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He mimicked her stance, facing her. “I can’t believe you ever wondered why I wanted you on my team.”
“Is that a yes?” She lifted her chin a little higher. “I don’t want the search and rescue training for wimps. I want the real deal.”
He ducked his head to meet her gaze squarely. “You just keep that in mind, doc, while I’m working your hide off tomorrow.” He smirked and added, “At the crack of ten.”
“Your place, I assume?” She was glad he wasn’t going to let the fact that they were dating get in the way of their mission. The team he was putting together was too important, especially in light of what the Paddocks might or might not be up to these days.
“My place. Wear your running shoes.”
She groaned. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
“I can’t do that, Miss Midraven. You asked for the real deal, and I aim to please.”
She groaned again as she unlocked her door and stepped inside.
“‘Night, darling,” he called cheerfully after her.
She was still groaning when she shut and locked the door. The last thing she heard was his bark of laughter as he headed for his truck.
* * *
Since they weren’t meeting until ten o’clock, Prim didn’t bother setting an alarm. She never slept that late.
When she awoke the next morning, she gave a leisurely stretch in bed, grateful that it was Saturday. And not just any Saturday. It was one she had off. Every other Saturday, she held a half-day clinic for those on the rez whose jobs didn’t allow them to reserve any of her Monday through Friday appointments.
She sat up in bed, yawning and stretching, reluctant to leave the warm cocoon of her flannel sheets and thick sherpa blanket. Leaning closer to her nightstand, she was startled to see the number of missed messages waiting for her.
Frowning, she snatched up the phone to read them. Most of them were from Shep.
Rise and shine, beautiful.
Non-wimpy search and rescue training coming up.
The next message was time-stamped about ten minutes later.
You still asleep?
His last message made no effort to hide the toughness she’d asked for today.
Darling, if you’re not here in fifteen minutes, I’m coming to haul your?—
“Oh, my goodness!” Her gaze zeroed in on the digital time showing on her phone. She stared at it for a split second longer, thinking there must have been a power outage or something. There was no way it could be 9:45 already. She never slept that long.
Except cell phones didn’t fall behind on time during power outages.
With a squeal of alarm, she threw her legs over the side of the bed, getting tangled in her sheets in the process. She nearly tumbled to the floor.
It was a good thing she’d taken a shower the night before, because there was no time for even a quick soak this morning. She dashed to her dresser, snatching out jeans and socks on her way to the bathroom.
Her hip grazed the doorway. “Ouch!” Though the door frame was an inanimate object, it made her feel a teensy better to yell at it.
After brushing her teeth, she finger-combed her hair into a ponytail, then hurried to her closet to pull on sneakers and throw a few layers of shirts over her jeans — a tank top with built-in support for gym workouts, followed by a t-shirt, then a sweater. It was stinking cold outside, so she preferred to dress in layers that she could peel off as needed.
Since there was no time to even make a simple piece of toast, she grabbed a bottle of water on her way out the door. She was still shrugging into her coat as she reached her car.
Though she took a little ragging from her friends over the fact that it wasn’t American made, she enjoyed driving her snappy little white Toyota Supra. It had been a gift from her mother the day she’d graduated from college as a newly certified P.A.
Summer Midraven had been crazy proud of her only daughter becoming a medical professional, right up to the point where she’d broken her engagement with her ex and accepted a job opportunity that would take her as far from New York, and him, as possible. Her job on the rez had been a bone of contention between her and her mother ever since.
