Page 25 of A SEAL's Protection
It’s science. Nothing more.
I get out of the sleeping bag and find Marcus rekindling the fire. I found a jar of instant coffee at the store, and he holds it up and shakes it.
“Want a brew?”
His accent and half-smile make my stomach flutter. Damn pheromones.
There was supposed to be a bag of fresh coffee beans in my supply bag, but instant will have to do.
“Thanks.”
I pull out my laptop and sit on the other end of the log as far away from him as possible. I can’t avoid touching him when we’re sharing a sleeping bag, but during the day, I’m staying as far away from Marcus as I can.
The last thing I need interfering with my research is my body having a chemical reaction to his and my hormones getting excited about it.
But how about your heart?A voice inside me whispers.
“Hearts don’t speak,” I mutter to myself, squashing the voice.
“What’s that?” Marcus is in front of me, holding a mug of steaming coffee.
“Um, I need to speak,” I sputter.
He gives me a quizzical look.
“Into the camcorder. So if you can just…” I wave my hand in the air, and he nods his head.
“Gotcha. I’ll disappear until you’re done.”
He leaves my mug next to the log and walks into the tree line. In an instant, I can’t see him. He’ll be checking the perimeter or whatever the hell he does.
Knowing he’s there, watching and keeping me safe, does nothing to ease the fluttering in my stomach.
12
MARCUS
Allegra’s pack rises and falls in a steady rhythm ahead of me. My gaze drifts down her pack to her legs, strong and sturdy and long in tight hiking leggings.
Every footstep accentuates the muscles in her calves, and I drag my gaze away. The kiss was a mistake. I don’t need that kind of distraction when I’m on a mission.
Today I keep my distance, walking behind and keeping my gaze on the surroundings when it isn’t straying to her taut legs and wondering how they’d feel wrapped around me.
Sweat beads on my forehead, and I scrub a hand down my face. I need to get a grip.
Allegra stops suddenly, and I almost bump into the back of her. While she checks her GPS, I turn in a slow circle, scanning the ridgeline.
We’ve been climbing higher into the mountains all morning, and the trail has left the forest behind. We’re following a ridge on our right and rocky terrain on the left. It’s exposed out here, and I don’t want to stop longer than I have to.
Allegra frowns at the screen and then lifts her gaze, peering at our surroundings.
“Need help?”
She gives an irritated shake of her head. “I can read a GPS.”
She’s gone back to being acerbic, and that suits me fine. She’s putting distance between us; only her acid tongue is like a moth to the flame for me.
“You sure about that?”
