Lost and Found Read Online Free PDF Page B

had to make a quick exit, and scraped hands were a lot better than a bullet in the head. Still, he should have considered it once they were out of danger.
    He finished applying the salve and wrapped strips of gauze over her palms, cutting through the bandage with the knife that was strapped against his calf. Grudgingly, he upped his opinion of her a notch. Maybe she had a few good qualities besides those incredibly soft eyes.
    "There. That should hold them." He released her hands, refusing to acknowledge the way his fingers wanted to linger against her soft skin. "Try not to do any more damage to yourself. I didn't bring much by way of first aid."
    "Thanks." Babs watched as he pulled the pot off the fire and tipped the soup into a collapsible cup. Her mouth watered as the scent wafted upward. For the first time in ten days she could eat without the feeling that this might be her last meal. She reached for the mug he was holding out for her and then hesitated.
    "What about you? There's only one cup."
    "Take it." He pushed it into her hands. "I'll eat after you're done. I'd have brought something more substantial but I figured we'd be on our way to town by now."
    Babs sipped at the steaming liquid, feeling its warmth seep into her bones, chasing out the chill that had settled inside her since the kidnapping. She hadn't realized just how tense she'd been until the pressure was lifted. She yawned, suddenly aware of exhaustion creeping over her.
    She swallowed the last of the soup, smothering another yawn as she handed the cup to her companion. Sam took it and handed her a light blanket.
    "Get some sleep. We can't go anywhere until dark."
    Babs took the blanket, her mouth tightening at his tone. She'd never been one to take orders well. A yawn caught her unawares, smothering any argument she might have given him. With a shrug, she unfolded the thin cover and moved farther back into their shelter. Time enough to protest his autocratic tone when she'd had some sleep.
    Sam watched her curl up, tucking her hands under her cheek as a pillow. She was asleep almost instantly, her breathing slow and shallow. She'd be out of his hair for a little while at least.
    He poured the rest of the soup into the cup. His stomach pointed out that steak and eggs would be more appropriate at this point but he ignored the suggestion. It wasn't the first time he'd gone hungry and it probably wouldn't be the last. Unless, of course, he did the smart thing and got a real job.
    He swallowed the last of the soup and set down the cup. If he had a real job, he wouldn't be sitting in this poor excuse for a cave staring out at the Idaho countryside. A wet Idaho countryside. It had started to rain, not a downpour, but a steady mist that coated the landscape in jewellike droplets of moisture.
    Of course, if he had a real job, the girl sleeping so peacefully behind him might be dead by now. She'd never have made it off the balcony with those absurd sheets and, if that didn't kill her, her captors apparently would have. She was a spoiled brat but he admired her guts.
    Sam leaned back against the rock wall of the cave. With the drizzle outside, he didn't have to worry about the small amount of smoke their little fire created. It would dissipate in the damp air. The chances of the kidnappers finding them were slim to none so he could afford to relax a bit. Most likely, her former captors wouldn't spend much time looking for them. They'd probably cut their losses and hightail it out of the state as quickly as possible.
    He fed a few small sticks into the fire. Unwillingly, his eyes were drawn to Babs. She looked very young in sleep. Young and sweet and innocent. Almost childlike. But there was nothing childlike in the full curve of her mouth. Her mouth looked very kissable. A temptation he didn't want to acknowledge.
    He dragged his eyes away, staring into the fire instead. She was a job, just another job. Maybe his last. Maybe after this he'd do what any sensible man