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Thin Ice 
by
Debra Webb, Melinda Falgoust, M. Rebeckah Carlson,
Deborah Carpenter, Janine Whalley, Oceana DeRosa, Beth Cornelison

Chapter One
 
"There's a bounty hunter on my
mountain?"
Robyn Fletcher frowned at the two-way radio
on her desk."Yep. That's what my nephew
said,"
Wallace's rusty voice rattled from the
radio's speaker. "The fella the bounty hunter's
after is considered armed and dangerous, so
watch yourself. You radio my nephew if you see
any strangers lurking about. He'll have one of
his deputies out there in two shakes. You best
take stock of your supplies, too. We've got
another storm blowing in tonight."
"Thanks for the advice, Wallace," Robyn said.
"Over and out."
After ending her daily morning chat with
Wallace, Robyn pulled on her parka and snow
boots and headed outside to check on Charlie,
her overgrown black Labrador. Last night's fresh
layer of snow had added a few more inches to the
near knee-deep blanket of white stuff. They
definitely didn't need more.
She rounded the corner of her cabin to see
what Charlie's raucous barking was about. The
idea that a violent criminal was on the loose on
her mountain sent a chill racing up her spine.
Maybe she should go back in the house and get
her shotgun. On second thought, she had Charlie.
If anyone nosed around her place they'd have to
tangle with her dog.
Silent now, Charlie waited at the barn door.
Robyn clapped her hands. "Come on, boy. We're
not going anywhere today."
Reluctantly, the dog started in her
direction, tossing one last, longing look toward
the barn.
"We'll take a trip into town next week,"
Robyn placated him. She scratched him behind the
ears and scanned her peaceful surroundings.
There was no place on earth like Indian Lake
Meadow. Her grandfather had named the mountain
lake when he'd built the cabin next to it over
50 years before. He'd purchased a big chunk of
this side of the mountain, ensuring no close
neighbors. The place was impossible to reach
other than by foot or four-wheel drive vehicle.
It was his little piece of heaven, he'd told her
on more than one occasion.
It wasn't until Robyn's heart had been broken
that she'd realized just how wonderful it was.
Choosing to leave city life behind, she'd moved
here a year ago to find herself. The move had
been good for her, personally as well as
professionally. Her latest novel had recently
hit the New York Times bestseller list.
It didn't get much better than that.
A white rabbit darted across the frozen lake.
Charlie bolted after it.
"Charlie! Come back here!" Robyn yelled.
A loud crack pierced the silence. Robyn's
heart lurched. "Charlie!" She was running down
the slope toward the lake before her brain fully
assimilated what she'd heard  ice cracking.
The ice parted and Charlie slipped into the
freezing water. Robyn dropped onto her belly and
slid across the ice toward him. He struggled to
keep his head above water.
"It's okay, boy," she murmured. Extending her
body over the edge as far as she dared, she
wrapped both arms around him and pulled hard.
His weight almost dragged her into the water.
The wet cold pierced her skin through her layers
of clothing. Finally, she had him back up onto
the ice.

"It's okay, it's okay." Robyn pressed her
face into his wet fur and let go a ragged
breath. Thank God. She gave him a nudge toward
the bank and pushed to her knees. "Go to the
house, boy."
Another sharp crack rent the air. The ice
beneath her gave way. Before she could react,
she was in the water. Her breath left her in one
long whoosh. Robyn flailed her legs to
stay afloat. She grappled with the jagged edge
and tried to pull herself up. The ice crumbled
with her weight and this time she went all the
way under.
She gasped for air as her face broke the icy
surface. Her fingers fought for purchase on the
sharp edge of the ice. A kind of numbness
settled over her. Charlie was barking again. She
had to get out. But the blackness dragged at her
body, at her heavy layers of clothing. She felt
herself sinking, and saw the bubbles as the last
bit of air slipped from her lungs.
A large hand reached toward her, grabbed her,
and pulled her to the surface. She gasped and
coughed and, to her complete surprise,
life-giving air filled her lungs. She felt
herself being lifted. Charlie barked furiously.
Robyn closed her eyes and tried to gather her
wits. She couldn't think straight. Was she dead
and just didn't know it yet? Who'd rescued her?
 
* * *
 
A sudden warmth made Robyn dizzy. She was
back inside her cabin. Violent shivers convulsed
her body. The numbness was slowly replaced by
pain. Then she was on the edge of the bed and
her clothes were being stripped off.
"What  what're you doing?" She fought to
control her body's trembling.
"You've got to get out of these wet clothes."
Robyn didn't struggle. Somehow, some part of
her brain knew he was right. She looked at the
stranger who'd pulled her from the lake. A tall,
broad-shouldered man. Dark hair and eyes. Husky
voice. He was wet, too, she realized. He'd
gotten that way saving her life.
"Who  who are y-you?" she spoke through
chattering teeth.
"Jesse
Hawke." His hands never slowed in their work
of undressing her. "I'm a bounty hunter. I'm
after "
"The bad guy," she managed to say.
His dark gaze collided with hers and a new
kind of warmth surged inside her. He nodded,
then ushered her to her feet so that he could
drag her jeans down her legs. Crouched in front
of her, his movements slowed as if he'd just
realized that she stood practically naked before
him.
Her modesty kicking in a little late, Robyn
grabbed the quilt from the bed and held it to
her chest. The stranger  Jesse Hawke, he'd
called himself  stood, took the quilt from her,
and swaddled it around her.
"You need something hot to drink," he said
wearily.
He was the one trembling now. For the first
time, Robyn noticed the pale quality of his
skin. It looked so out of place considering his
dark features. She also noticed how handsome
this stranger was. Too handsome.
"Wait." Her common sense finally filtered to
the forefront of her tired brain. "I'll need to
see some ID."

