Tanner spoke, jarring her out of her introspection. “I’ll clear away here and take care of the fire. You crawl into the tent and get undressed. I’ll be with you shortly.”

Bri froze for an instant. Undressed? Now was the time to tell him she wouldn’t…she couldn’t…

“Brianna, don’t freak on me.” His voice was soft, soothing. “I give you my word I won’t try anything you tell me you don’t want.”

“Yes, but-”

“Sweetheart, I have some control,” he said, shaking his head at her suspicious expression. “All I intend to do is sleep.”

“But you said get undressed.” Skepticism colored her tone and shaded her eyes.

“Down to your underwear. You do have long underwear, don’t you?

“Yes.” Bri hesitated another moment, staring into his eyes. Seeing nothing but caring there, she gave in with a quick nod and slipped inside the tent.

The interior was dimly lit by a small battery-operated lantern. The tent was roomy, plenty big enough for the two of them. But her breath caught when she looked at the sleeping bags already laid out for them. Tanner had zipped them together into one large sleeping area.

Oh, jeez.

“Brianna, I’m not going to be asking for anything you’re not willing to freely give. Not now, not ever,” he called to her as if somehow he knew she stood there, stock-still, staring at the bags. “Deal?”

“Y-yes,” she said, carefully laying her rifle and handgun along one side of the sleeping bag, as he had placed his weapons on the other side. Then she raised her hands to her blouse to begin unbuttoning it. It was sheer relief to get out of her trail-grimy clothes. Naked, she picked up the damp towel she had used to dry off at the stream and rubbed her body down once more. Now she felt much cleaner. Tossing the towel aside, she dug into her pack for her long underwear.

Bri was snuggled inside the surprisingly roomy and comfortable bed of sleeping bags when Tanner lifted the flap and stepped inside, ushering Boyo in after him. Murmuring, “Down, boy,” he pulled the zipper around the opening, enclosing the three of them inside.

Bri lifted her head. “Boyo is going to sleep in here with us?” She recognized the relieved tone in her voice.

Tanner’s smile told her he recognized it, as well. “Yeah, it’s getting cold out there and will likely get a lot colder by morning.” With that, he began to undress.

Brianna’s eyes flew wide, and he laughed out loud. “Don’t panic. I’m only stripping to my underwear, and it’s long underwear.”

“I have silk.” The words slipped out without thought. Bri was appalled at herself. She had sounded like a snit, the spoiled brat he had called her.

This time Tanner roared with laughter. “Okay, big deal. So have I.”

Embarrassed, Bri turned onto her side, away from him, groaning softly at the sheer warmth, comfort and sense of protection she was feeling. In the next instant, she stiffened when his body slipped in beside her in the makeshift bed.

“Relax, kid, I’m not going to attack you.”

She laughed; she couldn’t help it. He sounded oh so amused beneath his serious tones. “I’m glad to hear it. I wouldn’t want to have to hurt you.”

His laughter was drowned out by Boyo, who stood, whining.

“I think he needs to go out,” Bri said.

“No kidding,” he grumbled. Getting up, he shrugged into his jacket, pulled on his boots. “Okay, okay,” he said to the dog. “I’m coming.” Unzipping the flap, he let Boyo outside. Pausing at the opening, he said, “I may as well check on the mare while I’m out.”

“Chocolate.”

He turned to stare at her through the dim lantern light. “You want chocolate now?”

“No.” Bri had to laugh this time. “The mare. I’ve temporarily given her the name Chocolate, as I never asked Hawk what her real name is.”

“Oh.” He dipped his head and exited the tent. She heard his chuckle as he walked away.

Tanner was gone for some ten or so minutes, during which Bri shimmied around inside the sleeping bags. Once again she turned onto her side, this time facing the side he’d been sleeping on.

When Tanner did return, he zipped up the opening and shrugged out of his jacket and boots.

After turning around in a circle several times, Boyo settled down across the opening of the tent. If anyone tried to enter during the night, they were going to have to walk over the big dog to do so.

Bri smiled at the very idea of anyone getting past the wolfhound and living to tell about it, possibly even if that someone were a bear. Her thoughts scattered when Tanner, smiling with her, slid in next to her.

“Are you warm enough?”

She nodded. The bed warmed her skin, but Tanner’s smile warmed her body inside and out. “What are you doing?” she blurted when he drew her close to him, cradling her in his arms.

“I just want to hold you, Brianna,” he said, his breath fluttering over her forehead. “Comfortable?”

