"Sorry, what?"
"I asked if you wanted to take a break. You've been staring at that same pot for five minutes."
Caught.I set down the pot and stretch, my back cracking from hunching over the table. "Yeah. A break sounds good. You hungry?"
"Always, apparently." She pats her stomach with a rueful smile. "I think my body's trying to make up for three months of gas station food."
"That's good. Means you're healing." I head for the greenhouse door, and she falls into step beside me. "How are the ribs feeling?"
"Better. Still sore, but better."
"And the wrist?"
"Hardly notice it anymore." She holds it up, rotating it carefully. The swelling has gone down significantly since she arrived.
I reach out without thinking, my fingers wrapping around her forearm to examine the joint. Her skin is soft and warm under my callused palm, and her pulse jumps under my fingers at the contact.
We both freeze.
I'm standing too close. Close enough to smell the lavender from the greenhouse clinging to her hair, close enough to see the gold flecks in her brown eyes, close enough to feel the heat radiating off her body.
Her lips part. Just slightly. Just enough to make my brain short circuit.
I should step back. Should put distance between us and pretend this moment never happened.
I don't move.
"Cade." My name comes out breathy. Uncertain.
"Yeah." My voice is rough.
Neither of us moves. The air between is electric, full of things I shouldn't be feeling for a woman who came to me broken and bleeding four days ago.
Her eyes drop to my mouth. Just for a second. Just long enough for me to notice.
I lean in. Can't help it. Can't stop myself. She's magnetic and I'm metal and the pull is stronger than my self control.
Her breath catches. Her eyes flutter closed.
And my goddamn radio crackles to life.
"Cade, you copy? It's Mace."
We spring apart like teenagers caught by a parent. Natalie's cheeks are flushed, her chest rising and falling rapidly. I'm pretty sure my heart is trying to beat its way out of my ribcage.
I grab the radio from my belt. "Yeah. I'm here."
"Deck's calling a team meeting. Something came up. Can you be at the lodge in thirty?"
Natalie's face has gone pale. She heard "something came up" and immediately went to the worst place.
"What kind of something?"
"Nothing urgent. Just some security protocol stuff he wants to go over. Vivian's nesting and he's channeling it into productive paranoia."
The relief that washes over Natalie is visible. Her shoulders drop from around her ears.
"I'll be there." I clip the radio back to my belt and turn to her. "You okay?"
