head. “You are guests of mine. I won’t have you doing the dirty work.”
“We’re kind of used to dirty work. It’s what we do.” He nodded toward the pillows. “If you don’t mind sacrificing a pillowcase to the cause, I’ll start by removing the offender from the premises.”
“By all means.” She shook a pillow out of its case and held it out for Harm.
He lifted the snake off the bed, dropped it into the case and then took it from her.
“Be careful you don’t let the fangs touch you,” she said. “They still contain poison.”
Holding the bag away from his body, Harm checked all the closets, drawers and corners and then straightened. “I can take care of the cobra, just tell me where you want me to put him.”
Talia shook her head and held out her hand. “I’ll take him and put him in the freezer.”
He kept his hold on the bag. “Please tell me you aren’t cooking up cobra for dinner.”
She laughed. “No, but I know they need antivenin. They might be able to milk a dead snake for its venom, which they use to make antivenin.”
“You’re a woman after my own heart.” Harm followed her out of the cabin, careful not to touch her with the snake in the pillowcase. “Beautiful and practical.” If he was in the market for a wife, she’d be an amazing catch. But then, he wasn’t in the market for a relationship. Especially with a woman who had so completely believed in love.
Harm believed in lust, the natural, chemical reaction between a man and a woman. But love?
No. Absolutely not.
Oh, sure. Once upon a time he thought he had, but one Dear John letter cured him of that fallacy very quickly.
But that didn’t keep him from wanting women. A man had urges, after all.
* * *
“IF YOU’LL FOLLOW ME...” Talia turned toward the lodge and then back to Big Jake. “And I have a room in the lodge for you, Big Jake.”
He nodded. “Good thing, because I wasn’t gonna sleep in there. No, ma’am.”
She laughed. “I can’t blame you. But no worries. We have a snake-free room upstairs with a comfortable bed.”
“The cabin is clear, if you want to grab your gear,” Harm said.
“Yeah.” Big Jake frowned. “If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure. I even looked in your gear bag. No more snakes.” He held up the bag. “And you killed the one on your bed. He’s not going to bother you again.”
“Damn straight.” Big Jake sucked in a breath and eyed the cabin, as if the structure might assume a life of its own.
“Come on,” Diesel said. “I’ll go with you.”
“I can do it myself,” Big Jake grumbled. “I just need a minute.”
Talia fought back a grin. Seeing a huge SEAL like Big Jake hesitant to enter a building was so unlike the man. She could imagine him charging in like a bull at a bullfight.
Diesel draped an arm over the shaken man’s shoulder. “Take all the time you need, dude. It’s not every day you wake up to a cobra in your bed.”
Big Jake grimaced. “And I hope it never happens again.”
“We’ve got your back,” T-Mac reassured him.
“Good,” Big Jake said. “Then why don’t you go in and get my gear?”
T-Mac backed away, shaking his head. “I said I’ve got your back, not your bag.”
“If it makes you feel better,” Talia said, “I’ve been in the rooms and didn’t see any more snakes.”
“I’m going. I’m going.” Big Jake sucked in a deep breath and followed Diesel into the cabin.
“Let’s get that snake on ice,” Talia said.
Harm followed her into the lodge and through to the kitchen. She flipped on light switches along the way. Once in the massive, updated kitchen, Talia opened the door to the walk-in freezer and held it wide for Harm to carry the bag with the snake inside.
A cool blast of air chilled her hands and cheeks as she waited for Harm to step inside.
“Where do you want me to put him?” Harm asked.
“Let me get a box.” Talia hurried to the pantry, found an empty box and returned to the walk-in freezer. “The far side has empty shelves. I’d like to keep him separated from the food we serve the guests.”
Harm chuckled. “We’d like that, too. I wouldn’t want your chef to confuse chicken and cobra.”
“I’ll warn them not to touch the bag in the box. I don’t want the staff hurt by brushing up against the snake’s fangs.” Her lips twisted into a frown. “Maybe I shouldn’t put the snake in this freezer.”
“If there is a shortage of antivenin, saving this snake could help. You’re doing the right thing,” Harm assured her as he set the bag in the box and the box on a shelf in the farthest corner of the freezer.
When they emerged from the freezer, the kitchen was filled with the rest of Harm’s team, plus Dr. Angela Vega and Marly.
Buck clapped his hands together. “Since we’re all awake, we thought we’d come raid the refrigerator.”
Talia smiled. “I can whip up a casserole in about forty minutes, or I had the chef prepare a ham earlier to make sandwiches for the safari tomorrow. I believe there’s enough meat for snacks tonight and sandwiches tomorrow. It’s up to you.”
“Ham sandwiches sound great,” Diesel said. “But we can help ourselves. You don’t have to stay up on our account.”
Talia smiled. “I wasn’t asleep, and a sandwich sounds good to me, too.” She pulled the container filled with ham slices out of the commercial refrigerator and set it on the counter. Then she laid out freshly baked bread, garden-grown lettuce and tomatoes, plates, utensils and condiments.
“We can take it from here,” Buck said. “Thank you.”
“While you are preparing sandwiches, I’ll check the room upstairs for you, Big Jake.” She turned to leave the kitchen, crossed the wide-open living area and mounted the stairs to the second floor.
Footsteps behind her made her turn back.
Harm climbed the steps a few feet behind her.
Talia stopped midway up the staircase. “Are you following me?”
He nodded. “With all the crazy things happening, I thought I’d check the room for uninvited guests.”
“I can do that
