Rogue Soldier by Dana Marton

yet.
    â€œGetting my boots.”
    He got up and followed her. His backpack was somewhere back there, too. It had fallen off when he’d rolled off the bear.
    â€œNow your feet will be wet,” he said, looking at her snow-covered socks.
    â€œAt least I still have feet.” She shrugged, and he felt a flash of anger that she didn’t take the danger she’d been in seriously enough.
    â€œWe’ll start a fire.”
    His insides were still shaking.
    His next step took him directly into a giant paw print in the snow. His boot filled only about half of it.
    She had followed his gaze. “I can’t believe we killed a grizzly. This is turning out to be one kick-ass adventure.” Her eyes sparkled, and he could practically see her swimming in adrenaline.
    â€œDo you know how many hours I spent daydreaming about missions like this while I was stuck in that stinking trailer?” She grinned.
    He gathered some wood and thought of the crazy missions he’d been on, daydreaming about Tessa. Funny that while she’d been wishing for more action and danger, he’d been wishing for her, the only action on his mind in connection with her being X-rated.
    She was driving him crazy.
    He got the fire going, using the bear as a windbreak, and made her sit long enough to get dry. When they were done, he threw on his backpack and moved out, Tessa walking next to him.
    She was going on about the bear and all the other exciting stuff she was going to get to do once they caught up with the bad guys.
    He blocked her out. If all went well, they’d be in Nome by morning. And then he would lock her into the first hotel room he could find while he went and took care of business alone.
    â€œDon’t even think about trying to leave me behind in Nome,” she said.
    Scary how well she knew him.
    She still didn’t get it, though. “I want you safe because I care.”
    Her sky-blue eyes went wide for a second, before they hardened. “Obviously not enough. If you caredabout me, you would care about what I wanted. You never understood.” Her shoulders slumped as she turned away.
    He really did want the best for her. But then why did he feel like such a jerk? She was right; he didn’t understand. He had never understood. That was how he had managed to break her heart. “Explain it to me then.”
    She turned to him with a look of surprise on her face. Surprise that he was willing to listen? Hell, had he been that big of an ass?
    â€œFor one, I don’t want to be anyone’s little fragile woman, tucked under some man’s wings.” She took a deep breath and paused, waiting for his rebuttal.
    He decided to do the smart thing for once in his life and just listen.
    They left the last of the short twiggy trees and bushes and reached the barren ice fields at last. Man, it was cold.
    â€œI want to be able to trust the man in my life,” she went on cautiously. “And I want him to trust me. Not just trust me not to cheat or something like that, but trust me to take care of myself, trust me to back him up when needed.”
    â€œI do,” he said, and he meant it. “But to let you step into the way of harm— It goes against everything I am.”
    â€œI’m not one of your little sisters.”
    â€œDon’t I know it.” He shook his head. Truth be told, his three sisters had grown up while he wasn’t looking and resented his efforts to protect them, with as much vehemence as Tessa did. They especially hated his talks with the boyfriends when he was in town. Not that he tried to intimidate the guys or anything.
    â€œIt’s the way I was raised. Do you know how many times my grandfather told me that a Scotsman’s biggest responsibility in life was protecting and loving his woman, giving his life if needed for his family?”
    A smile hovered over her full lips. “Yeah, you’re a regular laird of the mist. Wanna step out