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I forced a laugh, stepping out of his shadow. Distance. I needed distance between us before I did something foolish like stroke his arm. Snuggle against his chest.

“Well,” I said, lifting my chin. “Talk about creating some excitement.”

Ruugar snorted, shaking his head. After sheathing his blade, he returned to the shed.

But I couldn’t shove aside the memory of him stepping in front of me without a second thought, couldn’t chase away the way my heart had leaped. Not from fear, but from wanting.

Desperate, foolish wanting.

Ruugar emerged from the shed, holding a heavy canvas bag. He set the tent on the ground and went back into the shed, coming out with a sleeping bag he added to the pile. On his third trip inside, he emerged empty handed, wearing a scowl. He stared at the tent and sleeping bag as if some great dilemma had suddenly made itself known, making his jaw tick.

“Is there a problem?” I asked.

“There's only one tent and sleeping bag for staff.”

My stomach clenched. Of course there wasn't room for me here, not really. I'd wedged myself into his business, his life, like an uninvited guest at a dinner meant for others. This was temporary.Iwas temporary.

I forced a shrug I didn’t feel. “I can sleep under the stars if needed,” I said, feigning nonchalance. The last thing I wanted was for him to feel stuck with me. “Mary made it sound fun.”

Ruugar turned sharply, his dark gaze pinning me in place. “No.” The word barked out of him. “We'll figure it out.”

Something thick and hot twisted in my chest, a stupid flicker of excitement I had no right to feel.

Chapter 14

Ruugar

“I’ll sleep by the fire,” I said. “You can have the tent.”

“Oh, no, you can’t do that.” She slapped the third mosquito to nibble on her neck. “If you lay by the fire, you’ll be covered with bites by morning.”

“And you won’t?”

I shrugged. “Mosquitoes like me. There’ll be no avoiding bites for me even if I slept inside a house.” Her gaze scanned the area. “I can sleep inside the cooking gazebo, then. It’s screened. Are there more sleeping bags or blankets inside the shed?”

“There’s only one orc-sized sleeping bag.You’lltake the tent,” I said with a growl. “I insist.”

“And what, you’ll lay on the ground? No way.”

“Yes way,” I growled.

She frowned and continued to study the tent and sleeping bag before she lifted her gaze to meet mine. “We could share.”

“What?” I barked.

“We could share. I mean…” She gulped. “Maybe not both of us inside the sleeping bag, but we can share the tent. It looks big enough for two. We could lay the sleeping bag over us both.”

Sleep beside Beth? I couldn’t.

“Iinsist,” she said. “I’m sure there will be a helper’s tent at the next stop. It’s just for a few nights.”

Her words rattled around in my skull. Share the tent. Sleep beside her. Impossible. Dangerous.

Perfect.

Beth rubbed her arms. It was cooling off already and there was a breeze.

I ripped off my vest and wrapped it around her.