Without thinking overly much, Noelle used the phone in her hands and opened the first browser she found. She typed in a search. And when the images came up she turned it around for the two rangers at her window to see.
Blue frowned, but Jack grinned from ear to ear. “Look at this, Blue. She’s got you pegged.”
“Pegged?” Blue looked decidedly uncomfortable. “What-”
Jack rolled her eyes and pointed at the phone screen. “She’s right on the money with the visual reference. He’s got the same strong jaw and aw-shucks good looks.”
Jack leaned on the window frame and looked in. “What do you think, Duval?”
Things seemed to slow down to the speed of an ancient glacier.
A hand covered hers.
Large.
Warm.
Strong.
She felt his touch against her forearm.
And the warmth of his body near hers.
She’d never felt anything like it.
His laughter shook her from her introspective thoughts.
“She got you good, Blue.” He moved back and she felt a strange shiver along her forearm as if the temperature had dropped more than few degrees. “Spot on.”
Jack gestured at Noelle and she looked at the other woman. “West said you were a little worried about coming onto the property.”
Noelle opened her mouth to explain, but Jack seemed to wave her off.
“No worries. I get it.” She lifted her chin toward the driver’s seat. “Duval can be a little intense. Like Arnold in the Terminator. So much brawn and not a lot of personality.”
Noelle leaned back at the matter-of-fact comment from the other ranger.
Behind her, she heard a suffering sigh. “Thanks, Jack.”
She winked and leaned both of her forearms on the open window frame. “My pleasure D-101.”
Noelle laughed a little. D-101 instead of T-101.
“I’m sure she’ll warm up to you… eventually.” Jack smiled at her. “Do you want me to take you up to the dig? We can send Blue and Butthead to get lunch.”
Noelle heard a low curse at her side.
Nervous that she’d caused a problem between co-workers, Noelle interjected. “I’m fine with Ranger McCrae.”
Jack’s smile revealed two rows of shining white teeth. “I like you, Skull lady.”
Noelle couldn’t help but let her know that “I like you, too.”
With that, Jack leaned back and tapped her hands on the window frame. “Okay, Ranger McCrae,” she wrinkled her nose, “you have been cleared to take Skull lady to the site.”
She lifted a hand and made a salute.
Noelle could tell by Blue’s strained expression and the tension at her side that Jack had struck a nerve with both men.