He swallowed hard, the movement somehow
distracting. "My ID was stolen."
"Who took it?" A mixture of fear and
suspicion crept into her heart, making it pound
a little harder. Who was this man? Was he really
the bounty hunter, or could he be 
He peeled off his damp sheepskin coat,
grimacing with the effort. "Look, lady, you'll
just have to trust me."
Robyn's self-preservation checked in next. "I
think maybe you should leave."
He looked at her for one long moment. A kind
of understanding passed between them. "All
right," he acquiesced.
No sooner were the words out of his mouth
than he staggered back a step, then dropped like
a rock.
Startled, Robyn knelt next to him. He was too
cold, but his pulse was strong and steady. No
bleeding as far as she could tell. Where had he
come from? Was he the bounty hunter Wallace had
told her about? Without ID there was no way for
her to know. Well, whoever he was, he definitely
wasn't going anywhere.

Chapter Two






Robyn's immediate instinct urged her to run
for the two-way radio. She keyed the handset,
anticipating
Wallace's crotchety voice, but her stomach
twisted into a knot when static crackled over
the airwaves.
She looked out the front window as Mother
Nature's winter mood railed against the glass.
Robyn groaned. Another storm had made its way
over the peaks. To make matters worse, once it
settled over the lake, the intensity always
increased. The weather would make radio
reception impossible.
A low moan jerked Robyn's attention back to
the handsome stranger lying motionless on her
floor. He'd claimed to be
Jesse Hawke, a bounty hunter  but with no
ID, she had no proof that he wasn't the bad guy.
A sudden shiver coursed through her.
Instinctively, she pulled the quilt tighter
about herself. Wallace's words echoed in her
mind  armed and dangerous. Still, whoever this
man might be, he had saved her life. Would a
criminal have taken the time to rescue her?
Charlie's sharp bark startled her from her
thoughts. The Labrador was still outside. He
scratched at the door until Robyn released the
latch. The big, black dog lumbered in, pushing
past Robyn as she struggled to close the door
against the driving wind.
An erratic banging filtered through the howl
of the storm. She squinted through the white
whirlwind of snow toward the barn, where the
door flapped wildly in the wind. For a moment,
Robyn thought she glimpsed a figure darting into
the dark maw of the open building. She rubbed
her eyes and looked again, but saw nothing but
the ferocity of the mountain winter. Robyn drove
her full weight against the cabin door and
latched it tight.
A pathetic whimper drew her attention back
into the room. Charlie lay next to Jesse, his
furred chin resting on the man's broad chest. He
looked up at Robyn with soulful brown eyes, a
look he usually used when asking for an extra
dog treat.
"Oh, some protector you are!" She
halfheartedly scolded the dog. "You got me into
this mess, remember?"

In response, Charlie reached a large black
paw over Jesse, then turned a wistful gaze
toward the man's face and sighed.
Robyn, too, looked at the man claiming to be
Jesse Hawke, his strong jawline and determined
chin. Crow's feet and laugh lines etched a
good-natured character into his tanned face. It
was a face Robyn might have enjoyed getting
acquainted with, but the only men she trusted
these days were those she created in her books.
Another moan, barely audible, escaped Jesse's
bluing lips. Charlie looked up at Robyn in
alarm.
Suddenly, she realized that this was no
fictional character in one of her novels. This
was a real, live human being  though not for
long if she didn't do something. He'd saved her
life  the least she could do was save his.
Quickly, she stripped the soaked clothing
from Jesse's chilled body. She had to warm him
up, but how?
Taking her cue from Charlie, she laid her
almost naked body directly on top of his, then
pulled the old quilt over them both. She put her
head against his smooth chest, but the only
sounds she could hear were the crackling of the
hearth fire and the raging wind outside.
"I'm too late, Charlie." Her head fell.
Then slowly, faintly, she heard a rhythmic
heartbeat. She pressed her cheek deeper into his
chest, faintly aware of the well-developed
muscles. Yes, there it was. A weak, but
gratefully steady beat. Robyn sighed with
relief.
Jesse stirred slightly, intimate portions of
him brushing against Robyn's long leg through
his damp boxers. The sudden warmth that flushed
through her body startled her. Such raw feelings
had been alien to her for too long. Her own
pulse quickened.
Gingerly, she tried to adjust her body to a
less awkward position. She slipped a soft hand
down his flank, searching for a steadying
position on the floor. Delicate fingers trailed
across a long scar at his waistline. She gently
lifted the quilt to investigate. She traced the
ridged outline of the old wound, wondering at
its history.
"I was stabbed."
The sudden male voice caused Robyn to leap
backward. She landed in a tangled heap with
Charlie, who had been quietly dozing.
"I'm sorry. I thought you were dying. I was
just trying to warm you up." Robyn pressed
herself against the foot of the sofa, pulling
her knees tightly into her.
Jesse struggled to sit up, but faltered.
Robyn instinctively reached forward to steady
him. As her fingers brushed his arm, his dark
eyes met hers. Robyn's blue eyes widened. His
face broke into a weak but wide smile. He
touched a hand to his head and winced.
"Thanks. The guy I'm after,
Holcomb, is a nasty piece of work. I was
taking him in to the authorities when he managed
to clobber me, steal my ID, and escape. I
tracked him all day yesterday, then spent the
night in your barn," Jesse admitted sheepishly
as Robyn looked up, surprised. "Between that and
dragging you out of the lake, I must have been
bordering on acute hypothermia. You probably
saved my life."
Robyn managed a grin. "I guess that makes us
even."
"Not exactly. You have two distinct
advantages over me," Jesse countered.
Charlie's cocked head mimicked Robyn's own.
"What's that?"
Jesse gestured to the quilt. "One, you seem
to have a little more clothing than me. Two, you
know my name, but I have no idea who you are."

