computer. And least it had logic. "Then why did you stop?"
"Why did you start?" he countered.
"I don't want you to leave."
He pressed a chaste kiss against her forehead. "I'm not going to."
"You did the last time I asked you to stop."
Apology flashed in his dark eyes. "A foolish mistake I won’t repeat."
He lifted her effortlessly and carried her into the bedroom. The brass bed, covered with a bright hand woven spread, squeaked as he gently set her down. He removed her sneakers, then kicked off his own before stretching out next to her and cradling her in the crook of his arm.
As he reached for the lamp switch, she clamped her fingers over his wrist. “Leave it on.”
"All right. Get some sleep, Gillian."
Sleep? Did he honestly think she could sleep like this? She’d never shared a bed with anyone, let alone a man whose very touch awakened her with desire. No, surely sleep would not come tonight.
Hawk had inherited the mysterious powers of his ancient ancestors. He used his magical touch to caress the tension from her limbs. The heat from his body wrapped her in a cocoon of protection, the likes of which she hadn't felt since she was five years old.
Chapter S even
Gillian awoke to the sound of a singing magpie. The morning sun filtering through the open window blanketed her in uncomfortable heat. Her body ached. As she stretched to ease the tightness from her muscles, her hand made contact with a solid mass and her eyes flew open wide.
Hawk's features, softened with sleep, brought to mind the events of last night. She smiled. The cold, calculating lawyer had a tender side after all. Luckily for her, he was a gentleman, too.
Had she really pleaded with him to stay? Her cheeks grew hot and she quickly slipped out of bed.
She changed into a sleeveless cotton shift and quietly left through the back door. Clean, fresh air filled her lungs, working quicker than a cup of coffee in bringing life to the weary body. A morning walk would clear her muddled thoughts. She slipped her hands in her pockets and strolled along the bank of the stream that ran along the edge of the property.
A half hour later, she stopped to splash cool water on her face and arms. In the comfort of morning light she stared up at the mystical mountain and felt foolish about her panic. As a child, she'd had an irrational fear of the dark, but she thought she’d outgrown it. Shadows in the night sky and the eerie cries of the forest creatures had conspired to play tricks with her mind. Hawk's story also weighed heavy in her thoughts. She couldn't blame him for her anxiety attack since she’d all but bribed him to tell her the tale.
A gentle hand on her shoulder caused her to let out a startled gasp. She whirled around. "Martha?"
"You're as nervous as a rabbit near a fox’s den. What are you doing out so early?"
Gillian's pulse raced. Yes she was nervous, but of what? "I'm trying to convince myself that I have a runaway imagination and that there are no restless spirits roaming the mountain."
"What spirits?” Martha's face grew angry and Gillian wondered if she’d offended the proud woman.
"Nothing. I thought I saw something but ..."
"Don't tell me you saw the old warrior chief, Tokonda?"
Gillian's gaping stare answered her.
The older woman kicked a pebble and let out a grunt. "I'll kill them. The two of them," Martha hissed.
"Who?"
"Thomas and Ike."
"It's not their fault," Gillian assured her. "I begged Hawk to tell me about Tokonda."
Martha put a motherly arm around Gillian's shoulder. Concern and a flash of pity narrowed the eyes that rested on Gillian's face. "What you saw was Ike, dressed in a tribal headdress and standing in front of a covered spotlight. There has never been a warrior chief named Tokonda. In fact, Tokonda is a brand of fertilizer made from horse manure."
"But the eagle..."
"A trained falcon, Ike's hobby."
"I don't understand," Gillian mumbled, but things were becoming clearer by
"Why did you start?" he countered.
"I don't want you to leave."
He pressed a chaste kiss against her forehead. "I'm not going to."
"You did the last time I asked you to stop."
Apology flashed in his dark eyes. "A foolish mistake I won’t repeat."
He lifted her effortlessly and carried her into the bedroom. The brass bed, covered with a bright hand woven spread, squeaked as he gently set her down. He removed her sneakers, then kicked off his own before stretching out next to her and cradling her in the crook of his arm.
As he reached for the lamp switch, she clamped her fingers over his wrist. “Leave it on.”
"All right. Get some sleep, Gillian."
Sleep? Did he honestly think she could sleep like this? She’d never shared a bed with anyone, let alone a man whose very touch awakened her with desire. No, surely sleep would not come tonight.
Hawk had inherited the mysterious powers of his ancient ancestors. He used his magical touch to caress the tension from her limbs. The heat from his body wrapped her in a cocoon of protection, the likes of which she hadn't felt since she was five years old.
Chapter S even
Gillian awoke to the sound of a singing magpie. The morning sun filtering through the open window blanketed her in uncomfortable heat. Her body ached. As she stretched to ease the tightness from her muscles, her hand made contact with a solid mass and her eyes flew open wide.
Hawk's features, softened with sleep, brought to mind the events of last night. She smiled. The cold, calculating lawyer had a tender side after all. Luckily for her, he was a gentleman, too.
Had she really pleaded with him to stay? Her cheeks grew hot and she quickly slipped out of bed.
She changed into a sleeveless cotton shift and quietly left through the back door. Clean, fresh air filled her lungs, working quicker than a cup of coffee in bringing life to the weary body. A morning walk would clear her muddled thoughts. She slipped her hands in her pockets and strolled along the bank of the stream that ran along the edge of the property.
A half hour later, she stopped to splash cool water on her face and arms. In the comfort of morning light she stared up at the mystical mountain and felt foolish about her panic. As a child, she'd had an irrational fear of the dark, but she thought she’d outgrown it. Shadows in the night sky and the eerie cries of the forest creatures had conspired to play tricks with her mind. Hawk's story also weighed heavy in her thoughts. She couldn't blame him for her anxiety attack since she’d all but bribed him to tell her the tale.
A gentle hand on her shoulder caused her to let out a startled gasp. She whirled around. "Martha?"
"You're as nervous as a rabbit near a fox’s den. What are you doing out so early?"
Gillian's pulse raced. Yes she was nervous, but of what? "I'm trying to convince myself that I have a runaway imagination and that there are no restless spirits roaming the mountain."
"What spirits?” Martha's face grew angry and Gillian wondered if she’d offended the proud woman.
"Nothing. I thought I saw something but ..."
"Don't tell me you saw the old warrior chief, Tokonda?"
Gillian's gaping stare answered her.
The older woman kicked a pebble and let out a grunt. "I'll kill them. The two of them," Martha hissed.
"Who?"
"Thomas and Ike."
"It's not their fault," Gillian assured her. "I begged Hawk to tell me about Tokonda."
Martha put a motherly arm around Gillian's shoulder. Concern and a flash of pity narrowed the eyes that rested on Gillian's face. "What you saw was Ike, dressed in a tribal headdress and standing in front of a covered spotlight. There has never been a warrior chief named Tokonda. In fact, Tokonda is a brand of fertilizer made from horse manure."
"But the eagle..."
"A trained falcon, Ike's hobby."
"I don't understand," Gillian mumbled, but things were becoming clearer by
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