Frankly, a bone marrow transplant was not at the top of Dade’s list of fun things to do anyway.
Realizing he was cold, he pushed the window closed and lowered to the floor. His back hurt from hunching over Blair’s computer all day after sleeping on that horrible mattress last night.
When a knock sounded at his door, he stiffened.
“Dade? You need to eat.”
“I’ll be out in a minute.” He needed to regroup and find a way to face her because one thing was certain above all else—he was stuck with her in this small cabin for an indeterminate length of time. He needed to find a way to tamp down his weird lust and focus on saving his life. Because the last thing he should do was cross a line with her and risk making this entire adventure far more uncomfortable than it already was.
Chapter 8
Blair tossed and turned for most of the night. Visions of Dade hunched over that computer all day made her uneasy. His frustration was evident every few minutes by his growls. He had scribbled so many notes that he’d used up half a notebook. She would need to get him more paper if he intended to keep working at that pace.
Was it good for him? It probably wasn’t any of her business, nor would she be able to keep him from researching the disease that was slowly killing him. She had brought this on herself in a way. After all, she’d encouraged him to find the will to live and stop moping. She couldn’t very well expect him to paste on a smile and throw snowballs.
Nope. If he had the incentive to find a cure, he was the sort of person who would dive in and do the work himself. He was ten years behind on any medical research, so she was certain half his frustration stemmed from that impediment.
She tried not to let it bother her that he’d snapped at her and walked out of the room. He had a right to his permanent state of agitation. She couldn’t blame him. She couldn’t imagine how she would feel in his shoes.
Dragging herself out of bed, she decided to head for her home gym early again. At least working out cleared her mind. Maybe she could exhaust herself enough to get some sleep later. A nap would be wonderful. After the night she’d had worrying about Dade, she was going to be a zombie in a few hours.
When she entered the workout room, she wasn’t surprised to find Dade already inside. He had once again been so quiet that she never heard him get up, but it was clear once the man set his mind to something, he did it. And getting fit had obviously been top on his list.
“Hey,” she said, as she stepped into the room.
He was sitting on the leg machine, and he lifted his head to meet her gaze. “Hey. Did I wake you?”
She smiled. “Didn’t we have this same conversation yesterday in reverse?”
He lifted a brow.
“No. You didn’t wake me. You’re like a mouse. Except when you’re being a mad scientist.” She hoped she could lighten the air around them, though she wasn’t sure he could take a joke yet.
He stood, grabbing his hand towel and wiping his face. That moment gave her time to peruse his body. Damn. He was insanely built. He outweighed her by a lot, and he was nearly a foot taller. How long would she be able to outlift or outrun him? Both his stamina and his strength would be back in no time.
His pecs were so fine she couldn’t imagine what they might be like in a few months. Suddenly, she realized she was fidgeting and her nipples were hard. In addition, he was staring at her, the towel dangling from his hand.
His expression gave nothing away as she jerked her gaze from him and rushed toward the treadmill. She too was going to get stronger and faster if she used this room to work out her growing sexual frustration. Had he seen her nipples through the sports bra? How embarrassing.
She started the machine and built up her speed quickly, wanting to channel her energy so that a good sweat, flushed skin, and heavy breathing weren’t the result of staring at the man who somehow filled every inch of her cabin.
He spoke from across the room. “Are you suggesting I make noises when I work?”
She shot him a glance, having almost forgotten her jab. “You could say that.”
“I do not,” he responded. “That’s crazy.” He wandered closer, which was not a good thing. She needed more space between them, not less. But it didn’t stop him. Finally, his hand was on the front of the treadmill, and his eyes were penetrating hers. “I’m sorry I was so sharp last night. I was frustrated. It’s going to happen a lot. I’ll try not to take it out on you.” His face went from serious to a slight smirk. “And I’ll try to keep the noise down.”
She stopped the treadmill to avoid falling while she spoke to him. Luckily, he kept his gaze on her face. If he glanced down, he would find her traitorous nipples still at attention. “Make all the noises you want. I don’t mind. Though your mumbling is interesting. It’s like you speak another language when you work.”
He lifted a brow. “I talk?”
“Yes. Not intelligibly, but then again, I suppose it’s possible that I wouldn’t understand even if you were enunciating every word. I don’t speak mad scientist.”
He chuckled. Thank God. “Now you’re going to give me a complex. How am I supposed to work, knowing you’re watching me from across the room?”
“I could go outside and chop wood,” she proposed. Their banter was easy and light. It felt natural.
“Don’t even think about it. We have a deal.”
“You’ll never be able to hold up to your end of the bargain if you spend the morning standing there yapping. Get to work.” She pointed at the free weights. “That axe is heavy,” she joked.
He searched her eyes for several seconds, unnerving her with a look that seemed to climb into her soul to find out her secrets.
When she shuddered, he finally broke the stare and walked away. “I’ll make breakfast when I finish here.”
“Good because I’m spoiled now. I’ll be expecting a four-course meal every morning.”
