Cannon

14

A light touch pulled the veil of sleep from her eyes. Though a low-grade soreness pervaded her body, another feeling took precedence: warmth.

The moss beneath her was still soft and now thoroughly warmed by her heat. And the heat of Cannon. With growing awareness, she realized she must have drifted off after Cannon changed her dressing. Not only that, but he had also lain near her as she slept. In so doing, she had somehow migrated over to him.

“How did I get here?” she asked, a mix of curiosity and embarrassment in her voice.

“Funny thing, that. When I saw you were out, I laid back over here,” he said, gesturing to the far side of the rock. “But you scooched straight to me. It was the oddest thing.”

“I did not!” she protested, albeit weakly.

“You did! Would I lie?”

She looked into his face and realized that Cannon could do many things but lying was not chief among them.

“No, you wouldn’t. I don’t know how I know that, but I do,” she acquiesced, smiling in the darkness. The night was in full swing around them, the darkness thick as a blanket.

“Guess what else I learned?”

“You learned something from lying on this rock?” she asked playfully.

“I did.” He paused for dramatic effect. “You snore.”

She batted at him, which made her side hurt. “Ow! I do not!”

“You do! I was worried I’d have to wake you. Someone might overhear you and attack.”

Ignoring her pain, she swatted at him again. “Even if I do snore, it’s not loud.”

His smile flashed brightly in the blackness. “You’re right. I made up that last part. You actually snore…in a very cute way.”

The pain in her side dissipated, replaced by another type of pain. The pain of dead hope. Knowing there couldn’t be a relationship between them but wishing things could be different. “Oh. Uh. Thanks.” A moment descended between them, palpable as the night that flowed around them.

Cannon who broke it. “We need to keep moving. It’s not safe to be still for so long. Are you okay to move?”

“Yes. Fine. Thank you.”

“I can carry you,” he said with soft look on his face that almost made her cry.

“No, I’m okay.” She wanted his touch. Craved it. But she wasn’t going to turn into a mess now.

And with that, they began to walk. Cannon once again assumed the front of the line, and Ryver somehow found the strength to move her heavy limbs. The brief respite had helped, but she was nowhere near her old self. Did she even know what her old self was anymore?

At one point she found herself tripping only to be picked up by Cannon and into the warm cocoon of his arms. She leaned her head on his chest and sighed.

“You’re too stubborn for your own good,” he said.

She knew that. She rubbed her cheek on his t-shirt and then her nose on his throat before stopping abruptly. What the f**k was she doing. “I-I’m sorry. I guess I’m more tired than I realized.”

“It’s okay,” he said, his voice thick. He glanced down and their eyes met and she raised a hand and caressed his cheek.

“Thank you. For everything.”

He cleared his throat. “Stop thanking me. I’m not doing anything special.”

She leaned her head back on his shoulder and sighed. “You’d be surprised how special all this is. I’ve yet to meet a man other than my dad that isn’t interested in a woman giving up her whole career for him.”

“Sounds like you’ve met some jerks.”

She shrugged. “Yeah. But it wasn’t just me. Even my friends. Most of the men we’ve dated are these big professionals, doctors and lawyers and they expect a woman to stop everything to be their girlfriend.”

“That doesn’t sound right,” he grunted, holding her tighter.

“It’s not,” she complained, happy that he was in agreement with her. “My last boyfriend was in med-school. He thought because he had gotten a residency at a major hospital in California I was going to leave my life for his.” She snorted. “He was angry that I would choose to continue my medical career than to choose to be his wife and personal assistant.”

He chuckled and glanced down at her. “Let me guess. You were happy to disappoint.”

“Damn straight.”

“Yeah,” he said. “I don’t see you as being anyone’s assistant. You’re a leader. A survivor. A warrior.”

She smiled at him and cuddled into his arms. “Thank you. That’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.”

He laughed and she felt it in the pit of her stomach. It warmed her to the bone. “So I guess that means there’s no boyfriend waiting for you at home?”

She shook he head. “No.” Then glanced at his face. “What about you? No barrage of desperate females breaking down your door?”

He met her gaze and her hormones went on full alert. “No.”

Oh, hell. He was single and so sweet and kind and f*****g hell she wanted him. But this wasn’t the time or the place, right? Right? After a few hours she asked to be put down. She’d gotten enough rest and could walk.

They walked the rest of the night. With each passing hour, the cloying blackness seemed to wane, becoming diluted with the approach of silvery dawn. The oncoming light was comforting, but Ryver knew she couldn’t put her faith in it. They crested a small hill, and Cannon scanned around them before proceeding. “So,” he said, “What brought you here?”

She let out a breath. “Thought I could make a difference. Help out in the villages. Bring some health to those who needed it.”

Cannon nodded. “I like that. It certainly seems like they could use it. I’m sure your family will be glad to have you back.”

A pang hit her heart. “It’s really just my dad and me,” she replied, her mind going to her parent and how guilty she felt for making him worry so much about her.