She couldn’t rotate her arm and stretch far enough behind her back to remove the bra. Walker hesitated to help her, knowing it would only cause another layer of mistrust, but impatience gnawed at him. After her second attempt, the effort wrenched a sharp intake of breath from her.
“I’ll look at your shoulder later. I’m a decent medic.”
“No.” Her abrupt refusal was followed by a glance over her shoulder that didn’t meet his eyes. “You could stop ogling and help me.”
Damn. He’d love to give an appropriate response to that remark, but he let it die on his tongue. If he ever wanted her to trust him, embarrassing her further wasn’t going to help. Laying the jacket over his arm, he unhooked her bra, ignoring the shudder that rippled through her when his fingers brushed her satiny skin, then opened the coat again while she unbuttoned her pants and stepped out of them. He pushed his coat toward her left side so she could slip into it without hurting herself. She pulled it tightly around her and buttoned it all the way up before turning to face him.
His jacket nearly swallowed her slight figure and hung almost to her knees. The canvas shoes she wore without socks were soaking wet, but there was no help for that. He didn’t even have a dry pair of socks to offer.
Walker tried a smile, but she looked quickly away. He wasn’t going to push his luck. For this moment in time, it seemed she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, although it could just mean he’d bullied her into submission and she didn’t have the strength to continue fighting. In any case, he had her cooperation for now, and he would take what he could get.
He gathered up her clothes, holding them out of her reach when she made a grab for them. He almost laughed but caught himself when she pinned him with an angry gaze.
“Stay close and let me know if you need to stop and rest.” He waited for her to nod before he started back toward the slope and stopped to retrieve his backpack where he’d dropped it in his haste to reach the water. Digging through the contents, he found a waterproof pouch and sealed her wet clothes inside. He placed the bag in his pack and slung it over his shoulder.
Walker led her back the way he’d come, up the slope and away from the rushing river. As they walked, he kept an eye out for a good spot to make camp. It would have to be soon. They were both exhausted and cold, but it was obvious Darcy’s strength was failing. With both arms wrapped tightly around herself, she shook nonstop. Twice she tripped and fell. Each time she picked herself up, he thought surely she’d give out until he caught the grim determination in the set of her mouth. He should have swept her up in his arms and carried her, but he didn’t want to give her another reason to fight him. Clearly, her never-die attitude wouldn’t allow her to give up, and he admired that.
“We’ll camp here.” Walker stopped by a rock outcropping at the foot of an embankment and turned in a small circle, studying the surrounding terrain. They were probably alone out here, but he didn’t like leaving things to chance. Putting their backs to a rock wall would mean one less opportunity for someone to sneak up on them. “Stay here. I’ll gather some wood and start a fire.”
As soon as he stopped, Darcy sank down to the ground but popped back to her feet as he took off his pack and turned to go. “Wait. I’ll go with you.”
Walker started to argue but bit back the words. Uncertainty shone in her eyes. Did she think, after everything he’d been through to catch up with her, he’d walk away and leave her now? Maybe she had finally come to the conclusion he was her new best friend, offering a safe haven and a chance to be warm again. He was good with that, but did she really trust him, or was she just biding her time until he fell asleep and she could bash him over the head again? His gut said no. He was beginning to think she really was
“I’ll look at your shoulder later. I’m a decent medic.”
“No.” Her abrupt refusal was followed by a glance over her shoulder that didn’t meet his eyes. “You could stop ogling and help me.”
Damn. He’d love to give an appropriate response to that remark, but he let it die on his tongue. If he ever wanted her to trust him, embarrassing her further wasn’t going to help. Laying the jacket over his arm, he unhooked her bra, ignoring the shudder that rippled through her when his fingers brushed her satiny skin, then opened the coat again while she unbuttoned her pants and stepped out of them. He pushed his coat toward her left side so she could slip into it without hurting herself. She pulled it tightly around her and buttoned it all the way up before turning to face him.
His jacket nearly swallowed her slight figure and hung almost to her knees. The canvas shoes she wore without socks were soaking wet, but there was no help for that. He didn’t even have a dry pair of socks to offer.
Walker tried a smile, but she looked quickly away. He wasn’t going to push his luck. For this moment in time, it seemed she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, although it could just mean he’d bullied her into submission and she didn’t have the strength to continue fighting. In any case, he had her cooperation for now, and he would take what he could get.
He gathered up her clothes, holding them out of her reach when she made a grab for them. He almost laughed but caught himself when she pinned him with an angry gaze.
“Stay close and let me know if you need to stop and rest.” He waited for her to nod before he started back toward the slope and stopped to retrieve his backpack where he’d dropped it in his haste to reach the water. Digging through the contents, he found a waterproof pouch and sealed her wet clothes inside. He placed the bag in his pack and slung it over his shoulder.
Walker led her back the way he’d come, up the slope and away from the rushing river. As they walked, he kept an eye out for a good spot to make camp. It would have to be soon. They were both exhausted and cold, but it was obvious Darcy’s strength was failing. With both arms wrapped tightly around herself, she shook nonstop. Twice she tripped and fell. Each time she picked herself up, he thought surely she’d give out until he caught the grim determination in the set of her mouth. He should have swept her up in his arms and carried her, but he didn’t want to give her another reason to fight him. Clearly, her never-die attitude wouldn’t allow her to give up, and he admired that.
“We’ll camp here.” Walker stopped by a rock outcropping at the foot of an embankment and turned in a small circle, studying the surrounding terrain. They were probably alone out here, but he didn’t like leaving things to chance. Putting their backs to a rock wall would mean one less opportunity for someone to sneak up on them. “Stay here. I’ll gather some wood and start a fire.”
As soon as he stopped, Darcy sank down to the ground but popped back to her feet as he took off his pack and turned to go. “Wait. I’ll go with you.”
Walker started to argue but bit back the words. Uncertainty shone in her eyes. Did she think, after everything he’d been through to catch up with her, he’d walk away and leave her now? Maybe she had finally come to the conclusion he was her new best friend, offering a safe haven and a chance to be warm again. He was good with that, but did she really trust him, or was she just biding her time until he fell asleep and she could bash him over the head again? His gut said no. He was beginning to think she really was
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