“And that light dusting of dark hair on your chest is very attractive.”
He made a sound like a growl. “Nera.”
She couldn’t control her smile. This was kind of fun. “You started it.”
He opened his mouth to respond, but suddenly the ground started shaking.
“Earthquake!” he shouted.
Nera lost her footing. She didn’t panic, even as adrenaline surged into her system. She rode the beam down to the pointwhere it was sheared off, then leaped out into the air. She hung there for a second, could hear Niklas cursing.
She grabbed another beam, her fingers curling around the length of metal. She swung around the beam like a space circus performer, and ended up with her hips pressed to the beam.
But the shaking continued. She wasn’t going to be able to hold on. She slid off, dangling from one hand. Her tenuous grip was slipping.
She looked down and saw Niklas running toward her. A huge metal beam crashed to the sand, just missing him.
Her fingers slipped even more. She’d probably survive the drop…but it would hurt. And she’d break a few things.
Nera fumbled for her grappler, the trusty tool of every treasure hunter. She snatched the device off her belt.
Her fingers slipped off the beam and she fell.
“Nera!”
She blocked out Niklas’ shout. She aimed the grappler, focusing on the sturdy beam far above her head. She shot the grappling line.
The thin, ultra-strong line whizzed out with a quiet ticking noise. She kept falling, the ground rushing closer.
Then the grappler hook hit the beam.
Her fall was stopped with a sharp jerk. She hung there for a second, then the grappler retracted and she zoomed upward.
Once she pulled herself safely onto the beam, she sat there for a second to catch her breath.
Belatedly, she noticed the earthquake had stopped.
Niklas stood below, his face stark, his hands on his hips. “You okay?”
She nodded.
“Come down. Now.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. He didn’t often put on that autocratic, bossy tone, and it should grate on her. She wouldnevertake orders from anyone ever again. But somehow, with him, it was different.
She shimmied down the beam, walked across another, and then when she was low enough, she jumped down to the black sand.
In an instant, strong arms engulfed her, yanking her to his hard chest. Her face was pressed against his shirt.
“Don’t do that again.” His voice was raspy.
“I am not responsible for an earthquake, Niklas.”
“Just… Be quiet. Let me hold you.”
So she did. Because he seemed to need it. She let herself relax into the solid warmth of him. She liked it. Most of all, she liked the fact that he cared whether or not she lived or died.
Yelling from the bottom of the dune had them pulling apart.
