“Later,” Grady said, guiding her right back into the middle of thehikingpack.
“Nottogether.”
“Don’t be so hasty. I’m certified in all levels of emergency first-aid, and if you get tired, I can carry you back to the cabin. I’m an excellent choice to go skinny-dipping with under awaterfall.”
“I didn’t say anything about skinny-dipping,” Priyaprotested.
Grady gave her an amused look. “That’s ashame.”
She rolled her eyes and marchedahead up the path to the sound of his quietchuckle.
They hadn’t seen each other naked yet. Would she survive the week without giving in to that temptation? Grady in all his big, brawny perfection, stripped down to nothing, was a deliciousthought.
Too bad it came attached to all sorts of complicated feelings that didn’t have any easyresolution.
Like living on opposite sidesof thecountry.
Two insane careers that meant dropping everything, all the time, to race intodanger.
Plus there was the no-small-matter of ten months of zero radiocontact.
“What are you thinkingabout?”
She jerked her attention sideways and frowned at the stealthy Navy SEAL. “Don’t sneak uponme.”
“We’re hikingtogether.”
“That’s a fair point, Isuppose.”
She could feel his gaze on the side of her face as she looked straight ahead. Step, step, step. Climb, climb,climb.
“You snore,” he said quietly, and shestumbled.
“Pardon?”
He reached out to steady her, and they slowed to a stop. Other campers streamed around them. His eyes slowly slid to her mouth. “Just a little. And, uh…I like it. I like the glasses, I like thetiny snores. Those are two things I’ve learned about you in the last twenty-fourhours.”
Yes, she definitely regretted asking now. Her heart pulsed inside her chest. “That’s a weird thing to tellagirl.”
“Well, you’re a weird girl to try and woo, so…I’m going with what I’ve got.” His grin got wider. “Honesty.”
She swallowed a groan. That was a good strategy. Damn him. “Woo-ing.”
“Yep.”
“That isn’t on my agenda for this week. Being wooed,Imean.”
“Yeah, that’s on me. I didn’t realize you had other stuff going on. And I should have.” He gave her a disarming shrug. “I’msorry.”
“No way you could have known I was put on leave,” she said without thinking. As soon as the word was out of her mouth, she knew he’d picked up on it. Damn,doubledamn.
“Hang on a second,” Grady said quietly, brushing his fingers against her forearm. She ignored the slice of electricity that arcedbetweenthem.
But she still slowed down and let the stragglers behind them pass. Her chest was tight, anyway. She could use with abreather.
He looked at her as she turned in a slow circle. The group moved ahead, their cheery voices fadinginto the background forest noises, and still he didn’t sayanything.
“It’s no big deal,” she finallyoffered.
