“The city?” I beam.
“The cabin,” he counters.
I twist my lips into a smile. “You said civilization?”
Denver wraps his hand around my lower back and steers me back along the trail the way we came.
“I have half of Buck’s store in the kitchen after yesterday. What more do you want?”
“Wi-Fi, a SIM card.” I tick off on my fingers. “Fifth Avenue. A spa. The Smoothie truck. My own bed. Zoey. Lenny… Freedom.” I grin at him. “You know, spoiled princess essentials.”
“Not much then?”
“Not much.” I shrug.
I smile as Monty pushes past us both so he can be in front.
“He’s getting as bossy as you.”
Denver rolls his lips. “It’s if he gets as difficult as you we need to worry.”
I grin. “You made a joke.”
“Did I?”
“You did.”
“You’re not laughing, so can’t have been.”
I shove at his chest and force a giggle. “How’s that, Brute?”
He nods, his lips twitching. “Then I guess I made a joke.”
I fall into step in front of him with a smile. Bringing up yesterday now would pop this bubble. I like this side of him. The side that talks to me. Opens up to me. Jokes with me, in his own way.
It makes a change from the usual terse frown he wears.
Talking about how his mouth felt on me can wait.
22
DENVER
A frustrated huffflies out of the gym as I walk down the hallway. We got back from delivering Buck’s supplies half an hour ago and Sinclair said she was going to play with Monty. But judging by the way he’s spread out on his back, sleeping in front of the fire, I’d say her plans changed.
I stop in the doorway, irritation climbing up my spine.
“What are you doing? You could hurt yourself.”
Sinclair flicks her attention in my direction, then turns around and jumps again, trying to reach the pull-up bar I have fixed high where I can reach it.
“You won’t train me, so I’ll do it myself,” she huffs.
I roll my tongue over my teeth as I watch her struggle to grab it. She’ll end up pulling a muscle, or worse. She’s still wearing the dressing on her palm too. Pull-ups are the last thing she should be doing.
She glances at me, muttering to herself. The earlier bubbly version of her has gone. It seeped away after our hike once we went to see Buck and he told me that Georgia had been into the store asking after me this morning.
Sinclair’s back to looking at me like my presence is irritating her. The return of it is not as welcome as it should be, considering it would be easier for everyone if things went back to the way things were.
