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  He set her down, led her to the top of the island’s tallest rise, and pointed at the gaping darkness beyond it. “Shelter. Sheer drop all around.”

  “Okay.” She turned in a full circle and gasped. “Oh wow.”

  “That’s the only way in.” With a hand, he indicated the ledge they’d just jumped from.

  “And you’d never know it was here, would you?”

  “Exactly.” After setting down the pack, he headed toward the mouth of the cave. “I’ll check it out first. It’s been a while since I spent any time here.”

  He shone his light inside what was more a crack in the rock than anything. Left, right, down, up. Nothing he could see, but he’d be shocked if there weren’t a creature or two slumbering inside. “Hey!” he yelled. Sure enough, something scuttled noisily for a few seconds before stilling. Another yell, and a few winged creatures shot out above his head, taking to the skies. Then silence.

  “Come on.” He hefted the bag, crouched, and preceded her inside.

  “Spooky,” she whispered as they ventured deeper into darkness.

  He half laughed. “Not nearly as spooky as whatever the hell they’re doing on that rig.”

  “True.”

  “You hang out here while I get us settled.”

  “I’ll help.”

  “All right.” He rooted in his pack for his sleeping gear. “Here. Set up the sleeping stuff, and pull out whatever you find for dinner. I need to take a quick look around. Make sure we weren’t followed.”

  “You think—”

  “No. We’d have heard them or seen something. Doubt they’d come after us in a safety boat, so I’m guessing we’re good.” For now. He didn’t mention the possibility of backup arriving by air or sea. No point scaring her. Besides, there’d be noise if they brought people in.

  He took a quick turn around the area, disturbing only a couple nesting western gulls, which took off with angrily flapping wings before landing in one of the bushes below. Their feathers were almost blue in the light of the full moon. Taking his time, Eric performed a quick 360-degree search of the water. Nothing.

  Hoping that they’d be alone until the morning, at least, he returned to find Zoe wrapped tightly in his bag, settled in the doorway to the cave, which faced west, directly toward Polaris.

  “Your dinner, sir.” Smiling, she handed him a protein bar and the bag of water, along with a bright-silver Mylar safety blanket.

  Between them, he lit a glow stick and threw her a glance. “Ambiance.”

  She huffed out what might have been a laugh, then sighed with pleasure as she began to eat. They’d taken a few silent bites when he noticed her shivering.

  “Still cold?”

  Her teeth chattered. “Fr-freezing.” He eyed her dark hair, dripping wetly over her shoulders. Soaking the shirt that should be keeping her warm. In the weird greenish glow, her skin looked sickly pale.

  He shifted toward her and hesitated. “You mind sharing body heat?”

  “N-no.”

  “No you mind or no you don’t—”

  “G-get over here.”

  He shoved his bar into his mouth and slid over beside her, suddenly unsure how to go about this. She solved the issue by unzipping, scooting as far to the side as she could, and urging him into the other side. He slid in, sort of behind and beside her, and threw the blanket over them as she zipped up. After a second’s hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her.

  In the few seconds of silence that followed, her shivering slowed, and Eric was left with a flooding awareness of the growing warmth of her, the steady weight. He fought to ignore the way his pulse picked up speed. “Never had to survive with a woman before.”

  “But you’ve had to survive?”

  He shrugged. “Time or two.” His mouth was so close to her ear that he barely had to speak above a whisper.

  “So…two changes of clothes, but only one sleeping bag?”

  “Didn’t figure I’d have company. Clothes are for an extended stay.”

  She nodded, her hair tickling his nose.

  “Still hungry?” he asked, in need of a distraction.

  “No. I’m too keyed up to be hungry.”

  He knew the feeling. Only the keyed-up part was worse now that he had her against him, right here between his legs.

  She swallowed audibly. “Got any booze in that bag?”

  “Here.” He leaned over and rummaged through the pack, doing his best to ignore the way she had to shift against him. “I’ve got painkillers. Booze is too dehydrating.”

