Orlando barked once, sharp and warning, as if in confirmation.
Danger.
“Fine.” She stepped back, trying to steady her breathing. “You get the snow.”
But as he moved toward the door, she couldn’t shake the feeling. “Just, be careful.”
He turned, smiled, and finally nodded. “You’re not the boss of me.” Then, as her mouth opened, he stepped outside.
And into the storm.
HARLEY POSSESSEDthe power to make him say ridiculous things.
“You’re not theboss of me”?
Jericho had meant it as something to shake Harley free of whatever had her freaked out, although he had a pretty good idea.
Gabe, alive? C’mon. But certainly Mars Sorros hadn’t pulled them out here to ambush them, right? Even Jericho could admit that his theory about Mars and the berries sounded far-fetched.
At least, it did in the warm house. Out here, in the wildness of the storm, maybe not so much.
Jericho scooped fresh snow into the pot and stepped back inside, already shivering.
She had waited, her arms akimbo, as if still shocked by his words.
“Thanks,” she said as he handed her the pot.
The room suddenly felt way too hot.
She put the snow into the kettle. “Dinner is almost ready.”
Winter set the table.
Jericho crouched next to his dog, who’d taken a place by the fire, his coat still moist from the snow. Orlando’s tail thumped, and he sighed, clearly nonplussed by his owner’s thundering heartbeat.
For a second there, it seemed ... well, the texture of her gaze, the softening of it, a few memories suddenly flashed in her eyes...
She’d wanted to kiss him.
And he was right there, his stupid heart agreeing.
Andhello—that was the last thing he should do.
Really.
As they ate, Jericho watched her push her soup around, noticed how she kept glancing at the windows, at the darkness. The generator hummed, and the fire flickered in the hearth, but if he were honest, he couldn’t shake the feeling that someone watched. Waited.
Okay, nowhewas freaked out.
They finished dinner, then Topher helped Sunni into the back bedroom, after refreshing the snow in the plastic bag. Winter had climbed to the loft, claiming exhaustion, but Jericho had caught the look she’d thrown at Harley, so maybe she was giving them space.
Topher claimed the other bedroom.
Great.Now elephants roamed the room. The drama of Copper Mountain. He thought they’d worked together pretty well today, thank you. Except, that wasn’t nearly the problem.
They’d workedtoowell together, maybe.
Outside, the blizzard howled, but inside, the place turned cozy, the fire’s shadows flickering against the pine walls in shades of amber and gold.
