watched them disappear under the shelter of the pines, the tangy fragrance heavy in the cooling autumn night. At least he didn’t have to drag her kicking and screaming, which was a relief. He couldn’t help but admire the straight stance of her slender, shapely figure as she walked ahead of him, or the set of her shoulders that told him she understood full well what he wanted from her and her lack of power to keep it from happening.
Laurel Daniels was a lady with a lot of grit and courage and he hoped she could hold on to it without ruining everything until he could get them out of this situation.
The trees made it gloomy even with a bright spattering of stars above. When she stumbled over a branch, he took her arm in an automatic reflex, and led her toward where he had already unrolled his blankets. Under the grip of his fingers he could feel the tension in her muscles, and as they approached the makeshift bed, she tried to jerk away.
“Please.” It was little more than a whisper.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t reassure her. He unbuckled his gun belt, set it down on the ground within easy reach, and took off his hat and tossed it aside. In a stone cold voice, he said, “Lie down.”
“No.” She shook her head, starting to struggle. In the straggling light, her lovely eyes were wide and flashed with both defiance and fright.
Well, shit. He hadn’t thought she’d simply give in without a fight, but he didn’t relish either her fear or that she was going to have to believe—for the next few moments, anyway—that he was going to rape her.
The truth was, he’d never forced a woman in his life, never even dreamed of raising a hand to one, and he wasn’t going to start now.
www.samhainpublishing.com 13
Emma Wildes
Since he was twice her size, it was a simple matter to just pick her up, though it was a little difficult to avoid her fists and nails as she did her best to do the most damage possible when he lowered her to the makeshift bed and used his weight to subdue her struggles. “Fighting won’t do any good,” he said clearly, rewarded by her knee narrowly missing a strategic part of his anatomy as she ignored the warning and twisted wildly beneath him.
“Go to hell,” she panted and tried again. He clamped down one thigh over her flailing legs and smiled grimly. She had spunk. Good, she was going to need it.
From the way the conversation had died down by the fire, he had a feeling the entire group was listening avidly. In fact, since one of the Small brothers was supposed to be on guard duty and watching the gorge, he wasn’t entirely sure they didn’t have an audience too. It wasn’t unknown for them to neglect the duty for drink and cards, so if there was a promising show of him having a good time with the girl, he could see them sneaking away to watch.
Without mercy, he caught her wrists and pinned her arms above her head. He transferred the grip to only one hand and with the other, pulled one of the blankets up over them both.
He had no intention of hurting or violating her in any way, but he was still a healthy adult male, and he couldn’t help but register how soft she felt beneath him, her breasts flattened beneath his chest, the cradle of her hips against his crotch.
And that was enough of that, he reminded himself wryly. Lowering his head in the pretense of nuzzling her neck, he whispered, “I’m not going to hurt you, but please play along.”
Her disbelief evident, she jerked against his hold.
Cal tried again, hoping she understood if she said the wrong thing, they could both be in big trouble. “Please, Miss Daniels…Laurel, just follow my lead and I’ll have you back to your family as soon as possible, no ransom required.”
She turned away from where his mouth grazed the spot below her ear and a choked sound came from her throat.
14
www.samhainpublishing.com
Lawless
He’d never felt like such a brute in his life. Her body was fragile in his arms, delicate and
Laurel Daniels was a lady with a lot of grit and courage and he hoped she could hold on to it without ruining everything until he could get them out of this situation.
The trees made it gloomy even with a bright spattering of stars above. When she stumbled over a branch, he took her arm in an automatic reflex, and led her toward where he had already unrolled his blankets. Under the grip of his fingers he could feel the tension in her muscles, and as they approached the makeshift bed, she tried to jerk away.
“Please.” It was little more than a whisper.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t reassure her. He unbuckled his gun belt, set it down on the ground within easy reach, and took off his hat and tossed it aside. In a stone cold voice, he said, “Lie down.”
“No.” She shook her head, starting to struggle. In the straggling light, her lovely eyes were wide and flashed with both defiance and fright.
Well, shit. He hadn’t thought she’d simply give in without a fight, but he didn’t relish either her fear or that she was going to have to believe—for the next few moments, anyway—that he was going to rape her.
The truth was, he’d never forced a woman in his life, never even dreamed of raising a hand to one, and he wasn’t going to start now.
www.samhainpublishing.com 13
Emma Wildes
Since he was twice her size, it was a simple matter to just pick her up, though it was a little difficult to avoid her fists and nails as she did her best to do the most damage possible when he lowered her to the makeshift bed and used his weight to subdue her struggles. “Fighting won’t do any good,” he said clearly, rewarded by her knee narrowly missing a strategic part of his anatomy as she ignored the warning and twisted wildly beneath him.
“Go to hell,” she panted and tried again. He clamped down one thigh over her flailing legs and smiled grimly. She had spunk. Good, she was going to need it.
From the way the conversation had died down by the fire, he had a feeling the entire group was listening avidly. In fact, since one of the Small brothers was supposed to be on guard duty and watching the gorge, he wasn’t entirely sure they didn’t have an audience too. It wasn’t unknown for them to neglect the duty for drink and cards, so if there was a promising show of him having a good time with the girl, he could see them sneaking away to watch.
Without mercy, he caught her wrists and pinned her arms above her head. He transferred the grip to only one hand and with the other, pulled one of the blankets up over them both.
He had no intention of hurting or violating her in any way, but he was still a healthy adult male, and he couldn’t help but register how soft she felt beneath him, her breasts flattened beneath his chest, the cradle of her hips against his crotch.
And that was enough of that, he reminded himself wryly. Lowering his head in the pretense of nuzzling her neck, he whispered, “I’m not going to hurt you, but please play along.”
Her disbelief evident, she jerked against his hold.
Cal tried again, hoping she understood if she said the wrong thing, they could both be in big trouble. “Please, Miss Daniels…Laurel, just follow my lead and I’ll have you back to your family as soon as possible, no ransom required.”
She turned away from where his mouth grazed the spot below her ear and a choked sound came from her throat.
14
www.samhainpublishing.com
Lawless
He’d never felt like such a brute in his life. Her body was fragile in his arms, delicate and
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