Page 41 of Field Rules

ChapterThirteen

“Time to wake up.”

Curse you, Rick. Not only had he invaded Olivia’s dreams, now she couldn’t get him out of her head.

The voice took on a teasing tone. “I’m warning you. Don’t make me tip your cot over.”

Her eyes flew open. It was Rick. What was he doing? He crouched beside her cot, getting a little too close for comfort.

“What the hell?” she said. “It’s only five thirty. I have another half hour of sleep left.”

“We’re on breakfast duty. Remember? I mentioned it during survey training. The teams rotate every five days.” He pointed to the kitchen. “Come help as soon as you’re dressed.”

“Five more minutes.” For once, her nemesis, the evil Crowy McRooster, had decided to sleep in. She wanted to take full advantage.

“I’m serious. I’ll tip you over, princess.”

She eased herself to a sitting position but refused to meet his eyes. Her thin tank top and tiny sleep shorts exposed too much of her bare skin. She crossed her arms, trying to hide her lack of a bra since the cool morning air had made her nipples perkier than usual. “Go away. I’ll be there as soon as I put some clothes on.”

He backed away from her, wearing a grin. “You can come as you are. It’s a good look.”

She tried to muster up a scowl, but instead of being angry, his nearness aroused otherfeelings. All because last night’s dreams had drifted into the erotic zone. Though they were a welcome departure from the nightmares she’d had about surveying, the steamy visions had thrown her off-kilter.

Lately, everything about Rick was throwing her off-kilter. Too often, she caught herself staring at him, admiring his toned physique, his warm hazel eyes, or the way his encouraging smile lit up every part of his face. When she was alone, her thoughts drifted back to those long-ago nights at the lake, when they’d delighted in exploring each other’s bodies. What would it feel like to touch him now? To stroke his rock-hard muscles and relish the warmth of his bare skin?

Pull yourself together. It’s five thirty in the morning.

By the time she got to the outbuilding that housed the kitchen, Rick was there, along with TJ. The term “kitchen” was generous—the gas stove resembled an antique, the cupboards were missing their doors, and the tiny sink barely held any dishes. Dented pots and pans took up an entire counter.

She reviewed the list of breakfast fare stuck to the bulletin board: hard-boiled eggs, sliced melon, figs, apricots, peasant bread, Greek yogurt, honey, juice, tea, hot water. The same breakfast they’d had every morning since she’d arrived. Not that she minded, but she would have killed for real coffee. All they had was a jar of Nescafé.

Rick tossed her a melon. “Can you cut this into slices? Knives are in the top drawer.”

“Sure. Where are Brynn and Marisol? Shouldn’t they be helping us?”

“This kitchen’s small enough as it is. I figured the three of us could handle breakfast without them.”

“No fair.” TJ filled a kettle with water and set it on the stove. “I can’t believe you’re letting Brynn slack off.”

“You want to wake her?” Olivia asked.

“Hard pass.” TJ turned up the heat on the burner. “She’s already bitchy enough.”

Olivia carved up the melon and arranged the slices in a bowl. The fruit smelled so cloying she suspected it was past its prime. “I can ask her if she wants to switch with someone on Stuart’s team. Maybe Logan.”

Rick grabbed a bowl of hard-boiled eggs from the fridge. “Let’s get through today’s survey, and we’ll see where we’re at.”

“Then it’s time for the beach, baby.” TJ lifted his hand and met Olivia’s for a high five.

One more day and they’d get their first break. A whole day off with no agenda other than beach time. She couldn’t wait.

The morning’s drive took them over the same stretch of coastal plain they’d been surveying all week. Since Marisol had decided to join them, the back seat of the Kia was more cramped than usual. Olivia fought back a stab of resentment toward Brynn, who demanded the front seat on every ride. Worse yet, she fiddled with the radio constantly, never able to settle on a station for more than one song.

Rick stopped the car on a small dirt road beside a stretch of farm field. Olivia’s stomach knotted as she extracted herself from the back seat. Despite exerting every effort not to hinder their team, she kept coming up short. Yesterday, she’d been so determined to keep up that she pushed herself too hard. When her asthma kicked in, she had to stop until she got it under control.

“Okay, everyone,” Rick said. “We’re still on the coastal plain, so you all know the drill. I realize our pace hasn’t matched the other teams, but none of you will get penalized for it. That being said, if you have a problem with my leadership, please come to me first before going to Grant so I can work out a solution. If you’d like to switch teams, I can try to accommodate your needs starting next week. Any questions?”

Olivia waited for Brynn’s response, but she said nothing, keeping her eyes on her phone. Like she didn’t give a shit that she’d gotten Rick in trouble.

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