long minute, his stance abruptly relaxed. He clicked his tongue to the horse, and we resumed walking.
After walking a while in silence, I couldn’t stand the stillness anymore. I had to say something, anything, to stop myself from thinking about what could possibly be in the forest (wild animals, angry men, and many legged bugs came to mind).
Besides, Colton was irritating me. Did he have to stride so arrogantly through the forest? He looked perfectly at ease in the woods, ducking errant tree branches, stepping over roots in the path between the trees and remaining calm whenever a squirrel or other animal called out unexpectedly.
Whereas I startled at the slightest sound. When Brutus jangled his bit, I jumped. When I snapped a branch underfoot, I nearly cried out in surprise. I never really considered myself an indoor girl before, but I was fast finding out I was rather unprepared for roughing it in the forest.
And he meant to sleep here? No way.
“Are we close to Lisbon?” My attention caught on the torn and battered hem of my dress. I wondered if I’d ever be able to get the dirt out. Perhaps a long soak in cold water?
Looking up, I noticed Colton watching me expectantly. Oh. I’d asked a question, hadn’t I? “Yes?” I asked, eyebrows raised.
“Do you normally ask questions and meander off before people can answer?”
“I hardly meandered. It is not my fault your answers lack conviction.” I shivered involuntarily. Of all times to leave the house without a jacket, I chose today. In my defense, there had been a mob forming outside my front door, so perhaps I could be forgiven for forgetting a few things.
“I wanted to know whether you thought we were there yet.” His quick stride never faltered, no matter the path had become rocky and uneven.
“Probably not, but I was hoping you would assure me otherwise.”
“No such luck. I deal only in truth.” Glancing sideways at me, he abruptly halted. “You are cold. May I offer my jacket?”
I looked dubiously at the lightweight jacket hugging Colton’s broad shoulders. As dirty and bedraggled as it was, I would have welcomed its warmth. But, I was still wary of the man and didn’t want to accept anything from him.
“No, thank you. I do not take things, jackets or otherwise, from strangers.” My tone was prim.
“Are we back to that?” He again started forward. Since I had no wish to be left alone, I grudgingly fell into step besides him.
“We never left it.” Everything about this man set my back up. I normally got along with almost everybody. Perhaps it was the frissons of awareness scaling my back every time I looked at him.
“And here I was thinking we might become friends.” His tone implied otherwise.
I snorted. “The only reason I would consider becoming your friend is because you are armed and can force my compliance.” A pause. “Why do you carry a gun?”
“One can never be too careful when traveling.”
“Have you traveled far?”
“Yes.”
I waited for him to continue. When nothing more was offered, I asked, “Not the chatty type, are we?” I swatted at a bug as it attempted to land on my arm.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I have nothing nice to say.”
“Or you’re exceptionally boring.” At his questioning glance, I said, “Only boring people do not talk because they never have anything of interest to say.”
He laughed, startling me. “Then I suppose you must be fascinating because you have not ceased talking this last quarter mile.”
“If you wanted silence, you could have refused my father’s demands and left me behind.”
“Ah. Missed opportunities.”
It took me a minute to realize he was teasing me. “You do have a sense of humor!” Bad, this was very bad. The only thing more attractive than a handsome man was a handsome man with a sense of humor.
This time, his grin was a white slash in the otherwise dark forest. Only because I was walking close beside him did I even see it. “I've been
After walking a while in silence, I couldn’t stand the stillness anymore. I had to say something, anything, to stop myself from thinking about what could possibly be in the forest (wild animals, angry men, and many legged bugs came to mind).
Besides, Colton was irritating me. Did he have to stride so arrogantly through the forest? He looked perfectly at ease in the woods, ducking errant tree branches, stepping over roots in the path between the trees and remaining calm whenever a squirrel or other animal called out unexpectedly.
Whereas I startled at the slightest sound. When Brutus jangled his bit, I jumped. When I snapped a branch underfoot, I nearly cried out in surprise. I never really considered myself an indoor girl before, but I was fast finding out I was rather unprepared for roughing it in the forest.
And he meant to sleep here? No way.
“Are we close to Lisbon?” My attention caught on the torn and battered hem of my dress. I wondered if I’d ever be able to get the dirt out. Perhaps a long soak in cold water?
Looking up, I noticed Colton watching me expectantly. Oh. I’d asked a question, hadn’t I? “Yes?” I asked, eyebrows raised.
“Do you normally ask questions and meander off before people can answer?”
“I hardly meandered. It is not my fault your answers lack conviction.” I shivered involuntarily. Of all times to leave the house without a jacket, I chose today. In my defense, there had been a mob forming outside my front door, so perhaps I could be forgiven for forgetting a few things.
“I wanted to know whether you thought we were there yet.” His quick stride never faltered, no matter the path had become rocky and uneven.
“Probably not, but I was hoping you would assure me otherwise.”
“No such luck. I deal only in truth.” Glancing sideways at me, he abruptly halted. “You are cold. May I offer my jacket?”
I looked dubiously at the lightweight jacket hugging Colton’s broad shoulders. As dirty and bedraggled as it was, I would have welcomed its warmth. But, I was still wary of the man and didn’t want to accept anything from him.
“No, thank you. I do not take things, jackets or otherwise, from strangers.” My tone was prim.
“Are we back to that?” He again started forward. Since I had no wish to be left alone, I grudgingly fell into step besides him.
“We never left it.” Everything about this man set my back up. I normally got along with almost everybody. Perhaps it was the frissons of awareness scaling my back every time I looked at him.
“And here I was thinking we might become friends.” His tone implied otherwise.
I snorted. “The only reason I would consider becoming your friend is because you are armed and can force my compliance.” A pause. “Why do you carry a gun?”
“One can never be too careful when traveling.”
“Have you traveled far?”
“Yes.”
I waited for him to continue. When nothing more was offered, I asked, “Not the chatty type, are we?” I swatted at a bug as it attempted to land on my arm.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I have nothing nice to say.”
“Or you’re exceptionally boring.” At his questioning glance, I said, “Only boring people do not talk because they never have anything of interest to say.”
He laughed, startling me. “Then I suppose you must be fascinating because you have not ceased talking this last quarter mile.”
“If you wanted silence, you could have refused my father’s demands and left me behind.”
“Ah. Missed opportunities.”
It took me a minute to realize he was teasing me. “You do have a sense of humor!” Bad, this was very bad. The only thing more attractive than a handsome man was a handsome man with a sense of humor.
This time, his grin was a white slash in the otherwise dark forest. Only because I was walking close beside him did I even see it. “I've been
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