The sun was rising. The storm had passed. The time was now.
She couldn’t resist glancing back for a final look at Wade. His unshaven face sported heavier stubble the same dark shade as his long lashes against his cheeks. Her fingers itched inside her gloves to touch him, test the texture of those lashes the same way he’d obviously lingered over the feel of her hair in his hand last night. She swallowed hard. Damn inconvenient time to find a guy who turned her on, after a three-year dry spell. But delaying would be a frivolous indulgence that would cost her too much. She would not risk losing the chance to say good-bye to her sister.
Steeling her will, she turned away, hand on her dog’s head.
“Going somewhere?”
Wade’s question stopped her short.
She looked back sharply. Wade stared back at her, wide awake, his muscles bunched.
Her heart lurched. She glanced around the cave quickly, took in his clothes still drying on rocks and stalagmites. It would cost him at least a couple of minutes to dress and he couldn’t plunge outside in his thermal underwear.
Decision made, she ran.
Okay, more like she plodded and slid and even skated down the snowy path, Chewie loping alongside. She had to get away. She’d told Wade she would be safe. He’d seen her ability to take care of herself. Why couldn’t he accept she could survive out here on her own? She refused to feel guilty for ditching him, but she couldn’t climb on board his military helicopter and answer all their questions.
Questions that could lead them to her brother, lead her brother to a court-martial.
Tears stung her eyes for the first time since she’d seen Wade parachute through the storm. She listened for footsteps behind her, but the huffs of her panting dog filled her ears. How far had she run? She’d lost track and was relying on instincts from years of exploring. But she knew better than to let her attention wander. Something she should have thought of yesterday.
Her foot slipped.
A scream burst past her lips before she could hold it back. She scrambled for balance on a loose rock under a knee-deep bank of snow. Her arms flailed for something to grab hold of, but trees were small, scrubby. Not to mention, few and far between. She landed hard on her hip against an icy boulder. An arctic fox darted out and away. The hackles rose along Chewie’s back.
She rolled to the side and fell on her butt. Snow edged into a gap in her bib overalls where her coat had ridden up. A critical mistake.
Keep moving. Don’t stop. She braced a hand on Chewie’s back, found her balance again, and plowed forward.
Every frozen breath stabbed at her lungs, already hungry for oxygen. She glanced over her shoulder. Wade trekked after her, surefooted and gaining fast. As seasoned as she was navigating this region, he was far more adept.
And stronger.
Most would have given out at this altitude long ago. But not him. She had a serious problem on her hands.
The rocky path narrowed ahead. Yes, she was racing in the opposite direction from the pass that would take her to the valley where she lived, but she refused to lead him to her brother’s doorstep. And if she remembered correctly, there was another cave to duck into a couple of miles away, which in these conditions could mean walking for hours, but she couldn’t dwell on that. Focus instead on the hot springs in the cave ahead, bubbling waters heated from a volcano, which could provide warmth through to her cold core.
Her guilty core.
A stitch started in her side. She forced her feet to move, one in front of the other, even when the stitch turned into a stab. Her legs felt like lead—
Wade tackled her from behind. She slammed into the ground. The weight of him pressing against her back knocked the breath from her. Rock and ice chunks bit into the exposed patches of her face. God, he was solid as a tank.
Chewie’s growl echoed lowly in the distance, but for some reason her dog didn’t lend a helping paw. The traitor.
“Let me go, damn it.” She bucked underneath him, desperate for air and freedom. “I’m not your prisoner. You can’t force me to stay here with you.”>He leaned forward to warm his hands in front of the small fire—and get a better view of her face around the panting dog between them. “I’m all ears.”
They had until morning for her to spin her stories. All night. Alone.
Damn, the flickering firelight showed more than her face. The blanket was stretched to the max from being shared by two people and a dog. The edge gaped, giving a clear shot of creamy cleavage.
Who would have thought a freezing, dank cave could have ambiance? His eyes shifted to her mouth, full lips that Hollywood types would pay a bundle for. Although he would bet his left nut that the mouth on this granola girl was 100 percent natural.
Those lips were also moving as she shared more of her so-called truth, so he needed to tune in to her rather than his blood surging south.
“I wasn’t part of that climbing group.” Her braid slid forward over her shoulder, swaying. The sapphire stripe danced like the hottest flames lighting the cave. “I live in Alaska and am a bit of a hermit when I’m not working.”
“You live out here? Alone?”