Into the Wild (26 page)

Cerro Hermoso
Altitude 14,500 feet

I
T TOOK
S
PENSER SIX DAYS
to get back to Lake Brunner—twice as long as it had taken to get there with River. The weather had been particularly fierce. A constant mix of rain and sleet hindered his progress. He'd spent two full days at Brunner's first camp, socked in by an eerie, relentless fog. Knowing the danger of straying too far when he couldn't see his hand in front of his face, Spenser had spent nearly forty-eight hours inside his extreme-weather tent—alone with his thoughts.

Lots of thoughts.

On the emotional and physical trek back to Cerro Hermoso, Spenser relived his previous three expeditions. The first with Duke and Andy. The second with Andy and Jo. The third with River. He didn't suppress a single memory. He embraced every one—the good and the bad. He embraced the fever. Let it burn.

As he navigated the rugged terrain, while he holed up in his tent, Spenser likened the South American Llanganatis to a North American sweat lodge. A spiritual
refuge. A place to heal mentally and physically. A place to attain answers and guidance.

Screw the curse.
He wanted closure.

When he left here, he was determined to leave with a light heart and healed conscience.

For himself. For River.

This trek was for both of them.

He knew she was pissed off. He knew she thought the worst. When he'd called Gordo to make sure she'd gotten top-notch medical attention, he'd asked to speak with River. She'd refused. That's when he'd decided the best course was space and silence. She didn't trust this.
Them.
And if he was brutally honest with himself, time apart would also clarify and confirm
his
intentions. Henry had pitched a viable concern. How much was Spenser willing to give up for a lifetime with River—a woman with a Disney time-share and visions of a conventional family?

He immersed himself in the solitude, contemplated the future and came to terms with the past. By the time he reached Lake Brunner, Spenser had conquered his demons. But, like River, he still had questions.

He pressed on, utilizing the map stored on his phone. He pushed, he climbed, knowing all the while the guardians were watching. They'd
been
watching. For days.

If he'd experienced a crippling accident, forcing him to turn back—he wouldn't have been surprised. If a spear had pierced his chest, he would've been disappointed, but not surprised.

The surprise came in the form of nothing.
Nothing
happened.

Not when he reached Brunner's first camp, or Brunner's Lake or the base of Cerro Hermoso. Not when he navigated the mysterious cloud forest.

Noble intentions drove him forward, but so did the lure of the lost Inca treasure. A battle raged within. The fever burned and Spenser persevered. “Where are you, Henry?”

Spenser was just beyond where he thought he'd spoken with the professor and faced down Andy.
That's
when he sensed them. Spied them. Ancient warriors. A lost tribe. Historical nirvana.

He stroked the Inca chakana looped around his neck. A gift from River. A sign of affection. A woman worth dying for.

He envisioned her angelic face and braced. Felt the sting of the dart and crumpled willingly into oblivion.

Maple Grove, Indiana, USA
Altitude 810 feet

“I
'VE NEVER BEEN SO
nervous in my life,” Ella said as she and Ben loaded the last of the photography equipment into her Ford hatchback. “I hope I don't blow this.”

“You won't.” River smiled at her assistant, a woman who'd run the office single-handedly while she'd been in South America. A woman with a natural flair for photography. A woman who'd promised to respect River's wishes never to discuss her whirlwind nine-day trip.
Ever.

“I have total faith in your abilities, Ella. So do Kylie and Jack. Otherwise they would have taken their business someplace else.”

River had returned to Maple Grove two weeks ago, sporting a cast that covered her right hand and extended up to her elbow. She wouldn't be shooting any professional pictures for at least another four weeks. Kylie and Jack's wedding was today. They were set on Forever Photography and, after seeing samples of Ella's work, hadn't balked at her being the chief photographer.

It was a big day for Ella. A big day for Kylie and Jack. But an even bigger day for River.

Today, for the first time since she'd watch him head back into the Llanganatis, River was going to see the man who'd challenged and charmed her. The man who'd rekindled her adventurous spirit and sparked her sensual being. The man who'd crushed her by succumbing to temptation. Part of her wanted to avoid Spenser. She worried her cherished memories would shatter the moment she saw him. She wanted to cling to the good stuff, not the bad. But she'd promised Kylie she'd attend the wedding as a guest, a friend. Plus, though it might hurt like hell, better to have some sort of closure.

I love you.

He'd spoken straight from the heart and broken
hers.
She wanted to cherish those words, but instead they taunted her. If Spenser truly loved her, he would've resisted a chance at his
eureka
moment. She'd begged him not to go back into the Llanganatis and he'd done just that. He'd gone back—armed with the map on his phone and Gordo's minicam. She could only assume he hoped to catch that lost tribe and maybe even the treasure on film. The historical find of a lifetime. She could think of no other explanation for his actions.

“Are you sure you don't want to ride with us?” Ben asked, as if sensing River's anxiety.

“The church is forty minutes away,” Ella said. “A cab's going to be expensive.”

