She turned on the ignition and pulled the Jeep out of the library parking lot. Well practice before we throw you in the deep end.
So, I have the job? Cameron asked.
Yes, you have the job. For now. But only as long as you do everything exactly as I say. Agreed?
Agreed, Cameron said. We should probably discuss compensation. Im going to have to find a place to stay.
Ill take care of your expenses, she said. If you do a good job, Ill give you a small stipend. And if we get what we need, then therell be a bonus for you.
All right, he said. I can live with that.
She smiled. Dont worry, I plan to get my moneys worth out of you, Sofie teased.
CAMERON STARED AT himself in the mirror, nodding his head. I like this one, he muttered, tugging at the sleeves of the pale blue work shirt. It feels good. The sleeves are long enough.
Once theyd found a hat, Sofie realized that Cameron would need a few long-sleeved shirts to protect his arms from the sun. All hed brought along were dress shirts and T-shirts. But she hadnt prepared herself for the fitting-room ordeal of watching him actually try the shirts on.
That is a nice one, she said. It fits well. Sofie swallowed hard. He had such a beautiful bodylong limbs, a finely muscled chest, broad shoulders. And it will keep you from getting sunburned.
The heat down here is pretty intense, he agreed as he unbuttoned the shirt. Not like Seattle. Thats a city made for Irish skin. He grabbed her hand and held it next to his. Im downright pasty next to you.
She shrugged I owe half of that to my Mexican father and the other half to my Hopi mother.
Its a nice combination, he murmured. They did a good job.
Her gaze skimmed over the naked width of his back as he slipped out of the shirt and handed it to her. Sofies fingers trembled as she fought the urge to touch him. II should probably put the roof on my Jeep. That would help with the sun.
Cameron pulled on another shirt, this one a deep garnet color. How about this? Good for lunch at the Bunny Shack.
She watched as Cameron toyed with the mother-of-pearl buttons on the pockets. He did look good in the deep red. It set off his dark hair and impossibly blue eyes. The girls there are going to love you. Theyll be all over you before you even sit down.
You think so? he asked, frowning.
You need to be careful. Theyve been aroundthey know how to read men, how to get exactly what they want from a guy. And they have really good radar. Theyre going to know if youre hiding something or lying to them.
I can handle it. I got you to hire me, didnt I?
I could always fire you, she said. Youre still on probation.
You have too much invested in me to fire me. You bought me lunch.
And she was about to pay for his new wardrobe. In truth, Sofie was curious about their future together as partners. As shed worked her way up through the ranks at the SFPD, shed always had male partners, but theyd been more like brothers or uncles. Shed never once considered indulging in a sexual affair with one of them.
But thats all she could think about with Cameron. Sure, theyd work together on the case. But she was much more interested in what was going to happen outside of the workday.
Cameron grabbed the straw cowboy hat theyd chosen and put it on his head. What do you think? Can I pass for a local?
She laughed, then readjusted the hat on his head. No. Not at all. There arent any men like you living within a hundred miles of Vulture Creek.
No?
Youre just too pretty. Look at that face.
He shook his head. What does that even mean? His voice was soft, distracted.
Oh, come on, she teased. Dont pretend that you dont know what you do to women. A guy like you doesnt go through life not realizing the advantages you have because of your looks.
Cameron glanced over at her. I look like my brothers.
Sofie groaned inwardly. He was the most dangerous of men, the kind of guy who didnt even have a clue as to the devastating effect he had on women.
My mother used to tell me I was handsome. Shed dress us all up for church on Sunday, then line us up and go on and on about how handsome her boys were. After she was gone, I didnt like to hear it. It would always bring back that memory.
Im sorry, she said.
He reached out and grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze. No, its all right. I havent thought about that for such a long time. Its kind of a nice memory.
My dad always used to tell me I was pretty. I was his princess. And hed tell my brothers that they were strong and clever. Sofie sighed. I wanted to be strong and clever. I didnt want to be a princess.
Is that why you became a cop?
Yeah, I think I had something to prove. To my dad and my brothers. And now that Im not a cop anymore, I have even more to prove.
