Gunshots waken Ian Tunbridge, an assistant curator of classical antiquities at the British Museum, on his first day on a dig in California. The only way to save his life is to run for it, but luck is not on his side. At least, not until he meets Lucas Arpini, the brash American photographer who seems to have some sort of clue what’s going on. Together, they’re supposed to be the tools in finding an artifact nobody believes is real -- nobody, that is, except Lucas and the man kidnaps them both.<br><br>Ian doesn’t know what to believe. His colleagues are dead, he’s injured, and he has no choice but to put his faith in a gorgeous stranger. Their escape should lead them straight to the police, but when Lucas shows him pieces of the puzzle they were meant to solve, Ian is too intrigued to walk away. He wants to solve the riddle as badly as Lucas does.<br><br>Unfortunately, they aren’t the only ones ...

Riddle Me Wicked

“Just how long do you think this is going to take us?” he asked.


“Weren’t you the one who said something about always being prepared? I’m merely following your lead.”


“I think you took my lead and tore off into the next county with it.”


When Lucas circled behind Ian to return to the other bed, Ian caught his arm. “I don’t want to let you down.” He’d done a lot of thinking while he’d been out. “You’ve risked quite a bit for this, and I’ve been behaving like a right prat. You deserve better.”


The crooked smile that came as a response was more than endearing. It made Ian’s belly flip-flop in ways he knew it shouldn’t but couldn’t find the fortitude to stop. “Funny. That’s what I’ve been thinking about you. I should apologize—”


“No. Don’t.” Ian didn’t want his apology. He thought if he heard it, it would ruin what he’d hoped to start building. “Because you were right. And I overreacted. I’m not accustomed to men quite as…bold as you.”


Chapter 33