Page 48 of Hard Rain

Axel snorted and shook his head before shoving to his feet.

Whip almost always had to have the last word. The irritating bastard usually managed it, too.

Didn’t mean he was right, though.

He stalked to the go bag and dug out the instant coffee before checking the cupboards. Three cans of beans. One can of cream corn. Some instant coffee and creamer packets.

Also, one mug.

Not exactly luxury accommodations.

The sink still worked. Axel turned the handle and let the water run for a second before cupping a hand beneath it.

Cold and clean. Straight off the mountain. Good enough.

He drank deeply.

Filling the pot, he plunked it into the fire.

Whip immediately pulled it back out, rearranged the wood in whatever mysterious survivalist pattern made sense inside his head, and set the pot back down.

Axel left him to it.

He grabbed the mug, filled it with water, and carried it over when he dropped back beside the fire. He held the mug out to Whip.

“Thanks.”

Whip gulped the water, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and turned toward the fire.

Axel lifted a twig and flipped it over and over through his fingers.

Firelight turned the damp strands of Whip’s hair gold.

Damn blond hair.

Axel’s attention lingered.

The small twig snapped, and he tossed it into the flames.

The floorboards under his ass were hard as hell, but standing around wasn’t any better. A gust of wind rattled the cabin hard enough to make the walls creak.

“This is all we got.” Axel pulled a jar of instant coffee from his pack.

“Nah, I packed MREs.”

Axel made a face. “There’s cans of beans and corn, I say we eat that if we’re hungry.”

Whip grunted in response. His partner wasn’t any more of a fan of emergency rations than he was.

When the water steamed, Whip managed to make a cup of coffee in the mug even though they each had tin cans in their go bags. The smell hit first, cutting through the damp wood smoke.

“Here you go.” Whip held out the mug.

Axel took the mug and drank. “It’s good.”

“You say that like it’s a surprise.”

“It’s questionable how you can make good coffee out of instant.”