looking as resigned as Mr. Darcy trying to confess that he’s socially inept. “I…It’s just that…”
Holy caramba. He actually has an answer. The wind dies out of my self-righteous sails, making me feel deflated for having brought him down to my level.
“I….” He looks right at me. “I guess I’ve always had a knack for avoiding things in life I would be bad at,” he explains. “So I’d never have to deal with being an idiot at something.”
WHAT? This is his big confession? That he’s purposely perfect?
“But you want me to deal with it? You want me to jump right in blindfolded?”
His lips quirk up. “Having spent one afternoon with you on a mountain,” he says, “I have to say, a blindfold couldn’t hurt.”
I give him a tight-jawed Not Funny look.
“Remember,” he reminds me, “going out with me into the wild was your idea in the first place.”
“‘Going out with you?’” I simper, batting my lashes. “Gee, do I get to wear your ring?”
“Say yes to this deal, and to keeping it secret, and the ring is yours if I can find it.”
C HAPTER 6
D oin’ it our way ! On your mark, get set and go now ….
My heels make this totally sexy click click click as I stride in rhythm, making my way across the cold cement of the parking garage floor.
Despite the downpour and the worse-than-usual Friday morning traffic crush, things are going my way. Sure, I’m getting ready to become Jack’s undercover idiot, but I will do so responsibly and capably. After all, I’m not really an idiot.
I’ve lubed myself into my slickest black business suit and sharpened the look with a pair of deadly four-inch heels so that Jack will see that I take my association with his new gear seriously. I may know little about outdoor adventuring, but I am a confident professional woman ready to conquer the world.
I check my cell before dropping it into my chic black bag. 8:40. Perfect. Jack and I have a meeting at nine o’clock, even though he wanted to keep me hidden away like a teenager’s copy of Playboy . But I wouldn’t stand for it. I insisted on this meeting so I could see his company and ask him questions.
It’s not practical to be some airhead like Goldie Hawn in Protocol who almost gets bamboozled into marrying a sheik because she doesn’t know any better and never paid attention. I want to know better. You can bet good Burger Barn money that I won’t get tricked into marrying anybody.
Jack told his staff we were working on a project together for class. That’s my cover, and it makes me feel super-sexy like I’m a spy or something. As I walk into the glass-enclosed foyer in the middle of the garage to call the elevator, I catch a glimpse of myself in a tall pane. I check out the silhouette of my butt and—
Ding.
The elevator doors swoosh open, so I step in and push the button that will take me up to the offices. The elevator starts moving, on its way to the top floor of the converted warehouse that has become the hub of Into the Wild. I am on my way to a braver me.
I look around to see if I can catch my reflec—
“AAAAAAAHHH!”
I clamp my hand over my mouth to keep from screaming again. As I do, all my joints unbuckle, causing me slump into a duck-and-cover position on the floor of the elevator.
A GLASS elevator.
You have to be kidding me! A glass elevator? In a converted warehouse? WHY?
I huddle against the metal doors, keeping my head down, but I still catch terrifying glimpses from underneath the crook of my arm. Levels of the converted building flash by. I see what look to be loading docks, then storage bays, then work stations….
Ding.
Oh! I jump up but not fast enough. A damp, sandy surfboard knocks into me. “Hey!”
I see wet, dark hair then the edge of a face peer around the board.
“Sorr—”
“Jack?”
“Lisa.” Jack and his surfboard crush into the small space with me. “You’re early.”
The elevator lurches into motion. I freeze, locking my knees.
Holy caramba. He actually has an answer. The wind dies out of my self-righteous sails, making me feel deflated for having brought him down to my level.
“I….” He looks right at me. “I guess I’ve always had a knack for avoiding things in life I would be bad at,” he explains. “So I’d never have to deal with being an idiot at something.”
WHAT? This is his big confession? That he’s purposely perfect?
“But you want me to deal with it? You want me to jump right in blindfolded?”
His lips quirk up. “Having spent one afternoon with you on a mountain,” he says, “I have to say, a blindfold couldn’t hurt.”
I give him a tight-jawed Not Funny look.
“Remember,” he reminds me, “going out with me into the wild was your idea in the first place.”
“‘Going out with you?’” I simper, batting my lashes. “Gee, do I get to wear your ring?”
“Say yes to this deal, and to keeping it secret, and the ring is yours if I can find it.”
C HAPTER 6
D oin’ it our way ! On your mark, get set and go now ….
My heels make this totally sexy click click click as I stride in rhythm, making my way across the cold cement of the parking garage floor.
Despite the downpour and the worse-than-usual Friday morning traffic crush, things are going my way. Sure, I’m getting ready to become Jack’s undercover idiot, but I will do so responsibly and capably. After all, I’m not really an idiot.
I’ve lubed myself into my slickest black business suit and sharpened the look with a pair of deadly four-inch heels so that Jack will see that I take my association with his new gear seriously. I may know little about outdoor adventuring, but I am a confident professional woman ready to conquer the world.
I check my cell before dropping it into my chic black bag. 8:40. Perfect. Jack and I have a meeting at nine o’clock, even though he wanted to keep me hidden away like a teenager’s copy of Playboy . But I wouldn’t stand for it. I insisted on this meeting so I could see his company and ask him questions.
It’s not practical to be some airhead like Goldie Hawn in Protocol who almost gets bamboozled into marrying a sheik because she doesn’t know any better and never paid attention. I want to know better. You can bet good Burger Barn money that I won’t get tricked into marrying anybody.
Jack told his staff we were working on a project together for class. That’s my cover, and it makes me feel super-sexy like I’m a spy or something. As I walk into the glass-enclosed foyer in the middle of the garage to call the elevator, I catch a glimpse of myself in a tall pane. I check out the silhouette of my butt and—
Ding.
The elevator doors swoosh open, so I step in and push the button that will take me up to the offices. The elevator starts moving, on its way to the top floor of the converted warehouse that has become the hub of Into the Wild. I am on my way to a braver me.
I look around to see if I can catch my reflec—
“AAAAAAAHHH!”
I clamp my hand over my mouth to keep from screaming again. As I do, all my joints unbuckle, causing me slump into a duck-and-cover position on the floor of the elevator.
A GLASS elevator.
You have to be kidding me! A glass elevator? In a converted warehouse? WHY?
I huddle against the metal doors, keeping my head down, but I still catch terrifying glimpses from underneath the crook of my arm. Levels of the converted building flash by. I see what look to be loading docks, then storage bays, then work stations….
Ding.
Oh! I jump up but not fast enough. A damp, sandy surfboard knocks into me. “Hey!”
I see wet, dark hair then the edge of a face peer around the board.
“Sorr—”
“Jack?”
“Lisa.” Jack and his surfboard crush into the small space with me. “You’re early.”
The elevator lurches into motion. I freeze, locking my knees.
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