Page 91 of Silent Shadows

“The bad news is the cot situation.”

I glance over.

One cot. One very narrow cot. Oh. Oh.

Miles runs a hand through his hair. “To be clear, I can sleep on the floor.”

“That floor looks like its rot has rot.”

“I’ve slept on worse.”

“That concerns me.”

He laughs under his breath while unpacking blankets from one of the bins.

And suddenly, the adrenaline starts fading enough for me to realize what we just experienced.

After being threatened by rednecks, stalked through the forest by what is likely Bigfoot, and hiking several miles, we are stranded overnight in a tiny, isolated cabin in the woods. Alone.

If this were the opening scene of a horror movie, I would already be yelling at myself to make better choices.

Miles lights the lantern and warm amber light floods the cabin, softening the sharp planes of his face. He looks tired now. Not physically.

The kind of tired people get after carrying responsibility for too long.

“Hey,” his voice is soft. “You okay?”

The fact that he asks makes something twist painfully in my gut.

“Yeah,” I lie.

Miles’s eyes narrow slightly. “You almost got stranded in the forest with a group of reckless assholes and possible unidentified wildlife activity.”

“When you phrase it like that⁠—”

“I’m serious.”

And there it is again.

That thing he does.

The complete sincerity.

No performance or cool-guy distance. Just honest concern spelled out across his face like he doesn't know how to hide it. Most men I know perform care. But Miles just… cares. He doesn’t even have to try. It’s wildly disarming.

“I’m emotionally okay. I think my body just needs a second to catch up,” I say more honestly this time.

He studies me another second before nodding once.

Then immediately starts talking again, rapid-fire.

“You probably want water first because adrenaline crashes can sneak up on people and there’s electrolyte packets in the red bin if you start feeling dizzy or nauseous or⁠—”

I smile before I can stop myself.

Miles pauses mid-sentence. “What?”

“You ramble harder when you’re nervous.”