Did he have a weapon with him?
“Don’t shoot the raccoons. I’m up here. Don’t shoot me either.”
Sam dropped his hand and turned to her voice. When she moved, he closed the distance and stood below her.
“Why are you in a tree? Were you hiding? Is someone in the cabin?”
Tansy stretched her foot for the last branch and then Sam’s hands were on her and he lifted her down the last bit. Even though his hands sent the familiar electricity and yearning through her, she stepped immediately away from his touch.
“I’m fine. Everything is fine. I was working.”
He frowned at her and looked back at the tree. She moved into the cabin and considered shutting the door in his face. But that was rude and it would show him she hadn’t conquered her emotions yet.
Tansy moved to her computer and opened up to her spreadsheet to record her data.
As she worked, she dropped into analysis mode and shut out the world. She made notes of what she’d seen, of course, but also data from the other senses.
The soft hum that would give away technology at a close distance. The slight scent she didn’t have a word for. A scent she wasn’t convinced was from the tech. Maybe a natural scent she hadn’t noticed before. She recorded her questions and thoughts.
Darkness had approached before she’d been able to climb to the roof and test touch. She doubted there would be a sensation, but she had to be sure. Was there a texture? An electrical sensation? Was there a difference in temperature?
Tonight had been a calm evening, but would wind affect the hologram?
She’d noted the weather conditions at the beginning of the experiment. Now, she added the end conditions. A drop of two degrees and an increase of one percent humidity. Wind speed remained almost nil.
She’d already noted the size of the test area and the height from the ground.
Finally, she skimmed over her spreadsheet and then noted the changes she wanted to make for the next experiment. Maybe at the same time of day for now, but she’d need to try during all times of the day and in various weather conditions.
The more data, the easier it would be to let it coalesce in her brain until she had a piece of workable tech.
Back in Sacramento, she’d done the initial creation of the device in an indoor lab. Hadn’t had a chance to even test anything outdoors before James had tried selling it.
Which broke her train of thought and brought her back to Sam.
Tansy saved the data in multiple places, then shut down the computer for the night. She might as well face Sam and get the awkward conversation over with.
Now that she wasn’t focused on her data, she could feel him there. Waiting.
Tansy considered diving into something else. She really didn’t like fighting. But Sam was one of the most patient people she’d ever met. He’d wait her out.
And she’d only get more nervous.
With a sigh, she turned on her chair, expecting Sam to be occupied with something on his phone over on the couch.
Instead, he sat at the dining table, watching her. He hadn’t sat at the right angle to read her data, which she appreciated. It was technically classified, although she didn’t have enough data to interest anyone. Not after one outdoor trial.
“You done?” His voice was soft.
She nodded and wondered what she should say.
Sam took that worry out of her hand. He stood and brought his chair over so that he sat beside her. “I’m sorry.”
She hadn’t expected that. She probably should have, but she’d thought he would be pissed off at her storming out.
Instead of acting angry, Sam picked up her hand and played with her fingers. “I wasn’t thinking clearly. Obviously. I’ve wanted you for a long time, Tansy, and I worked it up into a really big deal.”
“Why?”