Page 47 of Freedom Mine
His hand brushed her arm. That simple touch woke every nerve in her body. She wanted him to touch her, to relieve the tension he’d started last night, diffuse the energy and heightened awareness of him that remained pent up with no outlet.
His every breath, the ripple of his muscles across his broad shoulders as he swung the blade through the grasses, even the musky smell of his sweat. . . Everything set her body on fire, heating her from within, and nothing would smother that fire, certainly not his stolen glances of the past hour.
He no longer attempted to mask the hunger in his eyes. One lone finger caressed the side of her cheek.
“I need to get back to work. You can set the sign up, if you’d like. And there’s a river in that direction.” He pointed east. “Might as well fill up the canteens. Try not to fall in this time.”
“I can handle something simple like filling up canteens,” she said, not containing the edge to her words.
“One would think.”
Now he was being condescending. She grabbed the canteens, the metal clanking together, sending birds flying from nearby trees.
“I’m sorry, Alli. I’m not great with words.”
“Oh, I think you do just fine. You say what you mean, without holding back. Nothing holds you back except yourself, right, Kayo? The first time I ever gave myself to a man willingly, or tried to, you walked away. You finally realized you’d be screwing the slave, and that’s beneath your code of honor, isn’t it?”
“Alli. . .”
She shoved past him, in the direction of the river. She wasn’t sure why she was so mad at him. She’d taken insults left and right as a slave, even as a so-called free woman here. Some of the men were crude, insulting, and dangerous. But never Kayo.
He was different. Sure, he was a solid mass of muscles that could beat a man to death—nearly had with that handler who’d trapped her in the landglider—but he avoided confrontations with the men, the ones he respected like Ranth and Jace. He’d tried to pummel Bawson a few hours ago, and she still wasn’t sure what that had been about, but it wasn’t like Kayo to attack someone without cause. Now, he was flinging insults at her and all she’d done was stand there, waiting, hoping he’d kiss her again.
Where was that damn river? The brush was slowing her down. She should have taken the harkifa to trample some of the growth. A hand landed on her shoulder. Without forethought, she spun around and swung the canteens.
Kayo ducked. She dropped the canteen and drew her hand to her mouth in horror.
“I didn’t mean to insult you, Alli.”
“I’m sorry you’re in debt because of me,” she said, her voice high and panicky from almost hitting him.
“This isn’t about the money.”
“Then what, Kayo? What have I done to make you hate me?”
“That’s twice you’ve said that. What makes you think I could possibly hate you?”
“Last night, you walked away, and I don’t know what I did wrong.”
“Hells, Alli, you did nothing wrong. How could you?”
“Then why did you—”
“Because I can’t have you!” Kayo thrust his hands through his hair and paced.
“You already have me,” she said, intentionally stepping into his path. “You bought me.”
He winced.
Was that the problem? That he owned her? “If you didn’t intend to use me, then why did you buy me? You placed everyone at risk by buying me.”
His head snapped up at that, his features suddenly hard. “Is that what the men have been saying?”
She wouldn’t rat out the men, even the ones that deserved to be knocked on their asses.
“Never mind. Forget about what the men are saying.” From how his face had grown tight, she could tell he was barely containing his anger. “It’s no different than when I bought each of them. Sometimes finances get tight when I buy someone new. That’s the case here. Nothing more.”
“I don’t think they see it that way.”
