he wouldn’t inadvertently reach for her.
“I’ll get closer to look for the treasure,” he volunteered, looking away with the pretense of checking for the treasure.
“What about savoring the view?” she asked, a hint of challenge in her voice.
He glanced back at her. Thankfully, her arms were down and she looked … almost normal. She was too attractive to not look more appealing than normal to him. He couldn’t help but smile at her question. Savor the view.
“You’re right. I did mention we’d savor the view before we claimed the million dollars, didn’t I?” He grinned at her. He’d been doing that a lot the past few hours. The men in his unit wouldn’t recognize him.
Cash hadn’t taken much time to savor views in his life. Too busy surviving as a child, a teenager, and in the military as an adult. Next thing he knew, he was dying. Sometimes he wondered why he’d fought so hard to survive and thrive. All that hard work would soon be stripped away.
Maybe dying would change him, and he’d focus on savoring and relaxing. He’d go somewhere pretty and just sit and focus on the view.
He shook his head. More likely, he’d work on his gyms and helping his friends and teenagers in danger until his body shut down. With the five million dollars, he’d have a lot of resources and ability to hire incredible people who needed to make a living but would give his concept and gyms their all. He’d be very busy.
Cash liked that idea. Work until he withered away. Hopefully his brain would shut down before he had to sit in a hospital room and watch television all day. He shuddered at the thought.
Glancing at Brylee, he regretted he wouldn’t have more time with her. This could be it. She’d return to Texas and he’d head back to Chicago. If the treasure was indeed here, they were done.
He found he didn’t want to be done interacting with Brylee. She was a funny, tough, but not hardened version of Black Widow. What would she think if he told her that? She’d probably tell him he was a ‘right smarmy bloke.’
It would be good to move on. It would be for the best that he not spend more time with the most captivating woman he’d ever met. If Brylee someday heard of his premature death, she could think, ‘Oh yeah, the military guy who helped me win a million dollars.’ She’d have a moment of remorse, shed a tear for a life cut short, and then she’d move on.
