His hand reached out and touched her arm. “No, please don’t. I—” He closed his eyes again, breathing deeply to combat the pain.

“So what do we do now?” Nicole asked.

“Make camp here. I don’t think either of us will make it very far for a while.”

“Make camp! With what? Night’s coming on, you don’t even have a shirt, we have no food, no ammunition, no tools—and an angry grizzly is prowling in the neighborhood.”

“Let’s not lose hope,” Eric said. His voice was strained but his eyes were teasing beneath the pain. “I have a knife in the sheath underneath me.”

“A knife?” she said bitterly. “Good. I’ll go hunting.”

“That’s a good idea. We could use some of Cliff’s pain pills and that antibiotic he gave us. A couple of sleeping bags would also be appreciated.”

“Please. I know you’re trying to cheer me up, but don’t. Okay?”

“If I were to provide all that, would you let me call you Nicky without getting angry?”

“Eric!”

“Is it a deal?”

“Yes. Now what are you saying?”

“I left the packhorse tied up in the trees above us.”

Nicole’s mouth dropped open. “But I drove it away when I left you.”

“True. But it only went a few hundred yards and started grazing. I didn’t take time to pack everything, but I got the essentials.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I spotted you lying down by the river from up on the ridge. I was trying to sneak up on you. Then I saw the bears heading downstream. I didn’t dare yell to warn you. I was afraid you’d jump and run. So anyway…” He let the words trail off, and she could tell he was tiring quickly. “Do you think you can hobble up there and find it?”

“I can’t believe it. I’ve been sitting here for an hour worrying about how we’re going to survive a night in the mountains in the open.”

“Now haven’t I taken better care of you than that?” Then he went on quickly. “Sorry. Don’t answer that.”

“How did you catch me so quickly?”

“Cricket. Once she caught on that we were trailing you, I just followed her, and we made good time.”

“I am so glad,” she said, the relief flooding through her again.

“So am I, Nicky,” he said gently. “So am I.” Again a spasm of pain caused his jaw to clench.

“Hang on,” she said, limping to her feet. “I’ll go get the horse.”