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She shook her head, o on to another project and give s out on its own If I focus on the problem too hard, I just can't seem to find a solution I have to let it be for a while But"

"But?"

She looked right into his eyes "We don't have time for that Do we?"

If he was disappointed by her inability to break the code, it didn't show in his expression "We have all the time you need I'll keep you safe"

Her shoulders sagged a little in relief She suddenly felt fragile Exhausted

"Why don't you get a nap? You're probably just too tired to think"

"I need to distract myself for a while and let my brain work in peace"

"You don't need a distraction What you need is sleep"

"I can't sleep, David I've tried"

"I know I've heard you shifting in your sleeping bag last night, trying to sleep"

She looked up at hi with embarrassed "I'ht sleeper"

"I'll try to be quieter," she promised

"I don't care about that I'm worried about you You need to take a break"

"I can't I need to--"

"Take a break," he insisted "You look like you're about to fall over"

Noelle rubbed her eyes They felt gritty and hot, while the rest of her was bone cold It felt like it had been a long time since she'd truly been warot out of thisshower so hot it would melt the ceramic tile

David lifted her bodily off the stool by her arm and handed her her bulletproof vest "Tiet your synapses firing or at least help you sleep"

"At this point, I'"

She saw his jaw clench for a brief one and he offered her a faint smile as they walked out into the sunshine

The air was cold, but clear The wind had picked up over the past couple of days, bringing with it the clean scent of frost She had no idea what time it was, other than dayti not to worry about schedules or classes or le,over her, she would have been enjoying the freedom

But she did have that deadline and so did na on her for their lives

"No you don't," warned David with a sharp tone "You're going to stop thinking about whatever it is you're thinking about right now I've been watching you for days, and I know that look"

"What look?" she asked

"That look that tells , no matter how many times I reheat it for you The one that o pale"

Noelle didn't realize she'd been so transparent Or perhaps he was simply that observant "I try not to think about it, I really do"

"You'll solve this puzzle I know you will You're just too close to it right now Give yourself a break"

"I wish I could" She stopped, her legs suddenly no longer able to propel her forward "You knohat's at stake"

He nodded slowly, litter in the sunlight "You can't let yourself think about that One step at a time That's all you need to think about"

"Is that how you do it?"

He reached out and rescued a lock of hair that was trapped under the shoulder of her vest "I'd be overwhel you crack this code, then getting you out of here, then rinding thethe infor place for you while we used the info, then--"

Noelle covered his mouth with her hand, unable to hear any more "I see your point One step at a time"

He wrapped his hand around hers and pulled it froainst her chilled skin,her wish she had his internal furnace

Rather than letting go, he held her hand in his, war it "The point is that you can only do what you can do right now The rest has to wait its turn"

She looked into his blue eyes and wished she'd found hi man He put others before hi And he was so fun to look at His face was es under his cheekbones His mouth was soft and hot, and she could still reainst her lips