The compliment caught her off guard.“You really think I did okay out there?”
He nodded, not a shred of doubt on his face.“You did better than okay.You impressed the hell out of me.Not many women would have slept in a shelter built against the side of a fallen tree.”
“Well, if given the choice, I would have rather slept at the Marriott.”
He laughed.“You and me both.But when things got rough, you didn’t cry, or whine, or complain.You knuckled down and did what needed to be done to survive.As far as I’m concerned, that’s pretty badass.”
His gaze slid down from her eyes to her mouth.Everything in her went still.She would have given anything to kiss him again.But they were friends now, with clearly defined boundaries.If she wanted that friendship to last, she had to respect them.
He drank the last of his beer and set the empty bottle on the nightstand.On-screen, the Deathslayer was locked in a battle with Lord Ahkna, their swords throwing sparks with every clash of metal against metal.
She sipped her drink, enjoying the blend of sweet pineapple and the kick of rum.There wasn’t enough alcohol to give her a buzz, but it helped her relax and loosened her tongue.“I dressed as the Deathslayer at last year’s Dragon Con.”
Navarre grinned.“Seriously?With the blue hair and everything?”
A blush warmed her cheeks as she nodded.Maybe admitting this wasn’t such a bright idea.“Nina showed Austin the pictures.That’s where he got the idea of me acting as Sierra’s double.”
Navarre’s gaze sharpened.“I need to see those pictures when we get back.”
She shook her head.“No way.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know.”She shrugged.“It’s kind of silly for a grown woman to play dress-up.”
“No, it’s not.There’s nothing wrong with adults having harmless fun.Besides, if it wasn’t for your uncanny resemblance to the Deathslayer, you wouldn’t have landed this cushy job.”
She laughed, and he laughed along with her, and it felt so good after everything they’d gone through.She really liked this version of Navarre.She’d seen glimpses of it out in the forest, but now this playful, sexy side of him was on full display, and it really turned her on.“If I’d known what was going to happen, I would have asked for a lot more money.”
“Well, now you know for next time.”
Another crack of thunder rattled the cabin, causing the lights to momentarily flicker.
Sloane sipped her drink and set the glass on the nightstand.“I seriously doubt there’s going to be a next time.”
“There will be if Sierra enjoyed her weekend.”
“And you’d actually want to go through this again?”
“It wasn’t all bad.”
For a moment or two, she simply stared at him.“You’re kidding, right?Or did you forget those big, scary guys with guns who chased us—”
“They weren’t that scary.”
“Speak for yourself.They scared the crap out of me.”
All traces of humor left his face.“I never would have let them hurt you.You know that, right?”
“Yeah, I know.”She had no doubt in her mind.“I just…thank you.For keeping me safe.”
She couldn’t remember if she’d thanked him before.Even if she had, it didn’t hurt to say it again.
“There’s nothing to thank me for.I was just doing my job.”His lips curved into a smile that reached his eyes, and it transformed his face from ruggedly handsome to drop dead gorgeous.“Would you like to know why I don’t think the last couple of days were all bad?”
“Sure, why not?”
“Because I got to spend them with you.”
