Page 18 of Bear Protector
He filled the cup with water from the pitcher beside it. Passing her the cup, he took a seat in the chair.
“Thank you.” Now that the water was in front of her, Kiera could not ignore her thirst. She lifted the cup to her lips, holding it with both hands to gulp it down.
Xander raised his eyebrows and smiled. “Okay, so you are very thirsty.” He turned his chair slightly, reaching his arm backward for the pitcher. “Here you go. When was the last time you had something to eat or drink?”
Self-conscious now, she placed the cup on the table. “This morning…before we met at the Great Hall.”
“I did not know they starved you witches at the fortress,” Xander said, refilling her cup.
“They do not. I meant to eat, but…well, time flew by during my walk, and then I saw you.”
“It sounds like you had quite a day.” He got to his feet. “Wait here. The cook staff just served supper in the main dining hall. I will bring us some.”
Kiera got up and made herself useful after he left. She set the table with two place settings using what she could find on the kitchen shelves. The only thing she could not find was napkins, so she set the cutlery in small saucers, then filled her glass with more water and waited. Xander was back within less than ten minutes, carrying three covered wooden bowls stacked one on top of the other.
“Lucky for you, there is beef stew tonight,” he announced. Setting the top bowl between them, he lifted the flat lid and revealed several pieces of bread. He carefully placed the next bowl on her plate, then the last one on his. Xander was about to take a seat when Kiera noticed him peering down into the empty water pitcher. He returned to the door. “Go ahead and eat. I’ll get us more water.”
Kiera would have waited if she could, but God, she was starving. She wolfed down one spoonful of stew after the other, dipping the bread in the savory liquid for each bite until her bowl was empty and the bread was all gone. Still hungry, she eyes Xander’s plate, but thought against devouring his meal. She sat back in her chair then, closing her eyes as she waited for Xander to return.
7
Kiera
Kiera awoke to the sound of a crackling fire. The covers and blankets around her were perfect, not too warm and not too stuffy. The bed she stretched out on was so soft and snug, she could probably go right back to sleep. She rolled to her side, breathing in the sweet citrus and pine scent of the pillow below her head.
“Mmmm,” she moaned, nuzzling the side her face into it to get into a comfortable position. Except, how did she get home?
Her eyes snapped open.
Oh my God!
She was not in her room.
This was not the fortress.
She jack-knifed up into a sitting position, and it all came back.
Xander’s cabin.
At least he was not in the bed too. Where was he?
“You are safe,” said a voice.
“Xander?”
“Who else?” he asked, then he sat up from his spot on the bench at the foot of the bed, where he had probably been resting.
Because I am in his bed!
“How did I…” she started. Her heart was pounding again. She turned her head in every direction of the room, then looked down and lifted the covers. All she had on was her tunic and undergarments. “Where are my clothes and shoes? And how did I get from eating supper at the table to sleeping in your bed with barely any clothing?”
“Your robe and cloak are hanging in my wardrobe, and your shoes are at the door. I found you sleeping at the table when I got back from the dining hall with drinks. I did try to wake you, but you were out like a light, so I put you to bed. Relax. Everything is fine. Take a breath.”
“I will do no such thing! What time is it? I must get back to the fortress.”
Xander yawned and stretched out his arms. “It is a few minutes past seven.”
“Oh. Okay. That is not too bad. We got here around six.”
