“I’ll warn them not to touch the bag in the box. I don’t want the staff hurt by brushing up against the snake’s fangs.” Her lips twisted into a frown. “Maybe I shouldn’t put the snake in this freezer.”
“If there is a shortage of antivenin, saving this snake could help. You’re doing the right thing,” Harm assured her as he set the bag in the box and the box on a shelf in the farthest corner of the freezer.
When they emerged from the freezer, the kitchen was filled with the rest of Harm’s team, plus Dr. Angela Vega and Marly.
Buck clapped his hands together. “Since we’re all awake, we thought we’d come raid the refrigerator.”
Talia smiled. “I can whip up a casserole in about forty minutes, or I had the chef prepare a ham earlier to make sandwiches for the safari tomorrow. I believe there’s enough meat for snacks tonight and sandwiches tomorrow. It’s up to you.”
“Ham sandwiches sound great,” Diesel said. “But we can help ourselves. You don’t have to stay up on our account.”
Talia smiled. “I wasn’t asleep, and a sandwich sounds good to me, too.” She pulled the container filled with ham slices out of the commercial refrigerator and set it on the counter. Then she laid out freshly baked bread, garden-grown lettuce and tomatoes, plates, utensils and condiments.
“We can take it from here,” Buck said. “Thank you.”
“While you are preparing sandwiches, I’ll check the room upstairs for you, Big Jake.” She turned to leave the kitchen, crossed the wide-open living area and mounted the stairs to the second floor.
Footsteps behind her made her turn back.
Harm climbed the steps a few feet behind her.
Talia stopped midway up the staircase. “Are you following me?”
He nodded. “With all the crazy things happening, I thought I’d check the room for uninvited guests.”
“I can do that myself,” she insisted. “I’ve lived here long enough to know what to look for.”
“Would you have looked for a cobra in your bed?” he asked.
Talia shivered and pressed her lips into a tight line. “Probably not. We’ve never had that happen here at All Things Wild.”
“Then humor me. Let me look first.”
“You’re not going to be around forever. I need to do these things on my own.”
“I get that, but it would make me feel better to help, since I’m here already.” He winked and waved her ahead. “Ladies first. At least to the bedroom door.”
She led the way to the guest room she had in mind for Big Jake. “Maybe I should have all of you move into the lodge if things are getting...how did you say?”
“Hinky. If you have another room in the lodge, I’d like to snag it as well.”
Talia paused in reaching for the door handle of a room. “Are you afraid of snakes, like T-Mac?”
Harm shook his head. “No, but I don’t like that these things are happening to the resort. Someone is playing games with you. They might make it more personal.”
In the back of her mind, Talia had thought the same thing, but she hadn’t let the possibility take root until Harm voiced it. “You think someone is targeting my resort and me?”
Harm took her hand in his. “I don’t know, but while we’re here, let us help. Let me help.”
“But you’re my guests.”
“In case you hadn’t noticed, we’re not your normal uppity clientele. We’ve slept in deserts, jungles and swamps. We’ve been shot at, had explosives go off nearby and nearly been killed so many times, you start to think you’re invincible, or just that your number is not quite up yet.”
“Yet,” she whispered. “You never know when that might happen.”
“Exactly. We could step on an improvised explosive device or be hit by a bus. We don’t borrow trouble. We wait for it to come to us. But that doesn’t mean we don’t take precautions.”
“Like?”
“We brought our own weapons. We’re prepared to take on anything and anyone.”
Talia smiled. “I’m kind of glad my guests left room for you and your team to stay.” She nodded. “Thank you for offering to help. While you’re here, I accept.” She held out her hand. He engulfed it in his own, sending sparks of electricity throughout her body.
As quickly as she took his hand, she pulled hers free, heat suffusing her cheeks. “I’ll just be a minute checking on this room and the one down the hall. Do you think T-Mac would like to stay in the lodge as well? Seeing as he’s so afraid of snakes? I don’t want him to be uncomfortable in one of the cabins. I can’t imagine how that cobra got into Big Jake’s room. These things never happened while Michael was alive.”
Harm touched a finger to her lips. “I’ll ask. In the meantime, let me check the rooms first.”
Talia’s lips tingled where his finger touched them. She fought to keep from puckering and leaving a kiss on that finger.
What was she thinking? It wasn’t as if he’d want her to kiss him. He wasn’t there to get involved, especially with a grieving widow. Harm was there to relax and enjoy his vacation.
Yet Talia couldn’t deny those female parts that had been dormant since her husband’s death had come alive when Harm had touched her. How, after only a year, could she be interested in another man? Knowing what it was like to lose the love of her life, she wasn’t ready, nor was she certain she could handle the potential heartache again.
She’d been blessed with true love with a kind, gentle man who saw the beauty of the earth and shared it through his photography. Talia wasn’t at all sure she could love anyone else. And Harm was completely different. He had harder edges and deeper scars. He wasn’t anything like Michael.
But those hard edges called to her, making her want to smooth them. When he touched her with his callused hands, she could imagine those hands skimming over her naked skin, bringing her body back to life when she thought it wasn’t possible.
Talia stepped back. “Thank you,” she said. Not sure whether she was thanking him for checking the room or for reminding her that she was still alive, a woman who had a body that required more than just food and sleep.
Harm faced her. “You’ll wait here?”
She nodded.
As soon as he turned his back and entered the room, she pressed her palms to her heated cheeks.
Get a grip, woman, she chastised herself. He’s off-limits. You’re not ready.
You loved Michael.
Her last thought brought her back to earth with a thud. She’d loved her husband. Past tense. Michael was gone. But he wasn’t forgotten.
Harm was back far too soon. “All clear.”
“Good.” Talia forced a smile and stepped through the doorway, past Harm and into the bedroom. After a cursory glance to make certain everything was clean and in order, she joined Harm in the hallway and led him to the room he’d sleep in. If it was the one closest to hers, she couldn’t let that bother her. It wasn’t as though she’d picked it intentionally. The room just happened to be available, with clean sheets and a fully equipped bathroom.
So why didn’t you put Big Jake in it?
Talia shrugged off the nagging thought and waited until Harm emerged with the all-clear announcement.