Latvis Security Services

by Lexie Ray

  “Maybe it’s because I’ve gotten older. Or it might have more to do with the fact that my work revolves around the fallout of unhealthy relationships. But that doesn’t work for me anymore.”

  “You don’t want to be a knight?”

  “Oh, I’ll always be a knight,” he smirked. “It’s just that now I want someone I can go into battle with.”

  “You want me to help you storm a castle?” she giggled.

  “I want someone who can keep up with me both physically and mentally, will always have my back, and is ready and willing to push me onto my ass when necessary.”

  Gwen chuckled and buried her face against the side of his neck.

  “Also, and this is pretty surprising to me, but the idea of my girlfriend being able to bench press me is kind of a turn on.”

  “You’re an idiot,” she laughed.

  Jamie tightened his grip and placed a sweet kiss on the side of her head. The sounds of the night pressed down on them, the tent rattling with a gentle flurry. Together, they fought off the chill, creating a little world that only existed within the tiny space.

  “I’ve set my watch,” Jamie muttered. “Just a few hours of sleep, and we’ll get moving again.”

  “Okay,” she mumbled, with a bone-cracking yawn.

  After a few long moments of silence, just as she was lingering on the edge of sleep, she heard Jamie ask a question.

  “By the way, how can much can you lift?”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Jamie forced himself to stay awake until he was certain that Gwen was no longer in danger. Only when she was like a simmering coal within his arms did he give in to his own exhaustion. It felt like he had only blinked when the shrill alarm of his phone began to shriek.

  Gwen curled against him as if trying to burrow away from the sound and the waking world. There had been a few times that he had felt the aftermath of hypothermia. It wracked the body both mentally and physically, draining it in a way that made every inch of his body ache. He rubbed her back in empathy, and she damn near purred. She had to be hurting.

  “We have to move.” Her voice was sleepy but dripping with determination.

  “Change of clothes in the bottom of the bag,” he mumbled before his mind caught up.

  No matter which one of them retrieved the clothes, with both of them naked it was going to be an awkward situation. He watched Gwen open her eyes and blink off the confusion that always lingered after your brain had iced over.

  “How are you feeling?”

  “Stronger,” she said. “Sore, but nothing I can’t handle.”

  “Good to go?”

  She nodded.

  “Do you want to get the clothes, or should I?”

  Jamie had spoken it as gently as he could but still expected to see a fiery blush consume her. Instead, there was only conviction.

  “Just unzip the bag and let’s get this done.”

  He smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”

  In unison, they sat up and began a mad dash against the crushing cold. The cold won. Both of them elbowed the other more than once as their teeth chattered and their fingers began to grow numb.

  “Are there any more of those passes coming up?” he asked.

  “No. But it’s still a grueling ride.”

  “Would you look at that? We just woke up, and already our day is looking up,” he grinned as he pulled on his boots.

  “Lucky us,” she shot back with matching enthusiasm.

  It was a passing moment, but still enough to make him pause. She noticed almost immediately.

  “God, you’re gorgeous.”

  There was her blush, matched with a sharp but soft thump to his thigh.

  “Shut up.”

  His teeth stopped rattling as he secured the last of his clothing tightly into place.

  “Yes, ma’am,” he said swiftly. “You mushing, or am I?”

  “I can do it.”

  He nodded, and she focused her eyes on him in a narrowed glare.

  “Really? Not going to fight over it?”

  The answer was simple. “You’re in charge.”

  They didn’t need much in the way of communication to begin packing up. Gwen knew more about the dogs, so it just made sense that she would start with them. The tent and sleeping bag were stowed away in moments. The only light came from the electric lanterns. Clouds covered the sky in a heavy blanket as snow drizzled from them, drifting down to form a steady sheet that blocked the view all around.

