Page 22 of The Explorer
“Don’t even start. You know you want to go as much as I do.” Holding out my hand I looked deep into Indiana’s warm brown eyes. “Remember our pact that what happens in France stays in France.”
“You want me to look the other way when you do things you shouldn’t.”
“Uh-huh. In return I’ll do the same for you.”
Indiana tilted his head. “Sounds like you have more to gain from that pact than I do.”
With a playful tone, I angled my head. “But you’ll do it because you love me and you’re such a good friend.”
From Indiana’s expression I could tell he was torn.
“Come on! Think about all the fun we could have.”
Indiana rubbed his forehead as if my father’s voice was screaming at him to watch me twenty-four-seven.
“I’m an adult, Indy, and you know I can take care of myself. I’m not letting you stop me from having adventures.”
“How about…” His hands fell to his side. “How about we take one day at a time? I’m responsible for you and if I ever want to set foot back home again, I need to make sure nothing bad happens to you.”
“Okay, but promise me that you’ll be open-minded and not freak out all the time.”
Indiana looked down, taking some time to think before he nodded and met my eyes. “Okay, I promise to be open-minded, if you promise to be safe.”
“Deal!”
CHAPTER 6
Protecting Aubri
Indiana
The expedition took five days, which was record speed according to Banni. Having two strong and capable Northlanders on the team had been a massive help and Alex, Val, and Banni all praised Aubri and me for our contribution.
Over the five days we were gone, I’d watched Banni and Aubri build a friendship. He had been friendly to me too, but I found it hard to like him when he was flirting with the woman I had sworn to protect.
Aubri sensed my reservations toward him and on our first night back in the apartment, she confronted me with a direct question.
“Why don’t you like Banni?”
“I never said that I don’t like him.”
Sitting down on the bed, Aubri sorted through the clothes we’d bought today. “I think you should wear this one.” She handed me a blue shirt in a soft material and picked up one of the two perfumes we bought for me. “Use this one, it smells amazing.”
I took the shirt and the perfume and moved to the bathroom, leaving the door open.
“You don’t have to say that you don’t like Banni. I can feel your resentment toward him. You’re not that hard to read, you know.”
Pulling off my sweater, I applied the perfume and pushed my arm through the first sleeve of the blue shirt Aubri had given me.
“I don’t like how you two are flirting.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t want you to be with someone like him.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“With him you’d just be one out of many. If you wait until you marry, you’ll be your husband’s only lover.”
