Chapter Five
Emerson
The rough terrain jolts the vehicle as we travel over the vast parcel of land, jarring my bones with each bump and hole.
There isn’t much for a road out here, so we’re having to make our own.
The goal is to get to the first area I’ve marked on the map in the southeast section of the property.
It looks most promising for potential reserves.
The dusty landscape has already coated everything in a fine layer of red dust. It’s something I’m more than familiar with after many years spent in the field, and why I dress for efficiency and comfort on these trips.
My lightweight, breathable olive green hiking pants and tan overshirt aren’t the most fashionable or flattering. Thoughts which usually never cross my mind, but the stoic man deftly maneuvering the SUV through the empty landscape has me reconsidering the practical wardrobe.
Which is ridiculous, or at least it should be.
He’s my bodyguard and my best friend’s younger brother.
Those two things alone are major red flags, never mind the fact I absolutely don’t have time for a man in my life.
It’s already completely consumed with work and making sure my mother receives the care she needs.
It doesn’t mean I’m blind to the objective hotness I’m now blessed with seeing for the next several days.
I swear just looking at him has my panties dampening.
And I’m pretty sure I caught heat and appreciation in his honey-colored eyes yesterday when he caught me staring at him and joined me at my table.
I thought I might die from sheer embarrassment when I realized who I had been practically eye-fucking.
He took it in stride though, and save for a few heated looks, seemed to keep things completely businesslike.
Which isn’t surprising considering I’ve probably got a decade on him.
It’s laughable he would be interested in a hefty perimenopausal academic who is well on her way to being past her prime.
I’m sure given his rugged good looks and air of unattainability, he has women falling at his feet. I don’t know what it is about unavailable men, but it draws women like bears to honey. So, it’s best he’s keeping this completely professional.
At least one of us is.
The drive has been mostly made in silence. It’s not an uncomfortable one though, as is often the case with those stretches when you’re around someone new.
We’re still some distance from the target location when the layers on a bluff catch my attention. “Wait, can you head over there?” I point out my window at the structure I want to investigate.
He arches an eyebrow at the unscheduled stop but turns the wheel so we are heading the direction I indicated, navigating around boulders and shrubs.
“Here,” I direct when we’re within a few yards of the exposed stratas of earth worn away by time and the forces of nature. I plop my outback-style hat over my braids, shrug into my field vest, grab my pack, and jump out. My strides eat up the distance to my objective.
I run my hand over the layers of shale and sandstone.
Noting the location on the GPS from one of the multitude of pockets on my vest, which hold supplies, I pull out bags to collect samples, making sure to label them with the coordinates.
I take notes and pictures before measuring each section’s thickness and orientation with a Brunton compass.
The strike and dip readings will tell us the direction these beds tilt underground.
It’s tedious work but will help map the geometry of the subsurface.
Some might find this work mind-numbingly dull, but for me it’s about discovering the processes which have taken place over millennia. It’s amazing to me we can tell what happened here hundreds of thousands of years ago by studying the earth.
I’m so intent on my work I startle with a shriek when a hand lands on my shoulder. My hand goes to my chest as if I can calm my racing heart from the outside. My breaths come in pants as my eyes swing to the man standing behind me. There’s residual heat lingering where he touched me.
Clancy’s hands are in the air in surrender. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. You’ve just been at this a long while, it’s getting hotter than hell out here. You haven’t even taken a drink since you started. I didn’t want you to get dehydrated.”
My brows pinch. “It hasn’t been that long, has it?”
One of his brows arches. “You’ve been at it for over an hour and a half already.”
A glance at my watch confirms his statement. “Huh, look at that. Thanks for looking out for me.” I pull a bottle of water from my pack and guzzle half of it down.
“Just doing my job,” he replies, scanning the surrounding landscape. What he’s searching for I’m not sure. We haven’t seen even a sign of human presence since we left the main road hours ago.
“Yeah, well, I’m sure you didn’t expect it to be as boring as this. I’m sorry if it’s not the most exciting of assignments. Terra was insistent that I not come out here alone when my usual partner was unavailable.”
His gaze swings to me with a frown. “As she should be. This is unpredictable country at best. Adding in the possibility of running into those who don’t want to be seen makes it necessary to have someone watching your back.
Hell, you were so lost in your own world just now I scared you.
Out here by yourself, you’re a sitting duck.
Besides, it’s quite fascinating watching you get into what you were doing. ”
My eyebrows shoot up, as does one corner of my mouth. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone other than another geologist describe what I do as fascinating.”
“Yeah, well, I have a feeling anything you do is fascinating.” His words are so quiet I’m not quite sure I heard him right. “How much longer are you going to need here? Should I get lunch out?”
I study the landscape before shaking my head. “No, I think I’ve got what I need for the most part. I’ll do a couple more measurements then we can continue on to our intended location. I’m good with eating while we drive if you are.”
“Fine with me.”
I toss the now-empty water bottle into my pack and finish up so we can be on our way. Now that lunch has been mentioned my stomach is gurgling, and I’m eager to eat.