Teri had no idea anymore of the time. Keeping track with the liquid level in your absurd glass-shaped plastic cup of wine wasn’t particularly precise or accurate, and Jim compounded it when he rose and poured them both a second draught. Well inside her warm and happy buzz, she marveled at the parallel—the more of her wine disappeared, the more of her long solitary years disappeared.Tucked against the warmth and heat of Jim on the uncomfortable RV sofa, listening to the crickets chirp through the opened windows and watching the moonlight drift in creeping patches over surfaces and the floor, it felt not too different from the nights they’d spent together on the cramped little balcony of her apartment, pressed against one another on the cheap, uncomfortable little patio loveseat they’d scrounged to afford, just so they could do exactly this. To listen to the crickets and watch the moonlight make its way across the flo

The water was cooler than Teri preferred, and the heat gradient between it and Jim’s hands raised tingling gooseflesh all over her and pebbled her nipples, both of which he noticed immediately. His eyes followed where his hands roamed, the continuous migration of contrasting temperature and slippery caresses soothing and rousing at the same time. Except, she thought, there’s nothing soothing about being at most inches away from Jim’s chiseled body when he’s wearing that ravenous expression.Heart racing already, she closed her eyes, her fingers extended like antennae, taking in only what she could of his intention by touch. The smell of soap—a clean, almost masculine blend of hot metal and rum—drifted around her, suffusing the shower’s mist, as Jim smeared the cleansing suds over himself and her, lingering where it fascinated him to. He lathered her arms and hands, lacing his fingers through hers an

Off-roading was an adventure Teri hadn’t experienced before. At least not of this caliber.The Jeep bucked and skidded, gripping the maintained but primitive road and kicking up a dusty crimson cockscomb behind them where the loose soil congregated. Jim knew the winding trails well and selected the one that had Zoe squealing with thrilled delight bouncing in the backseat and Teri panting to catch her breath when he stopped them to admire the views along the rim.From the mesa top, Moab nestled in an amphitheater of rubicund rock, but the city was nothing compared to the spectacular vistas. Like the indescribable spectacle from the plane, here the sky stretched out towards the horizon as far as the eye could see, hung on the lofty spires of deep purple mountains in the distance. Puffy sunlight-kissed clouds cast shadows along the canyon bottom and were reflected perfectly in the blue ribbon of the river snaking its w

“We’re home, Evie.” Teri sighed with relief, parking beside her RV, but in the passenger seat, the dog looked less than excited. Getting out, she came around to the Meep’s opposite side and let her pet out of the car. “Turncoat. We have squirrels at home.”While Evie wandered the landscaping on their spot, Teri plugged the Meep in to charge. Unlocking the RV door, she shoved her work bag and laptop on the kitchen counter, then placed her phone in airplane mode, leaving it beside her sleeping computer. At least there’d be no more anxiety about it, she thought, no more drama. Zoe would be home tomorrow afternoon and by mid-week, we’ll be leaving this ridiculous mess I’ve gotten us into behind us.She felt a pang of guilt for not saying good-bye to Mark or Carla, but she’d deal with that later—Mark at least she could email and apologize to—and it w

It was late evening when Jim was released, his story corroborated by Teri’s, the laptop, and other evidence. Exhausted but free and without any charges filed against him, he wrapped his arms around Teri as soon as he saw her awaiting him in the sheriff’s station lobby. “How did you do that?” he breathed into her hair, drawing peace and comfort from the familiar floral scent there.“The first rule of overseeing deployments that people actually use is don’t do anything that will impinge on the service’s availability. Ever.” Her hazel eyes scanned his face for comprehension.“I use a test environment to check all my coding before I deploy to a production or live environment. I create a copy that mimics the live system and tracks my changes.” Teri shrugged. “The test environment was already launched on my laptop. That was the last thing I’d