His jaw muscle jumped.“Don’t.”
Pretending to pout, she said, “You’re no fun.”
“If I were, you’d be bored.”His hands twisted on the steering wheel.“No challenge.”
She put her free hand on her chest and said, breathlessly, “You reallyknowme.”
He rolled his eyes and gave a little shake of his head, but the corner of his mouth twitched.
Rolling her smile between her teeth, she returned to looking out the window as they approached the small city of Aubagne at the foot of the Garlaban.
“Did you know you can join the French Foreign Legion here?”
A little surprised he’d initiated casual conversation, she glanced his way.“That’s still a thing?”
“It is.”He exited the highway onto a two-lane road, heading toward the mountain and the farmhouse.“The only way to enlist is to come to France and knock on the door of one of the recruiting centers.Supposedly, they’re open 24/7/365.”
“Let me guess,” she said.“You looked it up once.”
“Actually, my brother did.Our grandfather was in the Legion—the officers have to be French—and Con had this idea that it would be a grand adventure.”
“But?”She could hardly believe he was voluntarily talking about his brother again.
Ford’s nostalgic smile made her stomach dance.“He found out that recruits were allowed to have up to six missing teeth.”
A laugh burst out of her.“Seriously?”
He shrugged.“Apparently.But I think it was the five-year obligation that scared him.At nineteen, he couldn’t imagine committing to anything for that long.”
And then he’d only lived a couple years longer.Damn.Her chest tightened.“I don’t blame him.Who wants to be surrounded by a bunch of macho mercenaries with poor dental hygiene?”
“Right?”Ford didn’t smile, but he sounded amused.
Nat’s breath came a little easier.“Can women join the Legion?”
“You thinking of enlist—”
She glanced at him when he stopped mid sentence, but his gaze had narrowed on the farmhouse as they approached.Instead of turning onto the side street that led to the driveway, he kept driving.
“What’s wrong?”
“Maybe nothing.”His knuckles whitened.“But the front door was ajar.I’m not taking any chances.”
She glanced back at the house but all she could see now was the back of the house above the fence line.Maybe Henri had let the dog out.But why out front?And wouldn’t they have seen him out there?Dread settled heavily on Natalie’s chest.
Ford continued along the perimeter of the property.As soon as they crested the hill and were out of sight, he pulled over and shut down the engine, putting the key fob in the cup holder.“Stay here.I’m going to check it out, and I’ll come back for you.”
Her heart skipped.What if he didn’t?“Let me come.I can help.”With…whatever.
He made a frustrated noise in his throat.“I’ll be faster if I don’t have to worry about you.”
Worry about her getting hurt, or worry about her getting in the way?
Probably sensing her desire to protest, he said, “You’re still injured, Nat.Just this once can you not argue with me?”
The accusation hit her right in the throat, but she nodded.“Are you carrying?”She’d feel better knowing he had a weapon.
His gaze hardened as he shook his head.“Stay.Here.”
