Chapter Eight
So much for Nora’s anxiety about some sophisticated seduction technique that had made her hesitate about staying with Fallon.
Nora hadn’t had a woman flash her like that since…
well, ever. Thinking of Fallon’s horrified expression, she would have laughed again, but she was too fucking cold.
Dropping her wet sleepwear into a pile, she toweled off as quickly as her shaking hands would allow before pulling on Fallon’s thermals, grateful they were her size.
Her feet were freezing, but she wasn’t about to ask Fallon for anything else.
Crawling through into the lower section of the tent, she could barely make out Fallon’s shape. It looked like she was also wearing thermals as she shined her flashlight onto a stack of clothing. Her hair was down and falling loose.
“Ah!” Fallon turned. “Here.” She held out a pair of thick socks. “They don’t fit with my boots, so I haven’t worn them.”
“Bless you,” Nora said, eagerly putting them on. She was still trembling, but at least she was dry now.
“Roll that way a little, and I can finish setting up the bed. Uh, sleeping area.”
Nora chewed her lip to keep from smiling and moved against the flap, her eyes gradually adjusting to the small beam from the flashlight.
Fallon had unzipped her sleeping bag to make a sort of mattress pad, the waterproofed exterior positioned to protect them from the damp that was bound to seep through the thick flooring of the tent.
Watching her spreading a sheet and blanket, Nora asked, “Where did you get those?”
“They were in my car. I’ve had them in here for a while. Just haven’t needed them.”
Fallon was vague about her past, as usual, but this wasn’t the time to pursue it.
There was a zipping sound, and Fallon said, “Luckily, I got this new down bag when I took Jade to base camp, but it’s not waterproof.” She arranged it over the top of the blanket like a comforter. “There.”
“Nice,” Nora said, having arrived at the point of being more interested in getting warm than she was worried about being close.
“Get in.” Fallon handed her a pillow.
Nora slid under the layers, sighing with relief as her head sank into something soft. “I think you already put a pillow here for me.”
“Uh-huh.” Fallon’s body eased in beside her. “Turn on your side away from me, and put that on your chest.”
“Okay.” Nora moved as Fallon directed. “But why?”
“Because I’m going to snug up behind and put my arms around you to heat you up. With the pillow, it won’t feel so…personal.”
“Intimate?” Nora asked.
“Yeah, that,” Fallon agreed, doing exactly as she’d described. The length of her body melded against Nora’s backside. Nora tried and failed to suppress a moan, but accompanied by her tremors, it sounded almost like pain. “Too much?” Fallon asked.
“No, I…no, it’s fine.”
“Okay if I hold you now?”
Nora nodded, feeling herself tense. Another shudder went through her, and then Fallon’s arms encircled her.
She lay stiff, expecting the anger she always felt when situations had gotten out of her control or at least the indifference of being next to a woman she barely knew.
Distant thunder rumbled down the valley.
“Seeing that big branch on top of your tent really scared me,” Fallon said, her voice close and low. “I’m so glad you weren’t hurt.”
Nora relaxed somewhat. “Is this your way of saying I told you so?”
Fallon chuckled, her chest vibrating against Nora’s back. “Maybe I should, but somehow, I don’t think it would help.” She shifted momentarily, causing air to rush in between them. “Oh, and your camera’s here by your head.”
Nora heard the thunking sound as Fallon patted the case, but she risked pulling her arm out of the warmth they were creating to feel it for herself. “It’s still okay?”
“I put it in here right away, and as far as I know, it’s fine. Isn’t it digital? No film to get ruined?”
Nora nodded, grateful they weren’t facing each other as unexpected tears appeared. “You must think I’m the worst person in the world. I haven’t even said thank you.”
Fallon’s arms tightened slightly. “You don’t have to thank me, Nora. We may have different objectives, but we’re part of a team. You’d do the same for me.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I think I do. Now, let’s get some sleep. Jade’s only giving us one extra hour, and we used half of that getting in here.”
Nora closed her eyes. She was safe, and her body had stopped shaking, but her mind was worried about what might happen in the night. Would she forget herself and touch Fallon inappropriately? What would she do if Fallon touched her?
“I can feel you thinking, Nora. It’ll be okay. It’s one night, then we’ll figure something else out for you.”
Nora took a deep breath. As she let the air out of her lungs, profound fatigue rushed in.
Sometime later, an ache on her side woke her. She needed to move. “Fallon?”
“Hmm?”
“My hip is sore where the branch landed. I need to turn over.”
