With the natural grace that always made her stare, he rose to his feet, keeping his head bent to avoid the low roof of the cave, and came toward her.
Joey’s heart began to pound with the force of her resolve and his undeniably powerful effect on her. She was entirely aware of the extra room beside her in the bag but knew it was too soon to push her luck, instead, she wriggled forward so that she could lean against the cave wall, shrugging the blanket over her exposed upper body She patted the soft bed of needles and leaves beside her.
Luke took the invitation. He dropped, at first, into a restless crouch, as if he would spring up at the slightest provocation; Joey gave him a long, reproachful look, and he slid down at last to stretch his long legs and rest his head against the cave wall.
For a moment Joey was content to study him. His face was careworn—because of her, she realized. Concern—fear—for her. She didn’t question her certainty. It only increased her determination. She found herself looking at him now with a stirring in her heart and deeper, in her soul, touching something that had been long concealed. There was one last protest from her crumbling barriers, and she ignored it.
She remembered the first time she’d seen him. He’d been impressive even then, but now he was familiar, though just as charismatic. Now she understood a little more of him—not enough to solve his mysteries but enough to fill her with a powerful new longing. His profile was strong, shaped by discipline and years of aloneness, hardship, and simply being part of the wilderness he loved. Even in the scant light of the little fire, it was compelling beyond any face she had ever known.
His hair was damp with melted snow, but he seemed not to notice. When the time was right, she’d brush back that errant lock where it fell into his eyes. She’d touch that hard arch of cheekbone, run her fingers over the slight dark stubble that had begun to appear on his chin and along his jaw, trace the grimness away from the narrow curve of his lips, smooth the lines between his straight dark brows. She would see those eyes turned on her with that burning, all-consuming need, for her.
Luke turned to meet her gaze. For an instant she thought there would be no need for caution, that he would at last give in, but he looked away again, to stare at the floor between his knees.
“You were very lucky,” he said softly, “to come through that as well as you did.”
“Thanks to you,” Joey replied. She felt the heat radiating from his body, as intense as that of the fire. More so. “You saved my life, didn’t you, Luke? I might have died.”
“Yes.” His voice was suddenly sharp, and his eyes glittered in a brief, intense glance. “I thought you understood the basics, but it was my fault you got to the point you did—my responsibility.”
Joey dropped her gaze, feeling the rising flush. “No, it was my fault. It was all so beautiful, and I—I should have known better. I told you I did, and you trusted me.” There was a beat of silence. “It won’t happen again.”
“You’re damned right it won’t,” Luke said between gritted teeth. There was a very real warning in his voice, now he was most definitely staring at her. “I won’t let you do anything to kill yourself. Ever. You’d better understand that right now.”
In an earlier time Joey might have risen to the bait, met his proprietary rebuke with defensive anger. Instead, she reached out, very slowly, to rest her hand on his leg. The muscles grew taut and slowly relaxed again under it.
“I think I do understand,” she murmured. Luke looked away, and in the dim light it was hard to tell if the color in his face was merely a reflection of the flames. “I want to thank you again, Luke. For taking care of me, and for saving my life.”
Luke was very quiet. He looked at the cave walls, at the ground, at the flames—everywhere but into her eyes. Joey bit her lip. “If you were really serious when you said you would keep me safe…” Luke jerked his head sharply to frown at her. “Actually, I feel a cold spell coming on again. I don’t think these sleeping bags and blankets are quite enough.”