Moon - New Moon Part 37

"Are you all right?" she asked, her voice urgent.

"Yes. But I need to sleep."

"I'll stand guard. Do you have something I can wear?"

He handed her sweatpants and a b.u.t.ton-down shirt before falling back onto the sleeping bag.

RINNA had been near this place before, when she'd found Logan in the trap, but now it felt like alien territory. She'd been so naive when she'd come through the portal, thinking she could get along in this world. She'd found out how wrong she was. All you had to do was poke something into a little hole where the electricity came out and you could get killed.

She looked down at Logan. He must have thought it was safe to sleep. But what if he was wrong? What if someone came along and attacked them with that weapon-a gun? Was it all right to fight them off? Kill them?

She didn't know the rules, and the frustration bubbled inside her. That and other frustrations.

Back at that house, she'd gotten close to him-physically close. And it had felt so good to do those things. She wanted more of that with him. But was she still too afraid.

She clenched her fists. She didn't want to run away from the feelings building inside her. But she didn't know if she could let him... She cut off the thought. All she had to do right now was keep him safe until he woke and hope she didn't make any mistakes.

And what if Falcone's soldiers came along? That possibility had her fighting panic.

He had used the trap and found her once. But he wouldn't risk it again, she told herself, not when he might catch the wrong shape-shifter. But there was still Haig. He must have given away the secret of the cave. What else would he do under Falcone's orders?

She tried to put Haig out of her mind, as she looked through the equipment Logan had brought, handling each item carefully. He had a flashlight. Was it valuable here, or just ordinary? And what about the folding knife with a bunch of other funny parts that opened up? And he had a lot of supplies. Like in the convenience store. They represented a fortune back home. But probably not here.

He also had boxes with plants that he'd dug up. For his job, she supposed. He was like the gardeners who worked for rich men. But she suspected that he was paid well for the service.

After she'd inspected the things in the camp, she climbed back inside the tent and lay down next to him.

It flashed through her mind that he could wake up and grab her. Although she resolutely pushed that idea away, she took a knife with her when she lay down beside him. Not to protect herself from him, she a.s.sured herself-but in case someone came along who might try to hurt them.

She had hours to think-about Logan. About what he wanted from her. And what she dared to want from him. Finally, after a long time, he stirred. Still when she saw his eyes blink open, she felt her insides clench.

He stared toward the flap at the front of the tent, then turned his head and looked at her.

"You can put the knife down. I'm not going to attack you."

"How do you know I have a knife?"

"Intuition."

"I wanted to be prepared if someone came."

He dragged in a breath and let it out. "I'd like to say you don't need to carry a weapon in this world. But I'm not sure it's true anymore."

When she answered with a little shrug, he changed the subject. "What time is it?"

"Afternoon."

"I was..."

"Exhausted."

"I was going to say I was no help for the past few hours."

"Everything's fine."

"Good."

She had been waiting to ask him questions about what had happened.

"Those people back at the house; they found a wolf in their... family room?"

"Yeah."

"And then?"

"The nice lady wanted to shoot me."

She dragged in a shuddering breath, then let it ease out of her lungs. "Shoot you. Like the man at the convenience store?"

"Yeah. Only she was defending her home, not robbing someone." He sighed. "We've got too many guns in this world. Or... too many people using them."

"I was scared when you didn't come out-for you," she whispered.

"I was scared-for you when I saw you flapping around that cop."

She lifted one shoulder. "I was trying to distract him."

"You could have gotten hurt."

He rolled toward her, lifting a hand to stroke her cheek. "I'm sorry. It was pretty hairy back there."

She tried to figure out what he meant. "Hairy?"

"Dangerous. Frightening. I guess we shouldn't have stayed in that house."

"You thought it was safe, and you needed to rest."

"Bad judgment. But the emergency's over."

He gave her a long look, then his gaze drifted to her lips. "Rinna, let me kiss you. Just kiss you."

He had kissed her before and shown her he wasn't going to hurt her. She was still worried, but she wanted to feel his lips on hers, so she gave a tiny nod.

When he brought his mouth to hers, she sensed that he was trying to keep the contact light and nonthreatening. But deep emotions flowed through the kiss. Emotions that made her heart swell.

When he lifted his head, his eyes were very clear and as bright as new coins. "I love you," he said in a thick voice.

Shocked, she reared back. "You don't have to say that!"