Debt Collector Page 10

  “Oh?” I raised my eyebrows and sat back in my chair.

  “I have to go on this archeological dig,” Andrew said. “It’s overseas. Somewhere obscure in Africa. I’m not totally sure where. But I was thinking you might want to join me.”

  “Join you?” I asked blankly. “Like, go with you? On the dig?”

  Andrew laughed. “Yes, if that’s something you’d be interested in, I mean.”

  “Are you kidding?” I laughed. “I would love that.”

  “Excellent,” Andrew said. He clapped his hands together enthusiastically. “I’ll make all the arrangements then.”

  “Okay.”

  Andrew pushed himself to his feet while I continued to stare at him with a blank expression. I couldn’t believe this was happening. Just this morning, he was angry and dismissive. Now, he was apologizing and asking me to join him overseas. My brain couldn’t keep up.

  “What will I be doing?” I asked just before Andrew reached the door. “I mean, should I bring any documents along or maybe the laptop?”

  “No.” Andrew shook his head. “The financial side of things can wait until we get back. You’ll just come with me as an assistant. You’ve never seen a dig before, right?”

  “Never,” I said.

  “You’ll love it.” Andrew grinned and let himself out of the office, pulling the door softly closed behind him.

  I couldn’t focus on work again for the rest of the day. I spent hours just sitting in my office, staring at the closed door and wondering what just happened.

  So many things about Andrew were becoming clear. I understood that his childhood was far different from mine. He was forced into an industry he wasn’t even sure he liked. The way he spoke about Hopper Antiquities almost made me sad. Andrew never had the chance to venture out and explore other opportunities. He had one destiny, one path to follow.

  I was beginning to understand his anger and self-induced solitude. I knew that, deep down, he was a kind-hearted and sweet man. But there were still so many things I couldn’t wrap my head around.

  As I sat at my desk that evening, I wondered how the trip would go. I couldn’t believe that finally, after all these years, I was going to watch while a team of archeologists uncovered lost treasure. It was a dream come true, and it was all happening because of Andrew.

  Every ounce of animosity I’d felt toward Andrew was suddenly gone. I no longer thought of myself as his indentured servant. I felt lucky to work for him, lucky to have met him. Not only was he a much different man than I first thought, but for the first time in my life, I was going to spend time somewhere other than Augusta, Maine, and it was all because of him.

  Chapter 15

  Andrew

  “We’re leaving today?” Sophie’s eyes flew wide with surprise. “You’re kidding.”

  “Nope.” I shook my head. “My client is persistent. She wants us out there as soon as possible.”

  “Out where exactly?” Sophie asked nervously.

  “All I know is that it’s in Africa,” I said with a shrug. “Not sure where.”

  “You don’t even know the country?” Sophie asked.

  “Nope.”

  Sophie just stared at me as if she couldn’t quite believe her ears. I could practically see her fear increasing with each passing second.

  “Relax,” I said. “This happens all the time. Sometimes dig sites are in the middle of socially tumultuous countries. We aren’t always at liberty to know exactly where we’re going, but we’re always protected.”

  “Protected how?” Sophie asked.

  “It depends on the dig,” I said. “I’ve had Army escorts, Navy SEAL escorts, even some private security firms. We’ll know more when we get to the airport.”

  “So, there’s no plan in place?” Sophie asked. “We won’t know anything until we’re on the plane?”

  “Are you sure you want to come with me?” I asked. It never occurred to me that Sophie might change her mind. The way she was looking at me told me I should have at least considered the possibility.

  “I want to go,” Sophie said firmly. “I just want to make sure I’m going to make it back.”

  “Of course, you’ll make it back.” I laughed. “There’s really nothing to worry about.”

  “If you say so.”

  Sophie didn’t seem at all convinced, but she went into her room to pack without another word. Within an hour, we were climbing into the back of a rented town car and speeding through town. The airport wasn’t far from my house, but it felt like hours before we finally pulled out onto the tarmac.

