Chapter 6 #2
“But it’s not that easy,” Mandy surmised.
“It’s not that easy,” Buck confirmed. “But Obi-Wan won’t be pissed that I came after you. That I can guarantee. My boss? He might be a different story.”
Mandy tugged on his backpack, making him stop walking and turn to look at her.
“What? Are you okay?”
“You’re going to get in trouble for what I did?” she whispered, sounding aghast.
“No.”
“But you said—”
“I can handle the colonel. I made a split-second decision, one I don’t regret for a second.
As a Night Stalker pilot, I have to make life-or-death choices on the turn of a dime.
Pretty much on every mission. Every moment I’m in the air.
I constantly have the lives of the men and women I transport in my hands.
One moment of second-guessing myself, or my copilot, could mean everyone dies.
I made the decision to come after you, and I stand by it because it was the right thing to do.
Besides, I don’t think the colonel will say much because ultimately, the only reason we were able to come and get the kids was because of you. ”
“I’m still having a hard time believing that,” Mandy said. “I mean, I’m nobody. Definitely not important enough for a rescue.”
“Wrong. You’re an American. You were the reason the mission was approved.
Why the vice president was able to sign off on the paperwork needed to get Obi-Wan and myself down here.
You were the objective, Rebel. How would it look if we came back without you?
” Buck interjected humor into that last bit, hoping to make her smile, at least a little.
It worked. Kind of.
She gave him a small grin, but the worry returned to her expression right afterward. “Thank you, Nash. Seriously.”
“You’re welcome.” He wasn’t going to dismiss her need to express her gratitude. She was feeling overwhelmed, that much was obvious. “I’m thinking it’s time for us to stop,” he said, changing the subject.
“But it’s still dark,” she replied, sounding confused. “I thought we needed to walk in the dark to try to stay hidden.”
“We did. At least when we were close to the camp. But I think we’re far enough away that it’s okay for us to rest now and walk in the daylight tomorrow.
We’ll have to be vigilant, on watch for anyone else out here, but we can make better time when it’s light out.
I’m thinking we stop, get some sleep, then head out around lunchtime, after I make us that huge steak and peanut butter pie you were talking about earlier. ”
“And some coffee for you,” she said, with a teasing glint in her eye.
“That too. Come on, let’s see if we can find another hidey hole like we did last time. Although I’m guessing we won’t be quite as lucky.”
And just like that, memories swept over Buck.
How well he’d slept with this woman in his arms. It made no sense.
He’d been on plenty of dangerous missions before, even some that had gone sideways like this one, when he’d had to flee from the enemy with civilians in tow.
But he’d never felt as protective about any of the others as he did Mandy. And he wasn’t sure why.
It made him a little uncomfortable. But recently, he’d felt as if he’d been in a rut. Seeing how happy Casper was with Laryn was forcing him to rethink certain aspects of his life—namely, the fact that he was almost forty and didn’t want to spend the rest of it alone.
Did that mean he’d marry the first woman to strike his fancy? No. But he was more open to the possibility that a new relationship could become a long-term thing. Something he’d never truly contemplated in the past. Heck, he hadn’t even been in a relationship in years.
Was he happy he was getting this time with Mandy, to get to know her?
No. Because the circumstances sucked. He’d much prefer to have met her back in Virginia, taken her out for coffee, lunch, a movie.
Anything. But it was what it was. He’d learned a long time ago to take life as it came.
Buck had no idea what would happen in the coming days.
One of them could get sick or hurt. They might be found by the rebels.
Or nothing would happen, and they’d arrive back in Guyana tired, dirty, and ready for those foods they’d fantasized about.
Worrying about it wouldn’t make their current situation any better. All they could do was take things one day at a time.
Not sure he was any less confused about his feelings toward the woman at his back, Buck started walking again, keeping his eyes peeled for a place to hole up for the rest of the night.
They had some hard walking over the next few days, and they needed to get some much-needed sleep, where and when they could get it.
Amanda was confused.
She could admit that, but only to herself.