Robyn reddened to the tips of her toes. She
extended a hand, which Jesse took in a gentle
but firm shake.
"My name is Robyn Fletcher. I would show you
some ID, but I seem to have left it in my other
pants."
They both laughed, a welcome respite from the
mounting tension Robyn had felt since that first
resounding crack in the ice.
"I think I can find some clothes for both of
us," Robyn stood. "My grandfather was about your
size. His old clothes should fit you."
"That would be great," Jesse began as he
slowly tried to stand. "Then I guess I'll be on
my way." He wobbled, barely catching himself on
the edge of the overstuffed armchair. Robyn
grabbed his arm.
"Whoa! You're not going anywhere. There's a
raging storm out there." She assisted Jesse into
the chair.
"But so is Holcomb."
Despite the wave of warmth from the fire,
Robyn shuddered as she recalled the dark figure
she thought she saw going into her barn.
Suddenly, Charlie's ears perked up. Robyn's
skin prickled as Charlie emitted a low, menacing
growl. Both Robyn and Jesse followed Charlie's
gaze toward the window, where a dark shadow was
silhouetted against the blowing snow.

Chapter
Three




Robyn and
Jesse glanced at each other, then back at
the window. The figure was gone.
"I'll get our clothes." Nervously Robyn
headed into the bedroom, her steps quick and
purposeful.
Jesse's full attention remained focused on
the window. Charlie also remained riveted, and
the low growl in his throat didn't let up.
Robyn returned with some clothes for her and
Jesse. They both dressed quickly.
She was almost right about her grandfather's
clothes: They fit Jesse in length, but not in
breadth. His broad shoulders and well-muscled
arms strained against the material. Her gaze
lingered a moment longer than was necessary.
She banished the sensual image from her mind.
This was no time to be thinking about how well
Jesse filled out a shirt. "Who do you think is
out there?"
"I don't know." Jesse began.
His answer was cut short by a loud pounding
on the cabin door.
Robyn's heart leapt into her throat as her
eyes locked onto his.
"Robyn?" A deep voice called out. "It's Jim.
Are you in there?" Concern dripped from every
word.
Robyn smiled, weak with relief. "It's okay.
It's the sheriff. His uncle must have sent him
up here to check on me." She didn't know why she
told Jesse that little white lie. Jim Trenton
had had a "thing" for Robyn ever since they were
teenagers, but she never encouraged him. He
stopped in frequently, especially when the
weather was bad.
She noticed Jesse slip silently into her
bedroom before she pulled open the heavy wooden
door.
In front of her stood not one, but two large
men, huddled against the onslaught of the storm.
Robyn blinked quickly and stared up at the
stranger beside the sheriff, her skin crawling
once again.

His head was covered by a navy blue stocking
cap, barely hiding his shaggy shock of dark
brown hair. His face was slightly disfigured by
one scarred eye that drooped a little at the
corner. He looked in need of a shave.
The stranger scanned Robyn from head to toe,
then focused his attention on something in the
room behind her.
Charlie charged forward and barked
ferociously at the stranger, who wisely moved
back and slightly behind the sheriff.
Robyn automatically grabbed the dog's collar
and turned her attention to her friend.
"Hey, Jim, what's up?" She again glanced
uneasily at the stranger.
Jim's eyes momentarily softened as they
melted over Robyn.
"Robyn, this is Jesse Hawke, the bounty
hunter my uncle
Wallace told you about. I came up here to
check on you and I found him searching your barn
for the fugitive. Jesse, this is Robyn
Fletcher."
Robyn's eyes widened with surprise as she
momentarily loosened her grip on Charlie's
collar. She grabbed it again before the lunging
dog's teeth could make contact with their
target.
"Can I see some identification?" she demanded
as she looked this new "Jesse" fully in the eye.
She needed a moment to think.
The stranger seemed almost eager to provide
the ID as he quickly reached into his shirt
pocket and produced a very mangled leather
billfold with equally damaged contents.
"I ran into a little trouble with the man I'm
hunting,
Holcomb. My wallet took a knife intended for
my chest. I'm afraid it's pretty badly beat up."

His driver's license was conveniently stabbed
right through the face. The name, however, was
intact. As she scrutinized the documents, her
hand curled around a small piece of paper stuck
to the underside of his license.
Robyn nodded, handed back the wallet and
hoped he believed she was satisfied. She
casually stuffed her hand into her jeans, hiding
the unknown item deep in her pocket.
"I'm sorry. Please come in." Robyn stepped
aside, holding the door open for Jim and
"Jesse." She motioned to Charlie to stay by the
door.
Her writer's brain sailed into high gear. Now
there were two men in her cabin claiming to be
Jesse Hawke! She didn't like the looks of the
man Jim obviously believed was the bounty
hunter. How did Jim get hooked up with this
"Jesse"? Should she tell Jim privately that
another "Jesse" was hiding in her bedroom?
Robyn mentally shook herself, trying to clear
her thoughts. Her reasons for trusting Jesse
hadn't changed. She decided to keep his
whereabouts a secretfor now.
"Do you mind if we take a quick look inside?
We've already checked the outbuildings." Jim and
"Jesse" removed their boots as they scanned the
cabin's interior. "The roads are getting pretty
treacherous and we have a couple more cabins to
check out before nightfall."
"Sure. Are you thinking that the guy might be
hiding in here?" She hoped against hope that
Jesse would find someplace to hide himself if
they searched her room.
"We think there's a good possibility that he
hunkered down someplace nearby to wait out the
storm." Jim replied.
"What did this guy do?" She asked, feigning
innocence as "Jesse" began to search her bedroom
and Jim headed into her kitchen.

