Chapter Twelve #2
“So what are you saying? Who was she sending these emails to?”
“We’re not sure yet. They were encrypted.”
Summer blew out a breath and juggled the bags to her other hand.
What did that even mean, they were encrypted?
There had to be some logical explanation.
But until the FBI found that explanation, she needed to nip this conspiracy theory—because it seemed that was what Martin was alluding to—in the bud.
“You can’t possibly consider that Paige had anything to do with Tyrone King.
Paige didn’t just disappear of her own accord.
She would never be that cruel. Not to her partner, or to her work colleagues.
She loves her job. Love’s what she does.
She knows she’s making a difference by helping to save the national parks. ”
“I agree; you’re probably right,” M?rten replied, walking forward once more.
“But Jacob sounded pretty…convinced there was something else going on,” he added with a shrug.
She slotted in beside him, matching her step with his.
Then he halted again, put his bags on the ground and drew in a breath, waiting till she stopped as well and looked up at him.
“But you need to know, Summer, that it’s not unheard of for someone as passionate as Paige to get frustrated and feel like no one is listening, like no one was doing enough.
” He spoke softly, not wanting to upset her, but it was too late; she was more than upset.
He was acting as if she were some na?ve fool who thought everyone was beyond reproach.
She was far from na?ve, but she knew deep in her bones Paige wouldn’t do something as morally reprehensible as reaching out to EIC—or any eco-terrorist group—to make her point.
She was careful to keep her temper under control; M?rten was only repeating what he’d heard, and she shouldn’t shoot the messenger.
But he needed to understand she wasn’t having any of it.
“So, you think she took things into her own hands? Joined a Neo-Nazi violent group instead? No, nope,” Summer stated emphatically. “I don’t believe it.”
“Okay.” He picked up his bags and continued walking, apparently not wanting to take this conversation any further. Which was fine with her.
Summer followed meditatively in M?rten’s wake, trying to make sense of this new information.
In some ways, Summer also sympathized with Tyrone and his cronies; she was just as desperate for the slated gold mine at Yellowstone Park not to go ahead.
As was Paige; she and the ranger had discussed the possible consequences at length while on the trip.
Summer was an environmentalist at heart; it was the main reason she’d accepted the Yellowstone job, as well as most of her other projects.
So she could help save an endangered species.
It made her wonder how anyone could want to ruin something of such pristine natural value.
It was pure, despicable greed, nothing less.
But she couldn’t sympathize with Tyrone’s methods.
Fear and violence weren’t the solution to the problem.
And the poor little boy dying because of a fire Tyrone had started was utterly reprehensible.
How could that group live with themselves now?
A thought struck her. “But my family are all still safe?” she asked, hurrying to catch him up.
“Yes, of course,” M?rten said. “Jacob confirmed it again.”
“Oh, good.” She returned to her rumination with relief, but still had reached no conclusion by the time they made it back to the house.
She helped M?rten put away the food robotically.
Deciding to drop the subject for now, she leaned on the island bench to watch him.
“Can I help with dinner?” she asked as he put the salmon on a plate and heated a skillet on the stove.
“You could chop the dill, if you like. I’m going to make a quick sauce to go with the fish.”
“Cool.” Summer found a knife and a wooden board. She enjoyed cooking, but living alone, she often ate simply, and couldn’t be bothered fixing a complicated meal just for herself.
“I’ve ordered a bike rack for you, like the one you had at home, so you can train inside. It should be delivered tomorrow.”
“Oh, thank you.” She was taken aback; she needed to train, but was wary of riding on these unfamiliar roads after M?rten had told her it rained a lot in summer.
But she hadn’t mentioned her fears to him; he was already doing enough.
Being able to exercise inside whenever she wanted would be a luxury.
This was very sweet of him. Although where she was going to set up her bike in this small cottage was a bit of a puzzle.
They settled into a comfortable silence while she chopped herbs and he got the fish sizzling.
Without being asked, she started on the salad ingredients, chopping fire-engine red tomatoes, and slicing juicy green cucumbers.
She felt more relaxed than she had in days.
It was almost intimate, and Summer found herself enjoying M?rten’s silent company.
Enjoying his gorgeous country-style kitchen, with its pale colors and glowing wooden countertops.
He passed her the red onion to chop and gave an approving nod at the salad bowl that was filling with vegetables.
It was effortless. Much too effortless. But for once, Summer didn’t question it.
They took their meals out onto the front porch, sitting at the little wicker table and chairs and watching the birds coming in to roost as they ate.
Her heart did a little double-kick at the beauty and the serenity.
Blast. It would be so easy to fall in love with M?rten’s house. With this lifestyle.
* * *
“I’m just heading out for a ride,” Summer called up the stairs.
It was only six a.m., but she’d been awake for hours, her body-clock struggling to come to terms with the time difference.
Mid-summer this far north in Sweden meant the sun never really went down; it just skimmed beneath the horizon, and so it was already light.
“Wait,” she heard a sleepy voice call down from M?rten’s attic bedroom. Two seconds later, he appeared at the top of the stairs, wearing only sweatpants, his hair all tousled, and… Oh… My… M?rten was spectacular shirtless. Better than she had imagined.
“I’ll come with you.”
“No… No, you won’t,” she stuttered, trying and failing to avert her gaze. Holy hell, she needed to get out of here now before her gaze drifted back and got stuck on those ridged abs, those solid pectoral muscles.
