Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 104340 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104340 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
The sheer idea that Dawn could have possibly cracked the ice and slipped in filled him with dread. She would be the one to suffer if he allowed himself to love her and he would not allow that.
Cree ran ahead of Sloan following around the back of Elsa’s cottage where all the commotion could be heard.
“I’ll kill you, you bitch!”
Rage hot and furious raced through Cree when he saw that Goddard had pinned Dawn to the ground, his hands tight around her neck and his men fighting to get him off her. Cree let out a vicious roar and raced at Goddard, slamming into him with such force that the blow knocked Goddard off Dawn and sent the two men tumbling. Cree scrambled to his feet and was on Goddard before he could stand. In one swift twist he broke Goddard’s neck and let his body crumple to the ground.
“Put him where the animals can feast on him,” Cree ordered and two warriors did as he bid, carrying the body off into the woods. He walked over to drop down next to Dawn. “What the hell are you doing going anywhere without a guard?”
Dawn barely had regained her breath, barely had time to register what had just happened when Cree turned his temper on her. She had had enough. She had witnessed death too many times today to dismiss it so easily. And then there was the issue of Cree having made a hasty exit after what had been to her a mutually enjoyable joining. Now he was insinuating that it was her fault that she’d been choked because she had gone without a guard.
She was furious and she tapped his chest hard and shook her head and then tapped her chest.
He scowled. “Are you telling me that I can’t tell you what to do?”
Dawn struggled to her feet pushing his hands away as he tried to help her up. He would have none of her protests. He grabbed her around the waist and lifted her to her feet.
“Answer me,” he demanded.
Dawn caught the way his men looked at him as if he was crazy for thinking that a voiceless woman could answer him. But Cree hadn’t thought that. He had spoken to her as if she was no different than anyone else and damn if that didn’t warm her heart... a little.
She gave a curt nod.
“Leave us!” Cree shouted and his men scurried off. “Haven’t you gotten yourself into enough trouble today?”
Dawn turned her eyes wide and slapped her chest.
“Yes, you.”
She gritted her teeth, scowled at him, and turned and walked over to pick up the spilled contents of her basket.
“I am speaking to you,” Cree said sternly.
Dawn turned patted her chest, tapped her lips, shook her head, and pointed at him.
“You’re not speaking to me?”
She smiled, nodded, and resumed her task.
His strong grip on her arm stopped her. “I would not advise that.”
She questioned why with her usual shrug.
He let go of her arm to stroke her neck, angry with the light bruising he saw there. “Because I want no silence between us.”
His words stunned her. Did he truly feel as if she actually spoke to him? Did he hear her voice as silent as it was? Her anger melted and she pressed her finger to his lips and then to hers and shook her head.
“I’m glad you feel the same. I would miss speaking with you.”
He stunned her again and her reaction was instinctive, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. And all she could think about as she did was how very much she loved this man... not the devil... not the infamous Cree... but this man who would miss talking with her.
When the kiss ended Cree was quick to say, “You’ll come to the keep with me and enjoy the warmth of the fire while I tend to some matters.”
Dawn did not relish the idea of sitting in the Great Hall while Cree was busy. She wanted nothing more than the solitude of her cottage. She shook her head and pointed to her basket and the contents lying scattered about.
“The wreath,” he said with a nod. “You wish to return to the cottage and work on the wreath?”
She smiled and nodded.
“You promise me that you will stay there?”
She crossed her heart with her finger.
“I will join you for supper.”
Her smile grew and she nodded vigorously.
Cree smiled as well and teased, “That hungry are you?”
Dawn felt playful and a bit wicked and so she licked her lips ever so slowly as she nodded.
Cree watched the play of her tongue along her lips leaving them moist in its path and he couldn’t help but wonder how her tongue would feel licking his—
“Enough,” he said with a low growl, the image it evoked growing him hard. He shouted and a warrior appeared. Cree instructed him to help Dawn gather her twigs and pine cones and see her to her cottage. He then turned to her. “I will see you later and make sure to stay put this time.”