He shoots me a withering glare.
Someone is in a foul mood this morning.One would think I’m taking him to the electric chair with the look on his face. We make our way over to the main lodge, with me sipping my coffee along the walk. Declan seems determined to get to our destination as fast as possible, forcing me to match his speed.
I don’t have legs like a giraffe, so I slow to a normal walking pace before my legs give up from exertion. “What’s your hurry?”
“They said to be there at 5:15 a.m.”
“It’s a vacation, not a doctor’s appointment. They can wait a few minutes longer.”
Declan mutters something under his breath. I make a show of pulling out my phone and taking a few dark photos of some plants. He hates every second of it. His boots drag across this dirt path, tracking dust behind him as he taps away at his phone.
“What happened to taking the day off?” I ask.
Our eyes clash. Neither one of us looks away.
“I’m here, aren’t I?”
“Yeah, with an attitude bigger than the state of Texas.”
“I must not be trying hard enough if there’s still Alaska to compete with.”
His comment makes me curl over and laugh until I wheeze. Most people find him dry, sarcastic, and downright unbearable to be around for long periods of time, but I find him funny. Sarcasm might be considered the lowest form of wit, but I find it the most entertaining. I’m not sure what that says about me though.
I stand and collect myself. “How about we call a truce?”
“A truce?” He raises a brow.
I nod. “Let’s spend a day pretending the rest of the world doesn’t exist. No work. No Yakura. No regrets. Give me one single day of your time without any of the other stuff bogging us down.”
“What do I get out of this?”
Well, that isn’t exactly a no.“You get a happy wife who won’t suffocate you in your sleep tonight.”
“Think about it often?”
My grin makes my cheeks ache. “Depends on what true crime episode I’m inspired by that night.”
He presses his lips together, stopping a grin from ever forming. I can imagine he has a beautiful smile, but I wouldn’t know. I’ve never seen it. Not in all the years I’ve worked for him, despite all my best efforts.
“Fine. But only because I don’t think you would survive a day in jail,” he replies.
“You’re right. Orange is so not my color.”
And I swear Declan laughs on the inside.
* * *
By the time we make it to the truck area, I’ve drained the entire cup of coffee and feel much more like myself. The safari driver and guide both greet us. Neither of them complains about us being a whole ten minutes late, and I silently mouthtold you soto Declan while they prep the truck.
“Are we the first ones here?” I look around the empty area around our idle car.
The guide looks at me with raised brows. “I thought you knew.”
“About?”
“Our tours are meant to be a one-on-one experience so the couples can make the most out of their honeymoon together.”
Well, I suppose I must have interpreted the website incorrectly. I look up at Declan and notice the vein above his right eye has appeared.Great.