Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 78603 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78603 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
I bump his shoulder lightly with mine. “Hey, don’t get any ideas. I outgrew that nickname.”
He laughs softly. “I’ll keep that in mind. And also, thank you for doing this,” he says, gesturing to the quilt, the plates. “I needed it.”
I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “Me too. I’ve been going stir-crazy. There’s only so many games of cards I can play before I start feeling like a prisoner.”
He nods, a hint of regret clouding his expression. “I know. I’m sorry. I wish I could tell you we’ll be out of here soon, but…”
“It’s okay,” I cut in. “I get it. We’re waiting on leads from Dean and the rest. I just…” I trail off, not sure how to articulate the frustration lodged in my chest.
He clears his throat. “We are. And trust me, they’re working around the clock. Dean sent me a text earlier. Said they’ve narrowed down a few suspects. Doesn’t mean they have proof, but they’re getting closer.”
My heart picks up at that. “So maybe in a few more days we’ll have answers?”
“Maybe,” he says, noncommittal but not discouraging. “We can hope.”
We both turn our eyes back to the night sky. My shoulders relax a little, comforted by the idea that maybe the end of this nightmare is in sight. Though I can’t deny a small pang of sadness at the thought of leaving Boone behind when it’s over. Or maybe he’ll be the one to vanish from my life, duty done. The idea sends an unexpected jolt of loneliness through me.
I shove the feeling down and force a smile instead. “Hey,” I say, nodding at the darkness around us. “You sure no bears are going to come snatch us up?”
He barks a quiet laugh. “Pretty sure. But if they do, I’ll wrestle them. No big deal.”
I grin, imagining him wrestling a bear. “Now that’s something I’d pay to see.”
He shakes his head, a rare, genuine smile tugging at his lips. In the dim light, he looks softer somehow, not quite so guarded. My heart flutters in a way that catches me off guard. It’s been days since he so much as brushed my hand without business in mind. I’d almost convinced myself that night at the cabin was a fluke. A moment of weakness on his part.
A breeze rustles the trees, carrying a faint whisper of pine needles. The temperature drops a notch, and I shiver. Boone notices immediately and slides his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer. The warmth of his body is instant, and my eyes drift shut for a moment, relishing the contact.
My heart starts pounding at the memory of him. It’s so easy to imagine letting myself sink back into those feelings—except I know Boone’s made a conscious choice to keep distance. I feel it in the way he holds me, protective yet cautious.
“Thanks,” I whisper.
He hums in acknowledgment, but doesn’t let go. And for a little while, we just sit there, side by side, watching the sky. Our half-eaten plates rest on the quilt, and I’m sure the pasta’s gone cold by now, but I don’t care. This moment feels almost dreamlike.
I’m not sure how much time passes before he shifts, easing me upright. “C’mon,” he murmurs. “Let’s get you inside before you freeze.”
I don’t want this moment to end. I blink up at him, my heart roaring in my ears and whisper, “Please kiss me.”
Chapter 21
Boone
“Please kiss me.”
I have to pretend she didn’t just ask that. I shake my head, trying not to stare at her mouth, but it’s getting harder by the second. Aubree leans against me, head resting on my shoulder, and I swear her lips are just inches from my line of sight—taunting me. The night sky sprawls overhead, stars sprinkled across the darkness, and the moon casts a silver glow on the quilt we’re sitting on. The air is crisp, smelling of pine and lake water, but the only thing I’m really aware of is her warmth against my side.
I tell myself I shouldn’t be thinking about kissing her. Not now, not when she’s depending on me to keep her alive. But that familiar jolt of desire shoots through my veins, the same one I’ve been denying since the first time I laid eyes on her. My grip on her shoulder tightens a fraction, and my pulse pounds like I’m sprinting up a hill in full gear.
We’ve been talking quietly—about nothing, really. The day, the weather, the same comfortable routine we’ve built over the last few days. But with every minute that passes, I’m more keenly aware of how close she is, how my arm drapes casually around her shoulders, and how tempting her skin looks in the moonlight.
“Aubree…” I begin, my voice low and gravelly. Her brown eyes are bright, lips parted just enough to make it impossible to ignore the ache in my chest.