  “So, you’re one of those survivalist types?” She swallowed the couple ibuprofens he’d handed her, then followed them with a deep pull on the water bag.

  “I like to be prepared.”

  She nodded, sniffed, seemed to hesitate, and then sank into him a little deeper, turning so their eyes met when she spoke. “Not a drinker, I suppose?”

  “I’ll drink the occasional beer.” He paused and gave her smirk. “Or three.”

  That brought a little laugh to her mouth, which he liked. There wasn’t much about this woman he didn’t like.

  Two years he’d been taking his boat out here, in hopes of seeing her. Now here they were, pressed as close together as two people could get, and he couldn’t even enjoy it. Not with what she’d gone through to get here or the possibility of those assholes coming after them.

  “Gotta say, Eric. Whatever brought you out here today”—Zoe raised her chin toward him, and though the moonlight and the glow stick washed everything to a pale blue-green, he could see the emotion in her eyes, focused hard on his—“I’ve never been happier to see anyone in my entire life.” She paused and flicked her gaze down to his lips, then back up. “But whatever it is, I’m sorry you got dragged into this.”

  “Yeah?” He bent slightly toward her, his forehead almost touching hers. “Well, I’m not.”

  Chapter 4

  Blessed heat finally seeped into Zoe’s limbs so fast her extremities prickled in near pain. But her back, her chest, her shoulders…those were neither numb nor prickly. They positively zinged with heat from Eric’s body.

  More than heat, if she was honest. Energy, electric and exciting, coursed through her, tingling in places and getting all sultry hot in others.

  She cleared her throat. Better make conversation to keep her traitorous body distracted. Besides, now that danger had passed and shock had bled away, there were things she needed to know. “So…is Eric your real name?”

  “Yeah. Why?”

  “I don’t know. You’re not, like, undercover or something, are you?”

  He laughed, more a rumbling against her back than a sound. She couldn’t help the way her body sank into it, just a little. The way she melted against him.

  “No. I honestly went after you because you hadn’t come back. And you always come back.” She was pushed forward, very slightly, as he sucked in a breath. “I like to watch out for you.”

  That quickened her pulse, sent more blood flowing—to the surface of her face and neck this time. Her skin burned with what must be one hell of a blush. Good thing he couldn’t see her. “That’s kind of you.”

  “I knew something was off today. Felt bad that I didn’t warn you.”

  “What do you mean?” She turned as much as she could to face him.

  “It was too quiet. No fish biting.” He shook his head. “Something else, too. I’m no good at explaining it. A sixth sense.” His eyes skipped over her face before losing focus off to the side. “I learned to listen to it a long time ago. When you didn’t come back, it was just a confirmation. Something wasn’t right.”

  “Well, thank you.” With a sigh, she settled back against his hard chest. From the first time she’d seen him on his boat, she’d wondered about this man. More curiosity than fantasy, but close. Of course, none of
it had ever involved the rest of the crap that had happened today.

  “I…always enjoy running into you out here.”

  “Yeah?” A wave of something like embarrassment hit her, burning her skin and pushing her breath out in hot little bursts. He could probably feel it, the way his arms were so tight around her. “I do, too.”

  He cleared his throat, leaned over, and grabbed something. “Here, more socks, if you need ’em.”

  He must have known that she didn’t, since her feet were plastered to his calves. Oh. Maybe… “Are my feet bugging you?”

  “No. No, of course not. Keep ’em there.”

  “Okay.” She couldn’t help a smile.

  “Still too worked up to have another bar?”

  As if on cue, her stomach growled and she laughed. “Guess not. Share one?”

  “Sure.” He opened a pack, stuffed the wrapper into a bag with the others, and handed her the slightly larger piece.

  “Thanks.” They chewed in silence, and Zoe couldn’t recall a more intimate meal. Ever. They didn’t have to be facing each other for messages to be passed between them. Unless it’s all in my mind.