  My nerves were jumpy, but they were nothing compared to Sophie’s. She barely spoke during the car ride, and when we reached the plane, I could see that her hands were trembling.

  “Hey,” I said softly. I took one of her hands in mine and squeezed. “You’re going to be fine. I’ve done this a thousand times. My father did it even more. Your father has done it. And we’ve all made it back in one piece.”

  Sophie squeezed my hand back and let me lead her onto the plane. By the time the plane took off, she was smiling nervously and gazing out the window.

  The flight was long and torturous. Neither Sophie nor I slept much. We were both too excited to get to Africa and see the dig site. Surprisingly, the closer we got, the less nervous Sophie seemed. Her fear turned slowly into excitement, and when we landed, she was practically jumping out of her seat.

  “I see you’re feeling better,” I said when we stepped off the plane. “Not so scared anymore?”

  “I embraced the terror,” Sophie said with a shrug.

  I laughed and nodded. She was unlike any woman I’d ever met. Not many people would have been able to focus their fear into excitement, but that was exactly what Sophie did.

  As we walked slowly across the tarmac, I scanned the area for a sign of someone in charge. Sophie and I both wanted to go straight to the dig site, but without an escort, that wasn’t an option. Finally, I saw three men in uniform approaching us from a distance.

  “Oh my god,” Sophie said under her breath. I glanced at her. Her eyes were narrowed, staring at the Navy SEALs walking our way.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked. “Not a big fan of uniforms?”

  “I know him,” Sophie said. She exhaled sharply and laughed to herself. “Sam!”

  Sophie jogged forward to meet the SEALs. I froze in place while Sophie threw her arms around the man in the middle. He was tall and built, his muscles bulging out of his uniform. His blonde hair was buzzed short, and his grey eyes were sharp when they met my face.

  I glared at him openly, not bothering to hide my animosity. I didn’t know who this guy was, but Sophie certainly did. She was giggling as Sam hugged her back, a soft smile spreading across his face.

  Finally, I pushed myself forward. I walked over to where they stood and cleared my throat. The other two Navy SEALs nodded at me, but I ignored them. I had eyes only for Sophie and this man named Sam.

  “I can’t believe you’re here,” Sophie said when Sam finally let her go. “How did this happen?”

  “Your dad, actually,” Sam said. “When he heard that you were coming here for a dig, he insisted I be your escort.”

  “Her dad doesn’t have that kind of sway,” I said.

  “No, but my boss does,” Sam said. “And he’s good friends with Rick.”

  I didn’t have a response, but my irritation was stronger than ever. From the way Sam grinned at me, he could tell I wasn’t happy about the situation.

  “So,” I said. “How do you two know each other?”

  “We went to high school together,” Sophie said.

  “And middle school,” Sam said with a laugh. “And elementary school.”

  “Ah,” I said. “Childhood friends.”

  “You could say that.” Sam looked down at Sophie with something familiar in his eyes. I felt my blood boil as I watched Sophie’s cheeks turn pink. There was obviously something romantic between them, but neither wanted to sa
y that out loud.

  “Well,” I said firmly. “We should get going. Sophie and I are both dying to see that dig site.”

  “Of course,” one of the other SEALs said. “I’m Parker, and this is Harrison. Obviously, you’ve met Sam. We’ll escort you to and from the dig site while you’re here.”

  “Thank you,” I said shortly.

  Parker nodded and led the way toward an armored vehicle. Harrison gathered mine and Sophie’s bags before he joined us. Sophie stayed close by Sam’s side, chattering away as we rode toward the site. By the time we arrived, I regretted inviting Sophie along.

  In my mind, I envisioned us experiencing something amazing together. Sophie had never once been outside of Maine. She told me how much she hated her lack of experience. I thought this would be the perfect chance to break her out of her bubble and show her the world. My hope was that she would feel grateful to me, that this trip would make her see me in a different light. Instead, I’d flown her straight into the arms of a past lover.

