Though not as state of the art as the palace they’d
left, the house certainly didn’t match the medieval-like exterior.
“One of
our more modern cities. This province had more influence and wealth than
others. More conveniences,” he said.
“What’s
that mean?”
“Electricity
for one. Running water. Many villages in the old days were barely livable.
Despicable conditions considering the wealth of the nation. It was a means to
keep us under control.”
“Damn.
Think we could get some power right now?” she said, feeling hopeful and looking
around for a switch or a lamp.
He shook
his head. “They cut the power when they abandoned the town. I could go down to
the mill and try to restore power, but it’s nearly dark and I probably couldn’t
get it working before nightfall. We’ll go in the morning and see if there’s a
communication unit still there. We might get lucky for once.”
“You’re
just building up my hopes now, aren’t you?”
“Perhaps.”
She
shuddered, beginning to feel inadequately dressed for roughing it. The ride on
the zhala had felt brisk with the wind, but quickly forgotten with the exertion
of trekking down the mountain road. Now she could tell the temperature was
dropping. With her eyes adjusted to the dim interior, she looked around for
something to cover her shoulders. The bottom floor reminded her a lot of an
open concept modern home with a galley kitchen, a couch and chairs nestled
around a large stone fireplace, and tucked near the staircase was a small round
table with two chairs.
Dar
noticed Jasmine shiver and rubbed her bare arms. His warm touch felt strange,
eliciting more shivers to travel up her spine. “I’ll go upstairs and see if
there’s anything usable for tonight. It can get cold after dark. I’ll start a
fire and we’ll sleep here then head out in the morning.”
There
were matches on the mantel and wood in the firebox beside the fireplace. Dar
had a fire going within minutes and left her to go upstairs. She fed split logs
to the fire until it filled the space with a bright orange glow and radiated
enough heat to make her sweat. Finally, she was warm. Dar returned with an
armload of blankets and pillows and dropped them on the floor, looked at the
fire and her, then swore under his breath. “You’re going to cook us if you keep
adding wood. Why don’t you let me handle keeping the fire going for tonight?
I’d rather not wake to the house burning down around us. I’ll take care of you.
It’s only fair since I can’t do more for you.”
“That’s
an about face if I ever heard one. Did you bump your head upstairs?” she asked,
looking at him.
“Can’t a
man be apologetic and kind without having an ulterior motive?”
She
narrowed her eyes. “Not where I’m from. Men are only nice when they want sex or
something else from you.”
He made
a sound somewhere between a snort and a chuckle—a snortle? “Sex is the last
thing I’d want from you.”
“Good.
That makes two of us,” she said, feeling her ego bruise. Not that she wanted
him to lust after her. It just stung to know he didn’t find her the least
attractive. Which meant his looks and innuendoes were probably all in her head.
Just how good looking did a woman have to be to incite men to lust when the
competition from other women was so low? Jesus H. Christ! She had some kind of
problem.
“I’m
glad we’ve cleared that up,” he muttered, walking to the kitchen area. She
watched him dig around for glasses, set them on the counter, then go outside.
He returned after a several minutes and went to the sink to fill the glasses
with water. Crossing the room, he handed her a water. “I primed the pump
outside. You’re welcome.”
“Thanks!”
she said, ignoring his sarcasm as she drained the glass. He followed suit, then
set about making pallets on the floor beside each other. She’d have time to
move her pallet when he was done. He might not want sex, but she wasn’t going
to
left, the house certainly didn’t match the medieval-like exterior.
“One of
our more modern cities. This province had more influence and wealth than
others. More conveniences,” he said.
“What’s
that mean?”
“Electricity
for one. Running water. Many villages in the old days were barely livable.
Despicable conditions considering the wealth of the nation. It was a means to
keep us under control.”
“Damn.
Think we could get some power right now?” she said, feeling hopeful and looking
around for a switch or a lamp.
He shook
his head. “They cut the power when they abandoned the town. I could go down to
the mill and try to restore power, but it’s nearly dark and I probably couldn’t
get it working before nightfall. We’ll go in the morning and see if there’s a
communication unit still there. We might get lucky for once.”
“You’re
just building up my hopes now, aren’t you?”
“Perhaps.”
She
shuddered, beginning to feel inadequately dressed for roughing it. The ride on
the zhala had felt brisk with the wind, but quickly forgotten with the exertion
of trekking down the mountain road. Now she could tell the temperature was
dropping. With her eyes adjusted to the dim interior, she looked around for
something to cover her shoulders. The bottom floor reminded her a lot of an
open concept modern home with a galley kitchen, a couch and chairs nestled
around a large stone fireplace, and tucked near the staircase was a small round
table with two chairs.
Dar
noticed Jasmine shiver and rubbed her bare arms. His warm touch felt strange,
eliciting more shivers to travel up her spine. “I’ll go upstairs and see if
there’s anything usable for tonight. It can get cold after dark. I’ll start a
fire and we’ll sleep here then head out in the morning.”
There
were matches on the mantel and wood in the firebox beside the fireplace. Dar
had a fire going within minutes and left her to go upstairs. She fed split logs
to the fire until it filled the space with a bright orange glow and radiated
enough heat to make her sweat. Finally, she was warm. Dar returned with an
armload of blankets and pillows and dropped them on the floor, looked at the
fire and her, then swore under his breath. “You’re going to cook us if you keep
adding wood. Why don’t you let me handle keeping the fire going for tonight?
I’d rather not wake to the house burning down around us. I’ll take care of you.
It’s only fair since I can’t do more for you.”
“That’s
an about face if I ever heard one. Did you bump your head upstairs?” she asked,
looking at him.
“Can’t a
man be apologetic and kind without having an ulterior motive?”
She
narrowed her eyes. “Not where I’m from. Men are only nice when they want sex or
something else from you.”
He made
a sound somewhere between a snort and a chuckle—a snortle? “Sex is the last
thing I’d want from you.”
“Good.
That makes two of us,” she said, feeling her ego bruise. Not that she wanted
him to lust after her. It just stung to know he didn’t find her the least
attractive. Which meant his looks and innuendoes were probably all in her head.
Just how good looking did a woman have to be to incite men to lust when the
competition from other women was so low? Jesus H. Christ! She had some kind of
problem.
“I’m
glad we’ve cleared that up,” he muttered, walking to the kitchen area. She
watched him dig around for glasses, set them on the counter, then go outside.
He returned after a several minutes and went to the sink to fill the glasses
with water. Crossing the room, he handed her a water. “I primed the pump
outside. You’re welcome.”
“Thanks!”
she said, ignoring his sarcasm as she drained the glass. He followed suit, then
set about making pallets on the floor beside each other. She’d have time to
move her pallet when he was done. He might not want sex, but she wasn’t going
to
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