She closed in on the branches, now pulled down by Aiden and dipping into the water.She collided with them and grabbed two handfuls.
Aiden’s arm circled her chest.“I can touch the bottom, but the water is strong.I’m going to swing you toward the riverbank.Don’t let go of the branches until you’ve got a good footing.”
“Okay.”
He walked them as close to the side of the river as he could then pushed her toward the shore.Hanging on to the branches, she crawled onto the rocks jutting out from the slope.The cold air froze her body, making her muscles seize.She reached forward, grabbing the trunk of the tree that stuck out from the ravine.Then she let go of the branches.
Her body was weak and freezing, but she didn’t dare try to climb the ravine until Aiden was out.She watched as he walked toward the shore.The water was chest-height.His clothes were soaked through, and his sweater had to be heavier than her cardigan.He reached the slope, dug his free hand into the earth, and let go of the branches.He lifted his leg but slipped.
He collapsed into the water.
“Aiden!”Dez leaned down and grabbed hold of his sweater, keeping her arm looped around the tree trunk.
He regained his footing, a stream of curses leaving his lips.
Rough hands grabbed her bicep.“I’ve got Dez,” a male voice announced.
She snapped her head up to face Wes and gasped.Help was here.Oh, thank God.Another figure eased his way down the ravine and stretched his hand out to Aiden’s.She took in the light hair and build—Jaxon.
Her relief was so great that her bones weakened.“Oh, thank god,” she wheezed, as Aiden was pulled out of the water.He swooped his arm around her waist as if he’d never let her go again, and Jaxon and Wes helped them both up the ravine, where Quin waited.
“Holy shit.You know that river kills a few tourists a year, right?”Wes said, almost admonishingly.
Shivers racked Dez’s body and her teeth clanked together, rattling her jaw.Quin stripped off his sweater and Aiden tugged her cardigan off her.The material fell into a wet heap on the ground and Quin picked it up.
“How’d you find us?”Aiden asked, as he removed his sweater and came up behind Dez to fit Quin’s sweater over her head.
She should have been a bit embarrassed about someone dressing her in front of a group of men, but nope.Not now.All she cared about was getting warm and dry.
Jaxon gestured to Wes.“He spotted Meredith and promised to make her a torniquet if she told us what happened to you guys.She said Dez fell in the river and you went running after her.”
Dez snorted.“She pushed me.”
Wes lifted his shoulder.“I figured.Doesn’t matter.Hank’s got her now.”
Dez relaxed her shoulders and fell into step with the guys as they made their way through the woods.Her legs shook like Jell-O, and painful twitches tweaked her extremities.
Aiden’s arm around her waist, bearing half her weight, was the only thing that kept her from falling on her face.
She’d almost died.Would have if Aiden hadn’t jumped in after her.Tears stung her eyes at the thought of how quickly things could have turned—for Aiden or her.
They were lucky to be alive.
And tonight, she’d make it clear to him that she didn’t give a damn what people thought.Couldn’t care less if sleeping with the town’s hottest cop created gossip.
Whatever this ride was between Aiden and her, she wanted to stay on for the long haul.
CHAPTER 15
Aiden held Dezagainst his chest.For fifteen minutes she’d refused to be carried, but when her legs had given out, he’d scooped her up.
The guys led the way, and damn was he ever fucking grateful they were his friends.He might not have made it out of the river if Quin, Jaxon, and Wes hadn’t shown up when they had.
“I think I can walk now,” she said, every inch of her vibrated with tremors.
He flicked an amused gaze her way.“Hush.You’re frozen.Plus, the exercise is keeping me warm.”
“Well, then.”She snuggled in closer and pressed her fingers to the column of his neck.Hypothermia was a risk.The nights in the mountains were cold when the sun went down, but at least it wasn’t a colder month.Then he’d be really concerned about the temperature of her hands.