"He's wanted for numerous bank robberiesand
he's dangerous. That's why we're checking out
your cabin. We don't want him anywhere near
you." Jim replied from the other room.
Satisfied that there was no one in the
kitchen, Jim moved on to the bathroom. Robyn let
out the breath she had been unconsciously
holding. Where could Jesse have hidden?
"So what do bounty hunters do, exactly?" She
caught the stranger's eye as he came out of her
bedroom.
"They're paid to find criminals and bring
them back to the police." He answered curtly.
The fact that he referred to bounty hunters as
"they" was not lost on Robyn.
"Well, he's definitely not here." Jim stated
as the two men met up again in the living room.
"Is your radio working, Robyn?"
"It wasn't earlier. I tried to get in touch
with Wallace to check on the storm, but I just
got static."
"Would you consider coming back to town with
us until Jesse gets this guy?"
His request was met with an emphatic shake of
Robyn's head.
"I'll be fine. I have plenty of supplies and
a good strong lock on the door." She didn't
mention to them that she also kept a loaded
shotgun behind her closet door. "If you two
intend to check any more cabins, you'd better
get going before the worst of the storm hits."
"You're sure we can't persuade you to come
with us? I'd feel a lot better if I knew for
sure you were safe from this guy," Jim pleaded
with Robyn.
Robyn shook her head. "No. I'll be fine.
Besides, I have Charlie to look after me." Robyn
gestured toward the door where Charlie sat,
alert and bristling. He clearly didn't like
"Jesse" any more than she did.
Reluctantly, Jim agreed, and the two men
left.
Robyn shut the door behind them, then called
out an all clear to Jesse. After a couple of
minutes, his tall, well-muscled form stepped out
of her bedroomholding her shotgun tightly in
his hands.
His words sent a chill up Robyn's spine.
"He knows I'm here."

Chapter
Four




Robyn froze. "What do you mean, 'he knows'?"
"I was behind your bedroom door, holding
this."
Jesse held up the shotgun.
"I forgot to " Robyn began.
"Load it," Jesse finished for her. "So I
noticed. Luckily,
Holcomb didn't know that."
"Were you going toto shoot him?" Robyn
asked, a seed of fear taking root in her belly.
She stared at the shotgun, then back up at him.
The corner of Jesse's mouth tipped up in a
grin. It wasn't hard to guess what was going
through her mind. "I'm a bounty hunter, Robyn,
not an assassin."
"Prove it." She dug the paper out of her
pocket. "I removed this from your wallet when
Holcomb showed me your I.D., claiming it was
his. Tell me what it says."
Jesse furrowed his brow. "After all we've
been through, you still don't believe me?" He
sighed, resigned. "I guess I can't blame you.
You have a right to be suspicious. That paper
you're holding is the address of the local
sheriff's office. That's where I was taking
Holcomb when he managed to escape."
Robyn sighed with relief. He was correct.
She'd been right to trust him after all.
Jesse handed her the shotgun and moved to the
window. "I'm betting that Holcomb plans to use
the sheriff to guide him off the mountain." He
left out that Holcomb had threatened to kill
Robyn if Jesse blew his cover.
"Why didn't you try to stop him?"
"Holcomb had a gun. I didn't." Unarmed, Jesse
hadn't had a chance.
Robyn joined him at the window. "He could
have killed you. And me. AndJim!" She gasped,
suddenly looking stricken. "I have to warn him!"
In seconds she had the two-way radio in her
hand.
Jesse moved quickly to stop her. "You'll get
him killed." He gently twisted the speaker from
her hand. "Robyn, you can't. Think for a second.
Jim's safe as long as he doesn't discover
Holcomb's identity."
Robyn had never felt so helpless. "Then I'm
calling
Wallace. He'll know what to do."

Jesse again blocked access to
the radio. "You can't. What if Jim and Holcomb
are monitoring the radio frequency?"

Frustrated, Robyn pushed past him. "We can't
just sit here. We have to do something."
"I'll go after them." He shot her a look.
"You are staying here."
Robyn straightened her shoulders and glared
at Jesse. "You're not leaving this cabin without
me."
"Watch me."
"Jesse" she pleaded.
He ignored her, pulled on his still-wet boots
and scanned the room for the keys to the truck
he'd seen earlier in the barn.
"You won't get far before you're lost. And
you don't know the way to the other cabins."
Their eyes locked in silent battle. "You need
me."
Finally, Jesse cleared his throat and looked
away. "No. I won't put you in danger."
"I could be in danger staying here." Just
saying the words aloud sent cold shivers down
her spine.
She was right. She'd be a sitting duck. Jesse
swore under his breath. "Get your coat."
 
* * *
 
In the barn they stared at the slashed tires
of her truck.
"Son of a" Jesse muttered. "Looks like your
boyfriend's on his own for a while."
"Jim's just a friend," Robyn said quickly,
suddenly aware of Jesse's intense scrutiny. He
was leaning against the cab of the truck,
looking relaxed except for the tight line of his
jaw.
"He's protective of you." Jesse pushed off
the truck and took a step toward her.
Her breath quickened at his faintly
possessive look. "Jim does his best to look out
for me," she stammered. Jesse was close enough
that the smell of warm male skin was invading
her senses.
Suddenly, a gust of wind whipped the barn
door closed. Robyn jumped.
"It's just the wind." Jesse assured her. He
placed a finger under her chin and tipped her
face to his. "But if it makes you feel better,
I'm an excellent protector of damsels in
distress. Especially ones as pretty as you." He
stroked her bottom lip with his thumb and a bolt
of electricity shot through her.
"Who will protect me from you?" Robyn asked
quietly, fighting the urge to throw herself into
his strong, safe arms.
Jesse groaned and dropped his hands to his
sides. "I'm sorry. That was out of line." He
shoved a hand through his damp hair. "Storm's
getting worse. We'd better get back to the
cabin."
Before Robyn could respond, Jesse had bundled
her out the door and was practically carrying
her through the deep snow back to the cabin,
using his body as a shield from the storm.
The contact between Jesse's body and her own
awakened every female instinct Robyn had buried
for the past year. By the time they were inside,
a slow burn had ignited in Robyn's body. She was
in trouble and she knew it.
Jesse steered her toward the dying fire and
drew her against the warmth of his body. Her
eyes closed and she made a soft sound of
surrender as he reached around her and stripped
off her wet coat.
"You'll have to spend the night." She told
him in a quiet voice, feeling a tiny stab of
excitement at the prospect. She felt his hands
drift lightly down the sides of her body,
causing a slight trembling deep inside her.
"Is that an invitation?" Jesse said softly,
bringing his hands to rest on her hips. Before
she could object, he pulled her to him.

