Christmas Kisses Collection. Louise Allen

fell for her right away. She liked the good things in life and she was more than glad to hitch a ride with me. What she didn’t bargain on was living in Honduras. She came from a middle-class background where they camped on vacation and didn’t have the comforts of high living so I thought she would do fine down here, especially staying at the resort. It didn’t take her long to start complaining about the heat, the bugs, the rain and most of all having to spend the day by herself. She wanted nothing to do with the clinic. There wasn’t enough to do and she was lonely.”

      Ellen could hear the disgust and disappointment in his voice.

      “One of my buddies from med school came down to work for six weeks. She had been so unhappy that when she started spending time with Jim and smiling again I was glad. Suddenly she wanted to come out with us and help at the clinic. I thought it was a good idea. The more she saw maybe the more she’d want to help. Yeah, right. It turned out they were having an affair. He was from an old Boston family with the name and money to please her. When he left, she went with him.” The last he all but spit out.

      “I’m sorry that happened to you.”

      “It was a long time ago. I’ve moved on.”

      Ellen had never known a person more in denial. “You do know I’m nothing like her?”

      “Yeah, I figured that out pretty quickly.” There was a contrite note in his voice. “I was tough on you there at first.”

      “You think?”

      He smiled slightly.

      “So those question and comments about Michael and me was you being jealous?”

      “I wouldn’t say that.”

      She leaned over him and looked into his eyes. “I would.”

      Their gazes held for a long time before he said, “Lie back, Dr. Cox, and get some rest. You’re going to need it.”

      Ellen did as he asked with a grin on her face. He cared far more than he let on. Could she have a relationship with Chance and still maintain the freedom she’d fought so hard to gain? From what she’d learned about him, he had a strong need to protect. Could she handle that?

      The sounds of the birds as they took flight from the top of the trees woke her. Chance rolled over her and put a finger to her lips. His body remained rigid and still. Seconds later the voices of males speaking in Spanish reached her ears. They were on the path. She only caught a few words because the dialect was so different. Words like “find” and “American” she understood.

      They were looking for them!

      Chance saw the fear in Ellen’s eyes. Her body trembled beneath him. She’d heard the men. They were in more danger than he’d believed. The drug traffickers were determined to find them. Ellen’s eyes were wide with terror. She squirmed as if wanting to run.

      He brushed his lips over hers as he shook his head. Bringing his hand to her cheek, he held her so that he could deepen the kiss. Ellen opened. Her tongue mated with his. Fingers weaved into the hair at the nape of his neck and her body softened. She kissed him with the passion of a person hanging on to life. An arm came down to his waist then pushed under his shirt and grasped his back.

      Heaven help him, Chance wanted her. Here. In the jungle. On the ground. Beneath this tree. But he couldn’t. He must keep her safe.

      His lips remained on hers as he listened for the men. They had moved on but they were going the same way as them. They would have to wait here and let them get further down river then cross over. Find somewhere to hole up for the night. It would mean more time in the jungle but getting Ellen back in one piece would be worth it.

      She quit kissing him. He opened his eyes. Hers were fixed on him. He put his finger to her lips. She kissed it. Thankfully the panic had cleared from her eyes. Passion and questions filled them now.

      “Shh.”

      She nodded. He rolled off her and sat up. She did the same. They waited there, just listening, for what seemed like an eternity. The birds settled again. All he could make out was the usual jungle sounds.

      Standing, he extended his hand and helped her to her feet. He put his finger to his lips again then gently pushed the undergrowth back as they made progress toward the river. Ellen was glued to his back as if they were one. He paused and carefully searched the area before they stepped out onto the path.

      Using a low voice, he said, “We have to cross the river and find somewhere to stay the night. Maybe they’ll give up by tomorrow.”

      She nodded.

      “We need to do it here. I’m afraid to go downstream any farther. We’ll cross at those rocks.” He pointed down the river just below the pool. “Guess what? You get to take those boots off after all. We don’t want to get them wet or they’ll be even harder to walk in. Tie the laces together and put them around your neck.”

      Ellen did as he instructed without question. Minutes later they were ready to go. Chance led her across some rocks and down into the water and up again. There was a section where the water was moving fast between two large rocks close to the bank. It was moving rapidly enough that Ellen wouldn’t be strong enough to walk through it without assistance.

      “I’ll step over then help you though.” Chance didn’t wait for a response. They had to get out of the open. There was no way of knowing if the men would come back this way. He held on to the rock and put a foot into the gushing water. Secure, he took a long step, making it across the flow. He offered his arm to Ellen. She grasped his forearm and he hers. He swung her more than helped her over the divide. She now stood a little in front of him.

      In his peripheral vision he saw a flash of color. He pushed Ellen into the deeper water surrounding a large rock. When he did so he slipped. He was headed down the river and right into the sight of the men looking for them.

      His bag strap held him back. Seconds later he felt a tug across his chest.

      “Help,” Ellen whispered close to his ear.

      Using a foot, Chance pushed against a rock beneath the water and back toward her. He did it once more. Now at least half of his body was behind the rock, lying over Ellen’s. She held tightly to the strap, pulling him against her chest. The water tugged at him as it flowed over his legs but Ellen held steady. They stayed in that position without daring to look to see where the men were for a long time. The shadows were long on their side of the river before Chance had the nerve to lean forward. Scanning the area, he saw no sign of human life.

      He worked to find adequate footing then managed to get turned around and to the bank. Ellen took his hand and he brought her over to join him. They climbed out of the water and moved into the vegetation. Sitting, he said, “Thanks for saving my butt back there.”

      “Think nothing of it.” She sounded exhausted.

      “When did you see—?”

      “About the same time you did. I couldn’t think of anything to do but hold on.”

      “You did well.” What he didn’t want to tell her was that they had bigger problems now. Like it was getting dark and they had no safe place to stay for the night. “Let’s get our boots on. We need to get moving. The good news is that they were headed upstream so the chances of us meeting them again is slim.”

      “So there’ll be no more distraction kisses?”

      “I hope not.”

      “Shame, I rather enjoyed it.”

      He grinned. “I did too. Get your shoes on. We need to get going.”

      “I’m afraid they’re wet.” Ellen dumped water out of one of hers.

      “We’ll have to wear them anyway.”

      They both had