Northern Lights by Nora Roberts
"Added to all that is the fact that he held a gun to a tourist's head, shot a state cop and our chief of police." She gave his biceps a quick kiss. All of which," she added, "was caught for the record by the NBC cameraman." She stretched, one, long, sinuous move. "Great TV. Our brave and handsome hero shooting the bastard's leg out from under him, while he himself was wounded—"
"Flesh wound."
"Standing that bastard down like Cooper in High Noon. I'm no Grace Kelly, but I get hot just thinking about it."
"Gosh, ma'am." He slapped at a sparrow-sized mosquito that got through the dope. "It wasn't nothing."
"And I looked pretty damn good myself, even when you sent me to the damn sidewalk."
"You look even better now. The lawyers will try to work it. . . diminished capacity, temporary insanity, but. . ."
"It won't fly," Meg finished.
"Coben'll wrap him up—or the DA will. Got their teeth in it now."
"If Coben had listened to you, you'd have wrapped him up without all that show."
"Maybe."
"You could've killed him."
Nate took a small sip of beer and listened to an eagle cry. "You wanted him alive. I aim to please."
"You do please."
"You wouldn't have done it either."
Meg stretched out her legs, looked down at the worn toes of her ancient gardening boots. Probably needed new. "Don't be too sure, Nate."
"He's not the only one who can bait. You were razzing him, Meg. Pushing his buttons so he'd pull the gun off her and try for one of us."
"Did you see her eyes?"
"No, I was looking at his."
"I did. I've seen that kind of scared before. A rabbit, with its leg caught in a trap."
She paused to rub the dogs when they galloped up. "If you tell me, no matter how many fancy Lower 48 lawyers he hires, that he'll go to jail for a long, long time, I'll believe you."
"He'll go to jail for a long, long time."
"Okay, then. Case closed. Would you like to take a walk down by the lake?"
He drew her hand to his lips. "I believe I would."
"And would you then like to lie down on the bank of the lake and make love until we're too weak to move?"
"I believe I would."
"The mosquitoes will probably eat us alive."
"Some things are worth the risk."
He was, she thought. She rose, held out a hand for his. "You know, in a little while, when we have sex, it'll be all legal. That going to take any of the spark out of it for you?"
"Not a bit." He looked up at the sky again. "I like the long days. But I don't mind the long nights anymore. Because I've got the light." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder to draw her close to his side. "I've got the light right here."
He watched the sun, so reluctant to set, glimmer on the cool, deep water. And the mountains, so fierce and so white, mirrored their eternal winter on the summer blue.