Page 70 of Healing Conviction
“Not as long as you don’t go running blindly into my traps anymore. There’re little reflective tape strips up there on the trees. They should pick up the sun or moonlight, so if you’re away from camp without me, make sure to keep your head up. They’ll warn you to stay vigilant so you don’t fall into a literal hole. This one is brutal.” He bent and grabbed the thin blanket before pulling it aside to reveal a number of sharpened sticks at the bottom.
“Holy shiitake mushrooms, you dug all thisyesterday? What the heck was I doing? You were only out of sight for like thirty minutes.”
He chuckled. “Keeping an eye on me, were you? We’re not far away from the camp,” he pointed ahead of them where she could see their neon-green tent peeking through the flora.
“Oh, sothisis what you were doing over here.”
“Yeah, what did you think I was doing?”
“I don’t know, practicing your woodcarving?”
To be brutally honest, she’d tried not to notice. She’d been just as conflicted with her feelings the day before as she was then. The entire time they’d made camp, she’d been hyperaware of his presence, listening for his footsteps in the leaves, all while trying very hard to convince herself that she wasn’t practically stalking the man with all five of her senses.
“None of my traps took too long. This one, for example, was a sinkhole I repurposed. All I did was get lucky and add this covering.”
“What if a bear or something gets in it?”
“There shouldn’t be any large game in this area, but even if there were, they typically don’t want anything to do with humans. That’s why I made all of our traps relatively close to home base. They’ll be deterred by us already and we’ll still be protected if a human decides to fuck with us.”
“That’s so epically amazing. I feel like I’m onNaked and Afraidor something.”
He raised an eyebrow. “The first one can be arranged, Pix.” Heat flooded her face, and she covered her cheeks with her hands. He wrapped his fingers around her wrists and pulled them down. “I like it when you blush for me. I’ve watched you flirt to get what you want, but this—” He stroked her cheek, making a shiver vibrate down her spine. “You don’t dothisfor anyone but me.”
She opened her mouth to respond, but he dove in too quickly for her to stop him from kissing her hot cheek. “Let’s rain check that little arrangement, shall we? I’ve got some more traps to check and then we can head back to camp.”
With that, he repositioned the crude leaf and vine blanket over the hole and started back down the path, holding her hand as they gingerly circumnavigated the death trap. When they were on their way to the ‘deadfall’ trap, he paused and gave her an appraising look.
“What was the punch line?”
She tilted her head. “Punch line?”
“Yeah, you know. ‘If a giant falls in the forest.’ What was the punch line?”
“Oh!” She chuckled. “Okay, okay, ask it again.”
He rolled his eyes but the soft smirk on his face told her he was having fun playing along. “If a giant falls in the forest, and no one is around, does he make a sound?”
“Only if he gets a splinter.Ba dum tss.” She giggled despite his confused expression. “You know, ‘cause trees to a giant are just sticks with leaves?”
He narrowed his eyes. “That’s kind of what trees are, Pix.”
It was her turn to roll her eyes. “Of courseyouthink that. Youarethe sexy giant.”
He threw his head back with a loud laugh that made her smile from ear to ear. She soaked in his happiness until a panicked thought crossed her mind.
If I fall in the forest, will my heart make a sound?
Only if it breaks.
CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN
Draco laid his head back on the log and stretched out on the blanket, not nearly as full as he wished he was after eating that MRE. He’d been working all day, and that, plus their hike and their whirlwind of a mission so far, had worn him the fuck out.
Nora was having the time of her life eating her MRE, though. With how small she was, it probably did actually fill her up.
“You can be tired, you know,” Nora pointed out as he helped her pack their trash into their designated bag. “You’ve worked harder today and yesterday than you have in over a year. I knowI’mworn out. I can’t wait to take a shower and go to sleep in a bed again.”
He huffed a laugh and laid his arm out for her to rest on while they sat in front of the campfire. “I think I’ve had enough sleep for a lifetime. Besides, those traps aren’t gonna check themselves. I texted Snake earlier and there are still no updates on the other women. I don’t know how long we’ll be here until we eventually pack up and move on. Hopefully, the traps aren’t necessary, but we’re prepared if they are.”