Page 29 of A Rugged Beauty
It wouldn't be safe down low, near the river. And he didn't know which direction the man had gone.
In the dark, with water pouring from the sky in buckets, his sense of direction was discombobulated.
Or maybe it was his head.
A fierce pain felt as if his skull was splitting apart and he put one hand to his temple.
"H!"
He almost went to his knees, but some surge of protective instinct forced his numb feet to keep moving.
She tugged him by the arm when he couldn’t see for the pain behind his eyes. Some of the rain abated and he forced his eyes open—when had he closed them?—to see she'd found a narrow opening where a bluff rose overhead. An alcove in the rock gave them some shelter.
Gave him some shelter. She'd pushed him to the inside and was still getting soaked.
It was dark, but he could make out the shape of her face. Her breath fogged at the open neck of his shirt.
She reached up to wipe his chin and he realized the warmth trickling from the corner of his mouth was blood.
"You're hurt." Her words held an accusing tone to them.
"He got the jump on me," H admitted. "But I'll be all right."
Her hand brushed against the left side of his ribcage. He couldn't hide the wince in these cramped quarters. He was close enough to see her face crumple.
He did what felt natural and gathered her to him, ignoring the twinge in his ribs. Somehow he knew his ribs were not broken, only bruised.
Sobs shook her slight body, so he nestled her even closer. They were both soaked through. Her skin felt chilled where her cheek pressed against his neck.
"Who-who was that?" she mumbled against his skin.
"I don't know. Not a friend."
Run!Even if the man hadn’t been a scout looking for the two of them, the fact that he'd refused to help, to give any information, was a concern.
What was a man alone doing out here? Could he be some kind of mercenary? What was he looking for?
"We can't stay here. Need to keep moving," H said into her hair.
He'd put them in this danger, with his insistence that they search for help instead of waiting for it to come to them. He'd been the one to suggest staking out the campsite.
Now the man might decide to hunt the two of them.
H had put Sparrow in danger.
She shook her head, the movement brushing her nose back and forth across his skin.
"I'm fine," he murmured.
"I need to hold you for a moment more,” she said.
His thoughts had been focused on the dangerous man, on their escape. But at her words, he registered the feel of her palms against the back of his neck, her fingers digging into his shoulders. The brush of her skirts against his legs. The feel of her back beneath his slicker and her dress.
This wasn't the moment for a kiss. Not when he'd struggled so mightily after their last kiss. Not when she was so upset. But he let himself cup the back of her head in his hand as she pressed close. Feel her alive in his arms, each shuddering breath something to be grateful for.
He couldn't seem to help edging her a half inch closer. He felt it too. Having someone care for him like she did—it felt like everything.
Like a home he'd been missing.
