“These are ready-to-eat meals, like what the military provides.”He handed her a sealed plastic pouch.“This one is—” he scanned the box “—cheese tortellini.To warm them up you place the pouch in this plastic bag, right up against the heat pad.Water activates the heat, and the meal will warm in about ten minutes.”He lined the sealed food pouch up against the heat pad and used their bottled water to fill the plastic bag up to the line.Once he folded the bag, he laid it flat and set it to the side.“Looks like we have a fruit punch electrolyte packet and two chocolate chip cookies.”
“Sounds great.It’s kind of like we’re on a picnic.”
He eyed her as he tore open the electrolyte package and poured the powder into one of their water bottles.“You always this positive?”
She shrugged.“I wasn’t exactly positive when I nearly decked you in the shower.Or after, when I armed myself with your skillet.”
The corner of his lips twitched at the memory of her wielding the pan, hardly ferocious as she bared her teeth at him.
“Are you laughing at me?”She scrunched her nose up, but didn’t look upset, merely amused.
“Internally, yes.”
Her eyes glittered and crinkled at the corners.“I suppose, to a Navy SEAL, my choice of weapon could be considered…unsophisticated.”
“Anything can be a weapon,” he said passing her one of the cookies.“And you’re quick on your feet.If you hadn’t run from the estate when you did, those men would’ve found you.Trust your instincts, Ivy, because they’re solid.”
“Some of them maybe, but I had no reason to be afraid of you.”
The thought that he was the one who should be afraid of her hit him fast.“Anytime you don’t know where you are or who you’re with, being cautious is vital.”They ate the cookies in comfortable silence, each taking turns sipping the fruit punch.“This is ready.”He made quick work of opening the pouch that held their breakfast and steam plumed out of the bag.
“That’s amazing!”Ivy scooted toward him.If he moved half an inch, their knees would touch.“I thought the water would just warm it, but it’s actually steaming.”
“Don’t get too excited.The flavor isn’t terrible, but it’s nothing to write home about.”
She shrugged her shoulders, undeterred.“Good thing I don’t have the most discerning palate.Ash always says I’ll eat anything, and I guess from his perspective I will.He has a limited array of foods that don’t bother him, so he sticks to those things.Do you have siblings?”
He stilled, then took a breath and speared the tortellini with a plastic fork from the kit.“No.”His voice was curt as pain sliced through him.He blew on the food, then held it out to her.She eyed him as she leaned in and ate the pasta off the fork, then closed her eyes and groaned.“You were wrong.This is the best thing I’ve ever eaten.”
Just like that, his pain lessened, and he stifled a chuckle at her words.“Bullshit.”
“Well, if you don’t want any…” She pretended to make a grab for the bag.
Shit she was cute with her rumpled hair and wide smile.She had an air of innocence that had no place mixing with the decay that eroded his world.A place where humans decided to profit off the pain and suffering of others, peddling the flesh of vulnerable women and children.
“Eat as much as you want.There’s the potential for a long hike today, so get the calories in while you can.”
She plucked the bag and fork from his hands, then scooped out some tortellini.When she held it up to his lips, there was a jumbled sensation in his gut.
“Seriously?You really thought I was going to stuff my face and leave you to starve?I’m not a monster, Jude.”
He wasn’t sure why he was sitting stock-still, staring at the woman holding the utensil up to his mouth, urging him to eat.The intimacy of it felt too…real.Too honest.Too tender.
Her full lips curved.“Open up.”Despite always needing to be in control in every area of his life, whether that was in the field or home, he immediately did as she asked.She gently eased the fork into his mouth.The bagged meal wasn’t the best thing he’d eaten, but he couldn’t deny that the warm noodles and cheese were comforting—or maybe it was Ivy and the way she was trying to take care of him.He locked eyes with her, and he swore a dusty pink blush rose on her cheeks.If she felt the currents of electricity snapping between them, she didn’t say anything.She took a bite for herself, then offered him more.One last bite, that’s all he’d take from this woman.Anything more would be dangerous.
Chapter Seven
After they sharedthe meal and packed up their makeshift shelter, Jude withdrew into himself.Although she didn’t know his story, she fully expected him to bury the small glimpses of laughter and tenderness he’d shown her the evening before.Whatever Jude had faced in his past was enough to scrape the soul from someone—she was sure of it.At times, his eyes were cold and lifeless, devoid of any emotion, but she didn’t miss the hitch of his breath when she’d asked about his brother.He was wounded.Not in body, but in spirit.When he responded to her comments as they hiked through the woods, she didn’t take offense to his curt one-word answers or grunts.Not in the least.Her injuries had made themselves known this morning when she’d put on the clothes Jude had dried out for her.The pain behind her eyes ached right along with her shoulder, but she didn’t want to whine or make their trip more difficult than it had to be.
Sunlight poured through the trees, illuminating the forest in gold dust.The ground beneath them was damp with debris from the storm, but so far not impassable.The melody of finches singing as they flitted through the trees teamed with the brazen drum of a woodpecker drilling at a tree.Despite yesterday’s events, the forest seemed at peace, but Jude was not.His muscles were tense and his eyes wary as he scrutinized the landscape for danger.She couldn’t deny she was a little freaked out at the thought those men could be after her, but in the light of day, with the harmony of nature surrounding them, it was a lot less scary than last night.Plus, Ash had been flexible and stayed at Jess’s place, so he was safe.Hopefully by the time they reached a place with cell service, they’d get word that the men had been taken into custody or at least identified.
Jude stopped suddenly, gripping her arm, while reaching to his hip.Before she could process what was happening, he was dragging her toward a large boulder and pushing her roughly to her knees.He had a gun in his hand, trained toward the ground as he ducked and skirted around the rock.She didn’t know he’d been armed but supposed it made sense for a man like Jude.A former SEAL.Employed by the Department of Homeland Security.A rumble sounded in the distance and her body froze.“Landslide?”she asked in a hushed tone.
He gave her a sharp shake of his head, crouching lower as three ATVs barreled into view.The men astride the machines were large, their faces obstructed by dark glasses, face coverings, and helmets.Jude let out a long whistle, and the machines slowed to a halt.
“Boss, that you?”
Jude’s body visibly relaxed although he was clearly still on guard.He turned to her and offered his hand, helping her stand.His palm was warm and rough against hers.The thought of how his hard body had cocooned her the night before sent a jolt straight to her toes and heat crept up her cheeks.When Jude didn’t release her hand, she glanced up at him.His eyes were smoky with…something.She couldn’t tell if it was lust or anger.“Yeah, Jon,” Jude called through gritted teeth before dropping her hand.
