Page 89 of The Harborer
Two days later, Shanewas trying his damnedest to cheer Amy up. Her moods had shifted and changed, and today she was despondent about her store and the money she was losing while Mountain Coffee sat locked up and idle. They had just come from her new apartment, where she still couldn’t get into the swing of settling in, which only added to her frustration. “I don’t know why, but I just don’t feel like I belong here,” she’d said about the place.
“You’re probably associating it with bad stuff.” He couldn’t believe she preferred his tiny place to the bigger one above Winona’s store. She’d said his studio smelled like him, and that being surrounded by it helped her relax.
Knowing your scent had a calming effect on your woman? Yeah,sign him up.
His studio was crowded, and their cooking options were limited, but he wasn’t complaining. As long as he could fall asleep with her in his arms every night, he’d gladly live in a tent.
Right now she stood beside his couch, arranging girlie throw pillows she’d brought from her place. “So no one knows when the lab technicians are going to show up?” Turning toward him, she cocked an eyebrow.
God, she was beautiful! Today she wore pale pink yoga leggings and a black sweater with a hem that rested at her waist, affording him an unobstructed view of her shapely legs and the gorgeous ass he wanted his hands on. Judging by the fit of the stretchy fabric, she either wore a thong or nothing at all. His mouth practically watered as he imagined discovering for himself what was beneath the thin layer. The sweater hung loose, and it kept slipping down her shoulder, exposing that beautiful golden skin he loved to lick and nibble. He didn’t see a strap of any kind, and he hoped drool wasn’t leaking from his mouth as he pictured nibbling and licking what the tophid from his view.
“Shane? Did you hear what I said?”
Busted.“Huh?”
Smirking, she crossed her arms over her chest. His keen powers of observation told him she wasn’t wearing a bra. As he was considering investigating further, she jolted him from his pornographic daydream. “You’re looking at me like I’m your next meal.”
Because you are.“Yeah? Sorry.”Not sorry.
She rolled her eyes.
He recovered his sanity. “The techs are on loan from a different county, and they’re backed up.” They were always backed up. “How about I call Donna and see if she can give me an update? Meanwhile, look at the bright side.”
Her forehead wrinkled.
“Being away gives you time to catch up on sleep. And while I’m on leave, I can catch up mine with you.”
Her smirk pulled up a little higher on one side. “Why do I get the feeling your ‘bright side’ doesn’t involve a whole lot of sleeping?”
“Because you’re smart.”
“One-track, just like the train.” Her shoulders slackened. “I’m missing all this business with the leaf peepers.” Suddenly, her eyes lit, and she snapped her fingers. “I have an idea!” She swiped her phone from the end table, tapped at the screen, and placed the phone against her ear. “Hello? May I please speak to Leo Cantrell?”
Cantrell?Why the hell was she calling the owner of the Silver Summit Resort?
A knock came at the door, and he motioned for her to stay where she was. When he opened it, he was surprised to see Gunderson standing on the other side.
The park ranger grinned. His eyes darted to Amy, who had just ended her call, and his mouth formed anO. “I can come back.”
Shane opened the door for him. “Nah, it’s cool. She’s just … hanging out with me. Come on in.”
Gunderson gave Amy a small wave. “Hey, Councilwoman Caufield. How are you feeling?”
“Please, call me Amy. I’m better now that I’ve caught up on my sleep.” She gave Shane a smoldering look he hoped Gunderson didn’t notice. Shane’s ears might have heated with embarrassment, but inside, he swelled with self-satisfaction. Action south of his belt swelled too—highly inappropriate as he faced the ranger.
He cleared his throat. “What can I get you? We’ve got water, milk, beer, coffee.” Shane paused as he closed the door, reflecting on how easily “we” had rolled off his tongue.
“I’m good, thanks. I just wanted to stop by and let you know about a discovery the investigators made while they were searching the area around the cabin. Off the record since you’re on leave, of course.”
“Of course.” Shane invited him to take a seat, but Gunderson shook his head. “What’d they find?” Amy stood nearby, her expression full of interest.
“Human remains.”
“What?”In Shane’s peripheral vision, Amy’s eyes went wide.
“They don’t think they’re part of our narcotics boys’ club. It’s only a partial, and it’s been there for a while.” Gunderson held out his phone, where the screen showed a picture of scattered human bones among dirt and decaying leaves. It was hard to tell the bones from the natural debris.
Amy peered over Shane’s shoulder before he returned Gunderson’s phone. “You think they belong to someone who was working that claim back in the day?”