  The dogs remained unaffected by their exertions. Snow covered their fur and turned them white. The promise to run made them bound and yelp with excitement. They leaped forward, their attempts to move thwarted by the sleigh’s locks and anchors. Gwen was done shortly after Jamie had everything in place. She squeezed his shoulder as he settled. In the single gesture, she offered her gratitude, reassured him that she was okay, and sought to check on his own condition.

  He placed his hand over hers and squeezed back. It was strange how quickly something could change. Only moments ago, he had blessed the layers of cloth that kept him from the biting chill. Now he detested them, longing for Gwen’s touch more than the safety his warm clothes provided. He fought down the urge to comment on it. They had their task at hand, and that took precedence over everything else, including Jamie’s body and mind.

  Gwen called the dogs into action once more. With wild yelps, they burst forward and drove headlong into the darkness. They ran on instinct, fearless and bold. Snow flecked off their fur. It toppled in the wind and collided into the following humans like pebbles. The wind howled and clawed under the blankets. Time ceased to exist within this world without light or form. It felt like everything in creation had fallen away, leaving only the small patch that was illuminated by the struggling light.

  The growing wind had numbed Jamie’s feet within his snow boots by the time Gwen pulled the pack to a halt. Reluctant to give up their pace, the dogs growled and lurched before finally surrendering to the break. Gwen staggered to the side of the sleigh, ice slowing her movements and robbing her of her normally fluid grace. Jamie didn’t need any more of a hint to shuffle over as best he could and open up the blankets.

  Their gear took up most of the sleigh, leaving only a cramped patch free for them to sit. It was hard enough for one person to get comfortable. For the two of them, both sturdy and tall, it was impossible to share unless Gwen was practically on his lap. He didn’t protest the weight, welcoming it instead with a contented sigh.

  A few more moments of awkward shuffling and they were both wrapped head to toe in the blankets, watching as the snow settled over them. Gwen was a slab of ice once more. But at least this time they had the luxury of stopping, if only for a moment, for a chance to warm her up again.

  “I think I should do the next leg,” he said.

  Gwen shifted, and her impossibly long legs curled under his thighs. Her teeth chattered against every word.

  “I’m not arguing. Just give me a second.”

  “Take all the time you need.”

  He could almost feel his body heat leaving him in waves, soaking deep into her skin, coaxing forth her own warmth and turning her breathing deep and sated. The sensation conjured all sorts of images within Jamie’s mind. Most of them left him breathless.

  She pressed her face into the opening of his hooded coat, seeking out the tender skin of his neck and the heat that lingered there. He was sure dawn would be cracking across the horizon any moment now to signal a new day. He normally didn’t go so long without a shave unless he was on a mission. Usually, he wasn’t a fan of stubble.

  He changed his mind the second she began to gently rub against the rough stubble covering his neck. It didn’t seem like she had any conscious awareness she was doing it, and he wasn’t about to tell her. Maybe later. When they were safe and warm. When they had the time to explore and to see if it was a passing desire or if she would enjoy the sensation against other parts of her body. If she had a beard fetish, Jamie was
more than willing to go along with that. He could get used to the uncomfortable heat for that kind of payoff.

  “You’re so hot,” she mumbled against his neck.

  “You too.”

  Gwen paused for a moment. “I meant temperature wise.”

  “Oh.” He kept his voice light, and hoped that she didn’t hear the lingering traces of disappointment. “Then you most certainly are not.”

  “I just need a little longer.”

  Pulling her firmly onto his lap, he kissed the frigid skin of her forehead. “I’m not about to complain.”

  It seemed like he had spoken a million variations of the same thoughts. You’re beautiful. You’re wonderful. I want you. But still he hadn’t found a way that made her believe him. It left a gap in the back of his mind, a small space of uncertainty, and allowed doubt to creep in and grow.

  Fireworks hadn’t gone off when he had first laid his eyes on her. No singing birds or heavenly music. Time hadn’t slowed, and there had been no electric sparks the first time they had touched. Instead, the reaction she had provoked had been soft, a soothing balm more than a fiery inferno. Gwen made him feel safe. Her presence, her voice, her touch. It calmed something within him.

