Page 29 of Double Take

Chapter Eleven

Bragg awakened to a dead arm and a cold cabin. The fire had gone out, and a sleeping Faith pillowed her head on his shoulder and arm. His entire body could go numb before he’d disturb her.

He still couldn’t believe what had happened last night; making love with her had been heaven, but, having sampled paradise, the future seemed bleaker. How could he bear to walk away? How would he live without her? He wished they never had to leave this cabin, wished they could stay here eating potatoes for the rest of their lives.

She hadn’t been wrong to compare Dark Ops to prison. Hammond had enlisted for five years, reupping for another stint prior to his death. If he’d still been alive, he’d have been free and clear about now. Not so his clone.

Clones served for as long as Dark Ops deemed them useful, and Hammond’s public death complicated Bragg’s situation. When allowed to part ways, he would still have to clear where he could live and who he could associate with. It would be more like parole than retirement.

And that’sifthey released him.Ifhe didn’t get killed first.

This time on Terra Nova was all he would ever have with Faith. Further leave would be very closely monitored.

She stirred. “Are you awake?” she whispered.

“Yes.”

“How long have you been up?”

“Not long. How’s your head this morning? No headache?”

“My head is good. My body aches like I tumbled down an embankment.” She chuckled. “Is it morning?” She squinted at gray light filtering through dirty windows.

“Morning,” he confirmed with a sigh.

“We leave today. If we can get the vehicle running.”

“I’m no mechanic, but I doubt that’s possible. We can call for help with your tech-tab.”

“Oh, yeah. Good idea.” The reluctance in her tone buoyed his spirits a little.She doesn’t wish to leave this cabin either.

“We have peaches for breakfast.” Her gaze alighted on the fruit they’d never gotten around to eating.

“We do,” he agreed. “Would you like a shower this morning?”

“I would love one—but not with cold water. I’ll wait until we return to civilization.”

“I can heat water in the fireplace,” he explained. “No sense hiking to the vehicle until it’s light.”

“In that case, I’d love a hot shower.”

“Your wish is my command.” He pressed a kiss to her mouth before slipping out of bed into air cold enough to shrivel his nuts. His blanket from the night before puddled on the floor. He snagged it and wrapped it around himself then eyed the fireplace. He’d never built a fire. On Earth, if you needed heat, you flipped a switch. He would hate to embarrass himself by appearing inept.

But he’d watched her do it.Live and learn.

Sitting on the hearth, he poked at the ash with a metal hook and discovered a few sizable embers. He added kindling then blew on the embers until the sticks caught fire. When the blaze seemed steady, he placed a couple of small logs atop the burning kindling. They caught fire.

“Good job!” She clapped.

He grinned at her. “I’m a quick study.”

Grabbing the metal pot, he headed to the water pump, stopping along the way to feel their clothing.

“Are they dry?”

“Dryer than last night, anyway. There are a few damp spots.” He set the pot on the table and rearranged the clothing to exposethe damp spots to air, although they probably wouldn’t be here long enough to make a difference.

He peeked into the pantry and discovered several jars pushed all the way to the back. “Two more jars of potatoes and three more peaches!” he announced.

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