Page 11 of Knox's Mission

“Other than the obvious, yes,” he answered. “What makes you ask?”

They were lost in the Amazon jungle with a pairof men who knew the terrain hunting her. Why wouldn’t he be alright?

“Your eyes narrow and the blue deepens from pale to cobalt blue when you move, which used to happen when you were in pain,” she said. “The deep groove in your forehead is a sign of stress. It doesn’t do that when you’re relaxed. You’ve had the same one since we were kids.”

“Youwere a kid,” he countered. “I was a man.”

She didn’t immediately speak. “Okay, when I was a kid and you were eighteen. Clearly, so much more of an adult.”

“It’s the difference between being able to vote, serve your country, and buy a cigar before you were old enough to drive,” he defended.

Amy raised her hands in the surrender position, palms toward him exposing a two-inch cut on her arm.

“Hey, why didn’t you show me this before?” he asked. “Contract an infection out here and you could die faster than if one of those snakes caught you.”

“When was I supposed to point this out?” she asked right back. “I didn’t think it was as important as getting away from the men with machine guns who were chasing me when I ran into you.”

Knox smirked. Most people backed off when he challenged them. Amy pushed right back. It was good to know some things hadn’t changed and thefire was still alive in those sky-blue eyes that now sparked with anger. She wasn’t mad at him. He realized that. She needed someone to vent her frustration at. This was a lot for any civilian to take in. Based on what Lorna had said during her call, Amy wasn’t used to environments like this.

Did she know the spark made her eyes even more beautiful?

All he had to do was keep her securely in the dead best friend’s little sister category to tamp down any inconvenient attraction. And that was exactly what this was. Inconvenient. Knox hadn’t spent time with a woman, any woman other than Taz’s wife Hannah, who’d invited him and the others who survived the crash to her rehab ranch.

Knox pulled the small first-aid kit out of his rucksack. He opened the kit, using the top of his bag as a makeshift table. The even surface held the small kit. He set out a cleaning wipe, antibiotic ointment, and a bandage with adhesive strong enough to stick to a tree during a downpour.

“Give me that,” Amy interrupted his thoughts, jarring him back to reality. “I can do it myself.”

“Same old Amy,” he muttered.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked, clearly offended. The twitch at the corner of her mouth wasn’t something he should stare at. So, he forced his gaze away from her full lips.

“You never would let anyone do anything for you,” he stated. “You always had to do it for yourself.”

“Is there something wrong with being self-sufficient?” she asked with enough heat in her voice to warm them for the rest of the day. “Because last I checked, not being needy was considered a good thing.”

He decided this wasn’t a good time to point out the fact she wasn’t able to take care of herself or he wouldn’t be here. What the hell? He might as well poke the bear. “Except when it comes to being lost in the jungle.”

“Don’t be an ass,” Amy said, snatching the cleaning wipe off the makeshift table.

“Can you open that on your own or do you need my help?” he pressed, amused with himself.

The determined look on her face said she’d rather die than ask for help at this point.

She wrangled with the package until she managed to find the perforated edge and rip it open. After shooting him daggers, she snatched the antibiotic ointment.

“Hey, let me help,” Lorna said, who had been quiet.

Amy handed it over.

“I see how it is,” Knox teased. “I’m not allowed to help you, but she is.”

“She isn’t actively trying to piss me off,” Amy shotback with more of those daggers and the slightest spark.

He cracked a smile, which served to piss her off further.

Good. She looked like she’d rather poke her eyes out than speak to him. All sparks dissipated. It was for the best this way.

Lorna leaned in as she applied the ointment and whispered, “So, did you get any of the footage we came out here for?” Lorna’s voice was so low Knox almost didn’t hear her ask.

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