Unexplored (Treasure Hunter Security Book 3) (16 page)

He pulled a face at her, then his gaze moved to Logan. “Never picked the big buy to be the next one to topple.”

“So, you signing up to be next on the list?”

A vaguely horrified look crossed Hale’s handsome face. “What? No. Too many nice ladies out there. I think I should be kind and share myself around.”

Morgan snorted. “I seem to recall Callum saying that, and look at him.”

“Maybe
you’ll
be next, Kincaid.”

Her snort this time was rude.

Hale laughed. “Right. He’d have to be a brave man.”

As Hale moved to catch up with Declan, Morgan acknowledged the sting of pain in her chest.
Screw that.
She deliberately turned her thoughts to Silk Road.

The bastards were really becoming a problem and something had to be done. She just wasn’t sure what. How did you fight people who stayed in the shadows?

“Come on, Kincaid,” Dec called back. “Catch up.”

Morgan lengthened her stride and pushed all the tangled thoughts out of her head.

***

Logan leaned back on his large leather couch, picked up the remote, and flicked on his television.

The couch dipped as Sydney sat beside him. She looked all pressed and elegant in her slacks and silk shirt. She set two glasses and a plate of food on his coffee table.

On the TV, the news was on. “Today, the anonymous discoverer of the Andes Miracle Cure released the recipe to the public. It looks like no pharmaceutical company will be raking in the profits on this one. Clinical trials are only in the early phases, and the full extent of the mixture’s healing properties is not yet known. But the potential appears to be limitless.”

Sydney leaned her head on his shoulder. “Logan O’Connor. Hero.”

He scowled at her. “Shut up.”

She grabbed the long beer glass she now made him drink his beer from and handed it to him. Then she picked up her glass of wine. She took a sip and made a humming sound. Blood rushed to his cock. Damn, that was exactly the same sound she made when he was thrusting inside her.

And he tried to spend as much time as possible doing that. Those harrowing moments in the Andean forest, where he’d thought he was losing her, still haunted him. He needed to prove to himself daily that she was alive and his.

“I spoke to Drew.”

Her words scattered the little fantasies he was concocting in his head. “How is he?”

She smiled. “The new CEO of Granger Industries is as happy as a pig in mud. I cannot believe that it was his dream job all along. There I was, suffering through the work, while he was secretly pining to run the company.”

Well, at least the guy was staying out of trouble.

“He’s also organizing a special exhibit of Cloud Warrior artifacts at the Smithsonian later in the year, in conjunction with the Peruvian government.”

“Good.” Logan liked to think that the warrior who’d gifted him the trust of taking care of the treasure would be pleased. “I love you.” He pressed a kiss to her hair, pulling it out of the fancy twist. He was planning to mess her up a little.

She smiled up at him. “Logan, you didn’t even hesitate that time. Or get that twitch under your eye—”

He sank his hands into her hair and tugged her back against him. “Shut it. I really do love you.” So much it hurt sometimes. “And what do you have to say to me in return?”

Her smile widened. “I made you nachos.”

He scowled at her. “That’s not what I meant.”

She sat up and grabbed the plate off the coffee table. She held it out to him. “No? How about I’m loving my new job at Treasure Hunter Security?”

She’d taken over the business and investment side of THS. Darcy was in joyous convulsions…she’d never loved dealing with that side of things, preferring to work on her computers. Meanwhile, Sydney was loving it.

Logan pinched her. “Tell me what I want to hear, woman.”

She leaned down and sank her teeth into his bottom lip. “How about I’m grateful every day that I hired Treasure Hunter Security and ended up with a wild, stubborn alpha male by my side, on a crazy adventure into the Andean cloud forests?”

“Better.” He twined his hand in her hair. “But that’s not what I was after.”

“Hey,” she said. “Watch the nachos.”

He looked down at the plate and then his eyes narrowed. “Did you put Camembert on my nachos?”

“I’m not using that stuff in the can, Logan. It’s not cheese. Try this, you’ll like it.”

With a growl, he grabbed the plate and set it back on the coffee table. He tumbled her on top of him, lying back on the couch. His hands snuck under her shirt. “Tell me.”

She snuggled into him. “I love you, Logan. All of you. Every wild inch of you.”

