Melody's Six

CHAPTER8

Mel’s tension eased,her pesky self-doubts fading as they approached the Garden of the Gods. She’d sent her text message updates and now she was ready to move. She needed action, needed to get back to business and stop wallowing in her own head over Atwell.

And Dean too. There seemed to be an extra spark each time they touched, a new layer of meaning in every word. That kiss had messed her up and if she didn’t reclaim some self-control, she’d mess up this protection detail.

It helped that Beck and the team were working behind the scenes, digging into exactly how Atwell managed to make it to Colorado undetected. Spalding had to have been involved in that transition. Mel would bet good money the studio suspected some kind of unflattering, bad publicity connection between the two men.

“I don’t think we’re out here to keep the scouting crew safe,” she mused. “Somehow the studio got wind that Atwell isn’t who he claims to be.”

“Okay. Not disagreeing here, but what made that click into place for you?”

“Dale. Listening to him while you were working the drone earlier, it was obvious filmmaking isn’t his first career choice.”

“Military experience?” Dean wondered.

“Probably. Maybe he was a cop for a while. I’d bet he was a good one.”

“You think he’s a mole for the studio?”

She shrugged a shoulder. “We’ve definitely run across stranger things.”

Dean’s only reply was a low grunt of agreement as he turned into the park entrance.

Mel smiled at the first sight of the giant red rocks peeking between the breaks in the trees, reaching for the sky. It was a gorgeous day for hiking through the park and she was looking forward to it, especially since it would only be the two of them and Spalding’s team. Though she was convinced Atwell wouldn’t figure out who she’d been, the less time around him the better.

A registered natural landmark, she considered the Garden of the Gods a local treasure as well as a miracle of nature. There were always events and activities going on within the park and the surrounding community. Beck and Cygny had joined Mel for a couple of the 5k fun runs held each week. And together they’d convinced Fay and Victoria to join them once when they all had time between assignments.

Mel’s next goal was to get up her nerve for the rock-climbing opportunities. It would be nice to do that with a friend, too. Dean would be her first choice. For accountability, not just because she suddenly wanted to spend more time with him. “Do you like rock climbing? I should know this, but it occurs to me that I don’t.”

Dean pulled the truck into a parking space and cut the engine. “I can hold my own when it’s required, but it’s not my favorite hobby. If you want lessons, you should talk to Max.”

One of the Brotherhood Protectors with Jake’s team at the Lost Valley Ranch, Max was also married to JoJo, RJ’s best friend. “That’s a good idea. I’ll do that.” Eventually. Max would know the best areas around the ranch for a newbie climber to get acclimated. Although she’d rather tackle any and all new challenges with Dean at her side, if he wasn’t into it, she wouldn’t push him.

Her clinginess where Dean was concerned bugged her. She shoved her feet into her good hiking boots with a little more force than necessary while he made sure both drones had fresh battery packs. She was letting that kiss twist her up way too much. It wasn’t complicated. Yes, that particular moment had been a thousand times hotter than any of their other fake kisses. And ten-thousand times hotter than any of her dates in the last few years. So what? She couldn’t let one kiss change everything. He was her partner and one of her closest friends. If she shared any of the random thoughts she’d had since that lip-lock, Dean—king of no commitments—would run away screaming. They were on an assignment, one with an unexpected twist that demanded she bring her A-game.

Spalding approached and Mel’s gaze swept over him. The multi-pocketed jacket he wore looked well-used, but the boots had that brand-new, never-been-worn glow. Within an hour, the man would be miserable. She caught Dean’s gaze and tipped her head slightly. He immediately understood, giving a nearly-imperceptible shake of his head in response.

“You might be more comfortable in your cross-trainers,” Mel suggested to the director. “Using new boots on these trails is a recipe for pain.”

Spalding glanced down at his feet and did a little shuffle. “I’m good. Not as new at this as the boots would imply. Custom liners, and thick socks. Plus, Lacy worked her magic for all of us. Both teams will have a Jeep and a driver so we’re sure to get all the views we need and no fear of blisters.”

Mel had no idea Spalding was capable of such an easy conversation. “Well, that sounds great.” Mel turned to help Dean take the equipment out of the truck bed. Together they tested the cameras and attached viewing screens to their individual controllers for self-sufficiency.

Lucy joined them. “Everything okay?”

“We’re all set,” Mel replied.

“Good.” Lacy beamed. “We’ll work with the drones for a few hours and then meet at the cafe for lunch to compare notes. That should give us plenty of daylight in case Mr. Spalding needs additional views.”

She noticed the hard set of Dean’s jaw and couldn’t blame him. They operated together, though they were both quite capable on their own when necessary. This was one of those necessary moments.

The group entered the park and met up with their driver-guides at the activity desk. Lacy split them into two units and Mel felt more than a little relief that she was paired with Spalding, along with Lacy and Dale. Despite Dean’s professionalism, she worried that his edgy mood would soon having him clashing with the director.

Going up on her toes, she kissed Dean soundly on the lips. “Have a good day, sweetheart.”

“You too,” he replied, brushing another kiss to her cheek. His eyes blazed with emotion. “See you soon. Be safe.”

“Always.” Mel stepped back, trying to hide her body’s sizzling response to him. With an effort, she focused instead on his warning and did her best to silently reassure him she wouldn’t be a sitting duck.

The driver for Mel’s unit was a lean, college-aged kid with sandy hair and a wide smile. He introduced himself as Keith and then the cool composure cracked. He gushed over Spalding, the movies he loved and the impact they’d had on his young life.

Lacy gently intervened, diverting Keith back to the task at hand. The kid verified their drone-flight permits and suggested they go to the furthest point out and work their way back. Once they were in the Jeep and buckled up, he gave them a bit of his tour guide spiel, and answered Lacy and Dale’s many questions during the drive.