No idea who?” A stunned expression on his face, Jack kept her pinned with his gaze as he listened to Nathan. “This just gets better and better. Keep me updated. I’m getting out of here soon.”

He ended the call and handed the cell over to Terra.

She moved closer and wrapped her fingers around it. “What is it, Jack? What did he say?”

“Someone shot and killed Leif.”

What? She let the shock of that news roll over her. She hated to think it, but that almost seemed a fitting end. Still, she gasped and tried to step back, but Jack stood and gently grabbed her wrist, then reeled her in. He urged her even closer until their foreheads touched.

Being so near, especially when she wasn’t sure she had control over her emotions, scared her. She tried to back away, but he held her in place. He was much stronger than she imagined he would be after his injury.

“What . . . what are you doing?” Her voice came out breathy and revealed far too much emotion. She didn’t know if she could hide it anymore. Hide behind the facade of professionalism that had been required to work this case with him.

Did he know how he affected her? Did he understand how deeply she cared for him, despite her efforts to move on? Jack had been her world back then. And if she wasn’t careful, he might become her world again. She could see it happening so easily, feel it happening when he held her like this.

“I’m holding you close, that’s what. I’m holding this moment close. I almost lost you out there. I can’t let that happen ever again.”

“Me? You were the one who was shot. If anything, you almost lost yourself. What happened to you? I mean, before you came back to Montana. Don’t hide it from me. I saw how haunted you were that first day we met again.”

A few breaths passed, then he said, “I lost someone close to me. Someone important. I failed them.”

“Who did you lose?”

“I can’t talk about it yet. Not until . . . just trust me, I’ll tell you someday. Maybe soon. But in the meantime, I want you to know that I don’t want to lose you again.”

He spoke in the language of hearts, and deep inside, she understood all too well that he was still emotionally connected to her. Jack gently touched the back of her neck and drew her closer . . . closer. She lingered near his lips, waiting for him.

But Jack waited on her, his way of asking permission.