Page 58 of Criminally Yours

This wasn’t the time to unpack what had happened in the past. Forced proximity without space to get away was a recipe for disaster. “Food then. I’m starving. Let’s have it in the tent.”

“No way. We’re not getting crumbs in there. I’ll be freaking out all night locating them.”

She hid her smile. “You’re a big army man, and not even getting shot at scares you. Crumbs? Really?”

“We’ll eat out here. Bear packed a picnic blanket. He teasesme about the crumbs thing, too.” Strike’s mouth twisted to the side, and his cheeks pinked.

“Okay,” Millie relented.

“Getting shot at scared me. It brought back memories. But I needed to be strong for you.”

She wanted to run her fingers across his cheek and tell him that he didn’t need to be anything for her.

Strike turned away, forcing an end to the conversation, but she couldn’t lose their growing connection. “You won’t get much sleep. I’m a wriggler in bed.”

His jaw tightened as he looked back. “According to who?”

“My sleep monitor app.” His smug smile was brief and alluring. “Does anyone think you’re a wriggler?” She peeked at him beneath her lashes.

He shrugged. “The lads from my old platoon told me off for wriggling a few times, but I’ve learnt to sleep without moving.”

“Why?”

“In the army, I faced situations where you needed to be as still as a corpse. Otherwise, you’d end up as one.”

“Oh.” She reached out to him, but he was already walking to the bags.

“But I remember what my therapist says and the ways I take care of myself.”

“You’re in therapy?”

“Yes, although I still can’t get away from all the things I’ve done and how they’ve turned me into this difficult, demanding man. It makes me someone people hate.”

Surely, he couldn’t believe his team hated him. She whispered, almost hoping he didn’t hear, “I don’t hate you, Strike.”

“But you did, and I deserved it,” he said, still facing away from her. “Let’s eat and get sleep.”

As he bent down, she caught sight of the blood now crusted in his hair.

“We’ll eat, and then I’m washing the blood from your hair in the lake.” His eyes widened. “If you’re scared of crumbs in the bed, imagine crusty bits of blood getting lost in your sleeping bag. And before you tell me swimming after eating is dangerous?—"

“It is.”

“I said before you tell me,” she huffed. “I’ve been shot at today, and Hugo wants me dead. I can cope with a bit of water, and I’ve got you to keep me safe. I don’t trust anyone more.”

He crossed his arms, grunting a nonsensical answer.

CHAPTER 26

Millie

Even with their conversation about eating after swimming, Strike still made her wait an hour after food.

“A night swim is the right way,” she insisted when he hung up his phone.

“I’m not happy.” He huffed, pacing the rough patch of grass in front of the tent. “Bear said we shouldn’t swim this late.”

“And what did Liss say? Because I know he put her on speaker.”