Page 75 of Mountain Defender

Oh yes, her boss was going to take one look at her and see the change in her. Shewasdifferent, but was it for the better? A few days with the special operator had made her softer rather than harder. He made her see that work could be fun too, with the right person at her side.

Of course it was no picnic and much of their trip hadn’t been fun at all. Especially not for Bryson. But she was there for that too.

Her inhalation was quick and silent.

She did have feelings for him. Big feelings. Or as he’d put it, big, big feelings.

What was she going to do?

They rolled up to a stop sign she recognized as being very close to the supermarket.

Were those worry lines around Bryson’s eyes?

She couldn’t think of anything to say to fill the awkward silence hovering between them now. Every bump on the road left her with the acute awareness that she wasn’t going to see him tomorrow. She wouldn’t roll over in bed and want to punch him in the throat for snoring.

He wouldn’t laugh at her and call her grumpy in the morning as he handed her a cup of terrible coffee.

They rounded a corner and the supermarket came into view. Her gaze shot to the place where she’d hit him with the Humvee.

He parked near the back of the lot and took out his phone. While he made a call, she fidgeted with the zipper pull on her coat.

He looked at her and said into the phone, “We’re at the drop-off point. Okay. See you in a few.”

When he tucked the phone in his jeans again, Alexia chuckled. “Drop-off point? It’s a grocery store. You’re so extra.”

His lips quirked, but she noted how the smile didn’t linger in his eyes the way it had all those times over the past few days they spent together.

Without a word, they both climbed out of the vehicle to say goodbye.

Facing each other this way hurt. She couldn’t meet his stare and riveted her gaze on his chest instead.

“One of the guys is coming for me. He’ll be here in a couple minutes.”

So short a time left. She couldn’t bear using those minutes on whiny goodbyes.

“Eric’s expecting me back.”

He shuffled a step closer. “Yeah. You should go.”

They stood inches apart. Her body screamed at her to throw her arms around him and kiss him the way she wanted to and to tell him that she would love to see him again.

But she didn’t do those things.

When the back of his fingers brushed the back of hers, she jumped. Her stomach churned.

“You know where to find me, Alexia.” He ducked his head to capture her gaze. When she lifted hers to meet it, her breath caught in her throat. What she read there was a silent plea…for her to find him. For her to respond to his determined belief that theywouldandshouldsee each other after this.

Unable to speak, she nodded.

He leaned in and brushed his lips over her forehead. She closed her eyes at the sensation. Then he drew away, turned and walked the distance to the grocery store.

For a moment, she couldn’t move. The soles of her boots felt frozen to the pavement, and a lump lodged in her throat, causing it to burn.

She couldn’t watch him go.

She hurried to the driver’s side and jumped behind the wheel. She put the vehicle in reverse and started to back out, then she slammed on the brakes.

No, dammit! She couldn’t let things end this way.