“Hmm,” she murmured, snuggling closer, so close she could feel his chuckle before she heard it.

“Good. Sleepy?”

“Not really,” Bri said, stifling a yawn. “I’m just happy to stretch out, be warm and relaxed and off the back of a horse for a while.”

This time he laughed aloud. Bri loved the sound of his laughter. It seemed to surround her with a sense of warmth and security.

“So you’re not as tough as you thought you were,” Tanner said, teasing her.

“Yes, I am,” Bri said, pulling her head back to glare at him. “It’s simply that I haven’t been on a horseback trek in some time. I can handle it. It’s only a little stiffness.”

“I never doubted it.” Tanned did his best to look serious. The gleam in his eyes gave him away.

“Yeah, right.” She scowled.

He laughed again, cupped her head to draw her face closer to his and planted a gentle kiss on her temple. “I really didn’t doubt it, Brianna.”

Bri melted. She loved the way he said her name. “Okay, you’re forgiven.” Her temple was tingling where his lips had touched.

“Thank you.” Laughter danced along his voice. “Is that a blanket forgiveness, covering my having left Hawk’s without you?”

She hesitated long moments, smothering the anger she had been nursing since she had discovered him gone. “I suppose so,” she said, giving in, but only because she really wanted to do so.

“Grudging, but I’m grateful for it.”

They were quiet a moment, his breath teasing her skin, sending tingles from her temple to every nerve ending in her body. Desperately hanging on to her desire to have him kiss her, maybe make love to her, Bri raked her mind for something to say to break the feeling of sensual intimacy curling around them, seemingly drawing them closer to the precipice of no return.

To defuse the volatile intimacy, she said, “Tell me about yourself, Tanner, your life.” Her voice sounded ragged even to her own ears.

“Why do I have this sneaky suspicion you don’t trust me?” His tone was drily amused.

“It-it’s not that,” she said. “I do trust you.” Bri realized she truly did, that she would trust him with her life. Odd, she mused, after having known him such a short amount of time. But there it was. Then again, he had saved her life only hours ago.

“If it’s not that,” he said, “what is it?”

“Me.” Bri’s throat felt suddenly parched. “It’s myself I don’t trust, Tanner.”

“I don’t get it.” He sounded more than a little confused. “You don’t trust yourself about what?”

Once again Bri hesitated, unsure if she should explain her feelings. “You. I don’t trust myself with you,” she admitted, glancing up at him, her confidence bolstered by the fact that his face was in the shadows.

She could feel his body go completely still, feel the tautness in his arms around her. What must he be thinking? Had she unwittingly insulted him?

Frustration was sharp in his voice when he spoke. “Brianna, I told you, I won’t-”

“No, Tanner, please listen. You don’t understand,” she said, burrowing closer to him. “I know you won’t.” She sighed. “The problem is I’m not sure I won’t.”

“I see.” Enclosing her again in his arms, this time even more tightly, he kissed her ear, whispering, “You know something, Brianna? You’re a little nuts.”

No one had ever said anything like that to her before. Her reaction began with a giggle and grew from there to laughter that spilled out from deep inside. Burying her face in the curve of his neck, she laughed harder than she could recall having laughed in a very long time. Partly because she thought it funny and partly in sheer relief.

“You know something, Tanner?” she gasped through her dying laughter. “You’re right.”

His lips brushed her cheek. “That’s okay, kid, because I’m a bit nuts, too.”

Eight

She loved this man. The realization flashed through her mind like a sudden bolt of lightning.

Bri’s insides seized. What was she thinking? Love? She couldn’t have fallen in love this quickly. Could she? Abruptly her laughter died in her throat, but she kept her face pressed against his shoulder, inhaling the spicy, male scent of him.

“Amuse you, do I?” Tanner asked, laughter dancing on his own voice. “I really didn’t think it was all that funny.”

“Oh, Tanner, you have no idea.” Bri had to pause to take a breath, collect herself, get her thoughts back in line. “That’s one of the reasons I don’t trust myself with you. You’re so up-front and straightforward. So few people are today, it’s refreshing to find someone who is.” She was chattering, making it up as she rattled on, determinedly blanking all thoughts of Minnich and the L word from her mind. At least that’s what she told herself.

“Despite your PC phrasing, why do I get the idea you’re impugning my gender?”

Bri couldn’t help it; she smiled. If he had been trying to sound offended, he had failed completely.