  We reached the dig site and quickly climbed out of the vehicle. Parker rattled off instructions to Sophie and me, but I barely heard him. The second I saw the site, my entire body clicked into place. I knew exactly what to do and how to do it. Being on a dig was something I did often and something I did well.

  I moved forward without a word and got to work. The people around me introduced themselves, and I smiled politely, saying my name so often that it lost all meaning. My eyes were trained on the artifacts that had already been uncovered. They were amazing and unique, unlike anything I’d ever seen before.

  “This is incredible.” Sophie’s voice was soft beside me. I jumped when I heard her, spinning around with a frown.

  “I didn’t know you were behind me,” I said.

  “Where else would I be?” Sophie asked.

  I just stared at her and then looked over her shoulder. Sam was standing on the edge of the dig site with his back to us. When I looked back at Sophie, she was frowning and waiting for my answer. I didn’t give it. I just turned back to the artifacts and began examining them in silence.

  Sophie stayed next to me throughout the day. She was mesmerized by everything around her. Her eyes never stopped scanning the area, taking in the artifacts and the dig itself.

  “I can’t believe I’m here,” she said softly, speaking more to herself than to me.

  “I’m glad you like it,” I said, trying to keep the annoyance out of my voice.

  No matter how far away Sam was from us, I still felt his presence like a brick in my chest. I hated him there, and I hated myself even more for bringing Sophie to him.

  “Are you okay?” Sophie asked later in the day.

  “I’m fine.” My voice was short. Clipped. Sophie dropped the subject, but she watched me closely, searching my face for some kind of an answer.

  “Are you two ready to go?” Sam called out. “The sun will be setting soon. We should really get you both back to the hotel.”

  Sophie nodded and hurried over to Sam. I followed slowly behind, not wanting to get too close to them. They immediately began chatting again, talking only to each other the entire ride to the hotel.

  “Thank you for bringing me,” Sophie said as we walked to our rooms. We’d said our goodbyes to Sam and the other SEALS, but my jealousy was still just as strong.

  “My pleasure.”

  “What’s going on with you?” Sophie asked.

  “What do you mean?” I didn’t look at her. I was afraid she would read my thoughts if I did.

  “You’re upset,” Sophie said. “You’ve been upset all day. Was the dig not what you expected?”

  “It was fine,” I said. “Just like every other dig.”

  “Then, what is it?” Sophie asked.

  I finally looked at her, my eyes locking on her deep green ones. My heart fluttered in my chest as we stared at each other. I wanted to tell her the truth, to admit that I hated seeing her flirt with another man. Instead, I just shook my head and looked at the floor.

  “We should get to our rooms,” I said. “Tomorrow will be an early day.”

  “Is it about Sam?” Sophie asked boldly.

  My eyes snapped up. She was staring at me, not unkindly, waiting for my answer. I didn’t want to lie to her, but I also didn’t want to admit the truth.

  “You’re jealous,” Sophie said, answering for me. “Of Sam.”

  “That’s ridiculous,” I snapped.

  “Is it?” Sophie raised her eyebrows. “Because I saw how irritated you were with him. I saw your face when I was talking to him on the tarmac.”

  “I’m not jealous.” We both knew it was a lie.

  “Well,” Sophie said. She took a step toward me. “If you were, I would tell you there’s nothing to be jealous of. Nothing at all.”

  “You two obviously dated,” I said.

  “We did,” Sophie said with a nod. “Years ago. When we were just kids. I haven’t even seen Sam since graduation.”

  “You could have fooled me,” I said.

  “We’re old friends,” Sophie said. She took another step toward me. “Nothing more.”

  “And what about us?” I asked. “Are we just friends?”

  Sophie didn’t answer. She was standing just inches away from me. I could count every single freckle on her nose. My stomach was tight with desire, and as I stared at her, I could feel my resolve fade to nothingness. Everything I’d felt for her over the past few days flooded to the surface, and suddenly, I had to kiss her.

  Our lips met, and I felt a fire erupt inside my chest. I grabbed her roughly around the waist and pulled her against me while our lips thrashed desperately against each other. Sophie sighed and sank into me, standing on her tiptoes to press her body against mine.