  Of course it was. He couldn’t possibly be getting worked up over a protein bar in the dirt with a near stranger.

  “Weird, huh?” Shoot. Why do I always do that? Voice the most uncomfortable thoughts out of some desire to ease things. It wouldn’t work. Never did.

  He didn’t answer right away. When he did, his voice was quiet, his words slow, almost careful-sounding. “You mean…this?” He tightened one of his arms. “Or…that?” He widened the same arm to encompass the dark, twinkling sky hanging above the platform, which sat like an alien ship that had landed on the glimmering water, all of it bathed in pale moonlight. When she didn’t answer, he went on. “That out there sucks. But I don’t mind this one bit.”

  It took her a few seconds to grasp his meaning. Oh. Ohhh.

  “I don’t, either.”

  He went very still. “No?”

  “I mean, I’m glad I’m finally getting a chance to talk to you. A bit more than just ‘Hey!’ on the boats, you know?”

  “Yeah.” He spoke the word kind of into her hair. The move was intimate. Close. Good.

  Her next breath was shaky, and it had nothing to do with the cold. She cleared her throat. “So, what’s your last name, Eric?”

  “Cooper. Yours?”

  “Garcia.”

  He nodded behind her, the movement grazing her hair.

  When he didn’t carry on the conversation, she asked another question. “So, who was it you called earlier, Eric?”

  “My brother, Ford. He’s a scientist. Thought he might be able to tell me what the hell they’re doing out there. Second call was to a buddy. He can call in the gang.”

  “The gang?”

  “Group of friends who… We help each other out when things get rough.”

  “Hmm. Who’s in this gang?”

  He hunched forward, bringing his face close beside hers. “You really wanna know?”

  Somewhere out of sight, a rogue wave crashed against the rocks, loud in the silent night. And as if that sound marked the start of a new weather cycle, a cloud skittered over the moon, blocking its light for a long moment. A breeze stirred the grasses on the slope below, sending the smell of sage to mingle with the salt-heavy air.

  She shivered. “Why not?”

  He leaned back and, for a while, she didn’t think he’d tell her. When he spoke, his voice was low and slow. “Ford’s been in the Antarctic for a while now. Winter’s just starting down there. That means he’s stuck until much later in the year, so he couldn’t come here if shit went down, but he could make calls.”

  “What’s he doing in Antarctica?”

  “Research. Ice piles up, trapping stuff from millions of years ago. He studies it.” Eric tensed before speaking again, his voice crisper than before. “You catch what the guy told me on the rig?”

  Confused, Zoe shook her head.

  “Whatever they’re doing out there, a company called Chronos is behind it.”

  “Isn’t that a pharmaceutical company?”

  “Yeah. You heard of them?”

  “I mean, yeah. They’re huge.”

  “I’m pretty sure they’re one of my brother’s backers. For his current research.”

  “In Antarctica? So, they’re funding ice research? And they’re digging for oil.” None of this made sense. What could a pharma giant want in either of those places?

  “Not oil.”

  She pulled forward, turned, and looked at him. “What else did you find out?”

  “Whatever they’re pumping out of the ground out there, they don’t want anybody to know about it. Spending millions, he said, on security.” Eric smirked. “Not that you can tell from the way they handled today.”

  “Yeah, well. Not every day someone like you comes around.” She leaned back and snuggled into him again. “You think they’ll come after us?”

  “Eventually.”

  “Didn’t see a boat there, and you said they cut mine loose.”

  Eric lifted one thick shoulder. “Don’t need a boat to find us.”

  “What do you—”

  “Helicopter. It’s how we used to get to work. A helicopter would deliver us, we’d pull our two-week shift, then head home for two.”

  “SEALs pull two-week shifts?”

  His smile was quick, a flash of bluish-white in the night. “Told you I was a roughneck, once upon a time.”

  “You’ve had quite a life, Eric Cooper.”

  “Spent a lot of time in helicopters.”

