same things,’ she said, suddenly desperate to say the things that had been building inside her for months. ‘We were on the same path. But somehow that’s all changed. You’ve gone on ahead and I’ve been left behind.’
He turned towards her. ‘Is that how you see it?’
‘No,’ she said quietly. ‘It’s just how it is.’
She wanted to ask where that left their relationship but he seemed so distant and icily remote that she didn’t know what to say and was relieved to see Jake and two other members of the MRT striding across the car park towards them.
‘Oh, great—there’s Jake.’ Grateful for a reason to escape from the chill inside the car, she opened the door and slid out.
Alessandro sat for a moment, simmering with mounting tension, the expression in his dark eyes approaching dangerous as he watched her greet Jake with a warm hug.
Had she always been so demonstrative with Jake?
Why had he never noticed how physical they were before now?
He knew that Jake found Christy attractive but never before this moment had he had reason to ask questions about where Christy’s affections lay because he’d always known that she adored him . He’d been utterly secure in their love.
From the first day they’d met, he’d taken her adoration and devotion for granted. They had been so crazy about each other, so hot for each other , that it had never entered his head that she would ever look at another man.
But something had obviously changed over the years and now it seemed that Jake knew things about Christy that he didn’t. Private, intimate things. Like the fact that she’d never really been happy as a practice nurse. And the fact that she missed bits of her old life.
Alessandro stared out of the window and his mouth tightened.
He should have known those things about his wife.
Why hadn’t she told him? Why had Jake been easier to talk to? Experiencing self-doubt for one of the few times in his adult life, Alessandro cursed softly and reached into the back seat for the rest of his gear.
He’d get this rescue out of the way and then he was going to sort this out.
He loved her. He loved her desperately and keeping his distance from her was turning him into a crazy man. But if she was in love with Jake then he’d give her the freedom she wanted. Wasn’t that what you were supposed to do with someone you loved? Set them free?
Christy lifted the pack onto her back, careful not to look at Alessandro.
He didn’t think that she could do this, but she was going to prove him wrong. Prove that she was more that just the mother of his children.
‘According to the call we had, he was one of four walkers taking a path just below the summit,’ Alessandro said as he assembled the advance party. ‘They called the police on a mobile and one of them had a global positioning instrument so we’ve got a good idea where they are.’
‘Weather’s looking unfriendly,’ Jake observed as he lifted his pack onto his back and settled it comfortably.‘Might need to carry him off the hill if the helicopter can’t fly in this.’
Alessandro nodded. ‘That’s a distinct possibility. One of his group reported that he had breathing difficulties so we’re carrying an oxygen cylinder just in case. All right, let’s go.’
He strode out in front and Christy walked behind him, hoping that she wasn’t going to fall down gasping for breath because that would be too humiliating for words. She was fit, she reminded herself. And she knew these mountains as well as she knew her own back garden. The fact that she hadn’t been part of a proper rescue for a few years really didn’t signify. Once it had been a huge part of her life. The regular training sessions, callouts, social events—she’d done it all and she’d loved every minute of it. And all that knowledge was still there, she reminded herself.
All the same, she was quite relieved to be sandwiched between Alessandro and Jake. Having someone in front and
He turned towards her. ‘Is that how you see it?’
‘No,’ she said quietly. ‘It’s just how it is.’
She wanted to ask where that left their relationship but he seemed so distant and icily remote that she didn’t know what to say and was relieved to see Jake and two other members of the MRT striding across the car park towards them.
‘Oh, great—there’s Jake.’ Grateful for a reason to escape from the chill inside the car, she opened the door and slid out.
Alessandro sat for a moment, simmering with mounting tension, the expression in his dark eyes approaching dangerous as he watched her greet Jake with a warm hug.
Had she always been so demonstrative with Jake?
Why had he never noticed how physical they were before now?
He knew that Jake found Christy attractive but never before this moment had he had reason to ask questions about where Christy’s affections lay because he’d always known that she adored him . He’d been utterly secure in their love.
From the first day they’d met, he’d taken her adoration and devotion for granted. They had been so crazy about each other, so hot for each other , that it had never entered his head that she would ever look at another man.
But something had obviously changed over the years and now it seemed that Jake knew things about Christy that he didn’t. Private, intimate things. Like the fact that she’d never really been happy as a practice nurse. And the fact that she missed bits of her old life.
Alessandro stared out of the window and his mouth tightened.
He should have known those things about his wife.
Why hadn’t she told him? Why had Jake been easier to talk to? Experiencing self-doubt for one of the few times in his adult life, Alessandro cursed softly and reached into the back seat for the rest of his gear.
He’d get this rescue out of the way and then he was going to sort this out.
He loved her. He loved her desperately and keeping his distance from her was turning him into a crazy man. But if she was in love with Jake then he’d give her the freedom she wanted. Wasn’t that what you were supposed to do with someone you loved? Set them free?
Christy lifted the pack onto her back, careful not to look at Alessandro.
He didn’t think that she could do this, but she was going to prove him wrong. Prove that she was more that just the mother of his children.
‘According to the call we had, he was one of four walkers taking a path just below the summit,’ Alessandro said as he assembled the advance party. ‘They called the police on a mobile and one of them had a global positioning instrument so we’ve got a good idea where they are.’
‘Weather’s looking unfriendly,’ Jake observed as he lifted his pack onto his back and settled it comfortably.‘Might need to carry him off the hill if the helicopter can’t fly in this.’
Alessandro nodded. ‘That’s a distinct possibility. One of his group reported that he had breathing difficulties so we’re carrying an oxygen cylinder just in case. All right, let’s go.’
He strode out in front and Christy walked behind him, hoping that she wasn’t going to fall down gasping for breath because that would be too humiliating for words. She was fit, she reminded herself. And she knew these mountains as well as she knew her own back garden. The fact that she hadn’t been part of a proper rescue for a few years really didn’t signify. Once it had been a huge part of her life. The regular training sessions, callouts, social events—she’d done it all and she’d loved every minute of it. And all that knowledge was still there, she reminded herself.
All the same, she was quite relieved to be sandwiched between Alessandro and Jake. Having someone in front and
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