This situation sucked, and she couldn’t help but constantly berate herself for being here.
It was her fault, after all. If she’d taken precious seconds to check for herself whether James was really lost or not, she’d be back at the school with the rest of the kids and Nash wouldn’t’ve had to put himself in danger because of her.
But at the same time, even though she was completely out of her element and hungry, tired, and grubby…she wasn’t having a terrible time. And that was completely messed up.
Having Nash with her made all the difference in the world.
Without him, she’d be in big trouble. But he was here.
And she trusted him completely to do what was best for the both of them.
Walking through the night had gone a long way toward solidifying that trust. She couldn’t see anything, and had to hold on to his backpack and know that he wouldn’t walk them into a raging river or straight into the hands of the rebels.
Nash was so different from other men she’d known.
More rugged. Rough around the edges. But also funny and protective.
She liked him. A lot. And that concerned her.
Because she wasn’t sure if it was because of her situation, the fact she was relying on him, that was skewing her feelings.
She didn’t want to think that was the case, but she wasn’t completely sure.
If they were back home, Nash taking charge the way he had out here would probably annoy her to no end. But it was what she needed right now. She needed his expertise.
Like last night, for example. He’d told her to sit against a tree and relax while he checked out the potential spot he’d found for their rest. The Amanda from Virginia would’ve protested, insisted she could help.
But the Amanda she was out here was perfectly willing and grateful to sit and wait for him to come back.
It wasn’t a crevice in rocks this time, but a space between two huge tree trunks, their canopies thick and dense overhead.
Once again perfect for one person, but tight for two.
And again, Amanda insisted he stay with her.
For her own sanity. She’d never get any sleep if she couldn’t be sure she wasn’t alone.
She had no idea what time it was when she woke, but the sun was peeking through the trees around them.
For once, it wasn’t raining, and for that she was more than grateful.
She had no illusions that her clothes would actually dry out, considering how humid it was, but not to be rained on felt like a gift.
Nash was once more plastered to her back, and again, she didn’t hate it. The man was turning her into a cuddler. She felt him stir, and smiled a little when he murmured, “Morning,” before climbing out of the small space they were smushed into.
But it was when he said, “Holy shit,” that Amanda woke completely. One second she was floating in that in-between state before you had to get out of bed, and the next, her adrenaline was flowing and she was sitting up ready to do…something. Run, fight…she wasn’t sure what.
Looking around frantically to see what had Nash sounding so surprised, she blinked when she saw the same dog they’d shared their food with the day before, sitting not too far away. Staring at them with the same beseeching look he’d had yesterday.
His hair was still matted, he still looked pretty pathetic, but Amanda could’ve sworn she saw recognition in the dog’s expression.
“What is he doing here?”
“I guess he followed us?” Nash said with a shrug.
“In the dark? Through the jungle?” she said skeptically.
“There’ve been many instances of stray dogs latching onto groups of people in the wilderness.
I remember reading a book about a dog here in South America—I think it was South America—who followed a group of men and women doing some sort of extreme foot race.
And then there’s The Call of the Wild, Old Yeller, White Fang…
and tons of other fiction books I can’t remember right now, that’re about loyal dogs. ”
“Wait, I’ve read that book. The first one you were talking about. Arthur was the dog, right?”
“No clue, but if you say it is, then it is.”
“This dog kind of looks like the one in that true story. You think it’s a terrier of some sort?”
Nash tilted his head as he studied the stray just as intently as it was watching them.
“Maybe. But it’s bigger than a terrier. I’d guess at proper weight, he should be around forty or forty-five pounds.
Right now, he looks more like twenty-five.
Long legs, scruffy hair, short ears…there’s no telling what his pedigree is.
He could be part wolf or lynx, for all we know. ”
“Just like there’s no telling what color he really is under all that dirt,” Amanda said with a snort. “He’s as dirty as me. He needs a name…” she mused.
“Not sure that’s a good idea,” Nash warned. “To name him. It’s likely we won’t see him again after this morning. When we get too far away from wherever it is he came from.”