Silver Falls by Anne Stuart

fell back onto the muddy ground. Her breath came back with a sudden burning tear at her lungs, and she tried to get up again.
    â€œDon’t make me hit you,” Caleb Middleton’s cool, laconic voice came from beneath the rainhood. “I’m trying to save your goddamned life and I don’t appreciate being attacked for my efforts.”
    She managed to get to her feet, ignoring the searing pain in her chest. He stood between her and the falls, and she wondered whether she dared try to rush him again, to tip him over into the deadly water. She’d do anything to stay alive for Sophie’s sake, and she eyed him warily.
    â€œDon’t even think about it,” he said. “You try to shove me over the falls and I’ll take you with me.” He shoved the hood off his head, and he looked annoyed, not deadly. “In case you didn’t notice I just saved your life. You might at least stop looking at me like I’m a monster. Believe it or not, I’m one of the good guys. At least for the moment.”
    She was just beginning to breathe naturally, and common sense came back in a rush. Of course he didn’t want to kill her—he had the perfect chance and instead he’d pulled her back. Besides, what possible reason would he have to want to hurt her?
    Unless of course he was a serial killer. And in that case, she was a sturdy redhead in her thirties, not a young, willowy blonde, and therefore safe.
    â€œSo, have you decided? Do you want to keep sitting in the mud or do you want to go somewhere and get dried off?”
    â€œWhere?” She didn’t trust him, but they were at a standstill.
    â€œMy place. It’s not far—”
    â€œYou live up here?”
    â€œOn the rare occasion when I’m in the States, yes. Where else would I live? My brother isn’t about to welcome me with open arms and Stephen Henry and I do best with a polite distance between us. I’d offer you my hand but you’d probably bite it. Get to your feet on your own and you can come and get warm.”
    â€œI’m not going anywhere with you.”
    â€œSpoken like a redhead,” he said. “Though, right now you looked more like a drowned kitten than a mother lion. If you try to walk down the mountain in your condition you’re likely to fall and twist your ankle. Even if you kept upright you wouldn’t make it to your daughter’s school by three o’clock, and I’m sure that’s what you had in mind. If you come back to my place and dry off I’ll give you a ride to your car and you’ll be there in time.”
    She tried to ignore the sudden ice in the pit of her stomach. “How do you know when my daughter gets out of school?”
    â€œI grew up here, remember? School has always let out at three. And you better move quick—I’m not going to stand out here forever, waiting for you to make up your mind.”
    He was right—it was late. As usual, time had gotten away from her. Rachel scrambled to herfeet with as much dignity as she could muster, keeping a wary eye on him in case he made any sudden moves.
    â€œI’d appreciate a lift into town,” she said. “I can dry off there.”
    â€œWe can argue about it once we’re out of the rain. I don’t suppose you want to hold on to me while we climb down there? It’s a little rough.”
    â€œI’ll follow you,” she said, wary. “If you tell me how you happened to be up here just as I was about to fall into the water.”
    â€œI could say it was fate, but the fact is you’re about as delicate a climber as a grizzly bear, and I could see the bushes moving as you thrashed your way up here. I came out to see who was tearing up the hillside—hell, maybe I’d catch the killer at work. You’re just lucky I was curious, or you might be floating down the stream like an elderly Ophelia.”
    â€œElderly?” she said,