Read Online Tender Taming by Heather Graham - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Heather Graham
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there to protect her.
“Next hammock!” Randy said, and in another moment they were pulling up to one of the clumps of earth, pines and cypress.
No one could live here, Whitney decided immediately. They were nowhere! Although the region of solid ground seemed to encompass a large enough area of space, she could see no sign of human habitation.
“Ah—home!” Eagle proclaimed, offering Whitney a hand as he jumped off the airboat with a splash. The grin was twitching at his lips at the dismay she was finding difficult to hide. “You can still chicken out, you know,” he told her as they sloshed to the shore, Randy and Katie following behind.
Whitney inched her nose into the air and smiled acidly. “No, thank you.”
“Don’t let him harass you,” Katie warned softly from behind. “You can come back with Randy and me.”
“She can—and she knows it,” Eagle said, his gaze upon her as sharp as blue steel. Taking her hand, he led the way through a path in the trees Whitney would have never noticed. The landscape abruptly made an incredible change as they walked, becoming an exotic subtropical paradise. Strings of wild orchids, blooming in pastel purples and pinks, splashed against the green and brown earth shades with a magical splendor. Vines and moss played upon the trees, giving the woods a mystical beauty that lurked somewhere between a woodsy glen and a jungle in deepest Africa.
The trail broke into a clearing dotted with thatched-roof chickees. A happy, musical sound greeted Whitney’s ears: the warm sound of children’s laughter. The clearing was indeed alive with human habitation. Eagle called something in his native language and a scurry of colorful activity immediately surrounded them, the children with their excited brown eyes, a cluster of women dressed in beautiful long garments that ranged the spectrum of a rainbow.
Whitney hovered in the background while the others were greeted with hugs and affection. Even Randy, she noticed, was welcomed like a long-lost brother. Though faltering in his speech occasionally, he valiantly attempted to keep up with the flying conversation, and his efforts were obviously appreciated.
The growlingly familiar pang of jealousy suddenly assailed Whitney. A number of the Miccosukee women were very pretty, young and as shapely as slender willows. They wore their adoration for White Eagle nakedly in gentle almond eyes.
“Whitney,” he announced, and his crystal eyes came to her as if he had just explained her presence. His hand pulled her into the group, and he repeated her name. “Whitney.”
She was now the center of attraction. Shy and soft-spoken, the women offered her gentle smiles. Whatever White Eagle had said about her, it had been complimentary. Eagle began to rattle off names to her, some as common as “Katie,” some she wondered if she would ever manage to pronounce, much less remember. It did appear, though, that Eagle’s clan intended to accept her into the fold.
“We’d better say hello to Morning Dew and get going,” Randy said to Katie, “if we’re going to make it back in time.”
Eagle and Katie both nodded, and Eagle said something to the group before dragging Whitney along behind him across the clearing. “Where are we going now?” Whitney demanded.
“Deeper into the dome of hell!” Eagle laughed wickedly. “My grandmother prefers to live in solitude. She seeks company on her terms only.”
Whitney wanted to question him further, but he dragged her along at such a pace that she found speech impossible. A number of chickens and pigs shared the clearing with its human inhabitants, and avoiding the clucking and squealing animals gave her mind thorough occupation. Gritting her teeth as they left the melee behind and entered another trail through the wilderness, Whitney felt with a heavily sinking heart that Eagle had been right in his taunts—she was too soft. She would never be able to stick out the week. In about two minutes
“Next hammock!” Randy said, and in another moment they were pulling up to one of the clumps of earth, pines and cypress.
No one could live here, Whitney decided immediately. They were nowhere! Although the region of solid ground seemed to encompass a large enough area of space, she could see no sign of human habitation.
“Ah—home!” Eagle proclaimed, offering Whitney a hand as he jumped off the airboat with a splash. The grin was twitching at his lips at the dismay she was finding difficult to hide. “You can still chicken out, you know,” he told her as they sloshed to the shore, Randy and Katie following behind.
Whitney inched her nose into the air and smiled acidly. “No, thank you.”
“Don’t let him harass you,” Katie warned softly from behind. “You can come back with Randy and me.”
“She can—and she knows it,” Eagle said, his gaze upon her as sharp as blue steel. Taking her hand, he led the way through a path in the trees Whitney would have never noticed. The landscape abruptly made an incredible change as they walked, becoming an exotic subtropical paradise. Strings of wild orchids, blooming in pastel purples and pinks, splashed against the green and brown earth shades with a magical splendor. Vines and moss played upon the trees, giving the woods a mystical beauty that lurked somewhere between a woodsy glen and a jungle in deepest Africa.
The trail broke into a clearing dotted with thatched-roof chickees. A happy, musical sound greeted Whitney’s ears: the warm sound of children’s laughter. The clearing was indeed alive with human habitation. Eagle called something in his native language and a scurry of colorful activity immediately surrounded them, the children with their excited brown eyes, a cluster of women dressed in beautiful long garments that ranged the spectrum of a rainbow.
Whitney hovered in the background while the others were greeted with hugs and affection. Even Randy, she noticed, was welcomed like a long-lost brother. Though faltering in his speech occasionally, he valiantly attempted to keep up with the flying conversation, and his efforts were obviously appreciated.
The growlingly familiar pang of jealousy suddenly assailed Whitney. A number of the Miccosukee women were very pretty, young and as shapely as slender willows. They wore their adoration for White Eagle nakedly in gentle almond eyes.
“Whitney,” he announced, and his crystal eyes came to her as if he had just explained her presence. His hand pulled her into the group, and he repeated her name. “Whitney.”
She was now the center of attraction. Shy and soft-spoken, the women offered her gentle smiles. Whatever White Eagle had said about her, it had been complimentary. Eagle began to rattle off names to her, some as common as “Katie,” some she wondered if she would ever manage to pronounce, much less remember. It did appear, though, that Eagle’s clan intended to accept her into the fold.
“We’d better say hello to Morning Dew and get going,” Randy said to Katie, “if we’re going to make it back in time.”
Eagle and Katie both nodded, and Eagle said something to the group before dragging Whitney along behind him across the clearing. “Where are we going now?” Whitney demanded.
“Deeper into the dome of hell!” Eagle laughed wickedly. “My grandmother prefers to live in solitude. She seeks company on her terms only.”
Whitney wanted to question him further, but he dragged her along at such a pace that she found speech impossible. A number of chickens and pigs shared the clearing with its human inhabitants, and avoiding the clucking and squealing animals gave her mind thorough occupation. Gritting her teeth as they left the melee behind and entered another trail through the wilderness, Whitney felt with a heavily sinking heart that Eagle had been right in his taunts—she was too soft. She would never be able to stick out the week. In about two minutes
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