Instantly, she became aware of distinctly
hard thighs against hers, and an iron arm
pressing her to his chest. What she felt was
alarming. And incredibly arousing.
"Mmm" she murmured, a strange, tingling
sensation spreading over her flesh and a shudder
running down her spine as Jesse bent to kiss
her.
Suddenly a voice crackled over the two-way
radio. "Robyn. Come in, Robyn. This is Wallace."
Robyn and Jesse both started and stared
dumbly at the radio.
"Dammit, Robyn! Are you there? Answer me!"
Jarred into action, Robyn moved in the
direction of the radio, but Jesse stopped her.
She followed his gaze to the cabin's front
window, where faint headlights flashed against
the glass. Charlie began to bark furiously.
Wallace now sounded frantic. "Robyn, if
you're there, listen to me. Jim's been shot.
Holcomb stole his truck and he's headed your
way!"

Chapter
Five




Jesse stepped back, deeper into the shadow
of the room and pulled her with him, his arm
protectively curled around her waist. He held
her tightly to him and she leaned back against
his chest, the top of her head tucked under his
chin.
They watched the headlights through the
window. The lights appeared to head in the
direction of the cabin and then they moved away,
disappearing into the forest.
Both of them stood frozen, watching the
window to see if the lights came back. A few
minutes went by as they concentrated on the
window.

Robyn let out a long sigh. "He must be on
the logging road. In good weather it's hard to
see the cabin from the road and with this snow
it would be virtually impossible." Robyn turned
and looked at Jesse, hopeful. "Maybe he's lost
and can't find his way back."

Wallace's voice crackled across the radio.
"Robyn! I'll get out to you as soon as I can.
Are you okay? Answer me!"
Robyn looked at the radio, then at Jesse. "I
have to answer him. We have an emergency code."
"What's the code?"
"If I click the microphone three times it
means I'm okay. With the static on the radio
because of the storm, he probably won't even
hear it, but I have to try."
"Give it a shot and see, but don't talk. If
Holcomb is monitoring the radio, he'll know
we're still here."
Jesse released her. Robyn walked over to the
radio microphone, and slowly clicked it three
times.
This time when Wallace answered, the panic in
his voice was less. "Robyn. Holcomb shot Jim in
the shoulder, but he'll be okay. If you can hear
me, I'm coming out as soon as I can. Stay safe."
The radio went dead.
Robyn breathed a sigh of relief. "He got it."
She smiled at Jesse.
He lifted Robyn's rifle and opened the
chamber. "Where are the bullets?"
Robyn led him to the bedroom. "In here. I
keep a box of ammo tucked in my dresser drawer."
She pulled open the drawer and rummaged through
silk and lace panties and bras.
"Mmm, nice." Jesse leaned over her shoulder
and peered at the tumble of her lingerie. His
hand reached around her waist and into the
drawer, burrowing between her silky
under-things. An electrical charge crackled
between them at his touch. Robyn caught her
breath and sagged against him as simmering
passion flared again.

"Ah, here we are." He murmured
against her ear.
The box of ammo was in his
hand. Robyn twisted around. She was pinned
between him and the dresser. The length of his
body intimately molded against hers. Robyn's
heart thrummed in her chest. Even with danger
lurking outside, she could not move away or deny
the arousal she felt for him.
"We should load the rifle." Robyn's voice
trailed off.
Jesse leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss
on her trembling mouth. Their lips clung
together for a brief moment before they moved
apart. Jesse's hand cupped her cheek, and he ran
his thumb across her lower lip as he had before.

"We have to be ready for him. There's no
guarantee that he's lost. For him to shoot Jim
was a desperate move and he's most dangerous
now." He slid the cartridges into the chamber.
Jesse walked into the darkening living room
holding Robyn's hand; the rifle was hooked over
his arm. Night was falling rapidly and the fire
burned low. Robin let go of Jesse's hand and
reached for a log from the rack by the
fireplace.
"No, leave the fire," Jesse's hand stayed
Robyn's.
"Why? It'll be freezing in here in a few
hours."
"If Holcomb comes back, it will look as if
we're not here. It might hold him off from
approaching the cabin. The weather could break,
and Wallace might be able to get to us before
Holcomb decides to pick a fight." Jesse looked
out the window into the darkness.
In silent agreement, Robyn went to the
bedroom closet and hauled down some quilts and
blankets. She carried them to the couch and
dumped them in a pile.
Charlie was curled up on the rug in front of
the fire; his soft eyes followed her every move.
Taking a blanket from the pile, Robyn laid it on
the floor by the fire. Charlie got up, lumbered
to the blanket, and flopped down with a
contented groan.
"There, that should keep the chill from your
bones." She scratched behind his ears as his
tail thumped the floor.
Jesse continued to keep watch while Robyn
went into the kitchen and made some coffee. She
came back with a large thermos and put it on the
table.
"This will warm our bellies when the
temperature starts to go down outside."
She felt Jesse watching her as she continued
to move around the cabin, closing the doors to
the other rooms, hoping to keep the warmth in
the living room.

