SEAL's RESOLVE - Rebecca Deel Page 0,8
pressed his hand on top of hers. “I won’t be long,” he repeated, and waited for her to make the next move. If he had to, he’d knock her out, but Rafe didn’t want to do that. She’d been through enough trauma tonight.
A long minute later, Kristi let go of his arm. “Please, be careful.” Her breathing was quick and shallow.
“Kristi.” Rafe laid his hand on her shoulder. “You can handle this.”
“Sure. Go.”
He hated to leave her in the darkness, especially knowing she wasn’t comfortable, but he didn’t have a choice. “Close your eyes.”
“What good will that do? It’s dark with my eyes closed, too.”
He smiled at the snark in her voice. She was still with him. “Trust me.”
A moment later, she said, “This is much better. I’m not so disoriented.”
“Your brain associates closed eyes with darkness. When your eyes are open and you still see nothing but darkness, your equilibrium can go haywire.” He squeezed her shoulder lightly. “Can you handle the darkness for two minutes?”
“I’m fine.”
“I’ll be back.” He made himself go toward the entrance despite his puzzling reluctance to leave her side. He had to do reconnaissance. Protecting her was his mission.
Rafe didn’t want to look too deeply into his rioting emotions. He needed to get his mind on the job and off the disturbingly attractive woman. He wasn’t interested in any woman. The sooner he got her off Hart Mountain and accompanied her to the safety of Otter Creek, the quicker he could hand her off to someone else. That course of action was safer for both of them.
CHAPTER FOUR
Kristi stood with her back pressed against a cold stone wall, listening for every sound. Tough to hear anything over the drumming of her heartbeat, the rhythm much too fast.
Scowling, she used the breathing exercises her childhood therapist taught her as a way to calm herself, the only thing he’d done right in her opinion. She was a grown woman, not a child. Handling total darkness for two freaking minutes ought to be easy. Right. Maybe that was true for someone without her background.
Many people had hang-ups. Kristi just happened to be afraid of the dark. She handled it without a problem at home. Night lights all over the house did wonders for her phobia. When she left this cave and went with Rafe to a safe haven, she would turn on every light in the place.
She shivered, fingers aching from the cold. Asking for a blanket had moved up on her priority list. Maybe hot tea to chase the chill from her bones, too. Who knew being stuck underground for what seemed like years could sap the heat from your body?
Although she longed to open her eyes, Kristi kept them shut. With her luck, she’d become disoriented again, and do a face plant on the nasty cave floor. She didn’t want to know what kind of muck littered the ground.
A displacement of air on her right side had her shifting to face the potential threat. Please, she prayed silently, let this be Rafe and not a bear coming back to his den to sleep for the remainder of the night.
“Kristi, I’m coming up on your right side.”
“Find anything?”
“We’re clear for the moment.”
More cold chills surged up her spine. Not the answer she’d hoped to hear. “The kidnappers are still searching for me.”
“Oh, yeah.”
“What if they spot us?”
“I’ll handle it. Do what I tell you, and we’ll be fine.”
“Are you armed?”
A snort. “Of course. I never go anywhere without weapons.”
The invisible band around her chest loosened. Weapons. Plural. Good to know. What else was he carrying besides that scary-looking knife he’d cut her bonds with?
“You have more questions before we head out?”
“They can wait. I’m ready for a blanket and hot tea. A hot bath or shower, too.” She shuddered, still feeling the hands of kidnappers on her body as they manhandled her.
“I hear you. I’m going to hold your hand and lead you out of here.” A second later, his strong, roughened hand clasped hers.
Heat seeped from Rafe’s palm into hers. Kristi almost groaned as the warmth penetrated her cold fingers and radiated up her arm.
“Once we’re outside, we have to move fast. I have friends closing in on our location, but the kidnappers may slow them down.”
“More men from Fortress Security?”
“That’s right.”
They walked in silence for a short time, then Kristi felt fresh, cool air on her face.
“Ready?” Rafe whispered.
“Yes.” If she never had to take shelter in a cave for the rest of her