right?”
She nodded but still seemed confused as he shoved the boots on her feet. Will helped her stand. When she was steady, he wrapped the blanket around her slender body until she resembled a colorful worm then bent and scooped her up. As she wrapped her arms around his neck, she mouthed words. He stared at her lips, his concentration lost for wanting to press his to them. Her body stiffened in his arms, and Will’s eyes rose to hers. She’d read him right enough, and appeared worried. Ashamed of his lack of control, he said, “Say it again.”
“Where?” she mouthed.
“Where are we going?” She nodded. “Easier to show you.” Charlie opened the door and Will carried her through, across and off the porch and onto a well-worn trail around back. He stood her on her feet in front of the outhouse hoping everything would become clear.
* * * *
An outhouse? Seriously? Well, she supposed the primitive toilet was better than the alternative. She’d already had an internal hissy fit when the thought occurred to her one or both of those men had been seeing to her needs. She had wanted a cup of coffee but had been afraid to ask, fearing the results. Will unwound the blanket. The thought of him touching her—there—while she slept sent flames blazing from her toes to the roots of her hair. The most scorching heat centered at the apex of her thighs. He grinned at her when he freed her legs, and the blush grew hotter. Damn, the man had a devastating smile!
“Need a hand?” he asked huskily.
Meghan shook her head and moved through the little door as quick as possible without tripping over her feet. Once the door closed, she leaned against the rough wood, waiting for her eyes and nose to adjust. If the place smelled this foul in cold weather, how could they stand it in the summer? A good dosing of lime was sorely needed. Well, the sooner she did her business, the sooner she’d get out. She hitched up the shirttail and sort of hovered over the hole.
“Everything all right?”
She damn near fell in! Now how the hell was she supposed to answer the handsome idiot? She opened her mouth and managed to make a mouse-like noise. Frustrated, she slammed a fist into the side wall.
“Just checking.”
She scowled at the crescent moon in the door. If he peeked in, she would poke him in the eye. Where the hell was the toilet paper? Very little light came through the cut-out making it difficult to see anything, but she saw nothing that resembled a roll. What she did find was the remains of a catalog hanging from a leather thong about six inches from where she had slammed her fist. Oh, good grief! Who did they think they were, Grizzly Adams? She thumbed through the pages trying to find a soft one. Finally, she gave up and tore one out.
She squinted at the paper, no, that couldn’t be right, probably a kid’s toy. It was a good price. Twenty five dollars for a replica of a Conestoga Wagon. She crumpled the sheet in her hand, hoping to avoid a painful paper cut. Once she climbed off her perch, and let the shirt fall to her knees, she made a mental note to murder Donna when she came back with help. Realization hit her. When did she decide this wasn’t a dream? Meg put a hand on the wall to steady herself as a wave of dizziness swept over her. When her head cleared, she opened the door.
Will stood waiting with the blanket, a frown fixed between his eyes when his gaze raked over her. Lord knew what she looked like. She leaned into him as he wrapped her in the cocoon then fitted her head to his shoulder when he lifted her in his arms. She felt his lips brush her hair.
A lump lodged in her throat. Who was this man? How had she come to be here? Where was Donna? Why couldn’t she speak? The sob welled from deep within and broke the surface as a wail. He stopped walking and held her tightly as she cried into the warmth of his neck. After her sobs subsided, he silently continued the trek toward the cabin.
The sun had risen
She nodded but still seemed confused as he shoved the boots on her feet. Will helped her stand. When she was steady, he wrapped the blanket around her slender body until she resembled a colorful worm then bent and scooped her up. As she wrapped her arms around his neck, she mouthed words. He stared at her lips, his concentration lost for wanting to press his to them. Her body stiffened in his arms, and Will’s eyes rose to hers. She’d read him right enough, and appeared worried. Ashamed of his lack of control, he said, “Say it again.”
“Where?” she mouthed.
“Where are we going?” She nodded. “Easier to show you.” Charlie opened the door and Will carried her through, across and off the porch and onto a well-worn trail around back. He stood her on her feet in front of the outhouse hoping everything would become clear.
* * * *
An outhouse? Seriously? Well, she supposed the primitive toilet was better than the alternative. She’d already had an internal hissy fit when the thought occurred to her one or both of those men had been seeing to her needs. She had wanted a cup of coffee but had been afraid to ask, fearing the results. Will unwound the blanket. The thought of him touching her—there—while she slept sent flames blazing from her toes to the roots of her hair. The most scorching heat centered at the apex of her thighs. He grinned at her when he freed her legs, and the blush grew hotter. Damn, the man had a devastating smile!
“Need a hand?” he asked huskily.
Meghan shook her head and moved through the little door as quick as possible without tripping over her feet. Once the door closed, she leaned against the rough wood, waiting for her eyes and nose to adjust. If the place smelled this foul in cold weather, how could they stand it in the summer? A good dosing of lime was sorely needed. Well, the sooner she did her business, the sooner she’d get out. She hitched up the shirttail and sort of hovered over the hole.
“Everything all right?”
She damn near fell in! Now how the hell was she supposed to answer the handsome idiot? She opened her mouth and managed to make a mouse-like noise. Frustrated, she slammed a fist into the side wall.
“Just checking.”
She scowled at the crescent moon in the door. If he peeked in, she would poke him in the eye. Where the hell was the toilet paper? Very little light came through the cut-out making it difficult to see anything, but she saw nothing that resembled a roll. What she did find was the remains of a catalog hanging from a leather thong about six inches from where she had slammed her fist. Oh, good grief! Who did they think they were, Grizzly Adams? She thumbed through the pages trying to find a soft one. Finally, she gave up and tore one out.
She squinted at the paper, no, that couldn’t be right, probably a kid’s toy. It was a good price. Twenty five dollars for a replica of a Conestoga Wagon. She crumpled the sheet in her hand, hoping to avoid a painful paper cut. Once she climbed off her perch, and let the shirt fall to her knees, she made a mental note to murder Donna when she came back with help. Realization hit her. When did she decide this wasn’t a dream? Meg put a hand on the wall to steady herself as a wave of dizziness swept over her. When her head cleared, she opened the door.
Will stood waiting with the blanket, a frown fixed between his eyes when his gaze raked over her. Lord knew what she looked like. She leaned into him as he wrapped her in the cocoon then fitted her head to his shoulder when he lifted her in his arms. She felt his lips brush her hair.
A lump lodged in her throat. Who was this man? How had she come to be here? Where was Donna? Why couldn’t she speak? The sob welled from deep within and broke the surface as a wail. He stopped walking and held her tightly as she cried into the warmth of his neck. After her sobs subsided, he silently continued the trek toward the cabin.
The sun had risen
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