Every nerve tingled as if he was touching her
with his hands. Robyn found it difficult to
breathe, she was so acutely aware of him. She
fussed with the quilts and kept rearranging
them.
Jesse came up behind her and settled his
hands on her hips. Robyn froze. His warm hands
slid up her sides, back down, and around to her
belly. She trembled under his touch and closed
her eyes, savoring the moment. Gently he drew
her against his chest and held her tightly, his
arms wrapped around her. His breath fluttered
against her hair and he nuzzled at her ear, then
found the hollow of her neck.
Robyn leaned into him and arched her back as
he tugged at her shirt. His fingers fanned
across her quivering belly. All breathing
stopped as his thumb ran deliciously inside the
waistband of her jeans.
She turned to face him and reached up to
tangle her fingers in his hair. Robyn pulled his
head down to hers, caught in the heat of his
gaze. His arms, though corded with muscle,
cradled her as though she were made of crystal.
He bent his head to meet her lips with his, and
kissed her deeply.
Silently, Robyn prayed for no interruptions
and wound her arms around Jesse's neck.

Chapter Six



Time stood still as
Robyn savored
Jesse's kiss. The gentle touch of his lips
and tongue sent ripples of pleasure throughout
her body. As they kissed, Robyn felt Jesse
slowly undo the buttons of her sweater. She
gasped as the backs of his fingers grazed
against her skin. Gently, he removed her
sweater, letting it fall to the floor.
"Beautiful." His words sounded like a hushed
lullaby as he gazed at her in the dimming
firelight. Then in one smooth movement, Jesse
picked Robyn up, cradling her against his chest.
Slowly, he lowered her to the couch and kneeled
beside her.
"Jesse." Her voice was full of ache and raw
hunger as she lifted her arms to him. Jesse
groaned and took her mouth with his in another
passionate kiss. Then he pulled his sweater over
his head, tossing the garment to the floor.
Robyn inhaled sharply at the expanse of
tanned, muscular flesh that was now illuminated
by the soft firelight. Hesitantly, Robyn let her
fingers explore the sinewy strength of him.
Jesse groaned and she stopped immediately.
"Did I hurt you?" she asked. Jesse let out a
deep, soft chuckle.
"You didn't hurt me," he reassured her as his
fingers slowly traced the line of her collarbone
and slid up her neck into her hair. Robyn
couldn't help the moan that escaped her from his
sensual touch.
"My thoughts exactly," Jesse said, looking
deep into her eyes. He bent his head and slowly
teased her mouth with his lips and tongue. Robyn
felt as if she were going to jump out of her
skin, she wanted him so much.
Robyn barely breathed as Jesse leisurely ran
a finger underneath the lacy strap of her bra
and then over the soft swell of her bosom. He
stood, then lowered himself onto the couch,
covering her trembling form with his own.
"Are you cold?" he asked in a whisper. Robyn
could only shake her head no as Jesse cradled
her against him. Hot, muscular maleness covered
her from head to toe. She was left speechless by
the exquisite sensations Jesse's touch caused as
he slowly caressed her and nuzzled her hair.
Robyn's eyes closed as she enjoyed how
precious he made her feel. Then she felt his
lips upon hers, and all coherent thought was
lost to the electricity that surged between
them. Lips and hands searched and found every
pleasurable spot they could reach. Soft moans
echoed around them as the fire continued to die
down. But neither of them felt the increasing
cold. The heat of their passion kept them more
than warm enough.Robyn moaned as Jesse's fingers trailed down
her rib cage, across her taut belly, and traced
the waistband of her formfitting jeans. Minutes
seemed like hours as his fingers slowly started
to unbutton them.
Somewhere in her mind, Robyn damned ever
owning a pair of button-fly jeans. A zipper
would have been less cumbersome. But as Jesse
continued to slowly unbutton her jeans, it
became an erotic dance that she would have
dreamed of only in the plots of her novels.
His mouth blazed a wet, hot trail down the
smooth column of her neck. Jesse's fingers
parted the denim then, finding the satin
smoothness of her panties. Robyn arched her
burning body into the hot, searing length of
his, wishing he would hurry, but loving the feel
of his hands on her as he took his time.
Suddenly, Charlie crept forward from the
fireplace, emitting a low menacing growl toward
the door. Jesse's movements stilled immediately
and he gestured for Robyn not to make a sound.
She clung to him, fear replacing the
all-consuming passion she had felt just moments
earlier.
A thump sounded from the porch. Jesse reached
down to the floor and grabbed both of their
sweaters. Quickly, he yanked his on and pushed
Robyn's into her hands, gesturing for her to get
down to the floor so she would have less chance
of being seen. He crouched on the floor, as
well, the rifle ready in his hands, his eyes
never wavering from the cabin door.
Swiftly, Robyn buttoned her jeans and pulled
on her sweater, trying hastily to do up the
small buttons. Another thump sounded from the
porch, stilling all movement within the cabin.
"Robyn?" Robyn let out a sigh of relief as
she heard the familiar voice. She crept closer
to Jesse.
"It's
Wallace," she said in an urgent whisper. "He
said he was going to come and check up on me."

Jesse glanced at her, then looked back toward
the door. "Are you sure?"
Robyn laid a reassuring hand on Jesse's
forearm. "I'd know the sound of his voice
anywhere."
Jesse nodded toward the door and followed
Robyn as she went to open it for Wallace. Just
as she lifted the latch, the door was shoved
open.
"Robyn, move, quick!" Wallace yelled. Charlie
started barking furiously.

Wallace hurried inside and tried to push the
door closed, but he was no match for the person
on the other side. A hand holding a pistol
emerged from behind the door and came down hard
on Wallace's head. The door was shoved wide
open. Robyn immediately moved to Wallace's side
and then recoiled in fear as she saw
Holcomb standing on the threshold of the
cabin.
Jesse stepped forward to stop Holcomb from
entering, but stopped in his tracks as Holcomb
calmly pointed the pistol at Robyn's head.
"Try it and she's dead." Holcomb grabbed
Robyn's arm and forced her to get up, keeping
the pistol pressed against her head. He made her
close and latch the door. Holcomb then nodded
toward Jesse's rifle next.
"On the floor and easy." Jesse hesitated a
moment, but then slid the rifle toward his
enemy. Charlie growled menacingly and crept
toward Holcomb and Robyn.
"Stop him or I will." Holcomb started to
point the pistol at Charlie, but Jesse grabbed
his collar to keep him at bay. Holcomb then
shoved Robyn roughly across the room against
Jesse.
"Well," said Holcomb, his dark eyes
threatening. "Looks like we have an interesting
night ahead of us."

