A Little Surprise for the Boss (Mills & Boon Desire) by Elizabeth Lane Page B
Authors: Elizabeth Lane
Ads: Link
sauna. By the end of the first hour, Terri was dripping. She swigged from the furnished canteen to stay hydrated. At least the higher portion of the trail would be cooler. But looking up from here, the next three hours up a steep, winding trail couldn’t be over soon enough.
By the time the mule train wound its way onto the rim of the canyon, the sun was low, the air fresh and pleasant. While Buck tipped the mule driver, the four sheikhs, muddied, bone-weary and sore, climbed off their mounts and staggered toward the limousine that waited to take them to the lodge.
Terri stood with Buck at the trailhead and watched the limo drive away. “At last,” Buck muttered.
“Amen,” Terri echoed. “By the way, I forgot to ask. What’s our plan for getting home?”
“The SUV that Kirby drove here with the sheikhs’ luggage should be waiting for us behind the lodge. Since Kirby will be going as steward on the jet tomorrow, you and I will be driving the vehicle back. Are you hungry? We could have dinner before we leave, or even check in, clean up and get a good night’s sleep. How does that sound to you?”
Tempting , Terri thought. She knew what would likely happen if they stayed the night. The question was, did she want another no-strings-attached romp with Buck? One that, like the last time, would lead nowhere and mean nothing?
“Let me think about that while I run to the rest-room,” she said. “Maybe you should call and let somebody know we’re here.”
“Fine.” Buck whipped out his cell phone. “It’s almost five. With luck there’ll still be somebody in the office. If not, at least I can pick up any messages on my landline.”
“You might want to call your house, too. Quinn will want to know you’re on your way back.”
She left him and strode off to the nearby stone building that housed the restrooms. Before leaving, she took time to splash the dusty sweat residue from her face, neck and arms and slick back her hair. She looked like forty miles of bad road—or bad river. She didn’t have a change of clothes, or even a credit card to buy something clean in the gift shop or one of the tourist boutiques. Maybe she and Buck could order room service if she agreed to stay the night.
If she agreed to stay the night? Was she really considering it? What about her pride?
Still uncertain, she walked outside to find Buck waiting for her. The look on his face stopped her in her tracks. Her pulse lurched. Something was wrong.
“What is it?” she asked. “Did you reach anybody at the office? Is everything all right?”
“I spoke with Bob. Everything at the office is fine.”
“Did you call Quinn?”
“I called the house. Nobody answered so I left a message.” He drew a sharp breath. “Terri—”
In the silence that hung between them, she felt cold dread crawling up her spine. “Tell me,” she said.
“It’s your grandmother. She passed away two days ago.”
* * *
Buck watched the color fade from Terri’s face. She’d loved her grandmother. The loss would cut her deeply. But even more painful, and more lasting, would be the regret that she hadn’t been there to comfort the old woman in her final moments—and say goodbye.
For that, Buck had nobody to blame but himself.
She hadn’t spoken a word. She didn’t have to. Her anguished expression said it all. No thanks to him, she’d wasted three days on the river and, in a time of dire need, failed her beloved grandma, the woman who’d been like a mother to her.
“I’m sorry, Terri.” The words fell pathetically short of what he wanted to say.
“I need to get home now. Let’s go.” Turning away from him, she strode off in the direction of where their vehicle would be waiting. Her spine was rigid, her shoulders painfully square.
Buck trailed a few steps behind her. If she never spoke to him again, he wouldn’t blame her. But between here and Porter Hollow they had more than a two-hour drive ahead of them. Maybe he could at least
By the time the mule train wound its way onto the rim of the canyon, the sun was low, the air fresh and pleasant. While Buck tipped the mule driver, the four sheikhs, muddied, bone-weary and sore, climbed off their mounts and staggered toward the limousine that waited to take them to the lodge.
Terri stood with Buck at the trailhead and watched the limo drive away. “At last,” Buck muttered.
“Amen,” Terri echoed. “By the way, I forgot to ask. What’s our plan for getting home?”
“The SUV that Kirby drove here with the sheikhs’ luggage should be waiting for us behind the lodge. Since Kirby will be going as steward on the jet tomorrow, you and I will be driving the vehicle back. Are you hungry? We could have dinner before we leave, or even check in, clean up and get a good night’s sleep. How does that sound to you?”
Tempting , Terri thought. She knew what would likely happen if they stayed the night. The question was, did she want another no-strings-attached romp with Buck? One that, like the last time, would lead nowhere and mean nothing?
“Let me think about that while I run to the rest-room,” she said. “Maybe you should call and let somebody know we’re here.”
“Fine.” Buck whipped out his cell phone. “It’s almost five. With luck there’ll still be somebody in the office. If not, at least I can pick up any messages on my landline.”
“You might want to call your house, too. Quinn will want to know you’re on your way back.”
She left him and strode off to the nearby stone building that housed the restrooms. Before leaving, she took time to splash the dusty sweat residue from her face, neck and arms and slick back her hair. She looked like forty miles of bad road—or bad river. She didn’t have a change of clothes, or even a credit card to buy something clean in the gift shop or one of the tourist boutiques. Maybe she and Buck could order room service if she agreed to stay the night.
If she agreed to stay the night? Was she really considering it? What about her pride?
Still uncertain, she walked outside to find Buck waiting for her. The look on his face stopped her in her tracks. Her pulse lurched. Something was wrong.
“What is it?” she asked. “Did you reach anybody at the office? Is everything all right?”
“I spoke with Bob. Everything at the office is fine.”
“Did you call Quinn?”
“I called the house. Nobody answered so I left a message.” He drew a sharp breath. “Terri—”
In the silence that hung between them, she felt cold dread crawling up her spine. “Tell me,” she said.
“It’s your grandmother. She passed away two days ago.”
* * *
Buck watched the color fade from Terri’s face. She’d loved her grandmother. The loss would cut her deeply. But even more painful, and more lasting, would be the regret that she hadn’t been there to comfort the old woman in her final moments—and say goodbye.
For that, Buck had nobody to blame but himself.
She hadn’t spoken a word. She didn’t have to. Her anguished expression said it all. No thanks to him, she’d wasted three days on the river and, in a time of dire need, failed her beloved grandma, the woman who’d been like a mother to her.
“I’m sorry, Terri.” The words fell pathetically short of what he wanted to say.
“I need to get home now. Let’s go.” Turning away from him, she strode off in the direction of where their vehicle would be waiting. Her spine was rigid, her shoulders painfully square.
Buck trailed a few steps behind her. If she never spoke to him again, he wouldn’t blame her. But between here and Porter Hollow they had more than a two-hour drive ahead of them. Maybe he could at least
Similar Books
