“What is it?”
I’m at her back, craning my neck to see around her a second later.
The instant I see it, I haul her behind me.
Fucking snake.
Coiled right at the door of the van.
If she’d been distracted, she would have stood right on the damn thing. I slam the door shut and turn back to find her staring at it.
She shakes where she stands, one hand still gripping the strap of her bag like she’s holding on for dear life. Her chest rises and falls in rapid succession. “I-I can’t do snakes.”
I cradle her face with both hands. “Hey, you’re okay. I’ll move the van.”
Her gaze flickers to the cab. “How?”
Dotting a kiss to her cheek, I release her and climb over the seats, dropping behind the wheel. I grab for the keys, but the ignition is empty. I turn back. “Maggie, keys?”
“Oh, yeah, sure.” She rummages in her bag, pulling them out.
Handing them to me, she grabs a hold of the back of the headrest. I slide the keys into the ignition and fire up the van.
“You okay?” I shift the van into drive.
She nods.
I drive the van away from the curled-up threat and park by the office, on the gravel, far from the grass and shade of thetrees. Killing the engine, I hop out and round the van. Opening the door, I find Maggie still holding onto the headrest.
“Come here, Sunshine.”
She hesitates but finally peels her hands from the headrest. As her foot hits the side step, I pick her up and open the passenger door. Placing her on the passenger seat sideways so she’s facing me, I check her over, just in case.
The tremble from a moment ago has settled, mostly.
“It didn’t bite me,” she utters.
My hands still wander over her limbs anyway, double-checking her ankles and calves that were mere inches from the snake. Once satisfied she is untouched—by the danger rope, at least—I hang my head briefly. Fine fingers grip my jaw, tilting my head, pinning my gaze to hers.
“Sorry I freaked out,” she breathes.
I’m shaking my head. “Don’t do that.”
“What?” Her brows fall.
“Apologize, Sunshine.”
A small smile slips over her face. Fuck, the way I want to kiss her in this moment is staggering.
Fast.
Intense.
I take her hands in mine and push them onto the seat behind her, and she leans in. I claim her mouth just as fast as the growl of her stomach has me breaking away, breathless despite the brevity of the kiss.
“Let’s get you fed.” I nudge her neck just below her earlobe with my nose, planting a soft kiss to her neck.
“I’m not hungry, Hadley.”
