Colt was still breathing heavy as he knelt before me cleaning the wound on my foot with water from a nearby spring. Perspiration was literally dripping down his face and his shirt was soaked. Despite the evident signs of extreme exertion his touch on my foot was gentle.
The wound itself wasn't all that bad, but left untreated it could become bad. I looked back down the way we had come up through the jungle and acknowledged that there were few men that could compare with the man I'd inadvertently become matched up with in terms of strength and endurance.
He finished cleaning up my wound by pressing some crumpled up leaves of a plant that I remembered from my childhood onto the wound. He pulled a rag out and wrapped my foot tightly with it.
He glanced away to a still higher promontory further up the slope from us and then glancing back at me said, "You're not going to be able to walk barefoot in these rocks, but your foot should heal up well."
He glanced back to his destination in mind and I knew he was contemplating as to what it would be like to carry me any further. He looked tired and I had a terrible secret. I'd completely forgotten about the pair of sandals in my pack, but I was quite sure that divulging that secret now could get my neck wrung.
I shifted uneasily on the boulder that I sat on for more than one reason.
His eyes shifted back to me as he caught sight of my shifting motion. Surprisingly I watched a look of something that almost looked like shame fleetingly cross across his strong features.
He rubbed the palm of his hand reflexively as he looked away again and said, "Sorry. Sometimes I forget how strong I am and how soft a woman can be."
I was touched by his apology, even as I was affronted by it. Soft! He made me sound weak and helpless!
Admittedly in comparison to him I was weak and helpless. It rankled heavily to have to admit that.
He started to reach for me to no doubt sling me back over his shoulder again, but I quickly held up my hands forestalling such an action. My head was already throbbing from being hung upside down and I'd quite had my fill of being carried about caveman style.
"I…… I……" I stuttered to frame the words of my secret.
His gaze turned curious, "You what?"
In a rush I spit out, "I have a pair of sandals in my bag."
My eyes closed as I waited for his fingers to clamp around my neck. Time stretched out and I peeked out to see him shaking his head as he gazed down the steep pathway that he'd carried me up.