Page 25 of Atone in Darkness
The small snack did little to ease her hunger, but she knew they were almost out of food. As soon as she finished it, he offered her a hand up off the ground. “Try to keep up.”
That did it. Shehauled off and punched him in the arm as hard as she could. While she wasn’t strong enough to have done him serious damage, she took pleasure in the way he rubbed the spot where she’d hit him. Then he raised his hand to brush a stray lock of hair back from her face. It took all her willpower not to lean into the surprisingly gentle touch. She couldn’t afford the risks it presented. Not when the unexpectedburst of passion they’d shared presented another threat to her equilibrium, different from the enemy overhead but just as powerful.
Clinging to her anger was the best coping mechanism she had at the moment. “I was keeping up just fine until you up and left me, you big jerk.”
He shot her a small grin. “Yeah, I deserved that. But for what it’s worth, I was on my way back when you came around thebend. I promise I won’t do it again.”
It wasn’t exactly an apology, but it was close enough. Healso offered her the pack, maybe figuring she needed that bit of control right now. Chase looked like the warrior he was as he slung the strap from the rifle over his shoulder. The fierce determination in his steely gaze as he settled the weapon against his chest made it clear that there would be noquarter given if the enemy crossed their path. At any other time in her life, his easy familiarity with the weapon and the violence it represented might have scared her, but not today. Instead, it was oddly comforting.
It was time to get moving. She pasted the shattered pieces of her mental well-being back together as best she could and offered him a determined look. “I’m ready whenever you are.”
“Glad to hear it.”
She almost thought there was a flash of heat in those blue eyes as he spoke, which made her wonder if they were talking about the same thing at all. Before she could make up her mind, Chase started heading up the hillside. He paused long enough to grin back over his shoulder.
“Doc, I thought you said you could keep up.”
She didn’t bother to respond, not that she didn’t wantto pop Chase another good one on the arm for still being a jerk. But right now, with the enemy breathing down their necks, she didn’t have the energy to spare. With one last look at the sky above the valley, she followed him up over the crest of the hill.
