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When he turned to her, she got sucked in by his gaze and had to fight the e not to fist his jacket and pull hiht caused an inner heat barely doused by the cool flakes falling on theo there, couldn’t think about Ada

Actually, she shouldn’t think about Adam like that, ever "So…to the caves?"

He turned away "In the "

Oh boy "Youlow in her belly quivered Anxiety, absolutely But also so to do with her oing to find him" His voice said there was no other acceptable option "Just not until daylight"

She stared out into the night, thinking of all the reasons why her dad hadn’t been in touch with her, not a single one of the fear and nodded They were stopping for the night

It was going to be a long one

Eight

Ada an eye on Holly She was sitting on a log, hands clenched, staring down at her feet as if she wasn’t quite sure how they’d gotten her here

She was cold, wet, and tired He knew because he was those things, too But disco he had learned to sinificant co off the unusually silent wo he could do for the, put food in their bellies, and ot some sleep It would also keep histo Kaniksu to caves

He shook that off for now, he had no choice They couldn’t both lose it at the same time Not that he intended to lose it at all

The fire only took a ht and push some of it on her Water, too The altitude could be a real killer if they didn’t stay hydrated He was good at this part, at surviving Even when others didn’t What he wasn’t good at was e the snowflakes He sure as hell wasn’t in the mood to face yet another of his failures, but there she sat, his biggest one

Needing him

He, a man who could barely co

And yet he couldn’t fail her

Not again

He concentrated on Milo for a ain,around like a damn housewife, he sat across the fire froh away that he wouldn’t be tempted to touch Distance was the key here

She appeared to be holding it together, but the cracks were showing She was trying to be tough, trying to hold her own, and she was breaking his heart

She lifted her head and stared at hiuage told hi and feeling She was upset, scared, unsettled, and…depending on hi to have her look at hioing to be okay," he said, hoping to God that was true

She nodded Then shook her head She put her hand to her chest "I really thought we’d have found him by now"

Aw, hell He rose and moved to her side

"I’ a very ht He reached out to pull her in, but a quick glance at her face confirmed how much of a mistake that would be S into the fire instead

A wolf howled and was joined by a few others, and Holly tensed, and then scooted closer while stillnot to actually touch him

"The fire will keep them back," he said

"I know" But her eyes darted to the forest beyond

"You’re not breathing"

"I a in a breath, which had her body brushing his A quick tactile ht of her brsts in the palm of his hand The taste of her pebbled nipple as he sucked her in hisin his ear…

The ragged breathing wasn’t ato hyperventilate "Soet anxious, they breathe too shallowly, from the upper chest It’s a natural response to stress But your body responds with an increase in blood pressure, and then even more stress hormones are released, so it’s counterproductive"

"I’ht so she didn’t accidentally touch hi the space bubble, he kept his hands to hied to roll her eyes, so she couldn’t be too far gone "Okay," she said "So maybe I’m a little anxious"

"Breathe deeper," he said, and then, as had been done for hi-down anxiety attack of his own, he showed by exa deeply

She atteain," he said

She was cold and shivering Fuck distance, he thought, and slipped an arm around her to impart some of his body heat

She in to interpret Gratitude? Relief? Sorrow? He was co wo," he said, and set a hand on her stoo soft and relaxed, and breathe froain and he tightened his ar him, she turned to face him and burrowed in

Well, hell He opened his jacket and pulled her in even closer They were silent for long moments, until finally, he felt her relax

"How did you learn that breathing thing?" she ot back"

"What else did you learn?"

He let out a ave hirin "I think I’m speechless"

His mouth quirked "I know Miracles never cease"

She stared into the fire and sighed, the sound filled with self-disgust "I’her than this"

He shook his head "Soh as hell and still be leveled flat without warning"

She looked at him "What do you do when you’re leveled flat?"

"You "

"I like the breathing part" She drew in a couple of deep breaths "Soar would be even better"

He pulled a candy bar from his pocket