This weakness was bullshit. He needed to be better. Today. He had shit to do. At the top of his list—trying to call Kinley again. Paige had sent his phone and clothes from the camp site in Guatemala and he’d called Kinley’s number as soon as it had charged. Unfortunately, it had gone directly to voice mail every time and he didn’t know if she’d gotten hers back. Her mailbox was full, so he couldn’t even leave a message.
He reached his room and eased onto the bed, shifting and grunting his way onto his back. Centered in the bed, he released all the tension in his muscles. Fuck. He hated taking painkillers, but he might have reached his threshold for the day.
A soft knock drew his attention. Kinley stood in the doorway, a shy, unsure smile on her lips. He’d never been so fucking happy to see anyone in his entire life.
“Can I come in?” she asked.
The pain forgotten, he eased up on his elbows. “God, yes. Come here.” He held out his right arm since it didn’t hurt as much when he moved it.
As soon as she was within reach, he pulled her close and pressed his lips to hers. She tasted like rich coffee, sweet caramel, and forever.
He loved her. Not just thought he did but knew it in the marrow of his bones. But he didn’t want to tell her there, laid up in a hospital without being able to get down on his knees and beg her to let him find a way to make it work. He’d quit Leonidas, if that was what it took. He didn’t care if he had to carry all her tools for the next sixty years while she deciphered ancient writing all over the world, as long as they were together.
She pulled away too soon. “I’m hurting you.”
“No, you’re not.” Falling back on the bed didn’t help his argument.
“Shane. I can feel you grimacing against my lips.”
“Maybe a little, but it was totally worth it.” He ran his fingers through the soft waves of her hair, hanging loose around her shoulders. “You’re here.”
“I’m here.” She smiled and eased away, sitting on the edge of the bed when he refused to let go of her hand.
“Paige told me about Christine. Are you okay?”
She nodded and took a shaky breath. “I’ll get there. I’m having a hard time understanding what drove her to that point. I mean, I get being ambitious and being discounted as a woman, but not to the point where people die because of it.” She shook her head. “But mostly—I miss her. I miss the woman Iknewand I feel bad about that.”
“Don’t.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Celebrate that woman. She had to have had some really good qualities at one time to have earned your respect and trust. Missthatwoman.”
She offered him a tremulous smile. “How’d you get to be so smart?”
“I met this woman a couple weeks ago. Smartest person I know.”
Laughing softly, she took a tissue from the box beside the bed and wiped her nose.
“How did you know I was here?” he asked.
“Paige. I had to go to Leonidas to prepare to return to Guatemala and I asked about you. She told me where to find you.”
A lightness spread through his chest as if a too-heavy barbell had suddenly been lifted off his sternum. “You’re going back to Guatemala?”
“Yes. The Foundation asked me to be on the team leading the excavation of the ruins.”
“That’s great! Congratulations.” He kissed her knuckles.
“I accepted because I was told you were the lead for the security team.”
“That’s what I hear. As soon as I can do more than shuffle down the hall a few times.”
“And you’re okay with that?” She wouldn’t look at him and picked at the edge of the sheet next to her leg.
His brows pinched together. “Yes. Of course, I’m okay with that. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“It’s a pretty long commitment.”
He smoothed the worry lines between her eyebrows. “I’m okay with that.”
“A few years long.”
