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She fell silent as he asked her to, but only because most men couldn’t multitask. Apparently for Clay, that meant talkingandthinking.
When he twitched his head, indicating she should give him some space, she backed away from the vehicle a good ten paces. As she watched, Clay reached for the crate. He lifted it up in his arms as if it weighed as much as a box of Murray’s Boston cream donuts.
When he set it gently on the ground, she sucked in a breath and let it out in a rush.
“This is unnerving the heck out of me. I have a lot of life left to live, and I’m not doing it with half my face melted off,” she said on her exhalation.
He sighed. “Lark. Please. Go to the trees.”
She stopped talking but couldn’t shut down all the scary thoughts parading through her mind. He leaned over the crate and began searching the unit. After only a minute, he bowed his head.
“I have no idea what I’m looking for. These parts aren’t the norm.”
Her eyes widened. “How many bombs have youseen?”
“Enough. Most guys go down to the hardware store and pick up a few common parts. Nothing on this unit points to it having a tracking device or something with a microphone.”
“Maybe it’s underneath that metal casing.”
Tension gathered in his shoulders until they were bunched like twin storm clouds as he carefully pried the metal side away from the unit and stared at the inner workings of the thing that could kill them both at any moment.
She took out her phone and snapped a photo of the exposed side. Then she zoomed in on it and did a reverse image search. Immediately, the search engine produced several similar images.
“That’s a powerful bomb,” she stated.
“You don’t say.”
“No, really. It’s right here on the search engine. Maybe you should move the truck farther away.”
He twisted his head to look at her. “What are you doing with your phone out?”
She blinked at him. “I snapped a photo and enhanced it. Then I did a reverse image search. You’re right that it isn’t an average bomb. It doesn’t look like it’s going to detonate, but if it does…the blast will reach up to a thousand feet.”
She held up her phone, letting it measure the distance with the tool. “That would make that little clump of brush a safer spot.”
He straightened. “Okay, so why aren’t you standing at the clump? And how do you know this?”
She waggled her phone in the air. “Measuring tool. I’m really good with resources. My generation knows its way around technology.”
He grunted. “If this is another stab at my age, save it. I already feel inadequate enough.”
Cocking her head, she eyed his body, remembering how he filled out those boxer briefs he answered the door in to perfection. “I’ve seen what you’re working with, sir. You’redefinitelynot inadequate.”
“Sir… Jesus Christ,” he muttered.
“Does that make you feel better?”
“No. But I’m going to move the truck. If you won’t go to the trees, for god’s sake, at least stay back.”
Before he could circle to the driver’s side, she called, “Clay!”
He paused.
She spread her hands, trying to find words that she never, ever spoke.
“It’s never been like this with anyone before. I feel…heard. Only Andrew ever really listened to me. Now you’re actually taking my advice.”
He sent her a long, unbroken look. Electricity shot between her thighs and seemed to awaken her entire body.
