Nobody's Lost (Rescue Me Saga #5)(16)

She came back smiling. “Thanks for stopping. This is one of my favorite places to shoot, but I’ve never seen the colors more vivid than today.”

Megan placed a kiss on his cheek and picked up her helmet. The skin where she’d kissed him burned to life, and he rubbed it when she wasn’t looking, trying to disperse whatever strange kinetic energy had been in the simple press of her lips.

Before he put his own helmet on again, she leaned close to his ear and whispered, “My brother’s bike rides well, but I love the rumble and vibration of your Harley.”

His groin tightened at her husky voice and the suggestion in her words. But she didn’t mean them the way he interpreted them.

Focus, man. “We’ll head up Highway 4 a bit and then take the Gilman Camp Loop. You’re going to get some great photos up there.”

Seeing some of his favorite places through her eyes energized him like nothing had in a long while. He rolled the throttle and eased into traffic then gunned the engine as he raced to the turnoff. Daylight was fleeting. He wanted to be sure she had all the time she needed to take photos of the tunnels, mountains, and Rio Guadalupe.

They weren’t far from his place, but it would be dark soon. Hold on! He hadn’t planned on taking her there anyway. He sighed. No, tonight they would return to that boxy condo in the city.

Live in the moment. He didn’t want to think about going back yet.

The time he’d spent with Carlos at his grandmother’s had taught him a lot about that philosophy. Forget the past. Stop worrying about the future.

Sometimes easier said than done.

*

Megan watched the gorgeous scenery fly by as they rode up the winding mountain road. She’d heard of the tunnels and this old logging road, but had never ventured out here. Usually she was on her way to Bandelier or some other site and didn’t stop.

The evergreens against the deep red earth stole her breath away, but the sky mesmerized her. Every now and then, she caught a glimpse of a river down below as they climbed the narrow road. When he slowed down and eventually cut off the engine, she removed her helmet and peeked around him to see a tunnel. She’d always enjoyed taking photographs through windows and tunnels. They made great frames for the view that lay beyond.

Ryder was sweet to accommodate her need to grab her camera and take photos. She hoped they turned out well enough to sell as prints in a gallery.

“After you take some shots here, we can ride up to the next tunnel where there’s some interesting road art you might like to see.”

“Absolutely! I’d rather stretch my legs.”

She started but soon felt him tug at her arm, slowing her down. “You walk at a city pace.”

“Guilty as charged. Grew up in Chicago.”

She started up the hill through the first tunnel again, and soon he grabbed her hand forcing her to match his pace. “It’s not a race. Time to slow down and smell the roses.”

The heat from his hand made her palm tingle, but she ignored it and forced herself to focus on the speed of her steps. She looked ahead, not finding much of interest in the darkened tunnel.

Until Ryder stopped.

“What is it?”

She saw him looking at the wall of the tunnel at some faded graffiti. He pointed to the initials RW. “I’ve been coming here since I was sixteen. Left my mark all those years ago.”

“What, no girlfriend you were in love with?”

He shook his head. “No. She came along when I was seventeen.”

“Your ex?”

He nodded.

“High-school sweethearts. I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”

Ryder shrugged. “A lot of my buddies had marriages fail. Military spouses become used to living on their own and handling things without you. Hard for them to make the adjustment to share responsibilities when you come home.” He stared at his initials on the tunnel wall.

Megan wondered if that was the only issue they struggled with, but it was none of her business. She squeezed his hand, pulling him back to her.

“Show me what you were talking about on the other side of the tunnel.”

“It’s after the next one.” He began walking again, and she held onto his hand. Anyone happening upon them would think they were a couple.

Would Patrick and Adam approve if she got involved with a fellow Marine?

Whoa. Who said anything about a relationship? You only met him a day ago.

“You seem lost in thought.”

She shrugged. No way did she intend to tell him her real thoughts. “Just thinking about my overprotective brothers.”

“Why didn’t you get to know Adam growing up?”

“Long story. He ran away at sixteen when…well, his dad died, and Mom married my dad and moved to Chicago from Minneapolis. Took decades for her and Adam to find each other again, in part because Adam changed his last name to her maiden name, Montague. Their reunion happened last Thanksgiving. But I had heard about my wonderful, missing older brother my whole life. He was larger than life to me.”

“He is larger than life. Best there is.”

She smiled. “Thanks. I’m kind of fond of him, too. What was he like to serve under?”

“Stern, but fair. I knew him before his wife died. He changed a lot after he lost her.”

“I don’t think he ever expected to find love again.”