Kit pulled his Explorer into the parking lot of the lab and put it in park. He expected to be the first one there. He expected to have a few moments to enjoy the quiet solitude of five thirty in the morning, a hot cup of coffee, and a couple of still-warm doughnuts—probably the best food he’d get to eat over the next few days. Not that he minded camping food. He’d gotten used to it over the years.
But no.
A blue Prius sat in the parking lot, and bent over its open hatchback was a figure dressed in skinny jeans and a fluorescent green jacket. A figure with a nice, round ass and brand new hiking boots.
Skinny jeans.
He climbed out of the truck, bringing the box of doughnuts with him. “Morning, partner.”
Kaufman stood up so quickly, he bumped his head on the hatch. He cringed back away from it, yanking his earbuds out. The look he turned on Kit was one of withering disdain. “I didn’t hear you pull up.”
“What’s going on there?” Kit gestured to the mess all over the inside of the hatchback.
“I bought all this, all this stuff, and it won’t fit in my fucking pack. And the employees at the camping store were not safe people, even though they tried to be pleasant, and I couldn’t ask them for help, so I thought I’d just get here early and figure it out, but now you’re here, and…”
“Whoa, buddy, slow down. You’re like, speaking in italics and stuff. Here, have a doughnut.” He opened the box and held it out.
“A doughnut?” Kaufman’s face softened. Apparently, he had a soft spot for sugar. Something they had in common. “You brought doughnuts?”
“Yeah, man. Team building. We’re a team. Have a doughnut; I’ll help you pack that thing.”
Kaufman scowled. Good lord, the man was impossible to please. Kit felt sorry for the employees at the camping store. Hopefully they got a good commission for selling him all this stuff.
Kit waved the box around. “What, don’t tell me you don’t like doughnuts.”
“I don’t—” Kaufman’s shoulders slumped and he sucked in a breath. Possibly the first one he’d taken since Kit got out of the car. “I like doughnuts. Thank you for bringing doughnuts. It was a real nice thing to do.” He pulled hand sanitizer out of his coat pocket, rubbed it on his hands, and he actually took a doughnut.
Kit left the box sitting on the hood of the Explorer, hoping the still-running engine would keep it warm.
“Let’s see what we’re working with.” He unzipped the front of the pack. Empty. He shoved the sleeping bag in first. “What are you planning to sleep in?”
“The long underwear.” Kaufman’s words were slurred, his mouth full of doughnut.
Kit rolled up the garments and shoved them close to the sleeping bag. “You got a bear can for this food?”
“What’s a bear can?”
“A good fucking idea is what it is. Bears are smart. They want your food. You think your backpack zipper is going to keep them out?”
“I didn’t even know there were bears, for fuck’s sake. I mean, I know there are bears in the Smokies, but you don’t expect to actually see them.” Kaufman’s forehead wrinkled up. “Do you think we’ll really see bears?”
“They aren’t exactly mythological creatures or anything, and we’re going hiking in their house.” Kit muttered, trying to remind himself that this was new to Alden. “Okay, that’s okay. There’s a little bit more room in mine. Enough for some of the food. We’ll eat what we can’t fit in it tonight. You can share my deodorant and toothpaste.”
“I’m not sharing your deodorant.”
“Fine, get sweaty and stinky and smell yourself for three days. I don’t care.” Kit liked to think of himself as an easy-going guy, but Kaufman was going to be on his very last nerve before they even finished packing his backpack. Why had he asked Dr. Evans to pair them up again? Right, seven-minute miles. “I brought a camping stove, so we can leave yours here.” Kit put the water in the pack and started loading clothing and other soft items around it.
“Only three pairs of socks?”
“They’re twenty dollars a pair.”
“Well, at least you got good socks. You’ll be glad of that when they’re soaking wet and you have nothing to change into.”
“I can’t believe they didn’t cancel the trip.” Kaufman scowled. “The weather is going to be terrible.”
“It wouldn’t be much of a team-building exercise if they canceled it over a little cold rain. Besides, it’s supposed to stay north of us, up in Kentucky and West Virginia. We’ll be fine.”
There, Kaufman’s pack was loaded as well as Kit could load it.
“Here. Try it on, let me adjust the straps for you.”
“I don’t need—”
“Dude. Come on, no fronting. The tag from the store is still attached. You’ve never used this thing before.”
“Who the fuck says things like ‘no fronting’?” Kaufman grumbled as he slipped his arms through the shoulder straps. “What does that even mean?”
“Hey, just because I know more f-words than you do…” Kit let that trail off as he checked the straps. When he stuck his hand in between Kaufman’s back and the pack to see how much room there was, Kaufman sucked in a sharp breath. Interesting. He walked around Kaufman more slowly now, checking a strap here, adjusting the fit there, letting his hands linger slightly at Kaufman’s slender waist. For a split second, he had the crazy urge to slide his hands up under Kaufman’s shirt and see what else made him gasp.
“For fuck’s sake Kit, stop groping me and get on with it. Are you done?”
Kit pulled his hands back like he’d been burned. Bad idea. “Yeah. I’m done. If that starts rubbing anywhere, let me know and we’ll adjust it.”
“Thank you.” Kaufman practically mumbled the words.
“You’re welcome.” He smiled cheerfully, even though confused embarrassment still coursed through his veins. “Still got about fifteen before anyone else shows up. Wanna help me finish off those doughnuts?”
Alden shrugged back out of the pack and set it down next to the car. “Sure, thank you.”
They ate the doughnuts in silence, mostly. To Kit’s surprise, Alden broke the silence first.
“I’m not good with people under the best circumstances, and I was flustered when you got here. I appreciate your help, and I’m sorry if I came across as a dick.”
The apology went a long way toward burning off some of Kit’s annoyance, though it did absolutely nothing to quench his inappropriate fascination with Alden. “A little bit of a dick. But that’s okay. I can take it.”
He picked up the empty doughnut box and carried it across the parking lot to the trash can. When he turned back, three more cars were pulling into the lot. He greeted the rest of the team with a wave and returned to Alden’s side. Alden offered him a rare, shaky smile, placing the earbuds back in his ears. As they climbed into the Explorer to head to the trail a few minutes later, Kit realized that was the longest he’d ever seen Alden without them.
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