"That's right. And Joe?"
"Yeah?"
"We were never here."
Joe's eyes meet Finn's in the rearview mirror. Some silent communication passes between them.
"Who was never where?" Joe replies with a wink and pulls away from the airfield.
As we drive away from civilization and deeper into the wilderness, I find myself stealing glances at the man beside me. In the bright Montana sunlight, I can see details I missed on the plane. The faint lines at the corners of his eyes. A small nick on his chin, probably from shaving. The way his hands rest easy but ready on his thighs.
Hands that have likely both taken lives and saved them.
Hands that are now responsible for mine.
"Stop staring," he says without looking at me. "You'll make me self-conscious."
Heat rises to my cheeks. "Sorry. Professional hazard. I've spent my life being stared at. Sometimes I forget it's not always welcome."
"I didn't say it wasn't welcome." His eyes meet mine briefly. "Just that you'll make me self-conscious."
Is he flirting with me? No, impossible. This is purely professional for him. I'm a job, a responsibility, a paycheck.
But there's something in those blue eyes that makes me wonder.
"So this is Montana," I say, changing the subject. "It's more beautiful than I expected."
"City girl surprised by nature. Film at eleven."
I laugh despite myself. "I'm allowed to appreciate beauty."
"Yes, you are."
There's something in his tone that makes me look at him sharply, but his expression gives nothing away. This man is impossible to read.
We fall into silence as Joe navigates winding mountain roads, climbing higher into the wilderness. The SUV is comfortable but built for function rather than luxury, much like the man sitting beside me.
"Tell me about your brothers," I say after a while, curious about the family he briefly mentioned.
He glances at me, considering. "What do you want to know?"
"Anything. How many? Are you close? What do they do?"
"I have five brothers. Yes, we're close in our way. As for what they do." He pauses. "Sawyer's the sheriff in Grizzly Ridge. Elias is a game warden. Boone's the fire chief. Luke builds custom homes. Cade was Delta Force, now he does carpentry work. We all ended up in jobs where we protect people or build things."
"And you protect people."
"Yes."
"It must be nice," I say softly. "Having family so close. People you can trust completely."
"It is."
I feel his eyes on me, studying my expression. "What about your family?" he asks.
"My mother manages my career,” I explain. “My father left when I was six. No siblings."
"Close with your mother?"
