Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Living on the road as she did, she never expected to live a long life and when she learned Torrance had sent Knox searching for her, she feared what might happen if he caught her. She never expected to come to care for Knox, to love him, something she was still having difficulty accepting. Perhaps because loving him might be the worst thing she could ever do to him.
Her heart would allow her to say only one thing. “I have come to care for you as well.”
A quick catch to his heart, as if it missed a beat, caught him unaware. He never expected her to feel that way about him or say it aloud. No one had ever spoken those words to him. That she truly cared for him sent an overwhelming surge of what had to be joy through him. He couldn’t recall ever feeling this happy, and he would do anything to shield it and never lose it.
“We can make this work, Dru. We could share a good life together. We will find Autumn and we will have land to settle on and grow a family together.”
How could a heart soar with joy and break at the same time? If only it could be so. But she couldn’t do this to him. It wasn’t fair. She loved him too much to put him in harm’s way.
“What do you say, wife?” Knox asked, as if referring to her that way sealed his proposal.
Dru remained where she was as he walked slowly toward her. There was a part of her that screamed, RUN! And another part that waited for him to take her in his arms and never let go.
She grinned when he stopped in front of her. “How will I ever tolerate you?”
He ran his finger faintly over her lips. “We have tolerated each other well so far. It can only improve from here on.”
Don’t let him kiss you. Don’t… But I want him to. I so badly want him to kiss me.
And Knox did.
One arm was enough to circle her slim waist and lift her off her feet and bring her lips to meet his. He refused to allow himself to admit how badly he’d been wanting to kiss her. Her lips had tempted him time and time again. He didn’t know how long he could go without kissing her again, yet he had refused to acknowledge it, until now.
That he would spend the rest of his life being able to kiss her, couple with her, brought even more joy to him. The thought of having his own land had filled him with purpose. Now having Dru by his side to share it, her having feelings for him, and he for her, was a dream come true. That was something he never thought he’d ever find with a woman.
His kiss was so much more than a kiss. It committed them to each other, sealing their future together. He loved how firmly and eagerly she returned his kiss, how her slim arms wrapped tight around his neck as though she would never let him go. And he tightened his arm around her waist to let her know the same.
Dru felt the tug of his arm around her, tasted the desire in his kiss, and the strength of his aroused manhood pressed against her. She wanted this, a chance to know the intimacies of marriage, but she couldn’t. She simply could not do it to him or to herself.
She was grateful to her stomach for grumbling when he placed her on her feet. An excuse to delay their coupling and give her time to make an escape.
“I forgot you only had broth since this morning. You must be hungry.”
“I am,” she lied, her stomach twisting in knots for what she was about to do.
“I will go hunting and then we’ll eat. Afterwards, we’ll seal our vows,” he said as if preparing her and smiled faintly. “And don’t worry, I’ll make sure we fit perfectly.”
Soon after he left her tears started and her heart felt as if it shattered.
She loved him. She truly loved him. But even if she did couple with him, she wouldn’t want it to be here in the bed where her mum had thought she found love only to find herself stuck with a man who had no heart.
Brushing her tears over her cheeks, she hurried to find her mum’s herbs. The ones she kept hidden and used on Lord Randall when he arrived in a foul mood that would always end up with her mum suffering.
A little of the leaves sprinkled over Knox’s food would put him to sleep until morning and by then she would be well on her way to where he couldn’t find her.
Rain turned hard when Knox returned with two fish that Dru set to cooking while he slipped his wet shirt off to dry by the fire. His muscular body was rare to see, most men having gone soft from too much ale and food. But then he had trained from when he was young to be a fearless warrior, and it showed with every movement of his taut muscles that glistened from the dampness his wet shirt had left behind. He had the finest of looks, many women boldly admired him, letting him know they were interested. But he never returned their smiles or nods. He had remained focused on her.