"Not another word!" I shouted back, leaning over the railing and staring down at his curly hair. "I will sabotage your new air conditioning unit."
"I don't think you're that dastardly," he replied, completely unconcerned. "Alright, I'm opening my eyes now. If you're stillin front of me naked, I'm not responsible for what happens next."
I scampered away from the railing, deeper into my room where he wouldn't be able to see me. "This is not professional, Dr. Frost."
"Good thing I'm not a professional bodyguard," he shouted back, already walking across the house to where he'd piled shopping bags by the front door. "I'm going to set up lights and trail cams outside."
I muttered under my breath about his immaturity, knowing full well that it was my flaming face and squirming discomfort that was less than mature here. Binx joined me as I was pulling on a pair of soft bohemian pants that I'd paired with a jersey crop top to combat the climbing heat in the barn. Maybe an air conditioning unit wouldn't be so bad. Usually I left the windows open, drank iced tea, and dealt with it.
I scratched Binx behind the ears, smoothing my hand down her silky back and tweaking her tail. "You scared me, you little devil."
Binx stared up at me like that was an absurd statement to make, and also, why hadn't I put food in her bowl yet?
"Come on." I picked her up and carried her in my arms, and she began purring loudly as I descended the stairs. Binx came and went as she liked, and she must have sneaked inside when we came home. I took her into the kitchen and set her on the ground while I opened a can of wet cat food for her. She meowed loudly the entire time I did until I dumped it in the ceramic bowl near the fridge, and then she got to work smacking and chomping.
"Now I have to clean up your mess," I said with my hands on my hips. Her ears twitched but she didn't deign to respond to that. By the time I had all the glass swept up from the bathroom floor and safely disposed of, Benjamin returned. The hospitalT-shirt they'd given him didn't fit him well, stretching tightly across his biceps and chest, and I realized then that most of his clothing had probably been tailored to his toned body.
He looked me over with mirth still shimmering in his ocean blue eyes. "How are you?"
"Better," I said, and to my absolute mortification, I felt my cheeks pinking again.
Benjamin looked pained, like it was physically difficult to hold back a laugh. "If I'd known you had the modesty of a fifteenth-century virgin, I would have saved you from the cat with my eyes closed."
I rolled my eyes, walking away from him and toward the kitchen. "You are terrible."
"I am," he agreed, finally releasing a soft laugh. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I won't tease you anymore."
"Yes, you will," I countered over my shoulder.
"Ah, you have a read on me, then." He followed me, still smiling.
"Sarcasm and flirting," I replied pointedly, opening the fridge. "I think those might be your two favorite things."
"That doesn't sound like me," he mused, leaning his elbow against the open fridge. I gave him a significant look. He canted his head to the side. "You have me pinned against the wall, Evie. Now what?"
I was pretty sure that was flirting again, but the nuance was lost on me. I handed him a container of shredded turkey. "Make me a sandwich."
He laughed again, straightened, and took the turkey from me. "Fair enough. I'll make you a sandwich and you put some ice back on your nose."
"Deal." My face was starting to throb again now that the fear and embarrassment were wearing off. I shuffled to the couch. "I need a nap."
"Food first," Benjamin said, starting to throw ingredients on the counter. As he did, his phone rang, and he answered it with a short "This is Dr. Frost." I curled up on the couch, snuggling into the well-stuffed cushions, and I heard the surprise in Benjamin's voice as he said, "Oh, Remington. Hi."
That name rang a bell for me. Was it someone he had mentioned? Reluctantly, I picked up my head and looked at him over the top of the couch. Benjamin was already heading for me with an ice pack in his hand and the phone balanced between his ear and his shoulder. As he listened to the caller, he handed me the ice and came to sit on the couch at my feet.
I placed the ice on my nose, and Benjamin nodded. "Okay. I'm putting you on speaker. Evie is here."
He tapped the phone, and a cheery male voice said, "Sounds good. Hi, Evelyn."
"Hi," I said, getting a weird sense of deja vu from this morning when we'd talked to Rook.
"I got your emails," Remington said. "And I looked into this group. Wait, that's a lie. Let me be real—these guys were kind of on my radar from another side gig. I wasn't paying them much attention, though, because they seemed to keep their games fairly isolated to their own group. This is the first time they've involved another person in a physical capacity."
Who was this guy? "Do you… work for the government?" I asked suspiciously.
Remington laughed, soft and carefree. "Me? Hell no. I do side gigs for Tabitha here and there. Favors, if you will. I get bored."
Benjamin and I exchanged confused glances before he asked, "But you're willing to help Evelyn?"
