would have been okay with it, but he wanted time to consider what to do while he could. Right now, his brain was working, spitting out his chances—and hers—over and over. He needed to stop the offending loop and start working on the problem.
Shylah had obviously been tracking the madmen who had decided to start a pandemic for their own personal reasons and she probably knew more than she realized—or was telling him. After her shower, he would question her, get as many facts as possible so they had a shot at surviving the virus. It was a slim chance, but there was one. If anything, he needed to save her. She was one in a million, and who knew he would find her here in the rain forest?
He didn’t have clean clothes with him, so he wrapped himself in a towel and stepped out with a grin on his face, knowing she appreciated his body far more than he did. The smile faded when he saw her wrapped in a towel. She had long legs. Beautiful legs. Her hair was out of its braid and she sent him a quick shy smile before stepping around him to enter the shower. He’d been as brief as possible in order to save the hot water for her, but after catching that little glimpse, he decided if they were going to be staying, they should share that shower.
I’m reading your thoughts.
Her laughter teased his senses, something that had never happened before, and left him a little uncomfortable. She was turning the tables on him, staying connected.
I guess it’s a two-way street.
Still—she was sober again—I’d prefer some privacy. I need to fall apart, just a little bit. It isn’t that I mind knowing I’m going to die; it’s the how. I saw the results of this virus and it wasn’t pretty.
Her honesty was killing him. I understand. He did. And he didn’t have that much hope to give her. He was doing his best not to think too hard on what was to come.
He made certain their minds were totally apart before he allowed himself to contemplate what they were facing. He was definitely infected. That dart had been all about killing him and those he came into contact with. He had to find out if the terrorists had more of the virus. That meant he couldn’t take his peony with him. The things he might have to do to get that information weren’t for her. She had enough to contend with.
He stood at the window, staring out into the forest, contemplating the fact that he might have to kill Shylah Cosmos. He liked her. Most people, man or woman, would have been freaking out, knowing they were exposed to the virus. Most would have tried running to civilization and hospitals in the hopes they could be saved. Had she done that, he would have killed her. Once she’d opened a pathway between their two minds, he’d deliberately kept it open, needing to know her thoughts. If she planned to run, he had to know.
He’d considered killing her when he first realized she had performed CPR on him, when he saw the realization on her face that she was most likely infected. She hadn’t panicked the way he’d expected. It had thrown her, but she’d remained clearheaded. She’d worked with him in the river against their common enemy. She thought herself squeamish, but even when the dead man had stared at her, she hadn’t bailed. She’d forced herself to stay still, not giving away their position.
Yeah. He liked her. He could even admit he was attracted to her. He’d never had any shortage of women, but that was all physical. A release. Nothing more. He found it ironic that when he was going to die, he met a woman. Maybe the woman. She was smart. Funny. Brave. And damned good-looking. She laughed at herself. In the middle of the worst nightmare possible, she laughed at herself.
And made him laugh too.
Draden rinsed out his clothes and hung them on the porch to dry. It was hot enough that, despite the humidity, it shouldn’t take too long. The ranger had left a change of clothes, but they were too small. There was no way to improvise. His head hurt like a mother, so he sat on the mattress and laid his head against the wall, closing his eyes. Just for a minute.
He had to be prepared to take care of Shylah. She was just now