He turned around as he picked up a weight. “I’ll be happy to fix you breakfast if you’ll do me the favor of setting a sandwich in my face at lunch. I tend to forget to stop and eat.”
“I can do that.” See? Easy. She could totally do this.
And then he bent over at the waist, accentuating his thighs and calves, and she nearly swallowed her tongue.
Stifling a groan, she jerked her attention to the window and turned the treadmill back on.
Shortly after noon, Blair’s phone rang, and she answered the call quickly to keep from disturbing Dade. He was once again buried in work so thoroughly that she half expected to look up at some point and find he’d been sucked into the computer.
The screen told her it was Ryan. “Hey, Ryan.”
“How are things?”
“Interesting,” she responded. “I don’t know what sort of research you’ve been working on for the last several months, but Dade is determined to double your efforts. He doesn’t even come up for air when he’s concentrating.”
“Good. I mean, I’m glad to hear he’s decided to care, but I hope he doesn’t make himself crazy by overdoing it.”
She was curled up in her favorite armchair, staring at the back of Dade’s head while she spoke, fairly certain he had no idea she was even in the room, let alone speaking out loud. “Jury is still out on that.”
He sighed. “Well, the reason I called is because my parents are back. I thought Dade might want to know. He can call them if he wants. It might help if he makes connections with people he knew ten years ago besides Emily and Temple. When this snow melts a bit, I’m sure they will want to come out there and visit.”
“Is that wise?” Everyone was going to great lengths to ensure the cabin was a secret from the entire world. Every time someone came to visit, they ran the risk of being discovered.
“You’re going to need supplies eventually. I’ll smuggle in my mom and dad at the same time.”
He was right about the supplies. And she knew for certain Tushar and Trish would never do anything to jeopardize Dade’s
safety. “How are they?” After the scare they had several days ago when someone found out their location on a remote ranch in Montana, she imagined they were pretty shaken up.
“They’re good. My mom never wanted to leave here in the first place, so she’s glad to be back. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was making up the entire story about two men chasing them down on that ranch just so she’d have an excuse to come back to the bunker.”
Blair chuckled. She hadn’t known either of his parents long, but what little she did know, told her he was undoubtedly speculating the truth. Trish had been formidable from the moment she woke up. Sending her away for her own safety had probably driven her mad.
Blair couldn’t imagine being in the woman’s shoes. If someone told Blair she had to hide out indefinitely from a madman, she might…
Shit. She squeezed her eyes shut as she realized that was exactly what Dade was experiencing.
“Well, I just wanted to check in,” Ryan said. “Have Dade call anytime. I’ll text you my parents’ phone numbers.”
“Sounds good. Thanks, Ryan.” She ended the call, staring at the back of Dade’s head and feeling the weight of what he was going through more thoroughly than she had since she met him.
Perhaps it might help if she made herself useful to him instead of sitting across the room reading an adventure novel. She didn’t know shit about science, but she could at least gather data or something. Or help him research. Anything. Watching was not going to cut it.
Determined, she hauled herself out of the chair and padded across the room. He’d been weird all day around her. Quiet. Not making eye contact. If she didn’t know better, she’d think he was suffering from the same affliction as her—lust. But that was crazy. He had a one-track mind. And rightfully so.
He was not thinking about her. At least not in that way.
She was nervous about interrupting him, but he needed to eat anyway, and he’d specifically asked her to hand him a sandwich. So, she went to work making lunch and then brought two plates over to the table.
Throughout all of that—the phone call and her making lunch—he never showed any sign he noticed she was even in the cabin. Hell, he didn’t show any sign he realized that he was in the cabin.
“Dade.” She gently touched his shoulder after setting the two plates on the table.
He jerked his gaze to her, unseeing for a moment. And then he blew out a breath, leaned back in his chair, and wiped a hand down his face. “Sorry. How long were you standing there?”
She smiled as she removed her hand. “Not long, but you really do zone out. Did you even hear me on the phone?”
He shook his head. “No. Sorry. I get distracted when I work. If you need my attention, you’ll have to get in my face.”
“Yeah, I don’t think I’m going to do that. I’m afraid you’ll take a swing at me.” She was only half joking. When someone was that focused, it could be hazardous to anyone around to disrupt them.
One corner of his mouth lifted in that half smile that had a way of melting her. “You can check my references. I’ve never hit anyone. I may startle, but I’ve never thrown a punch.”
She slid into the chair next to him as he lifted his sandwich. “Speaking of references, Ryan called. Tushar and Trish are back in the bunker. He texted me their numbers if you want to call them. Ryan says he’ll bring them here when he brings us supplies.”
“Oh, good. Yeah, I have some questions. Mostly for Ryan, but his parents might be able to answer some of them too. I don’t know how ingrained they’ve gotten in the various studies yet. They probably aren’t too up-to-date since they’ve been hiding away from the bunker too.”
She gave a shrug. “Depends on if they’re as dedicated to their work as you are. I mean, it would stand to reason that since all of you were working long hours for little thanks for months and even years before you were infected and then preserved, most of you might pick up where you left off. All four of you have indicated you felt like you had woken up from a nap rather than a ten-year vitrification.”
