A sound at the entrance to the cave startled them both. Her protector groped in the darkness for something. Someone moved rapidly towards them. There was a metallic clicking and then the piercing brightness of the flashlight lit the cave. Jenny blinked and a squirrel came into focus. Both man and animal stared at each other in fear for a moment. Then the rodent scurried off, retracing its steps to the forest.
The man collapsed against the wall of the cave, his breath coming in quick, shallow gasps. Propping his elbows on bent knees, he blocked his eyes with the barrel of the flashlight and rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand. Jenny's breath came out in a whoosh of air.
The man jumped and pointed a gun at her, then remembering, lowered it, releasing the hammer. He must have forgotten she was there. Her body tingled as his eyes traveled the length of her body. He looked away, but Jenny searched features only partially revealed by the beam of the flashlight, surprised by the stark beauty the half-light could not mask. Dark skin, silky, long black hair and beard, mysterious eyes that refused to meet hers.
The flip of a switch on the flashlight submerged them once again in total darkness. Jenny heard him inhale deeply. "I'll keep watch. It's only a few hours to sunrise."
She had to be careful what she told him. He had protected her from immediate danger, but she had to focus on the fact that she really knew nothing about him. Pushing loose hair back towards her ponytail, she shook off the languid feelings still muddling her brain.
Weigh the facts . . . He has a gun. He could have killed you, but he didn't. He'd protected her. She would trust him for now, but as soon as opportunity presented itself, she'd run.
~*~
Other Angel Ridge Novels available from your favorite retailer and www.bellbridgebooks.com:
The Trip (A Fast Break Romance) Page 4