Damn
. There it was. He never got tired of hearing her say that. He yanked her closer for a kiss. “And I love you, Sydney Granger. Completely. Every beautiful, sexy inch of you.”

***

Sydney leaned forward, searching through the files in the drawer. Darcy was scary smart, but her filing system was a disaster. Sydney needed the originals of the investment documents she was working on.

She closed the cabinet drawer with a sigh, eying the rest of the cabinets filling the small filing room at the back of the Treasure Hunter Security warehouse. She’d already organized the electronic filing system, and it looked like she’d need to get someone in to sort out this mess as well.

Large hands circled her hips from behind, making her squeak. Sydney found herself spun around and pinned up against the exposed brick wall beside the filing cabinets by a big, muscled body.

“You know these sexy schoolmarm skirts drive me crazy.” Logan’s voice was a husky growl. He leaned in closer, his teeth scraping against her neck.

Instant desire.
It had only been weeks since she’d tumbled head over heels in love with this big, wild man, but what she felt grew stronger and deeper every day.

His lips landed on hers, deepening into a kiss. She kissed him back, always hungry for him. She felt his hands slide down her leg, then grip the hem of her pencil skirt, lifting it up. Her breathing hitched.

“Yes,” she murmured against his lips.

“Will you two quit making out.” Darcy’s shout from out in the main warehouse. “I know what you guys are doing in there.”

Logan lifted his head and growled. Sydney stifled a laugh.

“We have company incoming,” Darcy added. “Mom and Dad are back from their dig and on their way in.”

Logan groaned and Sydney gasped. She pushed against his chest. She wasn’t meeting the Wards all mussed up.

When Logan finally stepped back, Sydney got busy straightening her clothes. “Persephone Ward and Dr. Oliver Ward. Living legends.” She fiddled with her hair.

Logan reached out and touched her cheek. “Nervous?”

“A little.” She straightened her collar. “I know you’re close to them.”

“They’ve always treated me like family. And they’ll love you.” He leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss. “Like I do.”

Sydney’s chest warmed, like it did every time this man said those words to her, but she couldn’t help but be nervous. For so long she’d lived in a place where she was judged on everything, and where she’d never quite fit and never quite found happiness.

Now she’d found a man who was hers, and a place where she felt she belonged. She wanted Declan, Callum, and Darcy’s parents to like her.

As she and Logan stepped out of the filing room, she saw Declan and Layne appear from upstairs. Declan’s hair looked a little mussed and Layne’s cheeks were flushed. Sydney bit her lip. It looked like she and Logan weren’t the only ones making out in dark corners.

Layne bounced on her feet. “I can’t
wait
to hear about your parents’ trip. Your dad’s dig at Petra in Jordan sounds so fascinating.”

“And of course, Mom discovered a hidden hoard of gold artifacts,” Declan added dryly.

There was a roar of a motorcycle and through the front windows, Sydney saw a fast, sleek motorcycle pull up. The man set his booted feet on the ground and flicked the bike’s stand down. The two riders took their helmets off.

Callum Ward and Dani Navarro were both as sleek as their transport. Callum looked a lot like Declan—dark and dangerous. Dani—a world-renowned photographer—laughed at her fiancé before he reached over and kissed her.

These two looked like the perfect match. Sydney glanced at Logan’s big form beside her. No one would glance at them and think they were a perfect match. The wild, rugged former SEAL and the stylish, society-raised woman. Her gaze drifted down his arms, taking in his tattoos and muscles. Her belly quivered. She didn’t care. They worked together, and they were perfect for each other.

Callum and Dani walked in. “Hi,” Callum called out. “Mom and Dad are right behind us.”

The history professor and the treasure hunter. Sydney clasped her hands together. The pair really did sound like chalk and cheese. A little like Logan and Sydney.

Logan dropped onto one of the tattered couches that filled part of the warehouse space. Before Sydney could say anything, he reached up and tugged her into his lap.

“Logan! They’ll be here in a minute—”

“You keep looking at me like you were and I’ll drag you back into the file room.”

She struggled against him. “Don’t mess up my—”

He reached up and tugged her hair out of its neat twist, the pale strands falling around her shoulders. She opened her mouth to give him a piece of her mind, but he silenced her with his lips, and kissed her. Hard.

