“That’s up to Abby.” He turned toward her. “We need to talk.”

“I got this,” Kyle said, his grip relaxed on the pistol he kept pointed at the men.

Gage walked Abby to a place at the edge of camp where they were out of sight behind a formidable stack of boulders.

“You okay?” he asked.

A trembly breath whispered out. “I’m okay.” It was only half true; her legs still felt shaky.

“When I saw you with that gun pointed at your head . . .” Gage swallowed. He glanced away, then back. “Peters could have killed you, Abby. One second you’re alive, the next you’re dead, and there’s no going back, no way to change things.”

She thought that he was talking about the past as well as the present, and her heart went out to him.

He shook his head. “Just thinking about it makes my stomach crawl. I don’t want anything to happen to you, honey. I couldn’t handle it. Not again.”

She brought his big hand to her lips and pressed a kiss into his palm. “I’m okay. With all of us working together, we took care of the situation. We make a good team, Gage. Surely you can see that.”

Gage made no reply, but his fingers wrapped around the hand holding his, and he drew her against him, leaned down, and kissed her, a soft press of his lips over hers, gently coaxing yet unbelievably compelling. Abby melted into him, pressing her body the length of his, absorbing his heat and solid strength.

Gage was a man she could depend on. He had proven it again today.

Some of her tension drained away. Gage had a way of making her feel safe and protected. Though she knew the consequences of her increasing need for him, Abby rested her hands on his shoulders, leaned up, and deepened the kiss, stirring a hot lash of hunger that burned right through her. She wanted to touch him—all of him—wanted to be back at the pool, naked with Gage inside her.

The kiss lingered a moment more, then gentled. He kissed her one last time and eased away, but the heat in his blue eyes didn’t lessen. Abby finally came back to herself enough to hear the whop-whop-whop of the approaching helicopter.

Gage’s mouth curved up. “If we don’t stop now, love, the sheriff is liable to arrest us instead of them.”

Abby managed to smile, which wasn’t easy with her body still on fire.

Gage reached out and ran a finger down her cheek. “We’ll have time together once we get back. You can stay at my place till you decide your next move.”