Christina Skye - To Catch a Thief

“You look for his deltoids?” He sounded amused.

“Absolute first thing.” Nell yawned. “Always look for the deltoids. Best way to judge climbing strength. How long can you hang, hands only, unassisted?”

“Seventy-one minutes.” His breath was warm against her ear. “More or less.”

Even in a growing haze of cold and exhaustion, Nell was impressed. “No way. Not for over an hour.” Nobody could do that. At least nobody that she knew.

“I could be lying,” he said calmly.

Nell didn’t think so. He didn’t strike her as the type for casual boasts. In fact, nothing about the man seemed casual. “What exactly do you do in the navy?”

“This and that. Nothing you’d be interested in.” His hands slid slowly into her hair. Nell felt the strands spill over his fingers.

At every movement, she was stunned to feel little jolts of desire. The heat grew where their bodies were joined.

Crazy. They were camped on the edge of a cliff and he was a complete stranger.

But the heat didn’t go away. His hands kept moving, slow and thoughtful, until Nell thought she’d scream.

Or curl up against his chest and sigh in noisy pleasure.

She frowned. She knew better than to relax or trust a stranger even if the gentle motion of his hands was hypnotic. “The tents are taking a beating. I need to go check to see if they—”

“Already done. The lines you rigged are solid. Nice work.”

“Two of my best ropes are out there,” she said sleepily. “I’ve got trail mix and three protein bars in my left pocket,” she added. “Take them if you need to.”

“I’ll be fine. Go to sleep, Nell.”

She wasn’t used to being taken care of. It had been years since her father—

Don’t go there.

The past was a sinkhole filled with bad memories. And this man was still a stranger. She wiggled, trying to find a position that wasn’t starkly intimate, with their shoulders touching and their thighs locked together for warmth. Finally she gave up.

It was just one night, after all. She’d never see this man and his powerful body again. There was no chance for mingled laughter or shared secrets.

And that was exactly the way Nell wanted it.

She twisted, shoving away his hands as she closed her eyes. “Just don’t get any ideas while I’m asleep,” she said huskily. “That cliff wall is only a few feet away. You wouldn’t like the drop.”

She thought she heard his quiet laugh before she drifted off with the howl of the wind in her ears.

NELL FELT the wind in her hair.

Hands sweaty, she was chalking up before her last climb of the day. The sun lay hot and heavy on her shoulders in a band of liquid gold. Body straining, muscles in the flow while Yosemite spread out like a Technicolor postcard.

Beautiful.

Then the sudden hiss of falling rope. A violent jerk as a cam broke free, slamming her into a wall of granite, breaking her nose and cheekbone, blood gushing onto her neck.

The sound of her own scream jerked her upright in the icy darkness.

“Nell, wake up.”

Lines broken. Carabiners blown. Falling, falling…

“Hey, wake up.” Hard hands locked around her shoulders.

She fought blindly, her nails raking warm skin.

Panic. Falling…

“Stop fighting, Nell. It’s Dakota. You’re just dreaming. Something about Yosemite, but it’s over now. Calm down and breathe.”

Breathe.

Nell forced her muscles to loosen.

Just another dream. Always about falling, somewhere alone in the darkness…

She took a deep breath and shoved a damp clump of hair from her eyes. “Okay, back among the living—more or less. Thanks for the wake-up call. What time is it anyway?”

“Almost five. Should be light soon. You okay now?”

Nell straightened the small light clipped to her belt. “Great,” she said through clenched teeth.

“You keep that light with you all the time?”

“When I’m next to a three-thousand-foot drop, I do. In case you didn’t notice, that first step can be really unpleasant.” Nell slanted her small light through the tent. “How is she?”

“No change. Stable and warm.”

“Westlake, our fearless tour leader?”

“Asleep, last time I checked.”

Nell frowned. “What about you? Don’t you ever rest?”

“I closed my eyes for a few minutes. It’s all I need.” His hands smoothed the thermal blanket around her shoulders. “Do you always ask this many questions?”

“Yeah, I do. Call it terminal curiosity.”

Amanda Wilson tossed in her sleep, and Dakota leaned down to check her pulse.

At his touch the teenager twisted, muttering hoarsely. “Mummy, you left the window open again. It’s so c-cold…” Then her eyes opened and she coughed, staring blankly up at Dakota. “My arm hurts.” She craned her head anxiously from side to side. “Where are the others?”

“Back at the hotel. We’ll get you there shortly.” Dakota raised the tube of her hydration pack. “How about you drink a little water?”

“How long have we been up here?”

“Most of the night.” After Dakota helped Amanda drink, he pulled the silver blanket back in place around her. “But the weather looks to be clearing. Just think of it this way. You’re going to have a great story to tell all your friends.”

The girl’s lip quavered. “I want to g-go home.”

“We’ll get you there,” Nell said firmly. “We’re going to make it through this.”

Amanda took a labored breath. “Is that what you do?”

“Sometimes life gets messy and complicated, but I don’t look down and I don’t look back.” Nell’s voice was flat.

She sensed that Dakota was studying her. “Something wrong?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You were thinking plenty loud, Navy.”

Across the tent Amanda giggled. “She’s got you there. You do seem kind of—intense. I guess that’s a navy thing.”

Dakota moved to help her drink some more water. “What, can’t a man enjoy the company of two gorgeous women in peace?”

The teenager wheezed out a laugh. “Very funny.”

Over the howl of the wind, motors droned closer. Nell could see the dim pattern of light around the flap of the tent. “They’ll have to land below the ridge. Someone needs to guide the rescue team up.” Nell pushed to her knees and grabbed her climbing gear.

“Sure you’re up to it?” Dakota asked quietly.

Nell shoved a coiled rope over her shoulder. “No offense, but I think I’m the best guy for the job.”

His expression was unreadable as he reached out and brushed one finger along the corner of her lips. It was almost as if he was memorizing her smile, Nell thought.

Then his expression hardened. “I hate to admit that you’re right. Watch your six out there.”

“SHE’S REALLY GREAT, isn’t she?” Amanda was watching the spot where Nell had disappeared. “I don’t think anything in the world frightens her. I wish I was that way.”

Dakota listened to the chopper approach. “You never can tell what makes people tick. I think Nell enjoys the thrill of being in danger. Besides, you’re pretty brave yourself. You took a real beating.”

The teenager shrugged. “Not like you two. So why don’t you like her? I mean, you smile at her, but it never quite reaches your eyes.”

The girl was a little too observant, Dakota thought irritably. “Nothing wrong with Nell MacInnes. I like her fine.” He just didn’t trust her.

“How’s Ian doing? Is he…” Her voice trailed away.

“He’s still alive.” Barely, Dakota thought. “That’s a helicopter coming in out there. With luck, you’ll be down at the hotel in ten minutes. How do you feel?”

The girl swallowed hard. “Like I might throw up.”