The Escort - By Gina Robinson Page 0,58

guided her hand to the drill, stroking her palm intimately with his finger as he did so. She hung on tremulously. He released her hand, stepped back, and picked up his sledgehammer. "Hold on tight and hold it steady. We don't want our hole to be crooked."

She gripped the drill tightly, shying away from the swing of the hammer, hoping his aim ran true.

Evidently seeing her discomfort, he laughed and called out. "Trust me, Angelina. I won't hit you." He cocked the hammer and swung.

The chink of the hammer hitting the drill reverberated through the tunnel and sent shock waves down her arm.

"Turn!" he yelled. "Don't look so frightened." He swung again.

After the first few strokes, she calmed, but her fingers remained white as she clutched the drill. They worked as a fluid team. Swing, strike, turn. She watched in awe as his muscles tensed and rippled with each powerful stroke.

All too soon he stopped and backed the drill out. "That's deep enough. Now the fun begins."

She flexed her stiff fingers and stretched her arm, which still pounded with the vibrations of the sledgehammer hitting the drill. Tonio made last minute calculations.

"What are we going to do next?" She was almost afraid to find out.

"Set the blast. Get back up the tunnel and wait for me around the first bend." He sounded calm but a sharp edge of excitement tinged his voice.

She stalled, uncertain. "Is this dangerous?"

"Not if you know what you're doing." He grabbed her gently by the shoulders and pointed her toward the tunnel. "Now go. Up the tunnel and around the first bend. Flatten yourself against the wall and stay there. Wait for me. Do not under any circumstances move from that spot. I'll join you in a moment. And I guarantee you the biggest rush of your life."

She did as Tonio bid, and waited for what seemed like an eternity, growing more apprehensive as she waited, listening to water drip off the rock walls. Finally, she determined that something must have gone wrong. She stepped cautiously out into the middle of the tunnel and then headed back in what she hoped was the right direction to find Tonio. "Tonio, is everything all right?"

She rounded the bend in time to see Tonio detonate the charge. He started as he looked up and saw her standing there. He mouthed a curse as he sprang to his feet and ran toward her. She froze like a startled deer.

"Run, Angel, run!" he yelled.

Her feet remained grounded. He ran toward her at a furious pace. Without losing a step, he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to the ground, covering her with himself and cupping her ears protectively with his hands.

The next moment everything blurred. A mighty roar reverberated through the tunnel, followed by a cloud of dust. Small pebbles and debris rained from the tunnel ceiling and walls.

Tonio turned her face to his and in the height of the explosion covered her mouth with his in a deep, lunging kiss. His hands left her ears as he caressed her gently and intimately, fondling her breasts, exploring her curves.

She felt as though she were exploding. For a moment she thought he was killing them both and this was his way of saying goodbye. Her fear heightened the excitement.

He was whispering something in her ear. She strained to hear but couldn't in the noise, knowing he spoke by the gentle breath in her ear. The next moment it was over. The dust settled and Tonio pulled away, leaving her breathless and wanting.

Her ears rang but not as loud as her heart, which soared with the thought that she hadn't lost him after all. She sat on the tunnel floor covered with dust, not caring at all. He stood and dusted himself off before offering her his hand and pulling her roughly to her feet. He spoke loudly, above the din in her ears. "You nearly got us killed, Angelina. I told you to stay in the tunnel."

The words meant to sting brought only delight. He cared. For some reason he fought to remain aloof but the tenor of his words betrayed the true alignment of his heart.

But he wasn't through with her. "Don't look at me like I'm some kind of hero. Gus is going to have my head for this. He has a high regard for women and safe mining practices."

"Who's going to tell him?"

"Look at yourself. No one has to tell him."

"I'll tell him I fell and that