His hand stroked her back, sliding into a caress. “Someone mentioned that you might like to eat dinner at the cafe sometime, and then it occurred to me you haven’t left the bunker in days. I don’t want you to feel stuck or like you have to hide. This isn’t a prison.” He kissed her and got dressed.
She followed suit. “At first I didn’t have the energy and didn’t want to go anywhere.” Healing from her injury and catching up on sleep missed along her journey had taken time. As evidenced by her afternoon, she was feeling more like herself.
“How about tonight?” Cam’s eyes had resumed their usual gray-green.
She bit her lip, and his eyes tracked the movement. The energy between them simmered. He was no longer talking only about dinner. “That would be nice.”
“Grab your sweater,” he said. “The sooner we eat, the sooner we’re back. Let’s go.”
Reality hit. She glanced down at her faded jeans. Once upon a time they’d fit. Now they were cinched in with a belt and hung loose. “I have nothing to wear out for dinner.” Everything she owned was faded and comfortable, but she had nothing for dressing up. Maybe this look was best described as apocalypse chic.
He scanned her up and down without his expression changing. Still, his heated glance made her press her legs together. “You look great. Plus, the cafe is casual. No need forfancy. The biggest draw is that it serves fresh food instead of dehydrated, which sounds like a pleasant change. For me too.”
Lissa shifted her weight. Few people knew the reason for her arrival, unless the medical staff had overheard. Was xTerra small enough that she could be the subject of gossip? She’d hated living at the refugee center, where rumors were rampant. The name Rat Girl flashed through her mind. Those had been tough days. She bit her lip. What if the people here stared and whispered? She swallowed. “Who will people think I am?”
Cam shrugged. “My girlfriend.” He took her hand with a slow smile. “I don’t get out much either, but I’d like to show you more of xTerra than inside my bunker.” He wasn’t saying anything about moving here, though if her house wasn’t safe to return to, it could be a possibility. Maybe she should look around, so she’d know what to expect.
She nodded. “Okay.”
He smiled. “If you hate it, we can eat and leave. The cafe’s not my only plan for this evening.”
With her energy returning, his offer had perfect timing. She wasn’t terrific at socializing, but Cam was worth the effort. “Let’s go.” Her brain whirled, nervous about the noise and the people. She turned, planning to collect her sweater as suggested.
Cam wrapped his arms around her from behind, kissing the side of her neck. “I might want to show you off a little too.”
She blinked back annoying tears that threatened as her throat tightened. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so cherished and special.
“Could we visit Robin sometime?” Lissa, needing to change the subject. She liked the other woman, who was close to her age. Robin was also feisty and fun. While Lissa hadn’t ever had many female friends, Robin was the kind of person she would like to get to know better. Especially if there might not be the option of going home.
“She stopped me on my way home and suggested dinner out. With her baby due soon, she isn’t teaching. She might be free for a visit during the day too.” His lips tightened a little. “I hope you aren’t bored. We should set something up so you don’t have to be alone all day.”
Lissa leaned into Cam’s embrace, feeling his solid presence. “I’d like that, even though I don’t mind my own company.”
He kissed her neck again, sending tingles racing across her skin. “If we walk to the cafe, we can always leave early and hurry back.”
“Do they serve dessert?” She’d been craving something sweet since the hospital, when she’d been given a cookie. She’d always had a sweet tooth.
“Probably. I don’t go there often. Though, I’ve got my dessert chosen.” He gripped her chin lightly and kissed her again, leaving no doubt that they were on the same wavelength.
She smiled. “How about actual dessert?”
He paused. “I haven’t eaten out in years. It seemed a waste to go by myself.”
He was so easy to talk to and be around, she forgot he was quiet and didn’t claim many friends. “You could have gone alone. Or asked someone.”
He shook his head. “I’m excited to take you on a date.” His whispered words near her ear made her shiver. “I used to stay separate most of the time, but wintering at the Outpost helped. I got to know a few people, but they hang out with their families when we’re here.”
They collected light jackets in case it was cool when they walked home and headed out. Lissa left her sling behind since it would just be for a couple of hours. A few hundred yards from Cam’s, a neighboring bunker door opened, and a golden retriever bolted outside. Lissa caught her breath.
“Barkley,” a kid’s voice yelled. “Wait for me.” The dog circled back as a gangly teen of twelve or thirteen followed.
Tears sprang to her eyes at the thought of her cats at home alone. They were seldom far from her thoughts. She missed them.
Cam must have noticed because he planted a kiss on her forehead. “There’re several cats and dogs around. I used to worry they’d all die out because good pet owners spayed and neutered their animals.” He shook his head. “Turns out, not everyone did. Many of the families coming here also collected abandoned pets along the way. Others arrived with young animals. A few years ago, a group showed up with a litter of puppies and a basket of kittens.” He grinned. “They were claimed in under an hour.”
He took her hand, and they carried on. “We have mostly collies, goldens, pointers, and duck tollers. After the evacuation in ‘26, xTerra rounded up abandoned stock, like cows for both dairy and meat. The ranchers had to leave, and most couldn’t take all their animals.” He chuckled. “Somehow, we ended up with just as many sheep and barn cats as cows. Nobody complains about milk, beef, and wool, but the cats and dogs are beloved.”
“I wouldn’t have to hide my cats.” Her eyes tracked the boy racing behind his dog, its ears flapping.
