Page 50 of Dangerous Liaisons

The dense foliage quickly plunged them into total darkness. Jesse reconsidered the UV glasses, but paused, turned on the compass light, and slapped the compass’ Velcro bottom against the mating strap of her watch. She glanced at the watch. Twenty-nine minutes since they’d left the road. She placed a hand on the ground and felt earth slither under her fingers. Snake, she realized even as she scrambled backward. Cole grabbed her, rolling backwards. Her leg tangled in a vine and she got a face full of dirt as he stopped on top of her, pinning her to the ground.

“Get off me,” she spat through a mouthful of dirt.

“What happened?”

“Get off!” She coughed. Dammit. Why did Cole always end up on top?

He hesitated, then slid off her.

Jesse got to her knees. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you to ask before you grab a person?”

“You jumped on me. You wouldn’t do that unless something was wrong.”

“I came across a harmless snake.”

“There is no such thing as a harmless snake in Colombia. Did it bite you?”

His calm tone didn’t hide the note of tension in his voice. “No,” she replied, before realizing she wanted to know what he would have done had she said yes.

“You sure?” he demanded.

“Positive.”

“It’s risky crawling around here at night,” he muttered.

Jesse couldn’t discern his features, but couldn’t help staring. What did he think she’d been doing the last six years? He said he knew what she was capable of, yet he acted as if she were a helpless female.

Or like he cares what happens to you, an inner voice said.

“We’ll be all right,” she said. “If it’s too much for you, you can wait here.”

“You wouldn’t leave me here.”

“Wouldn’t I?”

“Nope.” He started crawling. “You’d be too worried wondering what I was up to.”