Page 135 of Fated to the Hunters
Ezra snorted. “Unfortunately.”
Scarlett leaned her forehead against his and cupped his cheeks. Soft fingertips tickled over his jaw and when she closed her eyes, her serenity seeped into his soul. He’d never longed for a woman’s presence—for any intimacy that didn’t involve an orgasm—but over the past two weeks, his frustration over the sluggish hunt was only made worse by not having her around. Being in her presence was like the eye of a storm, a brief moment of calm before all hell broke loose.
“I know what he does for us, that we wouldn’t be here without him.” He laid his hands over hers loving the tingles that spread from the feeling of her skin on his. “He’s likely the reason we have you now. I’m not blind to his obnoxious, gracious heart. It’s just not who I am.”
That made her laugh, at least. “It’s accepting who your friends are that makes great friendships. Everyone brings something different to the table, but they all come together to form something amazing.”
Even though her words had meant no harm, they stung like a needle to his heart. Was Mateo right? Would she truly accept him for who he was? Or would she turn and run into the others’ arms, making him resent her for not loving him as his true self?
Love. The word was so strong. How was she supposed to love him at any given point in time if he couldn’t even love himself? Yes, he had learned to be true to himself, but did he truly love the man he was? That answer always depended on the day, but most of the time it was a strong no.
“We should rest,” he said, bringing a stop to the gathering clouds before they became a downpour. “We have a long day ahead of us.”
But despite finally having Scarlett in his arms and being utterly exhausted, Ezra spent the night tossing and turning.
During the next day’s hike he occupied his mind by asking Scarlett to tell him all she’d done with Vince in great detail. He asked about her hikes and the trips to the village. He smiled when she admitted that she already had breakfast dates planned for them.
“We seem to have a full agenda.”
She shrugged with a bright grin, taking the hand he offered to help her over a fallen trunk. “A little, but they are just ideas. You can veto anything you don’t want to do.”
“I want time with you, I don’t care about much else.”
“Maybe a pottery class then,” she teased.
“I believe you underestimate the lengths I would go through to make you happy.” With the log cleared, he pulled her into his chest and lifted her chin to look down into those stormy greyeyes. When Scarlett attempted to bite her lip, Ezra tugged it free with his thumb. “Your happiness is everything to me.”
Scarlett looked up at him, eyes wide and lips parted, her breathing so slow that her chest hardly moved. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, pulling a sigh from her lips so soft that it made his skin pebble. He would fall onto a sword if that meant she was safe and sound.
“Plan whatever comes to mind. My only requirement is you wear at least a dress or two during our time together.”
“I can do that.”
He gave her another kiss on the forehead before nudging her down the trail again.
The drive back to the cabin nearly killed him. The near five hours in the car made an already long day borderline excruciating. They arrived late at night and although Scarlett seemed tired too, she’d stayed awake to keep him company and make sure he didn’t drift off before getting in bed. When Ezra collapsed on the couch, she knelt and untied his boot.
“Scarlett, no,” he protested, though he couldn’t make his body move.
“You do it for me all the time. Let me.”
He didn’t have the energy to fight her, so he could only sit there and let her. She helped him out of his dirty clothes, and Ezra gratefully accepted the fresh comfy ones. He should’ve showered, but he just couldn’t be bothered. Once she tucked him under a blanket, he passed out.
His eyes only opened again when the smell of bacon and eggs crept up his nose. Pulling himself off the couch, he found Scarlett standing in the kitchen, dressed in nothing but one of Vince’s shirts that covered her down to her thighs. Dark liquid already dripped from the coffee machine and two plates satloaded with pancakes, waiting for the eggs and bacon to join them.
When Scarlett heard him shuffling, she turned and gave him a bright smile. “Good morning. Feeling better?”
“Much.” With aching muscles, he joined her in the kitchen.
“I was going to run you a hot bath but thought you might like to eat first.”
“Will you join me?”
“I would love to.”
He made sure to wash his hands, even scrubbing some cold water over his face before joining her at the table, where she waited with his mug of coffee. He stuffed himself, unable to contain his greed. This was a thousand times better than the food he’d eaten on the trail.
Scarlett insisted on scrubbing him clean before their bath, and Ezra was under strict instructions not to lift a finger. He knelt under the stream and watched the dirt-tinged water swirl down the drain. He didn’t have the words to tell her how much this meant to him. How much he enjoyed her full attention, and yet part of him couldn’t fully relax. Even once they were fully submerged in hot, soapy water with Scarlett comfortable in his arms, he couldn’t shake the fact that all of this might vanish once he revealed his true nature.
