You stay inside,” he said gruffly, bending to pick up his hat from the wooden floor. He who was so careful of the wide-brimmed hat that had perched atop his head for the past two years could not even remember it falling from its place.
Her face lit with a relief she made no attempt to hide. “I’ll sort out something for supper,” she offered.
He nodded, hunching his shoulders as he bent into the slanting raindrops. His steps were quick, his hands reaching for dead wood beneath the trees. It was barely dampened by the rain, protected by the trees towering overhead, andhe found a double armful within minutes. Probably enough to last the night, if they were careful.
Beneath the small porch he caught a glimpse of more firewood, apparently gathered by an earlier occupant, and he welcomed the discovery with a satisfied grin. Dumping his heavy load just inside the door, he stepped back out to gather up the heavier chunks from under the porch. His shirt clung to his back, thoroughly soaked, and he thought longingly of the warm fire inside.
The small blaze welcomed him as he staggered through the doorway with his burden. Cassie knelt as closely as she dared to the fire, tending the small pot she’d placed in the coals.
“I opened a can of beans from your pack,” she said, glancing at him over her shoulder. Her cheeks were flushed from the heat, her hair gleaming in the firelight.
This was not going to be an easy night, Will decided, carrying the heavy pieces of firewood closer. He bent, stacking them quickly next to the hearth, then squatted beside Cassie, his fingers working at the buttons of his shirt.
“Can you find me something dry to put on?” His hands were stiff, his movements slow, and he closed his eyes for a moment, soaking in the welcome warmth of the fire.
He heard her murmur of assent as she crossed the room to close the door against the rain. His every nerve attuned to her presence, he flinched at the click of her boot heels as they touched the wooden floor. The swollen wood of the door protested loudly as she dragged it across the uneven floorboards, and then she knelt by his saddlebag. The rustle of her movements had him gritting his teeth and closing his eyes, the better to visualize her as she handled his clothing, sorted through his belongings.
His hands tightened into fists, and he bent his head, aware only of her presence. Her clothing brushed the flooras she rose to her feet, and then he sensed her approach. His heartbeat slowed, his breathing deepened and once more he lifted his hands to undo his shirt buttons.
He stripped the shirt from his body, and unseen hands took it from him. Never had a fire felt so welcome. Grunting his thanks, he stretched out his hands to the crackling flames.
“Your undershirt is pretty well soaked, too,” Cassie said from behind him.
He nodded agreement, his fingers once more working at buttons and buttonholes. He made quicker work of it this time and eased his way from the wet fabric. From behind him, Cassie enclosed his shoulders in the blanket from his pack and he basked in the warmth it captured from the flames as she draped it around his body.
She knelt next to him and reached to stir the beans. “They’re almost hot,” she offered. “We can put them on the biscuits left from breakfast if you want to.”
“That’s fine.” He’d be willing to eat most anything she put in front of him right now, he decided. Between the sound of rain on the roof and the fire crackling in front of him, he was pretty near ready to doze off. If it weren’t for the empty spot in his middle, he’d be content to drop his chin on his chest and spend the night where he sat.
“Here.” Cassie’s hand touched his and his fingers curled around the biscuit she held. Warm beans oozed from its depths and he licked one from his finger, then took a mouthful of the simple meal. He blinked, his eyes gritty with the need for sleep, and chewed slowly, savoring the flavor.
“I
Her face lit with a relief she made no attempt to hide. “I’ll sort out something for supper,” she offered.
He nodded, hunching his shoulders as he bent into the slanting raindrops. His steps were quick, his hands reaching for dead wood beneath the trees. It was barely dampened by the rain, protected by the trees towering overhead, andhe found a double armful within minutes. Probably enough to last the night, if they were careful.
Beneath the small porch he caught a glimpse of more firewood, apparently gathered by an earlier occupant, and he welcomed the discovery with a satisfied grin. Dumping his heavy load just inside the door, he stepped back out to gather up the heavier chunks from under the porch. His shirt clung to his back, thoroughly soaked, and he thought longingly of the warm fire inside.
The small blaze welcomed him as he staggered through the doorway with his burden. Cassie knelt as closely as she dared to the fire, tending the small pot she’d placed in the coals.
“I opened a can of beans from your pack,” she said, glancing at him over her shoulder. Her cheeks were flushed from the heat, her hair gleaming in the firelight.
This was not going to be an easy night, Will decided, carrying the heavy pieces of firewood closer. He bent, stacking them quickly next to the hearth, then squatted beside Cassie, his fingers working at the buttons of his shirt.
“Can you find me something dry to put on?” His hands were stiff, his movements slow, and he closed his eyes for a moment, soaking in the welcome warmth of the fire.
He heard her murmur of assent as she crossed the room to close the door against the rain. His every nerve attuned to her presence, he flinched at the click of her boot heels as they touched the wooden floor. The swollen wood of the door protested loudly as she dragged it across the uneven floorboards, and then she knelt by his saddlebag. The rustle of her movements had him gritting his teeth and closing his eyes, the better to visualize her as she handled his clothing, sorted through his belongings.
His hands tightened into fists, and he bent his head, aware only of her presence. Her clothing brushed the flooras she rose to her feet, and then he sensed her approach. His heartbeat slowed, his breathing deepened and once more he lifted his hands to undo his shirt buttons.
He stripped the shirt from his body, and unseen hands took it from him. Never had a fire felt so welcome. Grunting his thanks, he stretched out his hands to the crackling flames.
“Your undershirt is pretty well soaked, too,” Cassie said from behind him.
He nodded agreement, his fingers once more working at buttons and buttonholes. He made quicker work of it this time and eased his way from the wet fabric. From behind him, Cassie enclosed his shoulders in the blanket from his pack and he basked in the warmth it captured from the flames as she draped it around his body.
She knelt next to him and reached to stir the beans. “They’re almost hot,” she offered. “We can put them on the biscuits left from breakfast if you want to.”
“That’s fine.” He’d be willing to eat most anything she put in front of him right now, he decided. Between the sound of rain on the roof and the fire crackling in front of him, he was pretty near ready to doze off. If it weren’t for the empty spot in his middle, he’d be content to drop his chin on his chest and spend the night where he sat.
“Here.” Cassie’s hand touched his and his fingers curled around the biscuit she held. Warm beans oozed from its depths and he licked one from his finger, then took a mouthful of the simple meal. He blinked, his eyes gritty with the need for sleep, and chewed slowly, savoring the flavor.
“I
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