Warren looked away, the barest hint of red at his cheekbones. “Until you, that is.”
The overhead speaker emitted a dinging noise and the melodious voice of the captain interrupted the jumble of thoughts fighting for real estate in Esha’s brain. “We’re about to start our descent into Höfn. The local time is six-fifteen in the evening, and the weather is a balmy thirty-one degrees Fahrenheit.”
Esha used the distraction to break the conversation, and Warren seemed okay with it. She had a hell of a lot to process, and maybe he did too.
Thirty minutes later, they descended the roll-away stairs onto the tarmac at the tiny Mythean airport in the southern Icelandic town of Höfn. Cold wind whipped through the dark night, the only illumination from a half-full moon and the landing strip’s lights.
Warren gestured to an SUV pulled up to the side of the only building. “That’ll be Felix.”
Esha nodded and followed him over to their contact from the university. Felix had apparently worked at the university in the eighteenth century, before moving to Iceland to get away from the crowds. Esha had never met him before, but when he stepped out of the SUV she thought he looked familiar.
He was big and hard-looking, with dark hair and eerie silver eyes. He held out his hand and said, “Felix.”
She shook. “Esha. Thanks for meeting us.”
The drive to the southeastern edge of the glacier was quiet. Felix wasn’t much of a talker, but with everything running through her head, Esha didn’t mind. He dropped them off at a small house on his property, told them the fridge had food, and that he’d be back in the morning with snowmobiles that they could take up onto the glacier to find what they were looking for. They hadn’t mentioned exactly what it was and he hadn’t asked.
“Not much for conversation, is he?” Esha asked as Felix’s SUV lights disappeared up the drive to the nearby house he’d said was his. She turned from the doorway and shut out the cold night air.
“Nor company. Felix helps out the university staff now and again, but for the most part he keeps to himself.” Warren turned and opened the fridge, then pulled out the minimal contents for dinner.
Esha looked around the small space. It was a two-room wooden cabin. One room for a tiny living room, kitchen, and dining area, with a bedroom and bath in the back. A little loft over the bedroom served as a second sleeping area. The Chairman had already set up camp on the sofa.
“How do you feel about pork chops with a side of zucchini?” Warren asked.
“Fine.”
“Good. That’s all that’s in here. Looks like Felix stocked us up for the night. And tomorrow. There’s eggs and milk.”
“Nice guy. You cook?” she asked. It was too awkward to keep silent.
“Aye. Canna live as long as I have and no’ learn.” He set a skillet on the stove and started to chop the zucchini. When he finished, he searched the three cabinets and pulled down salt and pepper and oil. “But doona expect anything fancy. No’ much in the way of spices here.”
“As long as I’m not cooking, I’ll be happy.” She went to the fridge to grab a beer she’d spotted there. “Want a beer? Oh—but you don’t—”
He smiled. “I drink. Just in moderation.”
“So, moderation for beer, but abstinence for everything else?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Warren felt his cheekbones heat. “Aye, except with you. Give me a beer.”
She held out the bottle and their fingers touched. A thrill crept up his arm. He wanted to yank her to him. Instead, he turned toward the stove. As much as he wanted her, it was a terrible idea. And he wanted to prove that he wanted her for more than her body.
He tossed the pork chops in the heated pan. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Chairman perk up from the couch and then hop down to stalk into the kitchen. He stared up demandingly at the stove, his bullish little face intent on the sizzling meat.
“Chairman, leave him alone.”
The cat ignored her.
“He wants pork,” he said.
“He wants everything.”
“Aye, and he’ll have it. There are three in here.” He’d planned to eat two, but with the Chairman looking at him like this, there was no way he wasn’t sharing. And he doubted the Chairman would settle for the tinned cat food they’d brought for the trip.
After a few minutes, the pork was done and the zucchini nearly there. He slid the chops onto a plate, then plucked one off and put it on a smaller plate for the cat.