“Your situational awareness has improved since junior training,” she whispered, trying to regain her professional composure.
“Had to.You used to set traps for me on every patrol route.”
“Training exercises.”She fought back a grin at the memories.
“Pranks.”
“Tactical challenges.”The banter helped steady her, even as Malcolm’s proximity continued to make her skin tingle.
“Like the time you convinced the entire class I was afraid of squirrels?”
A laugh bubbled up before she could stop it, and she pressed her face against his shoulder to muffle the sound.The contact was a mistake—he smelled even better up close.“That was payback for the Halloween incident.”
“I said I was sorry about the candy corn!”
“Three years of being called ‘Princess Candypants’ at pack gatherings, Malcolm.”The old nickname should have sparked irritation, but instead, an odd nostalgia for their shared past rolled across her.
Movement ahead silenced them both.
Larissa held perfectly still, trying to search out potential threats rather than concentrate on the feel of Malcolm’s chest rising and falling against her back.
After a few seconds, a coyote darted out from behind a creosote bush, its tail straight out behind it as it raced for its next spot of cover, this time at the base of a boulder.
Larissa remained motionless, reluctant to break the moment.
“We were terrible to each other as kids,” Malcolm mused softly, his breath warming her ear.
“Terrible?”She turned to face him, still in the circle of his arms.The moonlight caught his features, highlighting the strong line of his jaw.“I thought we were just…intense.”
“Is that what they’re calling it now?”
“Better than what Ms.Everett called it.”The words slipped out before she could stop them.Their old teacher’s knowing looks and cryptic comments about their future suddenly felt prophetic.
When Malcolm’s breath caught, she knew he was thinking the same thing.The air between them grew thick with unspoken possibilities.
“We should continue the patrol,” she said finally, forcing herself to step back before she did something reckless.Like find out if he tasted as good as he smelled.
“Running away again?”
“Tactical retreat.”She glanced back with a small smile, trying to lighten the moment.“Like when you used to hide in the library during pack gatherings.”
“I was studying!”
“You were hiding from Jessica Miller and her crush on you.”The memory of her own irrational irritation at Jessica’s obvious pursuit of Malcolm made more sense now than it had then.
“Thank goodness she’s happily mated now,” Malcolm said with a shake of his head.
Larissa snickered.
“Anyway,” he said, “it’s not like you weren’t hiding from half the male population after your first shift.”
As they resumed their patrol, Larissa realized she was sneaking glances at Malcolm.The moonlight cast shadows across his strong features, highlighting the sharp line of his jaw, the curve of his lips.
She’d always known he was attractive—it was hard not to notice—but tonight something was different.There was a pull between them she couldn’t deny, no matter how much she tried.
“Want to head over to the mines?”Malcolm pointed out into the desert, toward the space that had been one of Vincent’s favorite parts of the area.
Larissa shuddered.“I guess we should.But I haven’t been able to go out there since we saved Sarah the night Vincent tortured her.”