  She was like that moment when the plane touched down and he knew that, after all the pain and fear and blood, he was home. She made it easier to breathe. Safe. Comfortable. Relaxed. But he didn’t know how to say that to her. He didn’t know how to explain any of that to her without making her think he was comparing her to an old armchair he just couldn’t bring himself to get rid of. He didn’t even know if she would want to hear it.

  With a pained grunt, Gwen began to straighten, the motion bringing Jamie back from the maze of his thoughts. He rubbed her back, more in an effort to create heat through friction than to offer any kind of comfort. Together, they found the map and spread it out over their laps. Even the dark couldn’t dampen Gwen’s knowledge of the area. She marked off the path they had made and how far they had left to go.

  A quick glance was all that was needed to know that the way was going to get harder. Not because of gaping wind tunnels, but because of forest and a steadily increasing slope. Oddly enough, the cold that had caused them so much trouble might actually prove itself useful.

  Gwen tapped a gloved finger against a large patch of blue ink that indicated a lake. “If it’s frozen over, it could cut our time down by half.”

  “If it’s not?”

  “Then we’ll get wet,” she said with a smirk.

  “Smartass. How deep is the lake? Are we talking about getting our boots wet, or being stuck in a snow glob?”

  “The edges are only a few feet deep.”

  He nodded. “And if it’s not iced over, how long to go around? Is it worth the trip?”

  “Some of the area would be too rocky to run the dogs with the sled. We’d have to snowshoe it.” For a moment, Gwen only stared at the map, calculating the risks and possible gains against her knowledge. Jamie respectfully accepted the silence. These decisions were never easy ones, especially if you had a loved one waiting at the other end.

  “It’s worth it.”

  Without comment, he took the map, memorized the new route basics, and handed it back to her.

  “Well, I guess I should stop being lazy.” He smiled as he scooted her off of him.

  The cold and weight had made his legs a little harder to move, but he still managed to get out of the sled with some of his dignity intact. At least Gwen had the decency not to laugh at his fumbling. Although, she did smirk. A lot. He narrowed his eyes at the look, and she shrugged.

  “Don’t worry. You’re still doing what Navy boys do best.”

  “I have a feeling you don’t mean kicking ass.”

  “Of course not. You help the Army get to where we need to go and look damn fine while doing it.”

  Jamie bit his tongue against the retort that yearned to be voiced. When you’re presented with an unexpected win, you take it and keep your pretty mouth shut.

  Chapter Fifteen

  There was no escaping the storm, but the rest had at least allowed Gwen to regain her strength. Clutching the blankets around herself, she stared into the darkness before them, keeping a sharp track on where they were headed. Jamie was surprisingly good at controlling the dogs. He was even better at judging the terrain. Of course, lacking her intimate knowledge of the area, he did take them over a few rough patches and almost bucked them more than once.

  They entered the trees at full speed. The full, lush branches of the evergreens created a living shield above them, staving off the thickening storm. For all their protection, the trees had only managed to cling to a few extra degrees of heat. Still, the change felt almost humid against Gwen’s battered skin, and she welcomed it with joy.

  It wasn’t long before the trees closed in around them and forced the dogs to a slower pace. Their grunts mirrored her frustration with frightening accuracy. Shadows ate away at the light, reducing their field of vision to barely a few inches before the lead dogs.

  Trees whipped past them, blurring into the shadows and disappearing even as they brushed against the side of the sled. But even as she huddled in the blankets and furs, she couldn’t bring herself to be worried. Her calmness struck Gwen as just wrong.

  It wasn’t as if she didn’t know that she had control issues. In fact, it had been one of the hardest things for her to master when she had entered the army. Following orders and letting others take control didn’t come naturally to her. Trust was hard won and easily lost. But she trusted Jamie.

