Page 148 of One Last Shot

He didn’t even hesitate—just put his arm around her, clamping her to himself, and suddenly the chopper whisked them off the car.

Shep didn’t even bother to winch them up, andthe chopper simply whisked them up as the bore wave crashed over the car, burying it in a wall of frigid water and ice.

She held on, her arms burning, not sure the strap could bear all her weight. But Axel gripped her around the waist with both arms now, the chopper ferrying them to shore.

It lowered them onto a rocky cliff overlooking the flats. Her feet touched the ground, and in a moment, she unclipped herself.

Axel did the same.

The bird veered off.

She turned and searched for the car.

Nothing but murky, swirling water.

Her knees started to buckle.

“Gotcha,” said a voice, his arms going around her.

She turned, grabbing his arms. Holding on, then staring up at him.

Not. Axel.

He’d taken off his helmet, dropped it onto the ground, and now stared down at her. Those blue eyes took her in, held her, careened through her, past all her disbelief and even the parts of her that wanted to run.

“You found me.”

He touched her face, curled his arm around her neck. “I’ll always find you, Boo.”

Oaken.

“You really scared me,” he said quietly. “Tell me... it’s not too late. That we have another shot at this.”

She smiled. “Yeah. One last shot.”

Then he pulled her to himself, his mouth on hers, hard, drawing her in, taking possession, telling her everything she needed to know.

No, she wasn’t lost. She was found.

She wrapped her arms around his waist andkissed him back, surrendering to the rush of his desire and hers, sinking into the safety, the sense of knowing exactly where she belonged.

No more running. Or hiding.

He leaned away, met her eyes. “I’m sorry. I know what you heard—I never?—”

“I know.” She touched his face.

He closed his eyes, met her forehead with his. Drew in a breath. Then he simply gathered her into his arms and held her.

And she held him back. “Thank you for rescuing me.”

“Oh, baby,” he said quietly. “Let’s not get confused about who the real rescuer is in the family.”

She laughed and lifted her head. “It was Reynolds, by the way.”

“I know,” he said. “I figured it out. Too late. But we’ll get him.”

A car pulled up on the lonely road, and Oaken looked up. Then back at her.