Nikki picked her way through the trees on her way back to the Senior Women’s Staff Cabin.

It was late. Maybe Honey and Addy would be asleep already.

But she doubted it.

The men generally came to their cabin to hang out in the evenings. And now that Honey and Addy were bonded to Kitt and Remington, being apart from each other seemed to stress them out.

Indy was probably there too.

Her heart raced and she willed it to slow.

He had promised to keep her secret. Surely he wouldn’t have ratted her out so quickly.

But for all his confident charm, Indiana was like a baby in some ways - straightforward and unpracticed in the art of deception.

The warm glow of lamplight greeted her through the trees ahead and she could hear them all laughing.

Home, sighed a little voice inside her head.

But of course the cabin wasn’t home and the people inside it weren’t her family. Like any good actress, Nikki was just losing herself in her role.

“Nikki,” Addy said happily, looking up from a handful of playing cards, as Nikki came in the screen door.

“Hey, guys,” Nikki said, looking around.

No one was staring at her, and there didn’t seem to be any tension in the room.

Except for Indiana’s intent gaze.

When she caught his eye, he shook his head almost imperceptibly, then winked.

She grinned back at him. He hadn’t told her secret.

“We’re playing cards,” Honey said.

“You don’t say,” Nikki replied.

Honey laughed at herself for stating the obvious and Kitt tousled her hair, teasing her, but fondly.

Indiana patted the sofa next to him.

The idea of cuddling up next to him was so tempting.

But something had changed between them now that there was a secret… and a kiss. It would be too hard to sit next to him and pretend there was nothing between them, like before.

“I think I’ll make some tea,” Nikki said lightly.

“Excellent,” Addy said. “Are there any cookies or anything?”

“I’ll see,” Nikki smiled. Addy’s rigorous swim schedule meant she was always famished.

She headed into the tiny kitchenette and grabbed the kettle from the cupboard.

“Hey, can I help you?” Indiana’s deep voice took her by surprise and she jumped a little, dropping the kettle on the countertop.

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said, catching her around the waist.

Nikki looked up into his dark eyes. As usual, one was almost hidden by a lock of dark hair overhanging his forehead. The other crinkled as he smiled down at her.

She smiled back, reflexively, and felt his arms tighten.

He was so big, so warm. And he smelled like good things to eat.

It’s only because he works in a restaurant, she tried to tell herself.

But her inner animal was humming the tune even without the words. A man who smelled like that was a good provider. And he was so muscular…

“This is nice,” he said softly.

She could feel the vibration of his words in her belly.

He leaned down and brushed her lips with his, like he had done a few hours ago.

What had left Nikki breathless this afternoon sent her pulse pounding greedily now.

Indy pulled back slightly without loosening his grip on her waist.

Without thinking, Nikki went up on her toes, twined her arms around his neck, and kissed him.

Indiana kissed her back passionately, sliding one hand up to tangle in her hair while the other pulled her closer, closer, until she was pinned against his hard muscles, the unmistakable evidence of his desire for her pulsing between them.

Happiness bubbled up in Nikki’s chest, butterflies or magic or something was rising up inside her, filling her with lightness.

Laughter from the other room brought her back down to Earth.

Nikki pulled away, slid out of his grasp, and turned on the water to fill the kettle.

Indiana made no move to stop her.

She filled the kettle, put it on the burner and turned back, ostensibly to grab some mugs from the other cupboard.

Indiana was leaning against the counter, his eyes bright, observing her the way a tiger might watch a deer before pouncing.

“Do you want tea?” she asked brightly, praying for the strength not to start kissing him again.

He smirked and then shook his head slowly. “That’s not what I want.”

“B-but will you have some anyway?” she asked.

“Do you want me to have some, Nikki?”

She nodded, pretty sure they were still talking about tea, but not entirely certain she would have noticed if the conversation had gone elsewhere. Her brain seemed to be temporarily out of order.

“Come on, lovebirds,” Addy yelled from the other room. “I’m hungry.”

Indy laughed and didn’t try to stop Nikki when she applied herself to rustling up a snack.

There was a loaf of fresh bread on the counter from the little bakery in town. She sliced it into six large pieces and slathered butter on each, then pulled out honey and jam, plates and knives, and set them all on a wooden tray.

While Nikki prepared the snack, Indiana grabbed the box of tea and placed a bag into each mug.

By then the kettle was hissing, so she poured the boiling water into the mugs.

Indiana carried the tray and Nikki brought up the rear with milk and sugar.

“That looks so nice,” Honey said admiringly.

“Oh, sweet. Fresh bread,” Addy said, grabbing her slice and eating a third of it in one bite.

When Indiana sat in his usual spot, Nikki found herself sitting beside him in her normal place.

He stretched and rested his arm across the back of her seat.

Every fiber of her being told her to lean back into the arms of the man who made her laugh, gave her butterflies when he kissed her, kept her secrets…

That’s not who you are, Nikki Fortune. You’re a journalist. You can’t put your selfish wants ahead of the good of the world.

She leaned forward and away from Indy, pretending to fuss with the tea.

But she felt a bit unhinged.

That inner lecture had always filled her with a sense of warmth and pride, and a tingle of importance.

Tonight, she only felt cold.