A chuckle rumbles out of me. "You are a strange lass, but I like that. One minute, you're ravishing me on the green. The next, you're too shy to let me see you naked. And you're suddenly afraid you can't restrain your lust if I sleep in the nude."
"Thank you for the recap, but I remember all of that without you telling me."
Her lips have taken on a teasing slant, so I know she isn't fashed. The lass did seem genuinely surprised when I stripped. I imagine that's because she still hasn't quite reconciled her all-business attitude with her lust for me. I can wait until she's ready. Besides, I told the truth when I said I'm too tired for sex right now.
We arrive in Flagstaff in the early morning, local time, though for me it's more like afternoon. I'd wager Ashley will suffer more jet lag than I will since she flew from America to Scotland, then back again. As we step out of the jet, heading down the stairs, I spot an SUV parked aways off. A man gets out of the vehicle just as Ashley and I step onto the tarmac. He saunters toward us, and we meet halfway.
My cousin dresses like a hermit who lives alone in the woods, and that's because he is a hermit. His bushy beard and bushy hair must chase away a lot of lasses, but I don't know if he cares about that. Today, he seems to have put on his Sunday best, because his khaki trousers and olive green T-shirt seem almost new, not like he's worn them for two months straight.
"Munro," I say, smiling as I grab his hand to shake it. "Haven't seen you in ages. Glad you're coming with us on this expedition."
"You're a bampot, Errol. We'll be lucky to get out of this alive." Munro clamps his hand around my wrist, pulling me toward him. His voice drops to a harsh whisper. "If ye get me killed, I'm coming back from the grave to skelp ye myself."
"No one will die. That's why we've got you." I slap his arm. "You're the world's greatest river guide."
"Still spouting rubbish, I see." Munro releases me and looks at Ashley. His mouth curves into a smile that I do not appreciate at all. "Who is this bonnie lass?"
"Ashley Hartman. I told you about her."
"Oh, aye. But you didn't mention she's a Renaissance painting come to life." Munro moves toward Ashley and sandwiches her hand between both of his. "It's a pleasure to meet ye, lass. How much are you paying Errol to go on this hunt for a myth?"
"Our business arrangement is private. Wouldn't you rather know how much I'll payyou?"
"My rates are nonnegotiable. Ten thousand dollars upfront, then forty percent of whatever hoard we find. If there is no hoard, you pay me an extra ten thousand dollars."
"That's outrageous," I say, as I insert myself between Munro and Ashley. My proximity forces him to release her hand. "When did you become a con artist? Twenty thousand dollars for a trip through the Grand Canyon? It's bollocks."
"It's what I'm worth."
Ashley pushes me aside. "Now-now, boys. This is my expedition, and you both work for me. That means I set the rates. If you can't handle that, Munro, then I say thank you and please go on your way."
"What do you think I'm worth?" Munro asks.
Ashley waves for him to follow her as she walks away. When I try to follow, she shakes her head at me. I stand here on the tarmac, alone, wondering what the bloody hell those two are discussing. Rates? Rubbish. Munro is trying it on with Ashley, and she's too naive to notice.
But Ashley isn't naive. She's clever. So she must realize Munro is trying to fleece her with his mountain-man charm. He looks like a ruddy grizzly bear to me, but women seem to like that. Magnus never had trouble finding women to bed. I suppose I should stop shaving and let my hair grow out, then start growling at women. Apparently, lasses like that more than big muscles.
I am not jealous.
Ashley strides back to me. "Let's go. Munro has arranged for transportation for us, though he won't say exactly what it is. We'll begin our journey just north of Vasey's Paradise."
"How much are you paying Munro?"
"Your cousin doesn't want you to know. Since I won't tell him how much I'm paying you, I see no reason why he must share with you the details of my agreement with him."
She's right, and I'm an erse. But I can't help feeling a wee bit…left out. Munro and Ashley got on immediately, but she and I needed months before we could speak to each other without one of us getting angry. All right, it was me who kept doing that. I've grown as a person since then.
I follow Ashley and Munro across the tarmac to a large hangar that houses a private jet. Just in front of the hangar, I note several small planes and a helicopter. "Munro, are we flying to the canyon?"
"Aye." He veers away from the planes. "By helicopter."
"What?" Ashley says, almost shrieking. "No, I can't do that. No, no, no. All that swerving and all those sharp turns. What if we crash? Do you even know how to fly a helicopter, Munro?"
"No, and Errol can't fly one of these beauties either. So I've hired a pilot." He halts a short distance from the helicopter and squints at her. "Do you have a fear of flying?"
"No, I came here on an airplane. But helicopters are…different. What if one of us falls out?"
My cousin groans, with a hint of growling too. "No one will fall out. Errol didnae warn me his partner is afraid of flying."