“Yeah, that part’s true. It was strange to find out how much time had gone by. But I’m not sure everyone who wakes up will have the urge to jump back into medicine. Emily seems slightly hesitant, though I’m pretty sure that’s because she feels so far behind on the developments in the lab. Which I can totally relate to.”
Blair nodded. “Yeah. She and I have become good friends. You’re right about her. She is dedicated, though. She’s taking classes and doing her part at the same time. I can tell you that Tushar buried himself in the lab the moment he could stand. Trish, on the other hand, was yanked out of the bunker after three weeks. She was pissed.”
“I can imagine. After all, she probably wanted to spend time with Ryan. I’m not a woman, but I think I can at least acknowledge women have a bond with their kids no one else can compete with.”
Blair picked up her sandwich to take another bite. “Perhaps.” She couldn’t relate, not just because she wasn’t a mother, but also because her own mother had not had that kind of bond with either Blair or her sister.
Not before Jen died and not after.
“You okay?”
She lifted her gaze, realizing she was picking on the corner of her sandwich, deep in thought. “Yes. Of course.” She sat up straighter.
He lifted his brow again. “Uh-huh. You think fathers can bond just as well with their kids?”
“Sometimes…” Why were they having this discussion?
“Did yours?”
Well, fuck. She stood and carried her plate to the sink, dumping the remains of her sandwich in the trash. She had no idea how this conversation had gotten so far off track. When she returned, noticing his plate was empty also, she reached for it.
But Dade stopped her by grabbing her hand and giving it a tug to get her attention. “I hit a nerve.”
She sucked in a breath, staring at their connection. His thumb was stroking the back of her hand. “No. Don’t worry. It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine. You haven’t told me about your parents. You only mentioned that you had a sister who passed away. I’m so sorry about that. And, it’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it. I just wanted you to know I was paying attention. Then and now.”
She nodded, fighting back emotion, still not meeting his gaze. Damn him for being so nice after she’d spent every waking hour convincing herself of all the reasons she needed to keep her distance from him.
“I may seem preoccupied most of the time, and while that is true, I’m not an ass when it matters. Slap me upside the head when you need my attention. I swear I will not bite.”
She nodded again, pulled her hand free, and turned back to the sink with his plate. With her back to him, she shook off thoughts of the past and forced herself back to the present. “I was thinking I could help you.”
“Help me how? You are helping me. You’ve gone above and beyond what any human being could be expected to do to keep me safe. And you made this commitment without knowing a thing about me. Someone else could have volunteered to protect me, but they didn’t. You did.”
She blushed, facing him again as she leaned against the counter. “It’s my job.”
He stood and sauntered closer to her while he spoke. “It’s more than a job. It’s an enormous commitment. I realize we’re way up in the mountains in a remote cabin, and most of the time it seems like we’re just two people hanging out. But you know as well as I do that all three people who were reanimated before me have faced attack.”
She sucked in a sharp breath when he stopped moving, inches from her.
“It’s only a matter of time before my name gets out there, and then who knows what will happen. I’ve read through the notes about what happened to Emily and then Tushar and Trish. They thought they were safe. They were wrong.” He reached for her, one finger touching just under her chin, captivating her with that simple touch.
“You’re safe,” she managed to whisper.
His brows were drawn together. Serious. He held her gaze with those deep chocolate eyes that would melt any woman. “My name will get out, and then the hunt will begin. If there’s a mole, I’ll be a target too.”
“This time only a few people know where you are, and very few more know of your existence.”
He nodded slowly. “I’m racing against two clocks. One ticks for the treatment to cure this damn mutation of anemia. The other ticks for the continued secrecy of my existence. Both clocks will run out.”
She grabbed his biceps with both hands, pain stabbing at her chest. “They don’t have to.”
“They will,” he insisted. “And that’s okay. I’m aware of the danger I’m in on both fronts.”
She swallowed, tears forming in her eyes. She never cried. Never. Not since Jen died and her heart froze in her chest. “I’ll protect you.”
He leaned closer.
She squeezed his arms, gulping back the emotion. Stopping it. Knowing that it still showed on her face. Unable to protect herself from him. Unable to protect herself from the passage of time.
“I need to know something.”
“What?”
His lips were inches from hers. He slowly closed that distance, his eyes holding her hostage.
The moment his lips touched hers, she lost her breath.
His touch was hesitant at first, and then he tilted his head to one side to deepen the kiss.
She opened for him instantly, her heart racing. She rose onto her tiptoes to bring herself closer to him, grasping his arms tighter.
The finger under her chin trailed around to her neck and then up to her ear.
And then, just as suddenly as he’d started this kiss, he ended it, pulling back, still holding her gaze.
His next words couldn’t have stunned her more. “You have to go back to the bunker. I need to take off on my own.”
Chapter 9
“What?” She was still dazed from the best kiss she’d ever experienced, thinking she must have misheard him. As she lowered her heels to the floor, she searched his face.
Reviving Dade Page 7