to walk forward real slow. I’ll jump toward the face of the slope and climb as best I can as he pulls me up. If I need him to stop I’ll yell, so stay at his head, and make him do what I say.”
“But won’t that hurt your ribs more?” Silver asked.
“It might, but I’m not spending the rest of my life in a tree.” Ben held her gaze, his mouth set in a grim line. “Let’s just get this over with.”
* * *
It took forever. At least it felt like that as Ben was slowly winched up the slope, stopping every few seconds to readjust his position or just stay conscious through the pain. His hands and knees were bleeding as he scrabbled for purchase on the unforgiving rock, and breathing had become a white-hot agony. Staying conscious when all he wanted to do was crawl into a hole and sleep became harder every second. The only thing that kept him going was that Silver needed him, and he wasn’t going to let her down.
When his searching fingers met the top edge and were swiftly gripped by Silver’s, he experienced an overwhelming sense of thankfulness. She helped haul him up, and he rolled onto his back, and just stared up at her anxious, tearstained face.
“Hey,” he murmured like a fool.
She swallowed hard. “Hey, right back.”
Ben forced his lips to move. “I don’t think I’m going to be moving far for the rest of the day. We’ll have to set up the tent somewhere and make do.”
“There’s space where I left Ladybug and the mules.” She placed a rolled-up saddle blanket under his head and draped him in her coat. “Stay there, and I’ll come back and get you when it’s ready.”
Like he was going anywhere.... He wasn’t sure if he drifted back into unconsciousness because it didn’t seem more than a second before Silver was beside him again. This time, she had her torch, and he blinked to avoid the brightness of the beam.
“Do you think that if I helped, you could walk a few yards?” Silver asked.
“Don’t think I’ve got any choice,” Ben murmured. “I’d rather be undercover than an appetizer for a pack of coyotes.”
As if on cue, the howls of a nearby pack echoed through the canyon below. He managed to sit up before the pain hit him, and he had to blink back whirling stars of dizziness. Silver crouched beside him and wrapped her arm around his waist. Seeing as she was almost a foot shorter than he was, and about a hundred and fifty pounds lighter, he immediately felt guilty.
“Put your arm around my shoulders and let’s try and stand,” Silver suggested.
“I’ll crush you.”
“I’m stronger than I look.” She braced herself. “On three.”
He lurched to his feet, aware that she was already bearing far too much of his weight and unable to do shit about it. She didn’t rush him; she just stood quietly until he got his balance, could see straight, and contemplate moving. He vaguely registered the shadows of the horses and the campfire ahead. It wasn’t that far if he took his time.
“Do you want to try taking a step?” Silver asked.
Ben grimaced. “No, but as I said, we need to get out of the open.”
He managed to start moving and she helped him, standing like a rock as he weaved around like a drunk at a bar. He focused on the horses and made himself keep moving forward. They stumbled into the circle of light thrown by the fire and he sank down onto his knees, one hand clutching his ribs as pain knifed through him. He was pretty sure what he’d done because it wasn’t the first time he’d busted a rib.
“Ben?” Silver crouched next to him breathing hard. “Do you think you can get into the tent? I need to check you over.”
“Yeah, sure.”
He slowly turned his head, saw the opening of the tent, and crawled toward it. His sleeping bag was unzipped, and he lay down with a sigh of relief while Silver fussed around him, removing his boots and easing him out of his coat. He didn’t mind what she did. He was just glad to be alive and safe for the night.
“I’m amazed that you somehow managed to keep hold of your hat,” she commented dryly, as she continued to help him undress down to his T-shirt and boxers.
“I’m a rancher. I’ll probably die with my Stetson on,” Ben croaked, tasting his own blood on