“No worries,” River said. Unable to drive and unwilling to trouble friends, she'd been cabbing it a lot
lately, thus Barney, the sole driver of the town's only taxi service, had promised her a discount. “Now, get going. You need to arrive early in order to photograph the bride and groom preceremony.”

River didn't want to be at the church any longer than necessary. Bad enough she'd have to endure four hours of Spenser's presence at the reception.

“I know the drill, boss.” Ella swished pink gloss over her lips. “You can count on me,” she said with a wink, then hesitated. “Wish me luck, River.”

“You don't need it, but,
luck.
” River hugged the younger woman, then waved left-handed at Ben. “Drive safe!”

Pulse racing, River moved back inside Forever Photography. She had twenty minutes to kill before the cab arrived. Twenty minutes plus forty to prepare for her face-to-face with Spenser.

She knew he was alive and well because he'd called Gordo to ask about her and he'd been in touch with his sister—who said she'd never heard him sound more jazzed. River read all sorts of things into that. She even watched two episodes of
Into the Wild,
fully expecting a breaking news special edition, featuring “A Lost Tribe and Atahualpa's Ransom.”

Instead, she'd seen two reruns, one of Spenser and Gordo in Scotland and another in Tibet. She'd watched Spenser's every move, inhaled his every word and expression. She'd been entranced by his passion and the wild landscapes. She'd imagined how she would have photographed certain aspects of each quest. She'd imag
ined trekking alongside Spenser by day and making love at night. She'd relived the Amazon/Andes adventure a hundred times, and although she regretted all the associated deaths, she honestly couldn't wish that adventure away.

She just wished she'd responded to Spenser's declaration of love with one of her own. Maybe then he would have gotten on the chopper. Now they had two weeks and two worlds—his and hers—between them.

River scanned the perfectly organized reception area, the framed wedding photographs on the wall. She silently thanked her mom for her artistic streak, her father for her adventurous streak and her grandpa for her photographic training. And although she was grateful for this studio, she could feel the walls closing in day by day. “I'm capable of more,” she whispered to herself. “I want more.”

She started at a firm knock on the door, glanced at her watch. Barney wasn't due for another ten minutes. Ella must've forgotten something. “Why didn't you use your key?” she asked as she let her in.

Only it wasn't Ella. Or Barney.

“Oh,” she said.

“Hi,” he said.

Her memories didn't shatter. They blossomed in her mind, one after the other. Vivid, terrifying, inspiring and wondrous. For a moment River couldn't speak. It wasn't solely due to the tidal wave of adrenaline-charged recollections. It was the heat of the moment.

Spenser in a tuxedo.

He looked…amazing. Dashing and charming, like a cover model for Armani or a movie star glammed up for the Oscars. She thought about the rugged body beneath the refined clothes. She noted the twinkle in his vivid green eyes, the ornery tilt of his mouth.

Her breathlessness had nothing to do with the altitude. Her racing pulse wasn't due to coca leaves or seed juice.

She was high on love.

Blindsided, she dug deep for the sense of betrayal she'd suffered, for the anger she'd nurtured over the last several days, but all she felt was relief. Relief and joy and a fluttery feeling in her stomach.

“You look beautiful, angel.”

“I have a cast.” What a stupid thing to say.

“A pretty pink cast.”

“The nurses in Quito thought my pink muckers were a hoot and, well, they thought a pink cast might cheer me up. I was a little cranky and mopey and…” The closer he moved, the more she rambled.

“How's your wrist?”

“Healing.” One word. Succinct. Good.

“I liked the pink boots, but I like these sexy heels even more.”

Four-inch purple stilettos to match her clingy purple-satin dress. Full makeup and a flirty updo. Her skin heated as his gaze moved over every primped inch of her. “What are you doing here?” she squeaked. “I mean, I know you're in Indiana for Kylie and Jack's wedding,
but what are you doing
here? Now?
As best man, you should be with Jack. Calming his nerves.”

“Jack doesn't get nervous.”

“Maybe not. Even so—”

“Where I'm from, it's customary for a gentleman to pick up his date.”

Even though he was a globe-trotter, he'd been born and raised in Eden—Paradise in the Heartland. A small town with…old-fashioned sensibilities.

It suddenly occurred to River that even though she was ten years younger than Spenser, they probably knew some of the same people—people aside from his sister and Jack. They'd probably shopped at the same mall and eaten at the same pizza joints. Suddenly their worlds shifted just a little closer.

“I stopped at your house,” he said, “but your neighbor directed me here.” He looked over her shoulder. “So, this is Forever Photography.”

She realized then that she'd kept him standing on the threshold, in the sun and heat. “Yes, I… Won't you come in?” Her skin sizzled as he brushed past her and set a canvas bag on Ella's desk. She wanted to throw herself at him, to tear off his jacket, his shirt and tie.
Ever done it in a darkroom?
she wanted to ask. “I'm sorry. Did you say
date?
”

He raised a brow. “You forgot.”

