She couldn’t have known that, as the small shivering party floated downstream, one after the other, crazily, the oars from the boat floated down after them. Nor did she realise that the trip from Rose Ranch to the Westwater Ranger Station was accomplished in delicious warmth that the pick-up cab, after sitting in the sun for so long, provided. She was quite oblivious to it all.However, when the pick-up pulled into the rangers’ station, she finally blinked her eyes and looked about her. She was being held by Gabe, her legs curled around and her head resting on his broad shoulder. She had been wrapped in a warm blanket, and her hair had been loosened from its ponytail and was curling around her head in an untamed riot. She was very aware of her aching body when she attempted to move a little, and widely subsided into stillness, relying on Gabe’s support.“Why, hello, sleepyhead,” Gabe said softly, cocking his head to one side to look into her face. His mouth was smiling wryly, but Carrie, looking into his eyes, saw that they were not smiling at all, but were darkly shadowed.“Hi, yourself,”
