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“Help me up,” Fenn whispered to Kate, his lips barely moving.
She rose swiftly, her voice ringing out across the room. “His head hurts. He needs to rest.”
Her acting skills were impressive, Fenn had to admit. She helped him out of the room, her arm around his waist as if she were holding him up, her body warm against his.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Fenn straightened, his mind already racing ahead to the rendezvous that night. Until then, he would play the invalid, holed up in that coffin-like box of a room.
But Kate would be with him.
He liked that. A lot.
He just prayed the solar flares would cease long enough to contact the team. Marcus, the mysterious military supply dude, was going to get a thorough workup from Paige, and Fenn had no doubt she would uncover every last detail of his life.
But even without that background info, Fenn had some questions of his own. Questions he intended to get answers to, one way or another.
He glanced at Kate, saw the determination in her eyes, the set of her jaw. They were in this together, no matter what. Finally.
And as they made their way back to his room, Fenn couldn’t help but let his mind wander back to a future where they were always together. Where he woke up to her smile every morning, where he fell asleep with her in his arms every night.
It was a nice dream, a beautiful fantasy.
Might as well enjoy it while he could. Reality would intrude soon enough.
23
Fifteen minutes until go time.Three less than the last time Kate checked her watch.
Folded into the chair wedged in next to Fenn’s narrow bed, Kate’s leg bobbed up and down like a sewing machine needle. At Fenn’s pointed gaze she stilled. Anticipation thrummed through her veins, a heady mixture of adrenaline and fear. She watched as Fenn stuffed his dirty clothes under the blankets, a makeshift sleeping man taking shape before her eyes.
Despite her focus, she had to grin. “You’ve got a real talent for that.”
Fenn flashed her a grin, his eyes sparkling under the harsh overhead light. “Many years of practice.” He made a face. “Let’s just say my teenage years were…interesting.”
“I can only imagine.”
“Probably not.”
“Hah. You probably think I was one of those perfect kids.”
He plumped the pillow just so. “Yup.”
“Okay.” She blew out a breath. “I totally was.”
“What a shocker.”
His teasing melted the edges off her building anxiety. Exactly what he planned, she guessed. Fenn had beenuncharacteristically solicitous all evening, his usual snark and sarcasm replaced by a gentle concern that made her heart ache in a way she wasn’t quite ready to examine.
“Hey,” she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. “I just wanted to say thanks. For not treating me differently, after what I told you about that op. About what I did.”
Fenn’s hands stilled, his gaze locking with hers. For a moment, he seemed at a loss for words, a rarity for the man who always had a quip or a comeback at the ready.
“You don’t have to thank me for that,” he said finally, his voice rough with emotion.
She tilted her head, studying him with a newfound curiosity. “Wow, where’s the Fenn Scarborough who cracks wise all the time? What happened to that guy?”
He ducked his head, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “Maybe that guy needed to grow up a little,” he mumbled, his hands fiddling with the sweatpants he’d been about to stuff under the blankets.
Her eyebrows shot up. “Look at you, bringing the introspection.”
