Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 111355 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111355 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Dawn didn’t wait. She rushed off even though her movements caused the branches to rustle. He knew. He knew she’d been hiding there and she knew him well enough to know that he would confirm for himself what he suspected. And that meant he would go to her cottage.
She hurried behind the cottages and wished she could continue that way, but she would have to approach her cottage from the front as Old Mary or she would be caught. She didn’t have much time before the procession reached the spot on the path she would need to cross to get to her cottage. She approached the area with caution. It was clear, though villagers had already started to gather there as they followed ahead of Cree and his bride.
Dawn gave a quick glance and saw that Cree had turned to speak with Lucerne. She bobbed her head and then he took hold of his reins to guide his stallion away. Could he be coming to see if she was in her cottage? She didn’t wait; she hunched over, and walked a bit faster than Old Mary would usually do. When she reached the cottage she kept her shoulders and head stooped and entered without knocking.
Old Mary took one look at her and paled. “He knows?”
Dawn nodded and slipped the cloak over Old Mary and shooed her to the door.
Old Mary shook her head though kept the cloak on and pointed to her snow covered boots. “Put your boots by the fire so the snow will melt and then sit and warm your chilled hands on the tankard. I will stand by the hearth so that it appears as if I have just entered.”
Dawn hurried to do as Old Mary said amazed by her quick, sharp wit in judging the situation.
Just as they took their positions, the cottage door flew open.
Chapter Two
Cree stood in the open doorway glaring at the two women. He couldn’t explain it but he knew that Dawn had been watching as he rode through the village with Lucerne, yet here she sat, her feet bare. And Old Mary, her cloak with traces of snow, warmed herself by the fire.
He closed the door and looked from one woman to the other.
“My lord,” Old Mary acknowledged him respectfully and bobbed her head.
“Leave us.”
Old Mary bobbed her head again and did as ordered leaving without further comment.
“You are feeling well?” he asked approaching the table and grew annoyed when he watched as Dawn slowly drew her body back away from him.
As well as can be expected after I discovered that you will wed and bed another woman. It was good that she could not speak for she would have blurted out how she truly felt. Instead she turned her hand from side to side.
“Yes and no?”
She nodded and grew wary when he slowly rounded the table.
“Elsa says that a few more days of rest and you will be fine.”
Dawn froze when he stopped to stand directly behind her, then placed his chest against her back and planted his hands palms down on the table to either side of her, in a sense, imprisoning her.
“Do you agree?” He leaned down and with a husky whisper in her ear said, “I want to feel your answers.”
A tingle shot through her so strong and hard that she thought she would climax. It had been a week since they had last made love and with his body nearly wrapped around hers and the warmth of his breath against her cheek, her body was bound to respond.
She swallowed hard and was relieved that he could not see her reaction and answered him with a light tap to his arm.
“I am glad to know that you agree.” He pressed his lips to her temple for a moment then said, “No fever and yet I taste heat.”
Damn, why did she always have to burn for him.
“Do you feel the heat, Dawn?”
She wanted to deny it, but how did she deny what he could taste, touch, and see for himself. She tapped his arm harder than she intended.
“Are you angry with me?” he asked pressing his cheek to hers.
She was angry, though she wasn’t sure who to be angry with. Was it her station in life that placed her out of his reach or was it herself for dreaming the impossible? Was it him for not caring and not loving her even more than she loved him? She had no answer so it was easy for her to tap his arm twice for no.
“Have you missed me?”
With all my heart, she thought but kept her answer to a single tap.
He grabbed her chin and turned her face as he brought his down. “Do you want me to kiss you?”
She turned his question on him by poking him in the chest and then poking herself.