Quick, think. M?rten had an old mountain bike he kept in a small shed at the back. It seemed most Swedish people owned at least one bike.
“There’s no way you’ll keep up with me on that… thing.” She pointed vaguely in the direction of the shed. “And I’m not waiting for you.”
M?rten descended the stairs, running a hand through his hair and looking perturbed. And very, very sexy. “But…” he started.
“No.” She held up her hand to ward off any more complaints, taking a step backward to keep the distance between them.
“I’m here to train. You agreed I should be safe here, that no one knows where I am.
So leave me to do my thing, please. I don’t need a babysitter. Anyway, don’t you have a job to go to?”
“Yes,” he admitted, but the tiny frown lines between his eyebrows told her he wasn’t happy with the situation. “How about we compromise? Will you let me put a tracking app on your phone? That way if anything goes wrong at least I’ll know where you are.”
Summer considered him for many long moments. It did kind of make sense. She was in a foreign country, and even with Google Maps, she could possibly get lost. Or get a flat tire. And if that would keep him happy, and get her out of the house quicker, she’d concede, just this once.
“Okay,” she agreed, handing over her phone, trying not to let her fingers skim over his.
But her move backfired spectacularly, and instead of not touching him, their hands collided, fumbling together, and she almost dropped her phone.
The shot of energy that fizzed up her arm from his touch sent shockwaves through the rest of her body, and she gave a squeak of surprise.
M?rten’s sleepy gaze sharpened, his ice-blue irises becoming intense, almost molten.
It seemed as if he’d felt it too; his eyes raked up and down her body, cataloguing every dip and curve.
A tingle started low in her belly at his perusal, spreading quickly, so she felt as if she were melting inside.
She resisted the urge to cross her arms over her breasts, instead returning his probing gaze with what she hoped was a cool one of her own.
Why would he look at her like that after he’d rejected her so bluntly? It made little sense.
“You should be careful going out like that. You’ll have every guy in every car driving past crashing into the nearest tree,” he said finally.
“Huh?” Summer didn’t understand. Had he just paid her a compliment?
“All I’m saying is that you look very…distracting in that outfit.”
It was just lycra; a one-piece suit that helped streamline her body. Summer wore it every time she rode and never thought twice about it.
“Um…” She wasn’t sure how to respond and stood mutely while M?rten lowered his gaze to tap away at her phone.
It was all so blasted confusing. She waited, trying not to inspect the way the muscles in his strong shoulders sloped upward where they joined his neck.
Or the way each muscle in the top of his arms was clearly defined, as if he’d been carved from marble.
A glowing, tanned, alive sort of marble.
God, did he do like two-hundred push-ups every day to look like that?
“Here you go.” He said at last, regaining some of his professional cop tone.
“I can see you wherever you are now. You can also see me.” He stepped in closer and bent his head over her phone to show her how it worked.
“If you tap here…” Her eyes followed his finger on the screen, but her mind was somewhere else completely.
Oh, blast. He smelled so good. Musky and manly, with a hint of the aftershave he must’ve used yesterday still lingering on his skin. Summer tried not to breathe.
“Thanks, got it,” she said, snatching the phone from his hand.
She’d already assembled her bike and left it on the front porch.
Now she practically ran with it down the front steps, vaulted on, still strapping on her helmet, and took off in a random direction.
She hadn’t even programmed a route into her phone.
All she knew was that she needed to get out of there.
“Text me when you get home,” M?rten called out, but she was already bumping her way down the gravel driveway.
M?rten had warned her that the roads would be in bad condition here in Karlsvik; it was a small outer suburb of Lule? where the locals had a fondness for the country feel and the council had little money to spend, so it remained rustic and a tad run-down.
She needed to concentrate on navigating the potholes and gravel, and at one stage let out a growl of frustration when she nearly tipped over sideways trying to ride around a fallen branch.
At last she stopped on the roadside and pulled out her phone.
M?rten had mentioned a few routes that’d give her the distance she needed along some more well-maintained roads.
Swedish drivers were extremely bicycle aware, unlike most ignorant, inattentive, and downright rude American drivers, so she should be safe on most of the roads here.
But instead of studying the map on her phone, she stared off into the middle distance, her thoughts turned inwards.
Matin’s throwaway comment, insinuating that she looked hot in her riding gear, had made her feel sexy for the first time in forever.
Yes, she knew other men looked at her, and a detached part of her understood they liked what they saw.
But their glances and whistles had been like water off a duck’s back; she hadn’t taken any of them seriously.
When was the last time she’d thought of herself as a desirable woman?
She honestly couldn’t remember. What she could remember, however, was just how firm and touchable M?rten’s abs had looked this morning.
It made her squirm even thinking about running her fingers over his skin.
What would his reaction be if she worked up the courage to go through with her fantasy?
If she touched him? Would his eyes go molten again?
Would he step up and tug her into his arms, hold her against that rippling chest and stare deep into her eyes?
Then her stupid mind went even further, wondering what he’d look like naked.
Summer shook her head. Blasted Nikki, she wished that woman had never planted the idea of her and M?rten together. But now, the idea of sex with him wouldn’t leave her head. She could think of nothing else. Not even Jacob’s revelation about Paige’s encrypted emails could distract her this morning.
“Blast!” Summer flung her leg over her bicycle seat and took off as if the hounds of hell were after her. If riding until she was so exhausted could help rid her of her nightmares, then surely it would help banish these crazy longings as well.