Wedding His Takeover Target by Emilie Rose Read Free Book Online Page A

tunnel and a repertoire of ghost stories to get women these days.”
    She folded her arms. “And yet here we are. I had given you points for originality with your hearty picnic, but now you tell me this is your old tried-and-true seduction routine?”
    Guilty. “This is my favorite place. I wanted to share it with you. Put on your gloves and let me show you a bit of history—your history. Our history.”
    Shifting on her feet, she looked back down the trail, blew out a frosty breath, then snatched up her gloves. “Make it quick.”
    If she was half as curious as he hoped she’d be, “quick” wouldn’t be an option. He still had a lot to learn about his wife-to-be, and the only way to figure out if the old man had hoodwinked him into agreeing to marry a nut-job was to spend time with Sabrina. “Follow me.”
    He stepped into the adit running horizontally into the side of the mountain and lit the kerosene lantern he kept inside the portal. “Once in a while we get a few bats, but they shouldn’t bother you.”
    She flashed a startled glance at him. “That better not be a cheap trick to get your hands on me again.”
    Give her points for intelligence. He hid a grin by ducking under a crossbeam. “Guess you’ll have to figure that out yourself. Stick close and watch your head. It’s a small mine, but I don’t want you to get lost.”
    â€œGee, thanks. Should I drop bread crumbs?”
    â€œNot unless you want wildlife to come looking for you.”
    She gasped and hung back.
    â€œI’ll take care of you, Sabrina. Come on.”
    He was used to the deep shadows cast by the lantern, but she wasn’t. Every now and then she jumped and hustled closer to him.
    She paused at the first ventilation shaft, looked up into the dark hole and then down and stomped her foot. “I didn’t expect a wooden floor.”
    â€œA solid surface makes rolling the ore cart out easier. The boards have held up well because it’s dry and cool in here. If you’ve toured larger mines then you know most have tracks, but this was a one-man operation for the most part, although my great-great-grandfather must have had help setting the supports.”
    She eyed the square-set timbers warily. “How safe are the supports?”
    He heard the apprehension in her voice and stopped, making her jerk to a halt just short of colliding with him. The small circle of light forced an intimacy between them. She stared up at him with dilated pupils and parted lips, and the need to kiss her again seized him. With the taste of her still fresh on his mind and mouth, it was difficult to remember to take it slow rather than act on his desires and risk scaring her.
    He suppressed the hunger. “I spent countless hours in here as a kid and more as an experienced engineer. The mine is as safe as any mine can be. There are always risks when you’re underground.”
    â€œThere you go trying to scare me again.”
    â€œRelax. Short of an earthquake—which is unlikely—you’re safe. I’ve been in here several times since returning home and checked to make sure there aren’t any unwelcome visitors hibernating.” He hadn’t intended that to be a cheap shot, but she startled and shuffled closer.
    She scowled. “Cut it out. But I’m warning you, GavinJarrod, if there are any bears or fanged creatures, I’m pushing you into them and running for it while they feast on you.”
    â€œThanks for the heads-up.” Her feisty attitude would definitely make their relationship interesting. He led her toward the mine’s newest section. “Some mines have steep drops or winzes that go straight down. Our ancestors kept the tunnels relatively level, but there are plenty of drifts to explore.”
    â€œDrifts?”
    â€œDead-end tunnels. The one where your grandfather left his mark is ahead on your right.” He