Only 03 - Only You

clean, so perfect. Holding the canteen with both hands, she drank greedily, ignoring the tiny trickle that escaped at one corner of her mouth.
    Reno blotted the extra water with his bandanna at first, then with his tongue. The warm caress so startled Eve that she dropped the canteen. He laughed and caught the canteen, stoppered it, and slung it across his back once more.
    “Ready to go?” he asked softly.
    “Do I have any choice?”
    “Yes. You can take that gap with your eyes open and me right beside you, or you can take it unconscious over my shoulder.”
    Eve’s eyes widened.
    “I wouldn’t hurt you,” he added.
    Gently his hands circled her throat. His thumbs found the points where blood flowed into her brain.
    “A bit of pressure and you’ll faint,” Reno said calmly. “You’ll wake up within seconds, but you’ll be on the other side by then.”
    “You can’t carry me over that,” she protested.
    “You’re like a cat. Sleek and lithe. But for all their speed and grace, cats don’t weigh much.”
    Reno stood, pulling Eve to her feet and then off them in a smooth, easy motion. He shifted his grip, holding her balanced against his hip with one arm. It all happened so quickly, she didn’t have time to draw a breath.
    Eve’s eyes widened in shock as she realized how much of Reno’s strength he had kept in check whenhe touched her. She had always known he was stronger than she was. She just hadn’t known how much stronger. An odd, strangled sound escaped her lips.
    Reno frowned.
    “I didn’t mean to frighten you,” he said.
    “It’s not that,” she said faintly.
    He waited, watching her.
    “It’s just…” Eve made a sound that was half laugh, half sob. “I’m used to being the strong one.”
    There was a long silence while Reno held Eve and thought about what she had said. Slowly he nodded. It explained a lot, including why she hadn’t told him how close to the end of her rope she was. It simply hadn’t occurred to her. She was used to being with people who had less strength and stamina than she did, not more.
    “And I’m used to traveling alone,” Reno said. “I’ve pushed you too hard. I’m sorry.”
    Carefully he set Eve on her feet again.
    “Can you walk?” he asked.
    Eve sighed and nodded.
    One of Reno’s arms slid around her waist.
    “Tired little gata . Put you arm around me and lean. It’s not far.”
    “I can—”
    Abruptly Reno’s hand came down over Eve’s mouth, shutting off her words.
    “Quiet,” he whispered against her ear. “Someone is coming.”
    Eve froze and strained to hear beyond the wild beating of her heart.
    Reno was right. The lazy breeze was carrying the sound of someone cursing savagely.
    “Damnation,” hissed Reno. “Get down!”
    Eve had no choice about it. He had her pressedon her stomach against the rock before she could blink.
    “Keep your head down,” he said in a very soft voice. “They won’t be able to see you until they’re at the top of the slope above us.”
    Reno took off his hat, handed Eve the canteen, and drew his gun. She watched as he began crawling on his stomach up the ten-foot slickrock incline.
    On the other side were three Comancheros leading wiry mustangs. They were headed straight for Reno. Crooked Bear was in the lead. He spotted Reno immediately. When the Comanchero shouted, bullets started whining and ricocheting off the pale stone, sending sharp chips of rock flying.
    Instantly Reno returned the fire, picking targets with care, for the range was better suited to a rifle than to a six-gun. There wasn’t much cover, but the Comancheros made good use of every irregularity. They flattened themselves in the shallow basins, dove behind hardy piñon, or threw their bodies into one of the many cracks on the seamed surface of the slickrock.
    Unfortunately, all except Crooked Bear were beyond the range of Reno’s six-gun. The Comanchero took a bullet in his arm, but the wound wasn’t bad. The most it would do was slow the big Indian down a bit.
    Reno slithered back down the slope to Eve and pulled her to her feet.
    “They’ll stay put, but not for long,” he said. “Get ready to run.”
    Eve wanted to object that she couldn’t run, but a look at Reno’s jade green eyes made her change her mind. His fingers wrapped around her right arm just below the shoulder.
    “Three steps, then jump,” he said.
    There was no time for Eve to waver or worry. Reno was thrusting her forward. She took three running