And fell asleep.
The heavy drips of rain woke Mila.She blinked, trying to figure out where she was as she spotted the rain pelting down just beyond the forest in the fading light.Not her bedroom, and not anywhere she recognised.
“Sleep well?”
She rolled over at Damien’s voice as everything came into focus.Her heart rate slowed seeing him sitting across from her in his black fatigues, a small smile on his face.
She nodded and sat up as the rain trickled through the foliage above and hit the shelter.
“What time is it?”It was darker now but more than the clouds could explain.
“Almost eighteen hundred.”
She stared at him.“You let me sleep all afternoon?”
“Yeah.You needed it.”
“So do you.”She was tired of him refusing to rest.“That’s it.You’re sleeping and I’m standing guard.If anyone calls, I’ll wake you.If someone comes into the bay, I’ll wake you.But right now, you are going to sleep.”
He hauled her into his arms.“You’re gorgeous when you’re bossy.”
She squirmed, not sure he was taking her seriously until he said, “If you’re worried about anything, you wake me.”
She nodded.
“I’ve been working with Trixie.She knows a lot of hand signals.”He demonstrated and Trixie obeyed his commands.“You try.”
“How do you know them?”
“I’ve worked with military dogs in the past.”
She followed his lead and Trixie sat, stood and turned around at her command.Mila frowned.“If she’s so well trained, why didn’t she attack us?”
“They might have given her a follow command rather than an attack command.”
“She doesn’t have a tracker on her, does she?”
Dobby scowled.“Not that I can find.If she did, Agus would have come to get us by now.”He handed her his helmet with a pair of goggles on them.“Stay vigilant though.These are night vision goggles if you need them.”
“Thanks.”She shifted so he could stretch out.
“Wake me in an hour.”
“Three,” she countered.She wanted him to sleep as long as possible.
“Two or we’ll miss the rendezvous.”
She nodded.Not something she wanted to do.
He closed his eyes and in only moments he was fast asleep.
Mila glanced out at the pouring rain.She was sweaty and a little dirty from their escape, and the water looked inviting.No one was around to see her.She stripped off her dress and underpants and put them on top of Damien’s pack.Then she carefully made her way to the edge of the forest and into the downpour.
The warm drops drenched her immediately, and she grinned, turning her face to the sky to embrace it for a moment before she started rubbing the sweat from her body, starting with her face and moving down her arms, her torso and to her legs.
This time she took her time, luxuriating in a shower she didn’t have to rush, one where she didn’t have to worry about someone bursting in on her.
When she was satisfied, she returned to the shelter where she met Damien’s gaze.Heat filled her cheeks.“You’re supposed to be sleeping.”
