Page 24 of Crush & Byte
“Your turn,” she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.
I nodded, not trusting myself to elaborate.If I stayed any longer, looking at her with her sleep-mussed hair and wide eyes, I might forget all my good intentions about giving her space.“We’ve got time,” I said finally, standing again.“The storm’s not going anywhere, and neither are we.”
Her expression shifted to something I couldn’t quite read.Relief mixed with anticipation, maybe?She nodded slowly, her lips curling slightly into a smile.“OK.”
I glanced at Byte.“Generator’s got about twelve hours of fuel if we need more than the basics,” I told him.“I’ll check the tanks, make sure everything’s secure outside before it gets worse.”
“Be careful,” River said, turning her hand to grip mine in her.Her fingers were warm, slim against my rougher ones.“Please.”
“Always am,” I assured her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it.I moved to the railing next to the steps, feeling the weight of both their gazes on my back.The urge to turn around, to stay, to be part of whatever conversation was about to unfold was almost overwhelming, but I pushed it down.River needed this time with Byte.I’d get my moment with her soon enough.
I descended the stairs, letting out a long breath as I stood in the main room of the cabin.The wind had picked up considerably, whistling through the eaves and making the structure creak around me.Rain lashed against the windows in irregular bursts, the storm gathering strength minute by minute.
I pulled out my sat phone, checking the radar one more time.The screen cast a blue glow over my face as I studied the spiral of angry red and purple approaching our area.It had accelerated, the worst of it now perhaps only three hours away.We’d made the right call staying put.
My shoulders tensed involuntarily as a particularly strong gust rattled the windows.I put on the rain gear Maggie had stashed.She had sizes for both Byte and me, as well as herself so if we needed to move, River would have gear too.
The storm raged outside, the wind threatening to take the door away from me when I pushed it open to double-check everything was locked down as tight as I could make it.Once satisfied, I came back inside and locked the door once again.The soft glow of the night-light still illuminated the stairs, and I could hear River and Byte speaking softly.They had to have heard me, but they didn’t pause in their conversation.The space was small, and sound traveled in the enclosure.They had to know I’d hear them.Which meant River wasn’t trying to hide from me, even though I wasn’t with her and Byte for their conversation.
My jaw clenched as I thought of River in the other room, talking with Byte about the proposition we’d laid before her.About the possibility of her belonging with us, to us, in a way neither of us had ever attempted before.The rational part of me knew we were moving too fucking fast, that normal people didn’t propose what we had after knowing someone for a couple of days.But nothing about this felt normal.
But it felt necessary.Inevitable.Right.
I set my phone down on the kitchen counter and braced my hands on the edge, dropping my head between for a moment.The muscles in my back and neck were wound tight, my body physically manifesting the protective instincts that had been on high alert since the moment I’d seen that weather alert.
Outside, the storm gathered force, the mountain winds driving the rain harder against our shelter.Inside, I breathed deeply, centering myself.Whatever happened next, with River, with the storm, with all of it, I’d face it head on with my brother.Apart, we might not be what River needed, but together, me and Byte could do anything.
Chapter Nine
Byte
With only the two of us in the loft, the space seemed to shrink, closing in as the storm clouds gathered outside.River sat cross-legged on the bed, her eyes following me as I lit the oil lamp on the nightstand.The warm glow painted her features in amber and shadow, softening the edges of her expression as she watched me with that curious, open gaze.River wasn’t meant to be alone.She needed people to surround her, to feed her bubbly personality with laughter and love.
I perched awkwardly on the edge of the mattress, not wanting to presume anything.My fingers tapped a nervous rhythm against my thigh as I searched for the right words to start this conversation.
“You don’t have to sit way over there,” River said softly, patting the empty space beside her.“I won’t bite.”A small smile played at the corners of her mouth.“Unless you want me to.”
Her attempt at humor eased something in my chest.I chuckled, the sound unexpectedly genuine.“Careful what you offer, honey.I might take you up on it.”
The rain intensified, drumming against the roof in a chaotic pattern that matched my heartbeat.A flash of lightning briefly illuminated the room through the window, followed seconds later by a low rumble of thunder.River’s face was all the more lovely in the silvery blue lightning flashes.
“Storm’s getting closer,” I observed, still hesitating to move closer.
River tilted her head, studying me.“Are you afraid of me, Byte?”
“Terrified,” I admitted, the honesty slipping out before I could catch it.
Her eyes widened slightly, my honesty apparently not what she’d been expecting.“Why?”
I sighed, finally giving in and shifting to sit beside her, my back against the headboard.“Because you matter.More than I expected.More than makes sense after knowing you for such a short time.”
She nodded slowly, drawing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them.The oversized sleep shirt she wore rode up slightly, revealing a glimpse of smooth thigh that I forced myself not to stare at.
“Will you answer any question I ask?”Her voice was quiet, almost lost beneath another crack of thunder.“Honestly?”
“Yes.”The answer came without hesitation.“Anything.”
River took a deep breath, her gaze dropping to the quilt bunched between us.She picked at a loose thread, winding it around her finger before looking up at me again.“Is any of this real?”