“I…”

“On the
páramo,
you asked if I had a date for my sister's wedding. I said,
I do now.
”

“I…”

“I shouldn't have assumed you'd remember. You were light-headed and—”

“You swept me off my feet.” River blushed. “I remember. Most of it.”

“Are you going with someone else?”

“No.”

He smiled. “Good. Then it's settled.”

“We can't just…” An unwelcome vision of him traipsing back into the mountains soured the moment. “We need to talk.”

“I agree.”

Instead of pacing, she sat on the edge of a flowery cushioned chair. She tried to organize a dozen scrambled thoughts and concerns. She tried not to obsess on his handsome face and the fantastic sex they'd shared. Her mind jumped back to Quito. The hospital. Her alone with Gordo, and Spenser alone in the wild. “I'm sorry I didn't take your call. That was childish and rude.”

“You were angry with me,” he said, perching on the corner of the desk. “I didn't realize how angry until I didn't hear back from you. I thought maybe you'd call me to give me hell or…to make sure I was all right.” He rubbed a hand over his recently cropped hair. “Christ. That sounded pitiful.”

The mushy, vulnerable side of the tough and confident adventurer. Her heart swelled. “I wondered and worried, a lot, if that makes you feel better. Gordo and your sister assured me you were fine.”

He smiled a little at that, focused on his polished oxfords—so unlike his dusty hiking boots. “I was
surprised when Gordo told me you got on a plane bound for the States instead of Peru.”

“You thought I'd try to patch things up with David?”

“I thought you wanted closure.”

“I found closure on the
páramo,
at least as far as David was concerned. The moment I realized I didn't love him. When I realized…”
I love you.
River fidgeted in her seat.

Spenser regarded her with a small smile, his green eyes shining with relief and a dash of amusement.

He knows,
she thought. He's always known.

“David got back last week,” she rushed on. “We had a talk. He apologized for the way he ran out and I apologized for trying to control every move we made as a couple. I wouldn't say we're friends, but…we're okay.” She hadn't been able to confess she'd never loved him, not deeply and madly. It seemed too cruel.

Uncomfortable with the subject, she switched the focus to Spenser. “What about you? Did you make peace with Jo?”

He met her gaze, the smile gone. “No. I couldn't see the good in telling her Andy had been alive all these years and that he'd purposely kept that secret to punish her. I also saw no good in telling her what a demented man he'd turned into and that he died a violent death. Again.”

“That's kind of you, Spenser, except she'll still blame you for his first death.”

“I'm okay with Jo not forgiving me. I've forgiven myself. I've moved on.”

Their worlds inched a little closer.

“So is Andy really dead? Are you sure?”

He nodded. “I saw him. Don't ask details.”

River swallowed. “Okay.”

“That's just one of the reasons I had to go back, River. I had to know for sure that Andy was no longer a threat to you or anyone else. Another reason…Cy. I couldn't leave him up there like that. He deserved a decent burial, a few kind words.”

River blinked back tears. “Did you find him?”

Spenser nodded.

“I'm so sorry.”

“Cy died doing what he loved best—treasure hunting. And doing what came naturally—protecting a woman. I guarantee his soul is restful.”

She fell silent, processing everything, trying to get a handle on her emotions.

Spenser angled his head. “Why don't you ask me what you're dying to know?”

“Did you see Henry?”

He quirked a tender smile. “Let's cut to the chase, angel. You assumed I took Gordo's minicam back up Cerro Hermoso to get footage of the lost tribe and maybe even the lost treasure itself.” He held up a hand, cutting off her words. “You had good reason to suspect that and I admit the temptation was strong, but as you said, some tales are best untold.”

“Did you see the village?” River whispered, gripping the edge of her seat in anticipation.

Spenser rubbed his brow, blew out a breath. “It was everything Henry described and more, River.”

“Did you meet the woman he…the one…”

He nodded. “I don't speak the language but…she was very kind and she adores your dad.”

“That's good. That's…I'm glad.” Surprisingly, she meant it. “I think Mom would approve.”

“He's happy, River.”

She smiled at that, her heart blossoming more by the second. “So…did you catch them on film? Did you see the treasure?” Part of her hoped so. Part of her burned to see with her own eyes what had eluded explorers for centuries.

“No and no.” Spenser scraped a hand over his clean-shaven jaw. “Here's the sad truth and the motivation for Henry keeping the existence of the tribe secret. They'd be in mortal danger if they were inundated with civilized people. The entire population could easily be wiped out by the common cold. Do you know how Andy planned to threaten the tribe into revealing the treasure?”

She shook her head.

“He had a vial in his pack. A vaccination.”

“For what?”

“Swine flu.”

River frowned. “He was going to expose them to swine flu? That's despicable!”

“Andy isn't the only one who'd go to villainous lengths for eight billion dollars. That's why I convinced
Henry to keep his journal. It's why I deleted the picture of his map from your camera and my phone.”