should have become. He unfolded his body. “I am going to find us something to eat. When the sun is a little higher, we’ll risk a small fire.”
“Because you don’t want our captive to go hungry?” Alejandro ground out at his retreating back.
Lee neither broke his stride nor answered because the truth was that he was simply growing weary of battling the demons that plagued him.
Angela awoke to the tantalizing aroma of cooking fish. Her mouth watered and her stomach rumbled. She sat up and her hair tumbled around her. With a tiny gasp, she thrust her hands into her hair, searching for her pins. Not a single one remained. She began patting the area of the blanket where her head had been resting—
“You won’t find them,” Raven said quietly.
With a little shriek, she twisted around. “You removed the pins from my hair?”
“ Sí .”
“Why did you do that?”
His answer was silence, as though she should know the reason and was dense for asking.
“Do you have a comb?”
“No.”
“I should have expected that outlaws are not overly concerned with hygiene.”
“Outlaws do not have hair as long as yours. We can just use our fingers to keep it in place. Would you like me to comb your hair?”
“With your fingers?”
“ Sí .”
His voice had suddenly grown thick, tight. Her breathing became erratic with the thought of him raking his fingers through her hair, long fingers that had pressed against her stomach before she’d fallen asleep. “No, that’s not necessary. Do you at least have something with which I can tie it back?”
“My filthy bandanna.”
She held out her hand. “I suppose I can make do with that.” He laid the cloth on her palm. It was still warm, and she realized it had been resting against his throat. It didn’t seem quite so filthy, now that it wasn’t going into her mouth. Besides, with it around her hair, it couldn’t be around her wrists. He wasn’t such a smart outlaw after all, she thought smugly.
“If I wanted to bind you, señorita , I could use one of my brothers’ bandannas.”
She jerked the soft cloth into a knot. “What are you? A mind reader?”
“It is as I said, you have very expressive eyes.”
The bandanna in place, her hair out of her face, she folded her hands on her lap. “Does this mean you don’t intend to keep me tied up today?”
“As long as you behave.”
She nodded. “How is your wound?”
“Much better, thanks to your tender ministrations.”
She didn’t want to think about touching him, about how hot he had been, how smooth, how firm. “Is that breakfast I smell?”
“So I do not have to convince you to eat this morning? That is good.”
He set a plate on her lap. She plucked a bit of meat free with her fingers and popped it into her mouth. She’d never tasted anything so delicious in her life. Amazing, how being starved could change one’s perception of things. In truth, the fish was dry, overcooked. She could feel his gaze honing in on her. She despised the way it unsettled her. “So you took me because you thought I’d seen your face?”
“ Sí .”
“Your likeness isn’t on a wanted poster?”
“No, until last night I was clever at hiding my identity, not only for my protection, but for the protection of others. There are men who would do anything to discover what I look like. You need to eat more quickly so we can leave.”
“And if I don’t?”
“I will bind you.”
She began shoveling the food into her mouth, hoping that she’d at least managed to delay him enough that today, at some point, he would be willing to leave her behind.
Lee brought his horse to a halt. Nestled snugly between his thighs, Angela eased forward slightly.She apparently welcomed every opportunity to move away from him. He searched for any chance to hold her close, an incredibly dangerous preoccupation. He had more pressing matters to worry about. Such as the posse that was getting ominously closer.
At least today
“Because you don’t want our captive to go hungry?” Alejandro ground out at his retreating back.
Lee neither broke his stride nor answered because the truth was that he was simply growing weary of battling the demons that plagued him.
Angela awoke to the tantalizing aroma of cooking fish. Her mouth watered and her stomach rumbled. She sat up and her hair tumbled around her. With a tiny gasp, she thrust her hands into her hair, searching for her pins. Not a single one remained. She began patting the area of the blanket where her head had been resting—
“You won’t find them,” Raven said quietly.
With a little shriek, she twisted around. “You removed the pins from my hair?”
“ Sí .”
“Why did you do that?”
His answer was silence, as though she should know the reason and was dense for asking.
“Do you have a comb?”
“No.”
“I should have expected that outlaws are not overly concerned with hygiene.”
“Outlaws do not have hair as long as yours. We can just use our fingers to keep it in place. Would you like me to comb your hair?”
“With your fingers?”
“ Sí .”
His voice had suddenly grown thick, tight. Her breathing became erratic with the thought of him raking his fingers through her hair, long fingers that had pressed against her stomach before she’d fallen asleep. “No, that’s not necessary. Do you at least have something with which I can tie it back?”
“My filthy bandanna.”
She held out her hand. “I suppose I can make do with that.” He laid the cloth on her palm. It was still warm, and she realized it had been resting against his throat. It didn’t seem quite so filthy, now that it wasn’t going into her mouth. Besides, with it around her hair, it couldn’t be around her wrists. He wasn’t such a smart outlaw after all, she thought smugly.
“If I wanted to bind you, señorita , I could use one of my brothers’ bandannas.”
She jerked the soft cloth into a knot. “What are you? A mind reader?”
“It is as I said, you have very expressive eyes.”
The bandanna in place, her hair out of her face, she folded her hands on her lap. “Does this mean you don’t intend to keep me tied up today?”
“As long as you behave.”
She nodded. “How is your wound?”
“Much better, thanks to your tender ministrations.”
She didn’t want to think about touching him, about how hot he had been, how smooth, how firm. “Is that breakfast I smell?”
“So I do not have to convince you to eat this morning? That is good.”
He set a plate on her lap. She plucked a bit of meat free with her fingers and popped it into her mouth. She’d never tasted anything so delicious in her life. Amazing, how being starved could change one’s perception of things. In truth, the fish was dry, overcooked. She could feel his gaze honing in on her. She despised the way it unsettled her. “So you took me because you thought I’d seen your face?”
“ Sí .”
“Your likeness isn’t on a wanted poster?”
“No, until last night I was clever at hiding my identity, not only for my protection, but for the protection of others. There are men who would do anything to discover what I look like. You need to eat more quickly so we can leave.”
“And if I don’t?”
“I will bind you.”
She began shoveling the food into her mouth, hoping that she’d at least managed to delay him enough that today, at some point, he would be willing to leave her behind.
Lee brought his horse to a halt. Nestled snugly between his thighs, Angela eased forward slightly.She apparently welcomed every opportunity to move away from him. He searched for any chance to hold her close, an incredibly dangerous preoccupation. He had more pressing matters to worry about. Such as the posse that was getting ominously closer.
At least today
Similar Books
