‘Now your feet. Slowly.’
‘I’m almost there...’ She exhaled with relief as she found solid ground again.
‘I’ve got you...’ He moved his hands to both sides of her waist as they wobbled. ‘But we’re still facing the wrong way. I’ll need to walk backwards. Can you follow me?’
‘Yes.’
‘Good.’ Despite the circumstances, he gave a reassuring wink. ‘Ready?’
She nodded and moved with him, shuffling forward as he took several careful steps back. It wasn’t easy, but before long they were back on the wider section of the ridge, almost safe... She was just starting to relax when another section of ground gave way. Thankfully it wasn’t much this time, though still enough to send Danr tumbling on to his back and her flat on to his chest.
‘Oomph!’ He gave a loud grunt as her forehead smacked against his chin.
‘Ow!’ She echoed the sentiment, starting to wriggle upwards as she realised she was sprawled on top of him.
‘Sissa...’ He sucked in a breath.
‘What is it?’ She froze. ‘Are you hurt?’
‘No, but...your knee.’
‘My... Oh!’ She glanced downwards and hurriedly pulled her leg out of his groin, shifting to straddle his thighs instead. ‘Sorry.’
‘It could have been worse.’ His smile
was still somewhat pained. ‘I hate to say I told you so.’
‘You might as well.’ She gave a ragged laugh. ‘It might be the only time I let you. You just saved my life, Danr.’
‘All right, I told you so. That was too close.’
He tightened his arms around her, pulling her back down on to his chest. There was no need for him still to be holding her, a small part of her brain argued, but she didn’t resist, lowering her head until she was nestled against him.
‘Don’t ever scare me like that again,’ he murmured, pressing his lips into her hair.
‘I’ll try not to.’ She listened to the wild thump of his heartbeat beneath her ear. It was strangely comforting, a reminder that they were both still alive. No doubt her own heart was racing that fast, too.
‘We need to get off this ridge.’ He spoke again after a few moments, though his grip didn’t slacken. ‘I don’t know where our wolf friends have gone, but they seemed to think this was a bad idea, too.’
‘Yes.’ She started up, then stopped as he winced with pain. ‘What is it? Your arm?’
‘It’s all right.’
‘No, it’s not. Let me take a look.’
‘Gladly.’ He sat up after her. ‘Only let’s get off this ridge first. I was never a great lover of heights.’
‘You once told me you used to jump off cliffs into the sea.’
‘I did, but that was just showing off. I never said I liked it.’ He stood and took hold of one of her hands, clasping it tight as if he were afraid she might fall again if he didn’t hold on. ‘Now, let’s go.’
* * *
That, Danr thought with a shudder, had been altogether too close. For one terrible, heart-stopping moment Sissa had been slipping away from him, falling beyond his reach down the mountainside. He’d reached for her wrist without stopping to consider the risk to himself, though on reflection, it probably hadn’t been the wisest course of action. With the ground crumbling beneath them, he might easily have fallen with her, but at the time all he’d known was that there was no way he was letting her go. Faced with the same choice, he would do exactly the same thing again. And again. As many times as she needed for him to save her, even if he tore his wound open and wrenched his entire arm off to do it.
Which was exactly what it had felt like.
Stars! He muttered an oath under his breath. His heart was still pounding with fear, not to mention a powerful desire to crush her in his arms and kiss her senseless. His thoughts had been preoccupied all morning with what had happened—almost happened—between them during the night, mainly by the fact that he’d desired her so much that he’d been severely tempted to break his vow. But her almost-accident had stirred up feelings in some deeper, more profound part of him. It wasn’t just desire he felt for her, he realised now. It was...something else. Something he’d never felt before, something truer and more tender, and he had the sudden, alarming conviction that whatever it was, there was no turning back.