Raiders of the Lost Heart(60)

It would be a small price to pay considering the huge price these artifacts were going to fetch. And now that they were back to focusing, and now that they had a wager going, things were going to move a lot faster on the dig. Which only made the time waiting for those damn condoms to arrive excruciatingly long.

The whole crew seemed to be ready to go home. They even volunteered to work through the weekend. Though it might have been that everyone was eager once they uncovered an old grinding stone in the adobe house. It had been their first big find on the dig. It would definitely score Ford a few extra thousand in bonus money. Not the million-dollar reward he’d been promised for the tecpatl or the million-and-a-half-dollar reward if they found any skeletal remains, but with the luck they’d had, Ford would take whatever he could get.

But when they found a bowl and small hand-carved chest the next day, Ford’s skepticism all but vanished. At the pace they were working, it would only be a matter of days before they’d uncover the rest of it.

Everyone had been so excited they’d celebrated that evening with a toast. And he and Corrie had enjoyed a private celebration later that night, complete with cunnilingus, blow jobs, and the best titty fuck he’d ever had.

Once Monday rolled around—supply drop day—he’d stopped fixating on the inevitable. Fixating on whether she’d be disappointed after the wait. Sure, every night for the last five days they’d met in his tent late at night. She kept coming back, which must mean something. Though Ford couldn’t help but notice she never stayed. Sure, they’d agreed to keep what was going on between them a secret. The last thing they needed was for everyone to gossip about it, or for the investor to find out and question whether Ford was taking the dig seriously. And it was obvious that Corrie in particular was concerned about her reputation, which made sense given everything she’d told him about the rumors that had followed her over the years. But it would have been nice if she wasn’t always in such a rush to get back to her own tent after they fooled around.

It would have been nice if every now and then she wanted to stay and talk. Or cuddle. Or sleep beside him.

But she was the boss. Her rules. Her orders. So whenever she got up to put her clothes on and leave, and that little ache of wanting her to stay stabbed Ford in the side, he didn’t say anything. He let her go without so much as a second glance. Leaving him alone in his bed and alone with his thoughts.

Thoughts about what would happen after all this was over. What would happen with Corrie. What would happen with his mother. Whether any of this was really worth it.

He glanced over at Corrie as they all walked to the camp after a long day at the site. Her smile warmed his heart. The smile that she gave only to him. She smiled at others, but never like that. Never with that slight blush in her cheeks, or the nibble on her lower lip. It made him hopeful.

Yes. She was worth it. Was it terrible that he’d rather stay in the jungle with Corrie forever than go back to his life in New Haven? Did that make him a horrible son?

He shook the thought away, already suffering from enough guilt after missing his mom’s call last Friday since they’d worked later than normal before a weekend.

Yep, he was a terrible son.

The sentiment was confirmed the moment they walked into camp and his cock started to stiffen upon seeing the supply crates. You’re going to hell, Ford.

“Dr. Matthews,” Agnes called out, waving him over once they returned, “Come here, please.” The tone in her voice was firm and slightly perturbed.

Okay . . . weird . . .

Agnes stood with one of the delivery guys, Federico. Usually Federico dropped off the supplies with Agnes when they were still in the field, and Agnes would start sorting things before they got back. They never needed to wait for Ford to sign off on anything.

He jogged over to the two of them, Federico clutching a clipboard as if his life depended on not handing it over to Agnes.

“What’s the problem?” Ford asked.

“Oh, for some reason Federico here decided that you are the only one who can sign for the supplies this time. Even though I’ve signed for it the last dozen times,” she said, glowering at Federico.

Federico leaned in and whispered, “I’ve got that special thing you asked for.”

And with the worst timing possible, Corrie walked by. Federico’s gaze traveled over in her direction, gave her a quick once-over, then turned back to Ford with a sly eye and a smirk. The reason behind asking for that special thing wasn’t lost on him. At least Federico knew better than to say anything about it. But that didn’t stop Ford from blushing, his ears radiating with heat.

“They’re in this crate,” Federico said pointing to a smaller wooden box next to him. Thankfully small enough for Ford to carry alone and take to his tent.

“Great. Thanks,” Ford said, signing the order acceptance and handing the clipboard back to him.

“Have fun.”

Oh, Ford planned to have fun. Lots of it. Hence why he’d ordered a box rather than just a packet of condoms.

Under Agnes’s watchful eye, he took the crate to his tent as the others unpacked the rest of the supplies. Once in his room, he hid the box in the trunk at the foot of his bed, with a few individual condoms tucked in the drawer in the side table for easy access. Soon, once everyone else was asleep, Corrie would be in his tent, between his sheets, and, finally, he’d be inside her. All he had to do was get through dinner and the typical evening hangouts.