Free Wilde One by Jannine Gallant

good reasons to continue with the quest—but at our own pace.”
    “In that case…” She stabbed a finger at the map. “Have you ever been to Manassas?”
    “Can’t say I have. What’s in Manassas?”
    “The Battle of Bull Run. It’s not much of a detour off the interstate.”
    He glanced over. “Uh, refresh my memory. Which state are we talking about?”
    “Virginia. What did you do in your high school American history class?
    “Napped. I think it was first period.”
    She rolled her eyes. “You sound like the majority of my students. It’s hard for teachers to stay motivated when the kids don’t care.”
    “In that case, we’ll renew your enthusiasm by getting up close and personal with the past.”
    She leaned back against the seat and eyed him as he tapped the steering wheel and sang the chorus to “Satisfaction.” If she wasn’t careful, she’d get very attached to Griff’s company. As even-tempered as he was, she had a hard time believing he wasn’t married—or at least claimed by a woman somewhere.
    “You ever been married?”
    He shot her a quick glance before focusing on the big rig he was passing. “Nope. You?”
    She shook her head. “No. Why not? You’re easy to get along with and not exactly hard on the eyes.”
    “I could say the same for you, and now that I know you aren’t as young as I thought…”
    When he didn’t continue, she let out a sigh. “I’ve had a couple of long-term relationships, but they fizzled before the engagement stage. We were talking about you. What’s your excuse for being single at the advanced age of…thirty-something?”
    “Two. I’m thirty-two, which isn’t exactly ready for a retirement home.” He shrugged. “I’m not in the market for a serious relationship.” His eyes darkened. “Casual works better for me. Anyway, most women run in horror when I mention I live on a boat for months at a time.”
    “Hmm, I guess I could understand that. You actually live on the boat?”
    “Depends on how near to shore the wreck we’re working is located. If it’s close, we generally rent rooms. For anything further out, we bunk on the boat.”
    “Must be fun” —she waved a hand— “going wherever the mood strikes to dive for gold doubloons and priceless artifacts.”
    “There is the matter of extensive research to find a likely location and sometimes waiting days or even weeks for conditions to be right. Not to mention hours and hours of tedious dives searching for some sign we’re in the correct spot.”
    “You make it sound so glamorous.”
    He grinned. “ Then we bring up the gold. That’s the fun part.”
    “I bet.” She pushed her hair behind one shoulder as the wind whipped it in her face. “Other than the fact that I tend to burn rather than tan, hanging out on a boat doesn’t sound so bad.”
    “I like it, but then I try to enjoy everything I do.”
    They cruised along in silence for several minutes before she switched to a new topic. The desire to get to know him better kept the questions flowing. “Tell me about your family. You mentioned you have brothers?”
    “Two, both younger, and one sister. Eden’s the baby at twenty-six. Sawyer’s second in line, only a year younger than me. He spends winters on the ranch carving these little gnomes.” Griff rolled his eyes. “For some reason, people pay a fortune for them. Then in the summer, he’s a rafting guide operating his own company.”
    “A what?”
    “Rafting guide. He organizes whitewater raft trips on some of the most challenging rivers in the west. The ones with class four and five rapids. No leisurely float down a river drinking beer when you sign on with Sawyer. His customers are looking for a thrill.”
    “Insane.”
    “Oh, I don’t know about that. Shooting through rapids is exhilarating.” A smile lit his face. “Then there’s Tripp. He’s twenty-nine like you. An extreme skier. If you’ve ever watched one of those movies where guys ski off cliffs in