Chapter
Seven



 
An icy chill raced through
Robyn as she met
Holcomb's menacing stare. Cutting her gaze
to
Wallace, still lying prone on the floor, she
tried to assess his injury. He didn't move, and
blood trickled from a gash on his head.
"Let me help Wallace," she appealed to
Holcomb, the calm in her voice belying the
anxiety swirling in her gut.
"No. Stay back. No tricks or you're all
dead." Holcomb waved the pistol at them, and she
sensed the man's growing panic in his jerky
movements.

Jesse stepped slowly, smoothly beside her,
his hands raised in a conciliatory fashion. "No
tricks, Holcomb. Just let her tend to his head
injury. I know you don't want to add murder to
the list of charges against you."
Jesse's solid presence warmed and reassured
her, made her feel safer despite the gun pointed
at them.
"I said no. Now move on over to that sofa,
and no heroics, Hawke, or the woman gets the
first bullet."
Jesse placed a hand on her arm. "Do as he
says."
What choice did she have? For the moment at
least, Holcomb had the upper hand. She didn't
doubt for a second, though, that Jesse's brain
was hard at work, examining every angle of their
situation and figuring a way out.
She edged toward the sofa, the same spot
where moments ago Jesse had been about to make
love to her. When this nightmare was over, would
Jesse walk out of her life or did she dare hope
that she'd finally found someone she could trust
with her heart?

A groan yanked her out of her musings. Her
attention flew to a small movement from
Wallace's hand. Holcomb, too, darted a glance at
the man on the floor behind him. That split
second of Holcomb's inattention was all Jesse
needed.
Springing forward, Jesse tackled Holcomb,
grabbing the hand that held the pistol and
shifting the aim of the weapon off Robyn. A
gunshot rang in Robyn's ears and reverberated
off the walls of the cabin. Splinters of wood,
gouged from the ceiling by the bullet, rained
down around the two men as they struggled for
control of the pistol.
Her heart thundering, Robyn dove for the
rifle lying on the cabin floor and swung it
toward the struggling pair. Charlie barked and
nipped at Holcomb's heels, adding to the
confusion.
The two men grunted and grimaced as they
fought. She couldn't fire at Holcomb for fear of
hitting Jesse, but a glance at Wallace gave her
another idea. Raising the butt of the rifle, she
moved in behind Holcomb and waited for a clear
path.
Jesse landed an elbow in Holcomb's stomach,
hard enough to slow his opponent. Holcomb's
brief incapacity gave Robyn enough time to bring
the end of the rifle down on his skull. The
fugitive sank to his knees, and Jesse wrested
the pistol from Holcomb's hand.
"Good shot," Jesse said, panting for breath
and flashing her a grin.
"Are you all right?"
Jesse swiped blood from his swollen lip
before nodding. Robyn heaved a deep sigh of
relief.
But her relief came too soon. Holcomb lunged
to his feet, catching Robyn off guard, and
knocked her backward.
"Robyn!" Jesse's shout shook her from her
momentary shock. She gasped as Holcomb grabbed
for the rifle, an angry fire blazing in his
eyes. She squeezed her fingers around the gun,
determined not to release the weapon to the
madman. But rather than snatching the rifle from
her, Holcomb used the gun to pin her against the
wall.
Again Jesse seized Holcomb, wrapping an arm
around the fugitive's neck to pull him off
Robyn. He dragged him to the floor and pinned
him with a knee in the small of his back.
Pressing the muzzle of the pistol to the back of
Holcomb's skull, Jesse growled, "Don't move."

Robyn hurried to Wallace's side and checked
the wound on his head. "This is a nasty gash. He
needs to get to a hospital."
Jesse nodded. "Find something to tie
Holcomb's hands and feet. We'll take Wallace to
the doctor on our way to turn this scumbag over
to the cops."
Robyn found some rope, and Jesse quickly
bound Holcomb's hands and feet. Together, she
and Jesse loaded the fugitive and Wallace in the
four-wheel drive the retired sheriff had driven
up to help her.
"Keep this aimed at Holcomb until he's in
custody," Jesse said, handing her the pistol as
he slid into the driver's seat. Robyn took the
gun and held it, keeping the muzzle centered on
the fugitive's chest as Jesse drove. The worst
of the storm had passed by now, but the roads
were still treacherous.
Robyn cast an occasional glance at Jesse
during the ride down the mountain. Despite her
gratitude that the danger had passed, melancholy
weighed heavily on her chest. Holcomb's capture
meant Jesse's job on her mountain was finished.
He would be moving on. Their association would
be over before really getting started, and she
felt the loss to her marrow. Unless...
Swallowing a knot of despair, she cleared her
throat. "So Jesse...now what?"
His gaze focused on the road ahead, Jesse
replied, "What do you mean?"
"I mean, now that you've apprehended Holcomb,
your work is done." She locked a penetrating
gaze on him, her heart in her throat. "Where
does that leave...us?"

Chapter
Eight



It was a long time before
Jesse answered her question.
"Let's have this discussion after we get
Wallace to the hospital," he suggested
without looking at her.