  When we broke apart, my entire body was flushed with need. Sophie was panting, still holding onto me tightly.

  “Let’s go inside,” I said hungrily.

  “I’m a virgin.” Sophie spat out the words as if she hated the taste. I could tell she was trying to get them out before she lost her nerve.

  Her eyes found mine, and I saw a wave of fear pass over her face. She thought those words would make me want her less, but they didn’t. If anything, I just wanted her more.

  Chapter 16

  Sophie

  “I’m a virgin.”

  The words were out before I could second-guess myself. Andrew deserved to know the truth before we lost ourselves in the moment. That kiss was hot and full of an intensity that took my breath away. When we broke apart, the world spun. My head felt like it was detached from my body. I could barely think. My heart pounded so hard inside my chest that I could hear it in my ears. If I didn’t tell him before he kissed me again, I knew I wouldn’t be able to.

  As I stared at his face, fear spread through me. I wondered if my confession would turn him off, if his desire for me would suddenly disappear. My mouth opened slightly. I struggled to find the words that would make him magically okay with my virginity. I couldn’t take the silence any longer.

  “Andrew.”

  Before I could formulate a full sentence, Andrew’s lips were on mine. He groaned and pulled me forward, our bodies colliding against each other like magnets. I moaned and opened my mouth wider. His tongue slid between my lips. I shivered, and another moan escaped my lips.

  Andrew twirled us around. His back was to the hotel room door. Without breaking the kiss, he stuck the key card in the door and kicked it open. It slammed against the inside wall with a loud thud. I knew our neighboring guests would hear, but I didn’t care. Nothing was real but Andrew’s lips on mine.

  He pulled me inside the room, his hands never leaving my waist. I tangled my fingers in his hair and pulled him harder against my body. Every inch of my skin was on fire. I was quickly losing the ability to breathe.

  With a gasp, I pulled away from Andrew’s lips. His eyes met mine, both the blue and the green darker than ever as he searched my face. No one had ever looked at me that
way before. There was so much unspoken need in his eyes that I couldn’t look away. I just stared at him, waiting for him to make the next move.

  “Are you okay with this?” he finally asked. His voice was low. Rough.

  I nodded and kissed him again. This kiss was lighter than the last. It was sweet and gentle. Andrew’s hands stroked my sides as he danced his lips softly over mine. I could tell he was holding himself back. He didn’t want to scare me. I smiled and pulled back just enough to speak.

  “I’m fine,” I whispered against his lips. “I want this.”

  Andrew groaned at my words and kissed me harder, his tongue desperately searching for mine. Our kiss deepened, but Andrew kept his movements slow. He pushed me backward until my legs hit the side of the bed. I stumbled slightly before he pulled me against his chest to steady me.

  When he pulled away, my lips were still begging for his touch. I leaned forward instinctually, silently begging him to kiss me again.

  “Wait,” he said. He took a small step back and slid his hands around to my stomach. With his eyes locked on mine, he lifted the hem of my shirt just an inch. He paused, waiting for me to either stop him or give my permission.

  I stared back at him and lifted my arms in the air. Andrew pulled my shirt over my head and tossed it to the floor, his eyes scanning my body hungrily.

  “That look is going to be the death of me,” I said.

  “What look?” Andrew’s eyes found mine again, and I felt my stomach flip. He wanted me just as much as I wanted him.

  “That one.”

  We crashed into each other. Andrew’s strong hands stroked my skin as he frantically unhooked my bra. I grabbed at his shirt, pulling on the hem until Andrew ripped himself away from me to undress himself. Neither of us could wait another second.

  While Andrew stripped down to his boxers, I slowly unbuttoned my jeans with trembling fingers. I wanted to be with him. I wanted this to happen, and yet, my nerves were undeniable. Andrew saw my hands shake and put his own over my fingers. His eyes never left my face as he pulled my pants down slowly, letting me step out of them when I was ready.