What if youre never a cop again? Cameron asked.
She closed her eyes and shook her head. I cant think about that. Its all I know how to do.
Thats not true. I thought all I was good at was designing boats. But since I stepped off that bus, I realize that I just havent considered anything else.
You think you want to be a private investigator now?
Cameron laughed. No. But Im not my job. He grabbed her hand and pulled her next to him, their gazes meeting in the reflection of the mirror. I havent known you long, but I can tell you the woman in that mirror could ride a bicycle to the moon if she decided thats what she wanted to do.
Youre a nice guy, Cameron Quinn.
Im handsome and nice, he said. And strippers will love me.
She met his gaze and smiled. He didnt say much, but when he did, they were words she could believe in. She could trust Cameron to tell her the truth. Youre handsome and nice and honest.
Maybe she should start to consider other options, Sofie mused. What if she never got back to form? So much of her life had been spent trying to prove something to her father and brothersthat she was good enough to be one of them. Maybe it was time to find out who she really was.
And youre just about the most beautiful thing Ive ever seen, he said.
His words startled Sofie at first. It had been a long time since a man had noticed her. Since her accident, shed put up a wall around herself to ward off any interested parties. The scars from her injury had faded, but there were other scars buried much deeper.
Could she trust herself again? Could she imagine a life that didnt include the career shed dreamed about since she was a little girl? Her friends had wanted to be princesses and fairies, then movie stars and supermodels, and finally wives and mothers. Through it all, Sofie had wanted the uniform, the badge, the power to make a difference in the world.
Sofie stepped away from the mirror, but Cameron caught her hand and pulled her back, placing him in front of her. She couldnt be beautiful and be taken seriously. Beauty meant weakness, not strength.
His hands smoothed over her shoulders and down her arms. Sofies heart slammed in her chest and she couldnt catch her breath. This was crazy! Shed always been known for keeping her cool under pressure, but now she was having trouble holding it together, simply because of some guy. Some handsome, sexy, irresistible guy.
II really dont have time for this, she murmured. If this was the way the next few weeks were going to go, then shed be lucky if she got anything done. The sooner I close this case, the sooner I can get back to She cursed softly in Spanish, then turned to him and wagged her finger in his face. You need to stop distracting me.
They stared at each other for a long moment, and then, in a heartbeat, Cameron took her face between his hands and kissed her.
It was brief, barely a touch, but as she pulled back, a tiny gasp slipped from her lips. Sofies knees felt weak and she reached out, pressing her hand against his chest for balance. Ill wait for you outside, she muttered, grabbing her hat.
When shed put some distance between them, Sofie leaned back against the wall and tried to calm her racing pulse. Shed been waiting for something like this, for the chance to indulge her fantasies. And now that the moment had arrived, she wasnt sure what to do about it.
This was her problem. For the most part, she was like her mothercalm, rational, self-controlled. But every now and then, her fathers fiery personality showed itself in her, and she did something so rash and impulsive she wanted to slap herself. It was that half of her nature that usually got her in trouble.
Cameron joined her at the counter, and Sofie paid for the clothes before they both walked out into the afternoon heat. A shiver skittered down her spine as Camerons shoulder brushed against hers. Her thoughts returned to the kiss.
Why hadnt she just allowed it to go on a little longer? It had happened so quickly, she wasnt even sure it was a kiss. Maybe it had been just incidental contact. The dressing room was small, the mood a bit tense and
No, it had definitely been a kiss. And it was something they ought to discuss. But if they talked about it, it might happen again. And if it happened again, Sofie wasnt sure shed want to stop things so quickly.
Whats next, boss? Cameron said. Should we go see if Walter is at the strip club?
Sofie pulled the car keys from her pocket. Were too late for today. If he follows his pattern, hell be there tomorrow. She stopped and faced him. About thatthat
Kiss? he asked.
She nodded. Im not sure thats the most productive use of our time.
Her breath was soft and shallow, and Sofie was sure he could hear her heart pounding in her chest. Had any man ever made her feel this way? Her fingers and toes had gone numb and her head was spinning.
