Free Too Grand for Words (BookStrand Publishing Romance) by Natasza Waters

motioned for Mandy to go ahead.
    Moira and Mandy made it halfway across the bridge when the earthquake began in earnest. It rumbled through the ground, shaking it hard. They could barely keep their balance, and shot their arms out to steady themselves.
    “Mandy, get moving,” Moira yelled.
    “I’m trying.”
    They both lost their footing at the same time, and went down on their hands and knees to stop from falling.
    “Mandy, run,” Moira ordered.
    Mandy didn’t waste time. She shot forward and leaped toward the group. He caught her in his arms, and pulled her to safety on the small outcropping. Moira pushed herself up, shooting one foot out to her right as the ground shuddered. Stones began falling from somewhere up above, striking the bridge like small missiles.
    “Moira, get moving,” Marcus yelled.
    Steven heard a loud crack of rock. “Shit. Moira, jump now,” he yelled, about to launch himself onto the bridge.
    Moira ran a couple steps and catapulted herself as the bridge caved in on itself. With nothing but air underneath her feet, she reached out for the ledge. He threw himself onto his stomach to reach her. The cries of her crew erupted around him. Casting his hand out, he grabbed one wrist just as her body slammed into the cliff.
    “Moira, grab my arm with your other hand,” he called down to her.
    Moira clutched and grappled, trying to get a grip on the rocks with her right hand, but they crumbled in her fingers.
    “Slipping,” she cried.
    Her hand slid through his. “Moira, grab my wrist,” he roared, his heart raging in his chest. He couldn’t reach her, and he barely had a hold on her one hand. His eyes slammed shut. Hot and sweaty, he couldn’t stop her hand from sliding through his fingers. “Give me your other hand.”
    “Moira, oh God,” Mandy cried out, falling to her knees beside him. “Reach, Moira, come on, girl. Reach.”
    Moira’s small hand clutched his wrist. Clamping down on her like a vise he said, “I’ve got you. Use your feet to keep yourself away from the rock face.”
    She cantilevered away from the sharp rocks as he pulled her over the side. With one fluid movement, he yarded her right into his arms, and away from the edge.
    “Holy shit,” he whispered, cradling her tightly to him.
    “Moira—” Mandy knelt beside her as did the others. “Are you okay?”
    Moira breathed out slowly. She touched her forehead lightly and winced. Blood covered her fingertips. “I think I’ve just had my first heart attack.” Moira cupped his jaw in her hand. “Thank you.”
    He pulled a curl of hair from her cheek as adrenaline burned through him. He thought he’d known fear before, but he didn’t know squat until a minute ago. “Mandy, do you have—”
    “Here.” She thrust a cloth into his hand before he could finish.
    He held the towel to Moira’s forehead, curling her closer to him. “Talk about timing,” he said, pulling the cloth away. “It’s not bad, Moira, it’s just a small cut.”
    “I think I’ve just got an idea for my book.”
    “You’re thinking about your book!” He folded his arms around her to try to stop his heart from racing. It beat so hard he could feel it pulse in his throat. He’d never witnessed someone coming so close to death before.
    Her hand fell to his chest.
    “What?” he asked.
    “You’re heart’s beating a million miles an hour.”
    “Ya think?” He placed a palm against hers. “Yours isn’t.” How could that be? She had been only slippery fingers away from falling to her death. He realized it wasn’t the thought of death, it was the thought of her death that hit him hard.
    “So, are we going swimming or what?” Callie crowed to the group now that the mayday was over.
    Mandy ignored Callie’s brashness. “How are we going to get back, Steven?”
    “There’s a secondary route past the cave.” He peered into Moira’s eyes. “Are you okay to walk?”
    She nodded at her crew. “Shall we?”
    Welts had already