She inhaled sharply and stiffened. She’d known there was a possibility of this, but he’d been so noncommittal that she’d thought that she might be wrong. But there was nothing noncommittal about his expression now. Nor her own reaction to his gaze on her breasts.

They were swelling, the nipples becoming taut, so sensitive she felt as if they were burning. The muscles of her stomach were clenching. “You want this?” She moistened her lips with her tongue. “It’s all right. I don’t mind. It doesn’t matter.”

“Why did I know you’d say that?” he said hoarsely. “A reward for doing almost everything right? But it does matter, and that’s why I’m going to go nuts until I finish checking out this wound.” He pushed her down before the fire and then knelt before her. “And cursing my idiocy while I’m doing it.”

She could feel the heat from the flames on her bare breasts. They felt heavy…waiting. But it was no hotter than the ripples of need jolting through her. As he started to work on the bandage, she could feel his warm breath on the hollow of her throat and breasts making her even more taut…“I think you’re being foolish. It’s all very simple.” She added in a low voice, “And I’d probably…like it.”

“I know I’m being an ass,” he said jerkily. “And I’d make damn sure you liked it. But there’s nothing about you or this that’s not complicated. Now just be quiet until I can finish and get my hands off you.”

She sat there quietly while he cleaned, washed, and rebandaged the wound. “Are you finished?”

He sat back on his heels and drew a deep breath. “Not nearly. Not in a thousand years. It almost killed me.”

“Then you deserve it.” She got to her feet. “You were being stupid. Besides, you made me feel…I’m not a child or a victim. Don’t you ever treat me like one again.” She went to her backpack and started looking through it for another bra. “Now go somewhere I don’t have to look at you for a while. Call Gilroy or Vogel or make one of your super master plans while I find us something to eat.”

“I have every intention of getting away from you ASAP. I’ve taken enough punishment for one day,” he said roughly as he headed back toward the road. “I’m a little limited about where to go to remove myself on this mountain. But you can bet I’ll try to oblige without jumping into the abyss.”