She struggled for a second before she gave in and kissed him back, her hands sliding into his shaggy hair.

“So, this is the young lady who tamed our Logan.”

The sharp female voice had Sydney scrambling off Logan’s lap. As she stood, she took in the tiny woman staring at her. The woman’s piercing gray gaze seem to be cataloguing everything. Sydney touched her hair and realized it was a mess. She saw Logan get to his feet beside her.

Dammit
. She’d just been caught making out…and not even in a dark corner.

“Logan, my boy.” The woman moved forward, bustling with contained energy. He leaned down and the woman kissed his cheeks, then touched his hair. “You need a haircut.”

He grunted.

The woman rolled her eyes. “I’ve known you long enough to know that means you’ll ignore me.” Her gaze run over his face. “You look…” she tilted her head “…happy.”

Then Persephone Ward’s gray gaze moved back to Sydney.

The older woman was short, but had a compact, fit body. Her hair was a lovely shade of ash-gray that went with the gray eyes she’d given to two of her children. Sydney found it hard to believe this tiny woman had given birth to three children, including two strapping, former Navy SEALs.

“So, you’re Sydney.”

“I am, Mrs. Ward. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

The woman waved a hand. “Call me Persephone, please. Mrs. Ward makes me feel old.”

“Heard you still have that magic touch for finding treasure,” Logan said.

Persephone straightened and winked. “Of course I do.” She looked at Sydney. “I heard you two discovered some treasure of your own in South America, including a magical healing cure.”

“Yes,” Sydney answered.

Now Persephone’s gaze narrowed. “And you gave it away? Anonymously? No fame, no fortune?”

Sydney felt the woman censure. Startled, Sydney glance at Logan and saw he was grinning. She looked back at Persephone. “Ahh…”

“Percy, leave them alone.”

Sydney glanced over and saw a man, flanked by Declan and Callum, striding toward them. She blinked. He was…an older but still sexy version of his sons.

Oliver Ward blew every stereotype of a stuffy, older professor out of the water. He had a toned body, and his hair was threaded liberally with gray.
Oh, boy
. Layne and Dani only had to look at this man to know they were going to be very lucky ladies in the future, if Declan and Callum aged the same way as their father.

“Professor Ward,” Sydney said.

He reached out and shook her hand, shooting her a charming smile. “Oliver, please.”

Oh, boy.
Oliver Ward was one hell of a silver fox.

“Quit dazzling the girl, Ward.” Persephone slapped her husband’s chest. “My husband has been making students and coeds speechless from the first day he stepped foot in a university.”

“And I still only have eyes for you, my darling treasure hunter.” He slipped an arm around his wife’s shoulders.

She sniffed.

“Your Sydney is lovely, Logan,” Oliver said.

Logan pulled Sydney tight against his side. “I know. I’m a lucky man.”

“And I hear you’ve taken over the accounts and business side of THS from Darcy,” Oliver added.

“I’m the lucky one around here,” Darcy said with a grin.

Persephone gave a shudder of horror. “Let’s not talk about business or accounts.” Another shudder. “We’ve made reservations downtown at our favorite restaurant. Good food, good wine, good company. And time to discuss any upcoming expeditions.”

Oliver Ward’s face turned serious and he looked at his sons and daughter. “I think we also need to discuss one less pleasant topic…Silk Road.”

Persephone scowled. “I dislike the fact that this group keep trying to kill my children.”

“I’m not overly fond of that either, Mom,” Declan said.

“And you’ll have all my help with that,” Sydney added. “They were after my brother and nearly killed us all. They have to be stopped.”

Persephone smiled at Sydney. “I think I like you, Sydney.” Then she clapped her hands. “But first, let’s have some wine.”

As everyone headed out to the parking lot, Sydney moved to grab her coat from behind the reception desk. Logan reached out and took it, helping her into it.

He turned her, cupping her cheek. “Darcy might think she’s lucky that you’ve taken over some work from her, but I’m the lucky one. Having you here, in my bed every night, loving me.”

“I love you every minute of every day, Wild Man.”

He pressed a quick kiss to her lips before moving his mouth down along her jaw until he nipped her earlobe. “Let’s eat fast and then head home,” he murmured. “I’m not letting anyone get in the way of loving my woman.”