Our balmy bare skin grazed gently as we lay back to back on our sides looking outward into the dimly lit outlines of the brush beyond, shadows inflamed by the recently stoked fire before us. It crackled and spit with each passing moment, a yule log to our undesired island camping trip, though turning my desirable with each passing moment. I could feel my rosy cheeks burning, but was it the fire...or the warm body of Jack beside me in the refreshingly brisk night air.

  “Are you comfortable?” Jack said, breaking the silence, and arching his head over to look at me.

  “I said no peaking,” I choked out, playfully.

  “I abide,” Jack said, with a chuckle, before returning to silence.

  “Are any of us truly comfortable?” I asked, waxing poetically, unsure why I posited the thought.

  “That sounds like a question for someone of a higher standing.”

  My head whipped back in astonished recoil. “You're a smart guy. You're a secret agent, for god's sake!”

  “Those questions though,” Jack softened. “Not sure they're the kind I could answer, is all.”

  “Are you comfortable?” I questioned, turning my head slightly.

  “In what way?”

  “In any way? With your job...your life?”

  “Are you asking if I'm happy?”

  “....” I held silent. Was I?

  “I don't know,” Jack started up again. “I guess I'm just happy to have a needed skill-set. To help my country, to help the people who can't help themselves.”

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  “What about your family?” I followed up. “How do they feel about what you do?” I paused, realizing the ridiculous nature of asking a secret agent what his family thinks of his job.

  “No, it's okay,” Jack said, already understanding my faux pas. “My Dad would never be happy with anything I did. I never compared to Chase.”

  “Chase?”

  “Star lacrosse player, ace in academics. Everything he did was impeccable. Even your teachers hold you to the standard of your brother. He paved the way, and you're supposed to follow...no...be better. That wasn't the case though.”

  “I'm sure you did your best.” I frowned, turning and laying an arm on his shoulder and spotting his sullen eyes.

  “Chase somehow scored a high position after ROTC, successful for years. Even though he was only two years older, he felt like he was worlds ahead.” Jack sighed. “He went missing in Grenada during some classified operation several years back...”

  “He was a spy too?”

  “Green Beret.”

  My heart sank. “I'm so sorry, Jack.”

  “Don't be,” Jack turned further away from me. “It's the risk we take. Anything to make it out.” Jack shook his head slightly, trying to remove the thoughts plaguing his mind. “How about you?”

  "Happy?" My head slumped back on his silky shoulder. “I guess.”

  “Not very reassuring,” Jack piped up.

  “I was ready to capture the dream...until all of this happened.”

  “What made you want to be a librarian?”

  “I don't know...” I started up, looking at the twinkling stars dancing in and out through the crowed treetops above. “Whenever my Dad would be away from my Mom and I, he'd always bring back a book from the places he traveled to. I could only imagine the hands it touched, the places it'd been, before it reached my own. Oh, the things it had seen.”

  Jack nodded slowly, taking it in.

  “I missed him so much...but whenever he'd return home...it was like he took back a part of his journey with him...for me.”

  “That's really special,” Jack said, rolling and crossing his arms behind his head to share my view of the sky.

  “Yeah, it was...he inspired me." I fell into remembrance. "I just want to protect him, through all of this."

  Jack remained silent for a moment, in understanding. “You inspire me, Ari,” Jack said, his tone firm,“You know that?”

  I smiled inwardly, which quickly expounded outward. “Thanks Jack,” I turned to look at him, as he shifted to face me, our eyes not wandering elsewhere...when they certainly could have.

  “I know our meeting wasn't ideal...” he continued, “but I'm glad I met you.” Jack said, brushing a strand of hair away from my eye.

  My eyes darted to and from his own, the amber glow inviting to his lips. We closed on each other, slowly, inches away.

  Suddenly, before we could make contact, the wind swept up in a vortex, a fluorescent spotlight shooting through the brush and narrowed on us. The loudly whirring blades of the helicopter above were previously drowned out by our intimacy...until now, and stopping us just short of a kiss much longed for. Again with these interruptions! It was becoming a real problem!

  We pulled away from each other.

  “I guess that's our ride,” Jack spoke up, deflated.

  Never could I have thought of a worse time to be saved.