Page 18 of Double Take

She glanced at him. “Nervous?”

“As long as I’m with you, I’m sure I’ll be safe,” he joked. As long as he was with her, he’d be happy. This was the best day of his life. “Terra Nova is quite…rural.” Between villages lay open countryside, with just a few scattered rustic cottages.

“That’s what I like about it.” Faith gripped the steering apparatus and squinted through the rain-splattered screen. Two little arms swished at the water, but they streaked more than they cleared.

“You didn’t find the desolation an adjustment?” How did one survive in the country? What did onedo? Earth was technologically advanced, fast-paced, high-energy. Even Patagonia had been urbanized, skyscrapers boxing in the pastoral sheep ranches. Terra Nova was quiet, sleepy, slow, primitive—like the vehicle. Had Earth emptied its museums of mechanical artifacts and shipped them to Terra Nova?

“A good adjustment,” she said. “There’s something to be said for having room to stretch, time to reflect.”

Reflection had worked in his favor. After meeting in the café, he’d given her a day to mull over his request beforecontacting her again. He’d been thrilled when she’d invited him to accompany her to a craft fair.

He wished to spend as much time with her as he could because when he left in three weeks, that would be the end. He couldn’t risk seeing her again or applying for more leave. After never taking a day of leave in five years, suddenly he started taking it? Dark Ops was already suspicious—hence, Marshall’s call. For her sake, he shouldn’t have come to Terra Nova at all.

However, leaving now wouldn’t prevent or solve anything, so he may as well finish his furlough. “I was surprised you asked me to come along with you.”

“I surprised myself,” she said.

“Do you regret asking me?”

“Not so far.” She grinned. A man could live and die for one of those smiles. “I’m not usually so impulsive,” she said.

I’m glad you were.“I’m not impulsive either.” Every assignment was meticulously and strategically planned. Situations could and did go awry, but not for a lack of forethought.

She arched her brows, humor glinting in her eyes.

“Except for coming here,” he admitted. But was that true? Faith had never been far from his mind. Hadn’t the idea of seeking her out been growing? Hadn’t he envisioned seeing her hundreds of times in dozens of ways? Marshall’s pronouncement about her joining Cosmic Mates had been a catalyst that motivated him to act.

“There’s always that exception,” she said wryly.

“Of course.” He paused. “So, why did you make an exception for me?”

“Maybe I needed the muscle,” she said flippantly. “You did load up all the heavy crates.” Eight wooden boxes of pottery filled the rear of the vehicle. It appeared there’d once been asecond row of seats, but they’d been removed a long time ago, judging from the rusted bolts in the floor.

He’d lug any number of crates if it bought time with her.

“Or maybe for closure, to get answers to the questions I have about Mark.”

He’s gone. I’m here.He’d been nursing the fantasy she’d invited him along to get to knowhim. Stupid. He’d spent five years pining for another man’s wife who didn’t know he existed. He cared too much when he shouldn’t care at all. But if love was rational, most people might make different choices.

Spending time with her would be a torturous exercise in futility.

“But mainly because you intrigue me,” she said.

Intrigued was a start. He’d take it. His spirits soared.

“The differences between you are subtle, but there are so many of them, it’s hard to believe I mistook you for him.”

He tried not to show how strongly her words affected him, but inside, he grinned like an idiot.

“Besides, your references were impeccable.”

“My references?”

“Rusty likes you.”

“Seeing me again depended on a cat?” He’s always liked animals but never had the pleasure of owning a pet.

“Not really.” She grinned. “But he is a great judge of character.”

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