Catalina gritted her teeth in frustration. She and Shane were so compatible. They had similar interests and jobs. He obviously enjoyed talking to her as much as she enjoyed talking to him. They were locked up together in a tiny room, and they hadn’t annoyed each other yet. But you couldn’t argue with a lack of sexual attraction. He just wasn’t into her like that.
And that, she told herself firmly, was that.
The time flew by until they were both yawning. When she checked her watch, she was startled to find that it was nearly midnight.
They went to bed in their narrow cots. Shane reached up and flicked off the wall switch. Instead of plunging the room into pitch-black darkness, as she’d expected, it switched to a dim bluish light. She could still see him, his knees bent so his long legs wouldn’t dangle off the end of the cot.
“Good night, Shane,” she said.
“Good night, Catalina.” He turned over and settled in, so all she could see was his velvety black hair. Within a few minutes, his breathing deepened into the even rhythm of sleep.
She lay and listened for a while, wishing she could lie beside him. Her cot felt excruciatingly empty, with every inch of her skin longing to be pressed up against his. But though she was frustrated, she wasn’t lonely. Shane was right there with her, only a few feet away, and she’d seen how fast he reacted. If anything happened, he’d be up and ready to protect her.
With that thought to comfort her, she fell asleep.
***
Catalina woke with a start. For a moment, she was completely disoriented, unsure where she was or what time it was. She didn’t even know what country she was in. Then memory rushed back in, along with the realization of what had woken her. A man’s harsh gasps filled the room.
Her eyes flew open as she sat straight up. But though Shane’s breathing sounded as if he was fighting or badly hurt, he lay on his cot with his eyes closed, completely still except for the desperate heaving of his chest. He’d thrown off his blanket, so she could see that all his muscles were tensed and his hands were clenched in fists. Though the room was cold, sweat beaded his face.
Catalina knew better than to touch him. He’d probably lash out instinctively. Instead, she called softly, “Shane?”
He jolted awake instantly, levering himself up on one hand. The other snatched at his hip and closed around empty air instead of the gun he’d probably expected to find. His eyes were colorless in the dim light, and his expression would have frightened her if she didn’t know him.
“It’s me, Catalina,” she said. “I think you were having a nightmare.”
“Oh.” He sat up and took a few deep breaths. “Thanks for waking me up.”
She wanted to put her arm around his shoulders, but he didn’t like her touching him. It wouldn’t be comforting for him. “Is there anything I can do?”
He opened his mouth like he was going to say something, then closed it and wrapped his arms tight around his chest. He looked like he was holding himself back.
From doing what? Catalina wondered.
“No. I’m all right.” It was obvious that he wasn’t. He sat stiff and tense, with none of his usual grace, hunched over as if he was in physical pain.
“What were you dreaming about?” Catalina asked.
“I don’t remember.” He stood up. “Go back to sleep. I’m taking a shower.”
Catalina lay back down as he walked to the bathroom. She listened to the shower run as she lay there wishing there was something she could do for him. But he didn’t want to be touched and he didn’t want to talk, so what did that leave?
She wondered about his dream, which she was certain he did remember. He’d been in combat, of course, but that wasn’t necessarily it. She’d seen plenty of things that would give some people nightmares, but she never had bad dreams about her work, unless you counted the ones about showing up naked and without her stethoscope. And Shane had said he’d loved being a PJ.
The shower ran and ran. It was still going when she fell asleep.
Chapter Four
Catalina
“Catalina. Come on, wake up.”
She groggily peeled open her eyes. “What?”
“It’s morning.” Shane, still in pajamas, was sitting up on his cot. The lights were on. He had faint dark smudges under his eyes, but otherwise he looked as serene as ever. “You should get up and shower.”
“Why?”