“It should. I wouldn’t blame it.” But she couldn’t stop a reluctant smile at the whimsical way he’d phrased that.
“On behalf of the Kerr Group, deepest apologies. I’m sorry you lost your donor. I’ll see what I can do about that. There’s not much I can do about the RIF.”
Ooof, that term. She hated it. “Reduction in Force,” as if the bland language made it less painful for those being reduced out of a job.
“But sometimes that’s the price of progress,” he went on.
She glared at him, wishing she didn’t find this man so attractive. “That’s just a rationalization. You aren’t aiming for progress. You’re just trying to make even more money.”
“Okay, fair enough. You win.” He threw up his hands in surrender. “I’m the head of a company trying to turn a profit, you got me. Does it help that I sign a lot of paychecks?”
She folded her arms across her chest. “You actually sign people’s paychecks? Does anyone do that anymore? Don’t bother lying, because when Rory wakes up, I will absolutely ask him that question.”
He snorted “So the poor guy wakes up from a coma and the first thing you ask is whether I literally sign his paychecks?”
It did sound ridiculous, when he put it that way. Laughter welled in her chest. He thought it was funny too, judging by the light in his eyes. During their increasingly silly argument, he’d gotten closer to her without Mathilda even realizing it. Now they were practically eye to eye.
Was this a fight, or was it some kind of weird foreplay?
It kind of felt like the second option, because even though she meant every argument she made, that sparkling current kept running back and forth between them. As if the words weren’t important, just the energy underneath.
He took another step forward. Drawn like a moth, she did the same. Sweet Mama, was he about to kiss her? It seemed so. Her heart raced at that thought. What would those full lips feel like against hers? His head lowered toward hers, ever so slightly. She tilted her face up like a sunflower toward the sun. Her eyes closed halfway, just enough to feel dreamy but not lose sight of Lincoln’s mouth coming close…closer…
The sound of a cough made them both jump. They stared at each other blankly for a moment before it clicked.
Rory was awake.
Lincoln whirled around and strode to the edge of the cot where his pilot lay.
“Rory. Rory, can you hear me? If you can hear me, repeat after me, Rory.”
“Rory?” the pilot murmured.
“I think he’s waking up.” Lincoln shot her an urgent glance. “Can you find Sasha?”
As she raced out of the tent, she heard him say, “You’re safe. The plane crashed, but you’re safe. Don’t try to talk yet. Take it nice and slow. A doctor’s coming and I’m right here with you.”
Despite everything, she had to give Lincoln credit. He really was an exceptionally kind and caring boss to his pilot.
12
As soon as Mathilda was out of earshot, Rory crouched next to Lincoln and spoke in a low voice. “Lincoln, don’t say a word, just listen. Everyone here thinks I’m you, and you’re me. I told them that so they wouldn’t mess with us, before I knew they were trustworthy.
“Our plane went down in the jungle. This is a research camp for scientists and they’ve been letting us stay here. Now that you’re awake, we can figure out a different plan. But for now, can you just go along with this one? I don’t want them to think we lied to them.”
He especially didn’t want Mathilda to think that. If he was lucky, he’d get a chance to explain it to her privately. But he could already hear excited voices outside the tent, and knew they didn’t have much time.
Lincoln closed his eyes wearily. Then opened them again, and frowned. “Safe?”
“Safe? More or less, I think. It was touch and go for a bit. I was injured in the crash too.” He showed off his bandage. “You were knocked into a coma. There’s a woman here who used to be a doctor and she’s been treating you. She really hit the nail on the head, so to speak, with the timing of—” He broke off. Maybe he shouldn’t talk about their bet about the end of Lincoln’s coma.
“Not us. Kit?”
“Right, the med kit. It’s safe, I promise.” He didn’t mention that he knew what was inside it now.
Lincoln closed his eyes again, and his forehead furrowed.
“Are you in pain?” Rory asked him. “Does something hurt? They couldn’t find any other injuries, but there’s no scanning equipment out here, no X-rays or?—”