  That soothed her, even as it terrified her. Someone gaining her trust so easily was unheard of, and she never gave it so quickly. But as much as she reasoned and argued, she couldn’t shake it. There was just something about Jamie that reached deep into her, to a place she had never felt before, and claimed that place as his own. But the deeper someone could reach you, the deeper the scar they left behind. The more it hurt to lose them. She couldn’t reject this job. She knew she couldn’t. Losing Jamie was going to be agony.

  She was already mourning the loss and was pulled out of her grief as the trees parted and the lake came into view. The lantern light glistened over the glass-like surface. It was either going to be as fragile as crystal or as solid as diamonds, but it was impossible to tell by sight. The dogs staggered around the edges, their paws cracking through the encrusted mud of the banks. Still, some of them lurched from the pack, eager to continue on.

  “Well, that doesn’t help,” Jamie muttered.

  Both of them had been willing to let the dogs’ instincts decide the matter. If they were prepared to run out onto the ice, odds were better that it would hold. Gwen hadn’t really given much thought to the pack would being as equally divided on the decision as she was.

  She twisted to look up and catch Jamie’s eyes. The first glimmer of the morning was beginning to drench the clouds behind him, turning them a steely grey. He tipped his head to the side, like he couldn’t even be bothered to actually shrug.

  “What are you thinking?”

  “We can’t risk the dogs,” she noted. “We need a little insurance.”

  “I can scout out before them.”

  “I can.”

  He rolled his eyes. “I’m lighter than you. It will be easier for you to pull me out.”

  “But what’s the point of the lighter person testing it? Who cares if it can hold you if it can’t hold the sled?”

  “Also a good point,” he said.

  Dawn was coming quickly, and he raised his face to meet it. For so long, the promise of morning and light had been something Gwen clung to. But now it came with danger. The few measly degrees of warmth that the sun offered could be the distance between them making it across and them sinking to the bottom.

  “Going by lake will be faster.”

  Jamie shifted his grip on the handles. “No doubt.”

  “Stick to the edges. Close enough to make a jump for it if we need to.” Glancing o
ver her shoulder once more, she searched his face, wanting to see how the idea actually sat with him. “It’s a stupid idea to try, right?”

  “Yep. Probably why I like it.”

  She pushed her blankets off and mentally prepared herself to jump for it, if need be.

  “Is it bad that I’m kind of excited?” he asked.

  “Do you mean like an adrenaline rush, or sexually?”

  He smirked, and she rolled her eyes.

  “You mean both, don’t you?”

  “See? You know me so well.”

  In a moment of boldness, she turned back around, a smile twitching over her lips.

  “I feel the same.”

  Jamie remained silent for a moment before venturing, “Do you mean that you know me, or that you’re excited?”

  “We need to go now.”

  “Yeah, but–”

  “Now,” she said sharply, fighting to keep her humor out of her voice.

  “You’re a cruel woman.”

  The muttered word came out gravely, but with an affection that made warmth flush through Gwen like buttery liquid. Jamie mushed the dogs, and they almost ran over each other as they hurried down the slight embankment. It was easy to tell the exact moment the sled hit the ice. They slipped to the side, fishtailing until Jamie was able to gather some measure of control.

  The dogs’ nails slashed over the ice, their breaths turning into visible fog in the growing grey light. But all the noise and chatter couldn’t cover the sharp hiss of the fracturing ice. Jamie urged the dogs faster. It didn’t stop the cracking.

  With each sharp gasp of the frozen water, Gwen’s stomach clenched tighter. Her muscles twitched. All of her primal instincts told her to jump and make it to shore before the ice opened.

  The far bank glistened with frost, coaxing them forward like a beacon, a glittery promise that seemed just out of reach. With a final, thunderous roar, the ice gave way. Cracks raced out like skeletal fingers. Closer. Closer. Jamie’s orders to the dogs grew sharper as the sled began to buck. A stone wall ran the side of the lake, trapping them upon it, forcing them to travel over the deeper water.