Robyn wanted to weep. How had she allowed
this to happen? It had taken her almost a year
to pull her life back together after the man
she'd thought she loved had broken her heart.
She'd sworn that she would never trust anyone
with her heart again. And what had she done? In
the space of a few hours she'd fallen head over
heels for a total stranger.
Sure she knew his name and that he was a good
man. After all, he'd saved her life twice now.
Of course, she'd saved his, too. But the bottom
line was that they likely had nothing in common.
He obviously had an exciting life that kept him
on the road chasing down bad guys, while she
lived in seclusion on her mountain with the
characters she created for her stories. How on
earth could she expect a relationship between
two such completely different people to work?
She couldn't.
The remainder of the treacherous trip down
the mountain and into town was made in silence.
Robyn occupied herself by focusing on making
sure
Holcomb didn't make any sudden moves. She
would not think about Jesse Hawke and his hot
kisses...or his strong, broad shoulders, and
beautiful dark eyes. It was over. He had
captured the bad guymade the world a safer
place.
* * *
Robyn hurried alongside the gurney as the
emergency room attendants rushed Wallace into
the ER. "You're going to be fine," she assured
him, her voice quavering.
Several of the sheriff's men were already at
the hospital awaiting word on their boss when
she and Jesse arrived. Though in stable
condition, Jim was in surgery for a tendon
repair after Holcomb's gunshot wound to his
shoulder. The prognosis was excellent. He would
fully recover. As would her dear friend Wallace.
They paused at the wide set of double doors
that warned Authorized Personnel Only. "You'll
need to wait out here, ma'am," one of the
attendants told her.
She nodded and quickly pressed a kiss to
Wallace's frail hand. Tears flowed down her
cheeks as she watched the big doors close behind
the gurney. They'd told her he would be fine. A
few stitches would take care of his head wound,
but a CT scan would be performed just in case.
Still, she couldn't help but worry.
"They'll take good care of him."
The sound of Jesse's voice flowed over her
like warmed honey. She closed her eyes against
the fresh tears that surfaced. His job was
finished now. He'd turned his fugitive over to
the deputies standing by in the waiting room
while the hospital personnel took care of
Wallace.
She turned to face the man who now owned her
heart. "I guess it's time for you to go then."
She shrugged, pretending that her already
battered heart wasn't breaking into a million
screaming pieces. "I can take care of myself
from here."
A breathtaking half smile tilted one corner
of that full mouth. "I'll just bet you can."
Those dark eyes twinkled as if remembering her
part in the scuffle with Holcomb. "But we have
unfinished business first."
Before Robyn could protest, he curled strong
fingers around her forearm and practically
dragged her across the waiting room and down a
corridor until he'd found the room he was
looking for. When the door closed with a little
whoosh behind them, she turned on Jesse.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?
It's over," she said crossly. "You don't have to
drag it out for me. I'm a big girl. You're not
the first guy I've " She caught herself before
she said the words. Her eyes widened with the
realization of how close she'd come to telling
him that she loved him.

"Kissed?" he asked, that smile tugging at the
corners of his mouth again. His fingers still
clamped around her arm, he tugged her nearer.
"Or almost made love with?" he murmured against
her temple.
"Don't be ridiculous," she argued, drawing
away from him as much as possible with both his
muscular arms now wrapped firmly around her
waist. "We were both acting on adrenaline.
That's all. Stressful situations cause desperate
reactions. It's over now," she repeated in hopes
of saving herself the drawn-out excuses he would
no doubt make for having to leave.
His fingers splayed possessively on the small
of her back. "You really think I'm going to let
you go that easily?"
Startled, she stared up into those dark eyes.
"What do you mean?" She hated that her voice
sounded so hopefulso pathetically weak with
need for him.
He snuggled her closer to his chest. "I mean
just what you think I mean." He kissed her
forehead, his warm lips lingering there as he
continued, "I'm not going to just walk away from
the first woman I've ever fallen in love with."
Her breath catching in her throat, Robyn drew
back once more and stared up at him.
"How do you know you're in love with me?" she
asked hesitantly, afraid to believe it could be
true.
He smiled. "Partly because the mere thought
of never seeing you again makes me feel like
dying. I felt that way nearly the whole trip
from your place to the hospital." He caressed
her cheek with one long-fingered hand. "But then
I realized the truth. I love you, Robyn. From
the moment I saw you sliding across that thin
ice to rescue your dog, I knew you were
special." He kissed the tip of her nose. "The
way you warmed me with your own body before you
even knew my name." He brushed those tantalizing
lips over hers then looked deeply into her eyes.
"The way you kissed me. It was like I'd found
the long-lost other half of myself."
Robyn blinked back a renewed surge of tears.
Tears of joy this time. "But we might not have
anything in common," she worried.
The hand still at the small of her back
pressed her intimately against the proof of his
own need for her. "I think we have more in
common than you know." He stole another quick
kiss from her lips. "We both love nature and
animals." Another sweet nip of his mouth against
hers. "And I happen to know you feel the same
way as I do."
Her eyes rounded. "How did you know?" Her
heart was pounding like a drum now. She was
certain he could hear it.

He smiled again. "That little hitch in your
breathing whenever we're this close. The way
your body melts against mine."
She sighed, as much from contentment as
renewed anxiety. "But what will we do? We have
totally different lives."
His arms tightened around her waist once
more. "Hey, just because my job requires that I
travel a lot doesn't mean that I don't have a
home where, believe it or not, I spend most of
my time."
"But my home is here," she countered
cautiously. "I can't imagine living anywhere
else."
"Then I guess that mountain of yours will
just have to be my home, too," he suggested with
another brush of that sexy mouth over hers.
"That is," he added, his lips only a fraction of
an inch from hers, "if you'll have me."
"Oh, I'll have you," she assured him with a
quick kiss of her own. "As long as you don't
mind my modeling all my future heroes after
you."
"I wouldn't want it any other way."
"It's a deal then," she murmured.
Jesse sealed their deal with a long, sweet
kiss that promised a lifetime of love and
happiness.
 
The End