Page 11 (1/2)

"Adam?" she whispered

The sound of his na him in This time he had to clear his throat "Yeah?"

She licked her dry lips, just a quick dart of her tongue, and he nearly groaned "We’re a bad idea Right?"

"The worst" But here was the thing Soreat ones Sure, he’d been burned byin the way she was looking at hi her jaw, he leaned in and covered her asped in pleasure, he took full advantage, stroking her tongue with his in a deep, hot, wet kiss No niceties It had been a da in him reared up and itched to reether

Sheher fingers into his biceps, squiret closer Closer worked for hi for hours--he touched He touched whatever he could reach, letting his hands roa himself in her soft warmth

Sheunevenly, she shook her head "That’s not the bad-idea part"

"No?" Good He leaned in to kiss her again but she put a hand to his chest "I et over you leaving like you did No looking back No letters Nothing" She paused "I got that you had to go, that the judge e hadn’t made him That had been a necessary lie, so she wouldn’t realize he alking away from her by choice He hadn’t been able tothis little walk down Guilt Row, he drew a deep breath The way he’d left--no loose ends--had been the only way he’d known to handle the situation It had been hell His own doing, of course He’d always been his oorst enemy But even back then he’d owned up to his et out of Sunshine andof himself--and he’d executed the plan

Besides, she’d beenwith him Far better Life with hi out of Sunshine had been good for his happen, in a good way, and she had to know that He’d trained He’d fought He’d learned

What she didn’t knoas that he’d done it all with a good part of his heart back in Sunshine "How long could it have taken?" he heard hiaze whipped to his, and she flattened her hands on his chest, giving a good shove

Still holding on to her, he didn’t budge

She o"

He lifted his hands

She stood up, crossing her arms over herself as she turned away "It was et to Kaniksu right now," she said quietly

Clearly, they were done with this conversation Worked for hiet to caves At night His biggest nighted, isolated terrain in the dark"

"Fine Stupid idea" She looked around at the fire, at the dilapidated ranger station that was little more than a three-sided hut, at the ed forestland surrounding thear," she said

He started to rise to go to his pack, but she put out her hand "No!" She shook her head "God, no Don’t you dare bring out any ht as it is"

Not frohed "Do you really have s"

"Like?"

"Spare clothes and gear, topo map, compass, water, knife, first-aid kit, rope, rations…" Condoms…

"You’re practically a Boy Scout"

Yeah, not exactly He watched her fight another yawn and gestured to the shelter "Go to sleep, Holly"

She pulled her sleeping bag froestured to Milo, and the dog followed her, sitting in the opened doorhere he would act as dubious guard dog Ada that was the safest place for him The air was still now and very cold There were no sounds except the crackle and pop of the fire, and his own thoughts It was damn rare that he allowed himself the luxury of what-ifs, but he was slammed with them now What if he’d not broken up with her? What if he’d kept in touch? What if he’d told her how he felt? Would she still feel the same about him now as she had then, or would she have eventually duest question of theht up in the tangle of er had the capacity for?

Fro He kneithout looking over there that she was cold He grabbed his sleeping bag, andyour sleeping bag, too," she said

"Not taking Sharing"

She sat up sloarily, watching as he unzipped his bag and then pulled hers off her body She’d kicked off her boots but other than that re, too, and then laid his flat, with hers on top

Holly stared at the makeshift bed as if it were a poised rattlesnake, then unzipped her jacket--his, actually He forgot to breathe, torn betanting her to keep going and stopping her

She wriggled out of the jacket, then carefully rolled it up She set it in thelike it was the border crossing of Baghdad--exceptthe line," she said

He aze "Are you worried about me or you?"

She crossed her arms "I’m not that attracted to you"

He toed the jacket "You don’t need this--you’ve already drawn the line in the sand I think I can control myself" He was ninety-nine percent sure

Okay, seventy-five

Pointedly leaving the jacket in place, she slid between the opened sleeping bags and lay down, facing away from him

He stared at her stiff spine and then found hiet it You’re not worried about me You’re worried about you You can’t control yourself"

She let out a derisive snort that didn’t fool him for one moment But the humor passed quickly because with neither of the?" she asked when he ain

"To bank the fire" And to take aone He needed to think It had taken her a while to get over hiotten over her He’d gotten over everything

And she could do uy who now chose to feel nothing at all

Nine

Holly watched through the open wall of the hut as Ada his down jacket, so she could only i, but her heart still skipped a beat, anyway

Ridiculous She’d given away far too much of herself to this man Then Now

No more