Free To Love & Protect Her by Margaret Watson

nothing to do with her sudden difficulty breathing. Griff’s closeness and the way he was touching her were responsible.
    â€œDid you have a particular reason for coming up here?” she finally asked.
    He shrugged and leaned forward, trapping her hand between his knees. “I just wanted to get a look at the area. It’s always smart to know where you are and what’s around you.”
    â€œAs in, looking for an escape route?”
    He shot her a quick glance, and she thought there was admiration in his eyes. “You figure things out quickly.”
    â€œIt wasn’t that tough,” she answered, her voice dry. “After watching you set all your little traps before we left the cabin this morning, it wasn’t a big leap to realize you wanted to figure out a route away from the cabin.”
    â€œYou never know when we’ll need to have a way out.” He looked away from her, and she saw his gaze scan the horizon. “You always want to have a back door.”
    â€œAnd what’s our back door in this case?” She tried to keep her voice light, but she knew that Griff was telling her something important. He would always have a back door, in every aspect of his life. He had probably been able to slip away from every woman who had fallen for him over the years—using one of his back doors.
    She eased her hand away from his and curled it into her lap. She told herself she was doing the smart thing, but she suddenly felt much colder.
    â€œThere’s only the one road,” he said slowly, pointing to the narrow dirt track they’d taken to the cabin. “So we couldn’t drive out any other way. But there’s always this pile of rocks. As a last resort, they could hide you for a while. Especially at night.”
    He turned to face her. “Remember that, Willa. If something happens in the cabin, don’t get in the car and start driving. Run out here instead, and hide until you can get a good look around. Don’t leave the area until you’re sure that there isn’t anyone waiting for you on the road.”
    She shivered in spite of the warm sun on her back. “Nothing is going to happen at the cabin,” she said, her voice insistent. “No one aside from Ryan knows where we are. There’s no way anyone could find us.”
    â€œI hope to God that’s true.” His voice was sober,and he looked around broodingly. “But don’t forget about this back door, and use it if you have to.”
    â€œYou’re giving me the creeps,” she said, and she stood. “Let’s check out the view from the top of this pile of rocks.”
    He stood too, but didn’t start walking. “Maybe we’ve done enough for one day. Are you sure you want to keep going?”
    â€œOf course I want to keep going. We might find another one of your back doors from the top of this hill.”
    â€œAll right, but we’ll take it nice and slow. I don’t want you falling on your bum when I’m not looking.”
    â€œDon’t worry. I’ll give you plenty of warning if I’m going to fall.”
    He looked over his shoulder to give her a grin, and it stole her breath away. “You’ve got a sassy mouth on you, Willa Simms. Are all American women like you?”
    â€œI don’t know,” she said, willing her racing heart to slow down. “Are all Aussie men dark and brooding and wild?”
    He grinned at her again. “They’d like to think so. But most of them are like my brothers, upstanding citizens and all-around good guys.”
    â€œDon’t you belong in that category, too?” she asked.
    His grin disappeared. “No one is ever going to call me an upstanding citizen, let alone a good guy.”
    â€œI don’t know,” she said quietly. “I think you’re a pretty good guy.”
    He didn’t answer, but she knew he had heard her, because his shoulders tightened.