MM01 - Valley of Fire Read Online Free PDF Page A

She was a born teacher. It showed in the way her eyes lit up when she talked, the way her arms moved to encompass the valley, the animated lilt of her voice.
    He smiled. For the moment, Martha Ann Riley had forgotten she was supposed to be a wealthy aloof married woman. He liked the real Martha Ann.
    “How far are we from Las Vegas?”
    “About fifty miles.” Martha Ann lifted her face toward the sky. “It will be dark soon. We'd be foolish to try to walk out of the desert at night.”
    “I agree. We can surely find a shelter around here.”
    “Perferably one that isn't already occupied by a sidewinder.”
    “There are other things I'd rather cuddle up to.”
    Martha Ann thought of the cold desert night ahead with no blankets and no sleeping bags. She'd have only Rick McGill to keep her warm. As she watched him striding up the canyon, checking for a likely spot to sleep, she had plenty of time to fully appreciate her companion. He was lean and rangy and powerful. She'd be willing to bet that the kisses they'd exchanged were just a mere taste of the raw power of the man.
    Unconsciously she shivered. It was going to be a long night.
     o0o
    Before they decided on a spot to camp, they dined on beans from the catclaw acacia. Water was no problem since the Valley of Fire was a tourist attraction, complete with water hydrants. It took them a while to find one, but when they did, they drank their fill.
    “Martha Ann, if I have to be stranded in the desert, I'm glad it's with you. “ Rick polished off the last of his beans hungrily. “Who would have thought that a woman who doesn't have a worry in the world except the price of her next diamond would know what to eat in a desert?”
    Was he teasing her, she wondered. He was laughing, but the look he gave her was a little too shrewd to be that of a man who believed everything he heard. She'd have to be more careful.
    “Even rich people had to grow up somewhere. I suppose it's just a lucky coincidence that we crashed in my old stomping ground.”
    “Not so lucky.” He got a faraway look in his dark eyes. “It never should have happened.”
    “How did it happen, Rick?”
    “A faulty fuel line leaking gasoline. The plane is thoroughly checked out before I fly, of course. Apparently the problem escaped detection. I'm sorry it happened, but it was no one's fault.”
    “You did an outstanding job of landing that crippled plane and keeping us from getting killed. I'm not placing blame.”
    “I know that, but you are certainly due an explanation. After all, you are paying me to take care of you.”
    “Not to take care of me. I can do that myself. I'm paying you for backup.”
    “Ah, yes. Backup.” His dark eyes were twinkling again. “A lot of things can come under that heading, can't they?”
    “Not the kind of things you're thinking about.” She hitched up her jeans and stomped away from him.
    “And how would you know what I'm thinking about, Mrs. O'Grady?”
    Hands on her hips, she whirled back around and faced him. “Because you're a scoundrel, Mr. McGill.”
    “And we've already proven that you're no lady. That makes us quite a team.”
    “That makes us nothing. We're merely two people doing business who had the misfortune to be stranded together in the desert.”
    “We'll see.” He rose from his seat on a rock and brushed off his jeans. “Are you going with me to look for a place to sleep, or do you plan to stand on that rock and pose for the rest of the evening?”
    “I'm not posing.”
    “Yes, you are. And you do it so well.” He stalked her and caught her by the arms. Her eyes went wide. “Don't worry. I'm not going to kiss you again.”
    “I'm not worried about that. I'm a married woman.”
    He grinned. “I don't need to be reminded. Do you?”
    “You're positively the most arrogant, insufferable man I've ever met. For two cents I'd leave you stranded in the desert.”
    “Then how would you find your husband?” He tucked her hand through his arm