On him, self-confidence was cute and charming. On Evan it had been pathological. She was happy that, despite everything, she could still tell the difference. He hadn’t warped her or sucked away the last of her hope.

Connor’s eyebrow lifted. “Too much morning bravado?”

“Just about right.” Perfect, but she wouldn’t tell him that just yet. There would be no stopping his ego if he knew how much she liked this side of him.

They were thrown together by threats and circumstance. They long ago could have retreated to their own homes. Even during a rocky day yesterday they stuck it out. Neither ran back home. They stayed together instead. It was too early and probably too serious, it might even put a lot of extra pressure on that a budding relationship didn’t need, but she did not want their living situation to end.

To drive that point home she kissed him. He didn’t know about the conversation going on in her head but the man could kiss. He put his energy behind it. Kissed her like he never wanted to stop. Whipped up the excitement in her until she forgot they were in the middle of a talk.

He lifted his head after a few minutes and rested his forehead against hers. “I spoke with Hansen this morning.”

Now that sounded like progress, or at least inching toward it. “And?”

“Told him off and reminded him how much he sucked because he got to go off and lose his control and get into fights about Alexis and I didn’t.”

“How did he take that?”

“He agreed. It was like he’d been waiting for me to unload on him.” He winked at her. “Then he told me to switch islands because there was too much death here.”

Except for the last part, it was all exactly what she expected from Hansen. He was a smart man. He knew the toll his actions and all that pressure must have had on Connor. She appreciated him stepping up and being the good brother that Connor deserved.

“Are you taking your big brother’s advice on the subject of geography?” If he did, she would put in a call to Hansen on her own. She had his number. Got it from Ben, just in case.

“No, because I’m actually the smarter Rye brother.”

The joking tone wiped away the last of her doubts. He had no intention of running and hiding from the healing he still had in front of him. “I thought that might be the case.”

“The plan is to stick around and see what happens.” He lifted her up onto her tiptoes and planted a kiss on her surprised mouth.

No timetable. No details. It was as if he was drawing this out to torture her . . . and he would pay later in bed. She looked forward to that bit of revenge. “That’s cryptic.”