Youre the boss, Cameron said.
Yes, Sofie replied. Yes, I am. And though it was easy to say the words, she had the distinct impression that when it came to kissing, Cameron was definitely in charge.
CAMERON HAD THOUGHT the roads on the bus route had been desolate, but as they drove out into the desert, he realized that he hadnt really appreciated the meaning of the word.
The land was flat all around them, and then suddenly, it would change, with rocky outcroppings appearing out of nowhere. In the distance, snow-covered mountains outlined the horizon. Everywhere he looked, the land was dry. But the terrain hed once thought of as colorless suddenly showed a vast range of vibrant golds and browns.
Where are we going?
Sofie shrugged. Home.
To your place?
No, she shouted. To my uncles place. Ive been staying there while Ive been working on the case.
The ranch with the dinosaur bones? Cameron asked.
Thats it, she said.
Cam grinned. It wasnt the worst thing in the world to be driving through the desert with a beautiful, exotic private investigator. He watched as a strand of hair escaped from her braid and fluttered around her face.
She glanced over at him, catching him staring again, and he grudgingly looked away. I feel like Im on the moon, he shouted. This land is so different from anything I know.
I hear it rains a lot in Seattle, she said.
And here the sun never seems to stop. I havent seen a cloud all day. He looked up at the sky. Does it ever rain?
She shook her head. Occasionally. Sofie pointed to an upcoming intersection. Turn right.
Im really beginning to like this job, he said.
Its not always like this. Sometimes I just sit in my car watching a dark house. Last month I spent two days in a Laundromat watching a restaurant across the street. I did the same load of laundry fifteen times.
Im liking it, he said.
We havent done anything yet.
What made you choose this kind of work? Isnt it a little unusual for a woman?
My dads a cop and I have five older brothers and they all work in law enforcement. Three are cops, one works for the ATF, and one for the FBI.
Cam leaned back in his seat. Wow. I guess I better watch myself.
If I dont scare men away with my sparkling personality, then my brothers do it for me.
You actually think Im going to believe that you scare men away? Cameron said.
Its usually the limp, she said. Most men dont like women who are damaged.
Cameron gasped at her statement. Cursing beneath his breath, he pulled the Jeep over to the side of the road and threw it into Park. Thats the most ridiculous thing Ive ever heard.
She shrugged. Its the truth. Im not feeling sorry for myself. Im just being realistic.
Cameron wasnt sure how to respond. How could any man look at Sofie Reyes and consider her damaged? Has a guy said that to you?
No, but you can see it in their expressions. I saw it in yours when you looked at me at the diner.
Cameron remembered the uneasy feeling hed had when hed noticed her limp. But it hadnt stopped him from finding her attractive or sexy or intriguing.
Maybe we should just talk about this now, Sofie said. I know you have questions. Just go ahead and ask them.
I dont need to know, he said.
You stopped the Jeep, she countered. Come on. If were working together, we can at least be honest with each other. Ask me how it happened.
Cameron gripped the steering wheel with white-knuckled hands. Though hed been curious, in the end, he really didnt care. Whatever had happened was in the past. And it wasnt going to change how he felt about Sofie. He was more interested in the here and now, the desire that was racing through him, the urge he had to yank her into his arms and kiss her.
All right, Sofie said, If youre not going to ask, then Ill tell you. She sat silently for a moment, as if trying to put order to her thoughts. My mother once said, be careful what you wish forit might come true. I never really understood why that would be a bad thing. And then my dreams came true. I was a cop, Id been picked for an undercover task force, I was on my way to getting my detectives shield, and I was ready to break open a huge case. I was exactly where I wanted to be.
What happened?
I took a risk. I got into a car with a suspect, and the next thing I remember, I woke up in intensive care. We got into a police chase and they didnt know I was in the car. He died and I lived. I was in the hospital for three months and then rehab after that. After the accident, I couldnt pass the physical and didnt want to sit at a desk all day long. So as soon as I could get around, I went to work for my uncle. He used to be a cop but hes a P.I. now.