Along with Claim Time for Love, Book 2 in the Forward in Time Series

Paleontologist Liz Hamilton has made the find of a lifetime, but so has Mike Edmonds, who excavates dinosaurs for profit. Liz is attracted to Mike, but she’s been taught to despise his ethics. As they battle over control of the bones, Liz discovers Mike’s a complicated man and as she digs below his surface, she is surprised to find she is falling in love.

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EXCERPT

Liz stomped on the breaks. Ahead of her the road was gone. In its place was a gash where rushing water had torn through the countryside. As she opened her door and slipped out of the pickup, she saw that Mike had also emerged from his vehicle to inspect the damage.

When she came up beside him, he flicked her a glance. “We’ll have to detour around. There’s no way we can cross this.”

He was right. As she scrutinized the newly exposed area, something caught her eye. She ran to the edge of the gully.

Mike tore after her. “Careful!” He grabbed her arm to keep her from doing a header into the pit.

But she had already stopped. “We have to find a way to get down in there.”

“I guess we do.” Mike sounded as elated as she felt.

The flash flood had washed away dirt and gravel, exposing the rock beneath. From where they stood an ancient bone, preserved in stone, was clearly visible. And it wasn’t alone. This had all the earmarks of a major dinosaur find.

But was it on Federal land, or private?

Mike Edmonds looked down at her. His grin was cocky. “Shall we go take a closer look?”

She was on the move before he was.

They found a spot where the slope looked reasonably stable and where they could scramble down into the gully. Before they set off, though, Mike scrutinized the scene through narrowed eyes. “No sense in going down twice. I’ll get my tools from the truck. Wait here.”

Liz frowned. “Like giving orders, do you, Edmonds?”

He raised his eyebrows. “I need to document the find. I don’t want to deal with a female with a broken ankle instead.”

“We,” she said.

Amusement leapt into his eyes. “We’re on my side of the boundary, lady. My find.”

Mike Edmonds was seriously ruffling her temper. She didn’t know the details of his agreement with the old rancher who owned this land, but she knew that if even part of the bonebed was on Federal land, she had the right to work it and she wasn’t about to give in to pushy male.

So she said in her most professional way, “The actual location will have to be confirmed by GPS coordinates. Until it is, and even after, I believe I have a role to play in the excavation of this creature.”

He looked down at her. “Do you now? And what would that be?”

“We excavate as equal associates. We document the find together and we publish together.” Liz knew that what she was demanding was extraordinary. She didn’t expect him to cave easily and he didn’t.

“First let’s find out big this thing is and exactly where it is.”

Her turn to raise her brows. She added an expression she hoped was professionally neutral, but when anger flashed in his eyes, she figured she’d actually achieved disdainful. Not good for a working relationship.

Despite the temper lurking in his eyes, he managed to keep his tone even. “I’m going to get my tools.” He paused, apparently wrestling with himself. “Pleasedon’t go down into the rift until I’m back.”

She’d put a foot wrong and he was trying. She nodded. “Okay.”

He cast her one last smoldering look, then he turned and headed back to the truck.

She watched him for a minute, enjoying the view of his broad shoulders and lean hips, and the fluid way he moved his body as he walked. She turned away. Ogling the man would do her no good and he was manipulative enough to figure he could use her attraction to keep her in line.

She shoved her hands in her pockets and stared at the bones she and Mike Edmonds had found. From what had already come to the surface, she could see that it was an incredible find, a career-making find. Her heart pounded. She wanted to dig this site so very badly. Somehow she would have to convince Mike Edmonds to agree to a joint excavation while she made sure he never knew how very attracted to him she was. Was she up to it?

Hearing his footsteps, she turned as he neared, a backpack slung over his shoulder. He looked at her suspiciously. “What are you smiling at?”

She thought about that shiny paleo lab sixty years from now, the one she visited when she time traveled last night. Her smile widened into a grin. Oh, yeah, she could do it. “Suddenly my future looks very bright, indeed. Come on, Mike Edmonds. Let’s go check out this career-making dino.”

She didn’t wait to see if he would follow as she slithered down the rocky path to her future.