Dazed, Erin sat motionless, gripping the wheel. For a moment a strange feeling of unreality prevailed. There was nothing but utter quiet, absolute stillness. Steam began to rise with a hiss from beneath the sprung hood of the Chevy. A second later a crumpled scrap of metal groaned and clattered to the pavement. The sounds shattered the magnified silence, and Erin closed her eyes and slumped over the wheel, her breath whooshing out of her. Vaguely she felt the car rock, heard the screech of metal and the pop of loose gravel beneath tires as Max moved his car away from hers, but she was too weak to move.. .or care. Then he was there, frantically prying open the compact's passenger door and reaching for her. "Erin! Erin, are you hurt?" Strong hands gripped her shoulders and eased her back against the seat. A callused palm tenderly brushed her hair away from her face. Blunt fingers smoothed down her neck and found the throbbing pulse at its base.
