After dinner, she went off to clean herself up, stumbling in the dark as she went.
“You okay?” Elias called from inside the dilapidated cabin.
“Yep.”
“Need help?”
She opened her mouth to say no and changed her mind. “Not right now.”
By the time she returned, he’d cleaned up their dinner stuff and set the bedding up again. Without lifting her head from the floor, a sated Bo woofed a gentle greeting that made Leo smile.
Without discussion, they settled under the covers, and though they’d been here before, Leo couldn’t help a nervous thrill at his nearness.
“Something I’ve been thinking about, Leo.” Elias’s voice rumbled through his big chest.
She snuggled closer. “What’s that?”
“How long’s your dad been sick?”
“Got bad about five years ago.” She swallowed down the bitter taste of guilt. “Noticeable to me, I mean.”
“Is that when you left the military?”
She released a long, slow breath. “Yeah.”
“Your team know your dad? Von and Ant or—”
“Ans. Short for Anselm.” She smiled. “Can’t believe you remember their names. We call Von the Grim Reaper and Ans is Ladykiller.”
His brows lifted. “What about you?”
“I’m Terminator. Or, if they’re being really annoying, Arnie.”
“Oooooh. That’s rough.”
“Right.”
“Eric Cooper. He’s kind of the leader, right? And Ford’s his brother. The scientist who’s with the chef.”
She paused. “When did I even tell you this?”
“I listen. I take an interest.”
“Apparently so. I feel…”Seen.
“Remember what you told me, Leo? That I wasn’t alone anymore?”
“Yeah.”
“I know you’ve got your crew, but…guess I wanted to say that you’re not either. Alone, I mean.”
Fresh emotion prickled through her. “Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Make me cry again.”
“Okay,” he whispered, stroking her back, her side, her back again. “Okay, sweetheart.” The long, slow sweeps of his hand over her thin base layer put her to sleep like a lullaby.