“’Kay.” Fallon cleared her throat. Nora could feel her stretching her legs, trying to wake up. “Yeah.” She rolled away, and Nora followed, careful not to lose the heat between them.
“Here’s the pillow.” Nora laid it across Fallon’s body. After Fallon pulled it to her chest, Nora said, “Is it all right if I—”
Before she could finish, Fallon had taken her arm and pulled it around her. “More sleep,” she said, her voice dreamy.
Nora forced down a laugh. She’d imagined an early riser like Fallon must be a light sleeper, but apparently, that was not the case.
In less than a minute, Fallon’s breathing was deep and steady.
Shifting her arm away, Nora adjusted the pillow under her head and made sure the blanket was tucked in around her back.
Then she was almost getting hot, so she wiggled down and took off the thick socks.
Rolling them together, she tossed them into the pile at the edge of the tent.
Fallon never stirred, and Nora smiled, trying to remember what Fallon had called it when she moved to heat them up.
Not spoon. Snug. She wasn’t cold anymore, but lying that way was so comfortable that she snugged closer, slipping her arm around Fallon. Fallon made a soft hum of approval.
Nora didn’t remember falling asleep again, but she and Fallon both woke as voices from outside called “When is breakfast, Delores?” and “How late did you say we were going to sleep, Jade?” and “Hey, Hannah, is everyone else awake?” Bright light filtered through the green fabric of the tent.
Fallon raised onto her elbows. “Shit. What time is it?”
Nora yawned. “Late is my guess, based on that heckling out there.” Copying Fallon’s posture, she yelled, “Shut up, you heathens. Have pity on someone who practically froze to death last night.”
The giggling increased. Jade’s voice called, “Glad you’re alive, Nora, but could I speak to Fallon, please?”
Fallon threw off their coverings, stripping off her thermal bottoms as she reached for her jeans. Nora was amused to see she was wearing briefs underneath those, apparently making up for last night’s indiscretion. “I’m sorry, Jade. I’ll be out and have breakfast going right away.”
“That’s fine, Fallon. As long as you’re both all right.”
When Nora emerged, dressed entirely in Fallon’s clothes, including some clean pants that Fallon had insisted on loaning her, hints of coffee and bacon floated on the breeze.
She stretched, amazed at how good she felt.
Yeah, there had to be a bruise on her hip, but the air had that wonderfully clean, after-the-rain scent, and hearing Hannah’s laughter always made her happy.
She started to call to Fallon and tell her not to hurry, but the flap unzipped, and Fallon stepped out wearing jeans and a sweatshirt that badly needed another trip to the laundry.
“You told me you had something to wear,” Nora accused.
“I do have something to wear. And this is it.” Fallon sniffed the air. “Are they cooking already?”
“I’d say so. You’d think they like you or something.”
Fallon smiled, and something inside Nora expanded as if she’d been released from a too small container.
Disregarding all the other things her mind unexpectedly suggested, she rested a hand on Fallon’s arm.
“I do want to thank you for taking me in last night. Besides being chivalrous, you’re generous to a fault.
But I truly appreciate being the beneficiary of that. ”
Fallon’s expression changed from amusement to something deeper as their eyes met. Her mouth opened slightly as if she was about to say something. When the triangle rang, she sighed instead.
Nora realized her hand was still on Fallon’s arm, so she gave it a quick squeeze before letting go. “I’m starving, and without coffee, it could get ugly.”
“You? Ugly? Never.”
Nora gave her a little shove. “Go on, Falcon. Let’s fly to breakfast.”
Jade grinned as they approached, and Hannah elbowed Delores. Kennedy busied herself with stirring the eggs. “Welcome, sleeping beauties,” Delores said, pointing behind them. “Your dwarfs have been busy.”
They turned to see Nora’s clothes hanging from a rope stretched between three trees close to the front of their camp. Nora gaped, somewhere between embarrassed and humbled. At a subtle nudge from Fallon, she said, “Wow. Thanks so much, you guys.”
“Your tent is definitely toast,” Jade said.
“But it seems silly to drive all the way back to base camp to get you a new one for one night.” She tilted her head in the direction of Gwen and Tina’s tent.
“Once the Kardashians get out here, we can talk about how they might make room for you tonight.” Jade paused, gesturing between them. “Unless…”
Fallon shrugged, her words sounding carefully casual. “I’m fine either way, Nora. It’s totally up to you.”
Nora couldn’t bring herself to meet Fallon’s eyes, but she tried to match her tone. “Well, if you’re sure. I’d rather not move again for just one night.”
Jade seemed pleased. “Good. That’s settled.”