Page 31 of Uncharted

That I was actively and fervently avoiding talking about it to Jake as well was not helping my guilt.

“But fine, I’ll leave it alone,” he said with a smirk when I felt my shoulders relax. Yet he continued on as if he hadn’t seen obvious proof that he was onto something. “Xander’s still coordinating everything, but I’m trying to check in with everyone.”

I raised an eyebrow. “What do you need from me?”

“I’m just trying to see where everyone’s heads are at. This is the biggest one I’ve gone through, so I’m a little concerned about everyone, but mostly just getting a feel for things,” he said with a shrug.

My eyes drifted toward the window. “Mika is supposed to be at the science building, checking, checking, rechecking, rechecking his checking, then checking his rechecking of his rechecking of everything. But from the way he’s acting? I’m betting it’s gonna be one hell of a storm. You’re going to get a trial by fire; storms can get nasty up here.”

“So I’ve been told,” he said in all seriousness. “I’m a little surprised, though. Xander’s tense, but he’s not nearly as pissy about Mika dragging his heels as I thought.”

At that, I grinned. “That’s because Xander’s Xander, but he also knows us. Mika is a lot more…Mika in his work than he is with anything else. And yes, his other work.”

“So, I have to ask, what’s the real work for you guys?” he asked.

I wrinkled my nose. “You know our jobs. We’re experienced search and rescue, and we’re⁠—”

“The weather guy and the forest guy,” Colin finished with a small smile. “That I know. I also know Mika technically has other bosses that aren’t in charge of SAR, and you do a lot of reports, collection, and collation for the Department of Natural Resources with the occasional dabble with the Parks and Services. What I meant is which of those two roles is your ‘real’ job? Mentally.”

“You know,” I said with a laugh. “If you were Xander asking, I’d be a little suspicious about what you were fishing for, but…I guess I’d have to say being a forest boy. And before you ask, Mika will say both jobs are his ‘real’ job. Which makes sense, we rely a lot on him and his readings, so the two are wrapped around each other tightly.”

“True,” Colin said. “Is this where I should confirm your worst fears and question if your answer means you’re not as invested in Search and Rescue as you should be?”

“No,” I said with a smirk. “Because I’m sure you’d give the same answer about your two jobs. You’ve been a medic for years. I doubt you have somehow magically thought of yourself as a badass rescue guy.”

“Badass rescue guy,” Colin chuckled. “You’ve got a point. Could you do me a couple of favors?”

“Sure,” I said, uncurling my legs from under me so I could stand up. “I could use something to do. What’s up?”

“Check on your brother, just to make sure he’s not like…melting down by constantly checking everything,” Colin said with a snort. “And I need you to look after your storm buddy.”

“Storm buddy?” I repeated in confusion and then remembered that in the meeting Xander had held about an hour ago, we had all been assigned a partner to keep at our sides during the storm. Thankfully, despite the potential brutality of the storm, the chances of someone needing us to save them were low, since there had been enough warning for the area that people had been escorted, if not chased out of the forests in our operating zone. There was always a chance we might need to do something, though, and having someone else to depend on close at hand could mean the difference between life and death. “Oh.”

“Yeah, your otherwise normal partner in crime,” he said, clearly meaning Jake. “He was…a little weird.”

“Everyone already thinks he’s weird,” I said with a shake of my head.

“Well, ignoring the fact that he’s been as off as you have lately,” Colin began and smirked when I shot him a dirty look. “I’m not saying anything, just that outside of that, he’s been…I don’t know. I half expected he would vibrate out of his skin in eagerness for the storm and some adrenaline-fueled action, but he’s been…thoughtful?”

I looked up at him and sighed. “That…tracks.”

“Funny, Cait said the same thing. I feel better hearing it coming from you,” Colin admitted, and then dropped his voice. “I mean, everyone knows him better than me, but even I can’t be so blind as to miss that he’s seriously lacking in his BDE.”

I stiffened at the phrase, my mind immediately latching onto the memory of Jake’s dick. Not the dick I had seen an untold number of times when he changed or showered in front of me without reservation or hesitation. To be fair, I had never paid much attention to those glimpses, save to realize that he was a big guy all around.

That casual attitude no longer existed, it seemed, not on my part anyway. Just the mention of Big Dick Energy and suddenly my thoughts went immediately to Jake’s…big dick. Not just the way it had looked or, God, felt in my hand, but the way I had felt touching him. The way it had felt heavy and thick in my grasp, that was tantalizing in a way no dick had ever been before.

“Why are you talking about his dick?” I asked in horror.

“I mean, it is kind of noticeable,” Colin said to my increasing horror…and anger. “But that’s not what I meant.”

“What the hell else does BDE mean?”

“Big Dork Energy.”

That stopped me in my tracks, and I stared at him as the realization and sheer ridiculousness of his joke settled into my thoughts. I stared at him, nonplussed, wanting to laugh but too shocked to do so.

“Anyway,” Colin said brightly, clearly pleased with himself. “Cait also said it’s best if you were the one to check on him, so I’m doing my people thing and⁠—”