Page 162 of Love Me Reckless

Chapter Thirty-Eight

SAWYER

We playnaked hot tub wish list as the sun breaks over the mountains, lifting the darkness one hue at a time, turning the sky from soft pink to a pale, serene blue.

“What about that loan?” I ask, giving her a little splash.

She shoots me an adorable scowl. “My credit isn’t looking so hot, haven’t you heard?”

Finn River Ranch Security is still tracing the money Sheldon siphoned from Kirilee’s accounts but I have a feeling it’s gone for good, as is whomever Shel was working with. According to Zach, Kirilee’s opal plus the ring she’s determined to give back along with the envelope of cash in Sheldon’s pocket will be returned as soon as the investigation wraps up. Now I just have to convince Kirilee to take my offer to help with that loan she needs.

“I’m sure it’s temporary,” I say.

Her green eyes turn thoughtful. “Will you go with me?”

“Hell yes.”

Her mouth crimps in a grimace. “What about you?”

Losing my job in the most frustrating way still burns. “I’ll figure it out.” My quick conversation with Carson lastnight flashes through my mind. Do the others feel the same or are they going to believe I betrayed them?

From inside the house, my phone chirps. It’s not a known ringtone, but it’s the second call like it in ten minutes.

“Maybe you should get that?” Kirilee asks.

“It’s probably the sheriff.” Even though we spent hours running down the events that led to Sheldon and Kirilee inside the house in Grayhawk last night, he was clear we weren’t finished.

I jump out of the tub and wrap in a towel. The icy winter air seems to freeze on my wet skin as I hurry across the cold planks and into the kitchen.

When I grab the phone, the number comes up as unlisted. “Hello?”

“Reed.” It’s McTavish.

I rub the back of my neck. “Morning.”

“Didn’t see you at muster,” he says in his brisk tone.

“Uh, maybe you didn’t hear about?—”

“I heard,” he says. “We’ve got a few things to be sorted. Come see me.”

I glance at the clock on the opposite wall. It’s just past 8:00. By now, the crews are spread across the mountain, running stop times and testing the machinery.

“Yes, sir.”

McTavish ends the call as Kirilee comes inside, the dark blue towel tied at her chest. “I’m properly pruned. Should we get ready?”

I lean down and kiss her freckled shoulder, then pull her close.

“I wish we didn’t have to leave today,” she says.

In one motion, I flip her over my shoulder, making her shriek. “We’ve still got a few hours.”

“You’re not serious!” She cackles, squirming against my hold. “You can’t possibly have the energy for more.”

I turn into the bedroom. “Interesting theory. Let’s test it.”

Later,leaving the house with our meager belongings feels like saying goodbye to a loyal friend. Kirilee sits close like she always does, her hand on my thigh. But when I go to place my hand on hers, the absence of the ring on her finger means I can entwine our fingers, with nothing between us.

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