Free Tailspin by Elizabeth Goddard

slipped through, watching the woods as he assisted her out. The trees made good cover here, if nothing else. But then there was an open patch they had to cross. Sylvie followed him through the window, ignoring her pain, bruises and scratches from yesterday. What did any of her injuries matter if someone shot her in the head like Snake?
    Once she climbed through the window, Will let her scramble onto his back again and then he sprinted as though she weighed nothing, which she knew wasn’t true. She might be small, but her solid frame made her weigh more than other women her size.
    By the time he made it across the small clearing between the cabin and outbuildings and into the thick cover of woods, Will was breathing hard. He stopped behind a big tree for cover and panted. Sylvie wanted her freedom from the position on his back but knew to keep quiet. They weren’t out of trouble yet and she wasn’t sure they would ever be until help came.
    He crept forward between the trees, putting distance between them and Snake’s cabin. She’d brought danger to Snake that had killed him—a man who’d chosen to live away from civilization. Her stomach soured. It never should have happened.
    She couldn’t let it happen to Will. She tried to watch the woods to help him, but twisting her neck around while she jostled on his back made her dizzy. Neither did she want a bullet in the back. Maybe the pack she wore would provide protection enough. Will stepped into a brook and waded upstream, getting his boots wet. She wasn’t sure how far they’d gone when he stepped out of the brook and paused in the crack of a bluff between large boulders. When he set her down, she collapsed onto soft, mossy ground and shrugged out of the backpack.
    He plopped down next to her, his face drawn tight. “Are you okay?” he whispered.
    She nodded.
    To her surprise, he ran a finger down her cheek, picking something off. A leaf, dirt, she wasn’t sure, but something in his gesture made it feel as though he cherished Sylvie. That couldn’t be true. Nor did she want that from him or anyone. Unfortunately, her heart jumped at his touch no matter her personal resolve.
    â€œWhat are we going to do?” she asked.
    â€œWe can hike to town if we have to.”
    Right. She blew out a breath. Like she would believe that. Time to face the truth. “Even if that were true, it won’t take them long to track us. We’re too slow and we can’t outrun them. We can’t make it to town before they find us.”
    â€œThen we’ll just stay alive until help arrives.” Will leaned in closer until his face was inches from hers. So he could lower his voice? “Do you trust me?”
    His brown eyes seemed to caress her. His masculine scent—a woodsy mixture of loam and pure, wild adrenaline—grew heady and wrapped around her until she couldn’t breathe. She struggled to speak. “I don’t know.”
    She couldn’t rely on anyone but herself. Still, she wanted to trust Will. Just how far, she wasn’t sure.
    His brows knit together.
    â€œI trust you to do your best, but don’t lie to me about our chances. I’m grateful for all you’ve done, but I don’t see how we’re going to make it.”
    Hurt spilled from his gaze. He eased back, pulled his weapon out. “Have a little faith, will you?”
    â€œI’ve never had anyone shoot at me before, have you?”
    â€œNo.” He angled his head to listen. Through the opening between the boulders he watched the woods.
    She didn’t like this position. They were trapped. Someone could ambush them. What was he thinking by stopping here?
    When he turned back, the warmth had returned to his eyes, but under it was a cold resolve that hadn’t been there before. It scared her. This wasn’t the Will she’d come to know in a few short hours. Was this experience changing him, like it