  “I’ve never ridden in one. Just the idea scares the crap out of me.” A quick upward glance showed nothing but starry sky. No darkly swooping beasts to destroy the peace. If she had her way, she’d never set foot in a helicopter. They were too high and way too unstable. “Would they come for us at night?”

  He shook his head. “Doubt it. And if they do, we’ll hear it.”

  Relief washed through her, though she knew better than to get too complacent. If a helicopter showed up here at first light, they’d be pretty screwed. It made her that much happier that they had this cave. “You used to come here with your brother?”

  “Yeah. Ford and I spent quite a few nights in this spot.”

  “And he works for Chronos? Isn’t that a weird coincidence?”

  “No. He’s based out of an American research station, but from what he’s told me, they’re a funder.” He paused. “And, yeah, it’s either one hell of a coincidence, or…”

  “Or what?”

  “They’re a massive company. Biggest in the world, I think. Maybe they’re just…everywhere.”

  “What could they be looking for?” Zoe mused with a shiver of fear. “These wells are tapped out. So not petroleum, right? Chemicals or something? Alternate sources of energy?”

  “No idea, but their goon seemed to think they’d found something.”

  “Here?” She sat up straighter.

  “Didn’t say.”

  They spent a few minutes in their half hug, entwined, but not quite admitting to it. One of his hands made a slow, lazy trip up and down her arm. She hoped he’d never stop.

  “Tell me about the others.” She immediately regretted speaking when his hand stilled.

  “Hmm?” He sounded sleepy.

  “Oh. Did I wake you up?”

  “Nope.”

  She shouldn’t have bothered to ask. This man, she’d learned today, showed the kind of hypervigilance that wouldn’t let him sleep tonight.

  A yawn cracked her jaw. She, of course, could pass out any second. Especially surrounded by the comfort of this warm, solid body, lulled by the steady rhythm of Eric’s breathing, and his addictive man smell.

  No
, she’d stay awake with him. She forced herself to blink the exhaustion away. “Who are the other guys? In your gang.”

  “Not just guys. There’s a woman, too.”

  “Your sister?” she asked, hopefully.

  “Friend. Leontyne. She’s a pilot. Was navy. Then she worked with the oil companies, too, back when I roughnecked.”

  “That’s pretty badass.”

  He chuffed out a half laugh. “She’s definitely that.”

  “Who was your second call to?”

  “Von Krainik. He was on the teams with me. Military contractor, based in San Diego.”

  “Fancy.”

  “Yeah. Don’t know where he is right now, but I figured he might have someone around here he could pull in to help.”

  “You talk to him?”

  “Another message.”

  Crap. “Think he’ll come?”

  Eric hesitated. “Someone will.”

  “We’re not that far from the coast.”

  “Too far to swim.”

  “Yeah.”

  He tightened his arms, hard, and leaned forward. “I want you to know, Zoe,” he whispered in her ear, “that I’m not gonna let anything happen to you.”

  She squeezed him back, sucked in a shaky breath, and nodded. “I think you’ve proven that, Eric Cooper. Beyond any shadow of a doubt.”

  ***

  It didn’t take long for Zoe to pass out.

  As carefully as he could, Eric slid up and out of the bag, which he zipped around her. He wanted to stay in that bag with her, share in her warmth—both literally and the figurative kind that made her so damned attractive. But he couldn’t relax. It was impossible to trust this quiet.

  After the evening’s insanity, this felt a bit too much like the calm before the storm. Shit would go down here eventually. He could feel the anticipation, could smell it as clearly as the sea salt in the air. Those dudes weren’t playing.

  Well, neither am I.

  He made a quick check of their supplies—seventy-two hours’ worth of food and water, for one person. Had to make it last. The purification tablets were pretty pointless here, since there was no source of fresh water on this island. And he’d know. He’d spent enough time here as a kid to familiarize himself with every nook and cranny. Ten times over. He and Ford had preferred to have Dad dump them here so they could explore, play pirates and shit, while he fished. Alone. Which he obviously preferred, too.