Read Online Moonlight Rebel by Marie Ferrarella - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Marie Ferrarella
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came to a halt. "Are we here?" Sleep encroaching on her brain, making everything hazy, she looked around, dazed. They were still in the forest. Disappointment filled her.
Something dark scurried into the trees not more than five feet away. Krystyna caught her breath. Her eyes remained glued to the spot as she allowed Jason to help her off the horse.
"No, I thought you might like to lie down for a few hours." Jason untied the bedroll from the back of his saddle. "You look totally worn out."
"I am tired," she admitted, guessing at his meaning. Not everything had been covered in those lessons of hers. Her teacher had been a man who learned English from an American so she had gotten her idioms third hand. The gap in her education was evident to her as she listened to Jason.
She watched as he spread out the blanket on the ground and then gestured toward it. "Thank you."
Satisfied that she had been taken care of, Jason leaned against a tree, his musket spread across his knees, ready for whatever might come.
"Are you going to sleep like that?" Exhausted, Krystyna lay down on the ground. She was too tired to notice that it was hard.
"Just catnap," he answered. "Never know what could be around. You get all the sleep you can. I'll wake you when it's time to go."
No one heard his words but the night animals. Krystyna was already asleep. Jason smiled to himself as he watched her.
Chapter Six
Her scream woke Jason with a start. His hand reflexively tightened around his musket. He looked around quickly, his eyes focusing on shapes in the darkness, his brain sharply alert. There was no one around save for the two of them.
He heard her quick intake of breath, the soft, muffled sobs. Krystyna lay huddled, shivering on the ground, no longer wrapped in his blanket. That had been fitfully cast off. She was crying in her sleep.
Jason gently turned her around. "Krystyna?" Her face was streaked with tears. Too proud to give in to her emotions while awake, she had dropped her guard in sleep.
Jason rocked back on his heels. So, she was human after all. Looking at her, he could only surmise that she was reliving the past few hours. His heart went out to her. Newly arrived in a strange country only to have everything stripped away from her. What a horrid experience for anyone.
Murmuring soothing words, Jason raised her into his arms tenderly. God, but she was beautiful. Even crying, with her hair plastered against her wet cheek, she made his heart ache just from looking at her.
"Shh." He held her close against his chest, giving her his warmth, hoping to soothe her. Trying not to notice how good she felt in his arms. "You're all right now. It's over, Princess. It's all over. You're safe, here with me."
Krystyna awoke with a start, grasping at his arm, and then, just as suddenly, pushing him away. She gulped snatches of air, trying to steady herself. There was kindness in his eyes, and concern. Hungry for comfort and still half-asleep, she allowed the soothing sound of his voice to break down her barriers. With a deep, troubled sigh, she sank into the warm sanctuary of his arms.
Holding her, Jason rocked slightly, the way a man would with a small child he was trying to quiet.
Her hands tightened around Jason's forearms. There was a terrible need in her to be comforted.
"Let it all come out," he coaxed. "And then you can put it behind you."
The sobs stopped abruptly as Krystyna struggled for control. She felt so lost and alone that she could barely stand it.
The feel of her body against his was overcoming his best instincts. The desire to comfort was at odds with his growing longing for her. Her torn blouse had all but fallen off. As he held her against him, the jacket he had given her parted, allowing him to feel her breasts against him. It seemed the very fabric of his clothing had been burned away. Jason felt desire spill through him, surging and pulsating at the mere thought of touching her, of slowly sliding his hand along the
Something dark scurried into the trees not more than five feet away. Krystyna caught her breath. Her eyes remained glued to the spot as she allowed Jason to help her off the horse.
"No, I thought you might like to lie down for a few hours." Jason untied the bedroll from the back of his saddle. "You look totally worn out."
"I am tired," she admitted, guessing at his meaning. Not everything had been covered in those lessons of hers. Her teacher had been a man who learned English from an American so she had gotten her idioms third hand. The gap in her education was evident to her as she listened to Jason.
She watched as he spread out the blanket on the ground and then gestured toward it. "Thank you."
Satisfied that she had been taken care of, Jason leaned against a tree, his musket spread across his knees, ready for whatever might come.
"Are you going to sleep like that?" Exhausted, Krystyna lay down on the ground. She was too tired to notice that it was hard.
"Just catnap," he answered. "Never know what could be around. You get all the sleep you can. I'll wake you when it's time to go."
No one heard his words but the night animals. Krystyna was already asleep. Jason smiled to himself as he watched her.
Chapter Six
Her scream woke Jason with a start. His hand reflexively tightened around his musket. He looked around quickly, his eyes focusing on shapes in the darkness, his brain sharply alert. There was no one around save for the two of them.
He heard her quick intake of breath, the soft, muffled sobs. Krystyna lay huddled, shivering on the ground, no longer wrapped in his blanket. That had been fitfully cast off. She was crying in her sleep.
Jason gently turned her around. "Krystyna?" Her face was streaked with tears. Too proud to give in to her emotions while awake, she had dropped her guard in sleep.
Jason rocked back on his heels. So, she was human after all. Looking at her, he could only surmise that she was reliving the past few hours. His heart went out to her. Newly arrived in a strange country only to have everything stripped away from her. What a horrid experience for anyone.
Murmuring soothing words, Jason raised her into his arms tenderly. God, but she was beautiful. Even crying, with her hair plastered against her wet cheek, she made his heart ache just from looking at her.
"Shh." He held her close against his chest, giving her his warmth, hoping to soothe her. Trying not to notice how good she felt in his arms. "You're all right now. It's over, Princess. It's all over. You're safe, here with me."
Krystyna awoke with a start, grasping at his arm, and then, just as suddenly, pushing him away. She gulped snatches of air, trying to steady herself. There was kindness in his eyes, and concern. Hungry for comfort and still half-asleep, she allowed the soothing sound of his voice to break down her barriers. With a deep, troubled sigh, she sank into the warm sanctuary of his arms.
Holding her, Jason rocked slightly, the way a man would with a small child he was trying to quiet.
Her hands tightened around Jason's forearms. There was a terrible need in her to be comforted.
"Let it all come out," he coaxed. "And then you can put it behind you."
The sobs stopped abruptly as Krystyna struggled for control. She felt so lost and alone that she could barely stand it.
The feel of her body against his was overcoming his best instincts. The desire to comfort was at odds with his growing longing for her. Her torn blouse had all but fallen off. As he held her against him, the jacket he had given her parted, allowing him to feel her breasts against him. It seemed the very fabric of his clothing had been burned away. Jason felt desire spill through him, surging and pulsating at the mere thought of touching her, of slowly sliding his hand along the
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