“Okay.” I slide past him, gripping my lapels tight. “How long do you think we’ll have to be here?”
“I don’t know.” Sawyer lets me walk ahead of him in the direction of the bedrooms. “A couple of weeks at least before it’s safe for Peak Securities to send someone over and get us.”
“Cool.” I nod slowly, wondering how I’m supposed to survive two weeks being constantly turned on with nothing to do about it. “Night, Huckleberry.”
“Good night, Techy,” he answers back in a soft voice, and I tell myself that the longing I hear in it is just me, projecting my own emotions onto him. Though part of me still grasps on to the wishful thinking, wondering if there’s a chance for us once life is back to normal.
“Are you getting anywhere?” Sawyer asks from behind the file he’s inspecting.
“No, I’ve hit a cold trail.” I let out a long breath. “I feel like there’s this giant piece of the puzzle I’m not seeing even though it’s staring me straight in the face.”
“This is pointless.” He throws the papers he was looking over back on the table before rubbing his eyes with a heavy sigh.
“I think we’re just tired,” I say with a yawn. “Maybe a nap.”
“Naps are for pampered princesses,” he grumbles with a small smile, and I can’t help but laugh.
“Jealous, Huckleberry?” I stretch and get up from my chair, torn between another coffee or trying for a snooze.
“Exhausted, mainly.”
“I’m sorry I woke you up last night.” I lean a hip on the table. Sawyer’s eyes drop the length of my body and return to my face, a quick once-over that tingles over my skin.
“I’m a light sleeper.” He gets up as well and leans next to me. “Go rest, Techy. We’ll keep digging into Harlow later.”
“Only if you do, too.” I can see the fatigue starting to etch its way into Sawyer’s eyes, his rigidness and frustration. “We both need to get some shut-eye.”
“I like it when you try to get me into bed,” Sawyer teases with a chuckle, and I shrug.
“I’ve been trying to do that for a while, Huckleberry.” I take a step closer, poking his abs. “But it’s like getting a belligerent toddler into bed, so much resistance.”
“Menarebabies.” He grins, catching my finger when I try to poke him again and raising an eyebrow. “Nowwho’s trying to cop a feel?”
“Oh, totally,” I admit with a flippant tone as if it’s all one big joke. “Seriously, though, you need to be focused and ready for action if the baddies come knocking.”
“I am ready.” He indicates the getaway bag strategically located for easy grabbing from the living room. “I’m set, Maddie, there’s nothing to worry about.”
“Oh?” I raise an eyebrow, glaring at my index finger still firmly in his grasp. “Because super-soldiers never get tired?”
“Yeah, you’re right.” Sawyer releases the digit with a sigh. “We both need to get some rest; it’s been a crazy couple of days.”
Ipfftand shake my head. “It’s been a crazy couple ofweeks.”
“True.” Sawyer laughs. “It has been a crazy couple of weeks, indeed.”
“Well, you know how the saying goes,” I start, my eyes drifting down to his chest, to where the same words I’m about to say are permanently etched into his skin with black ink. “The only easy day was yesterday.”
Sawyer laughs, shaking his head and waving an index finger at me.
“It’s amotto, not a saying,” he scolds me fondly, rubbing a hand over his abs in thought, the motion causing the fabric of his shirt to move from side to side in a way that’s tempting me to reach out and smooth a hand over it. “Thirty-minute power nap?”
“That’s the spirit, Huckleberry.” I settle for a light pat on his chest, and Sawyer rolls his eyes with a small smile playing on his lips. I like this thing we do, where I tease him, and he acts as if he can’t be bothered, but, at the same time, he can’t quite hide how much he enjoys it.
I could get used to this easy interaction between us. Iwantthis easy interaction between us without the threat and dread always floating over our heads, darkening this pure emotion Sawyer evokes in me.
“See you in thirty.” I smile when we reach his door.
“I’ll bring coffee.” He winks before retreating to his room and closing the door halfway.