Good thing she wasn’t claustrophobic.
Still, it was a welcome refuge from the ever-looming threat of discovery.And it sure as hell beat sleeping out in the open, where they’d have no relief from the cold.
Navarre slid into the shelter ten or so minutes later and filled the remaining space beside her.He arranged a tapestry of branches and moss across the opening to conceal their presence.It also plunged them into near-total darkness, something she wasn’t thrilled about, but she supposed the added warmth and security made the trade-off worthwhile.
“How are you holding up?”he asked, his voice low.
“Cold.Hungry.Every muscle in my body hurts.”Exhaustion crept into her words, though she doubted the adrenaline lingering in her system would allow her to fall asleep anytime soon.“Other than that, I’m doing great.”
He laughed softly.She heard the sound of rustling, followed by a sharp crack, and then a soft glow illuminated the shelter.
“You brought glow sticks?”
“Only a few.You never know when you’ll be caught in a place where visibility is an issue.”He handed it to her.“It’ll only last a few hours, so enjoy it while you can.”
“Isn’t this going to make us easier to find?”
“Nah, we’re good.It’s not bright enough to be seen outside.”
“Are you sure?”
Navarre looked at her as if the answer was obvious.“Tell you what…if we hear any movement out there, we’ll cover it up to be safe.”
He rummaged around in his rucksack, and a minute or so later, he handed her a meal bar.“Here, eat this.It’s not much, but it’ll take the edge off your hunger.”
Her stomach grumbled just looking at it, and how pitiful was that?“How many of those do you have?”
“Not a lot.You can have another one in the morning.Just make sure to give me the wrappers.I don’t want to leave a trail.”
“Thank you.”She tore the wrapper and bit into the bar, surprised by the rich flavors of cinnamon and blueberries.She wasn’t sure what she’d expected, probably something that tasted as if it were packed with enough preservatives to survive the apocalypse.A little on the chewy side, but she could deal with that.She swallowed a bite and tore off another, and as she chewed, she noticed Navarre wasn’t eating.“Aren’t you going to have one?”
He shook his head.“I’ll be fine until morning.”
She knew for a fact he hadn’t eaten since breakfast.Considering what they’d gone through, how far they’d hiked, the man had to be starving.“Are you saying that because you’re not hungry, or because there isn’t enough for both of us?”
“I’ve gone days without eating.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”She shifted a little to see him better in the soft light.“You’re not going to do either of us any good if you’re running on fumes.”
His heavy exhale filled the small space, a sure sign she’d made a point he didn’t like but couldn’t refute.“Just eat the damn bar.You’ll need your strength.We’ve got a big day ahead of us tomorrow.”
She finished her food and handed Navarre the wrapper.He tucked it into his bag, and then took out a package no bigger than his hand.He removed the wrapper, unfolded the material, again and again and again, revealing a blanket with a camouflage pattern that he used to cover them both.The material was paper thin but surprisingly warm, and she couldn’t have been more thankful that he’d planned ahead for unexpected emergencies.
And just when she thought he couldn’t surprise her anymore, he extended his arm and tucked her against his side.
“I’m not making a move,” he said, his voice rough.“Shared heat will help us stay warm.”
That worked for her.The man radiated heat like a furnace.Tense muscles relaxed as she nestled into the crook of his arm, her hand resting on the front of his black leather jacket.Already, her eyelids were growing heavy; maybe she wouldn’t have such a hard time falling asleep after all.
“I’m sorry about the size of the shelter,” Navarre said.“But making it larger might attract unwanted attention.Odds are those mercs didn’t bring night vision goggles, so they shouldn’t be looking for us now that the sun’s gone down.But if they did, and they come across this clearing, they won’t notice us.”
“How can you be so certain?”
“Because they’ll be searching for tracks or a more obvious shelter.”His confidence was unwavering, and it gave her a sense of assurance.“They’ll assume a celebrity like Sierra Page wouldn’t agree to crawl into a shelter dug against the side of a tree.”He adjusted their position, drawing her closer, his breath warm against her hair.“This isn’t my first time being hunted.”
Thoughts of sleep gave way to curiosity.She tilted her head to look up at him.“When were you hunted?Was that during your time in the Army?”
“Some of it.”He didn’t elaborate, and it only made her more curious.
