Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 71774 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71774 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
I help her finish cleaning the fox and cook it. We talk, and she has me laughing at her stories of work.
When I can’t bite my tongue any longer, I have to know. “What about you? What about your family?”
She shrugs and stares off over my shoulder. “I don’t have one. I only moved here a few months ago, and besides my roommate, I don’t have a lot of friends either.”
Fuck! I can see the sadness on her face, and I want to erase it. I don’t ever want her to feel alone again.
She seems to shake her head and snap herself out of her trance. She stands up and hobbles past me, her hand skimming my shoulder. “Your jacket is soaked, Ray. Why don’t you let it dry by the fire? There’s no way it’s going to keep you warm like that.”
She points to where her jacket is drying, and I know she’s right.
“I’ll be fine,” I start, but she stops me.
“You can share my blanket with me.”
I know I should explain I’m warm enough, my bear never lets me get cold, but I want to be closer to her, and I don’t have the strength to resist her.
I pull off my jacket, and as I do, she sits down and stares at me, not taking her eyes off me.
Chapter 7
Keri
Ray has to be the most beautiful, if not the most overprotective man I’ve ever known. I’m still so confused by everything that happened earlier, but staying busy has kept my mind off it. What I thought I saw was so real, but the realistic side of me knows it wasn’t.
Ray sits down next to me, and already I feel warmer, hot from the inside out. I lie down, watching him as he sits next to me.
“How are you so hot?” I ask him out loud before I realize my blunder.
“You think I’m hot?” he asks with a smirk.
I just roll my eyes. “You know you’re hot. But I mean, just you sitting down next to me, I can feel the heat coming off of you. I don’t know how to explain it. I’ve never felt anything like it in my life.”
He lies down on his back, his hands behind his head, and looks up at the ceiling of the cave. I move over and rest my head on his bended elbow. I don’t even expect him to answer me; I’m getting used to his quiet ways.
But when I can’t stand it any longer, I roll toward him until our faces are so close I can feel his breath on my cheek. I know this can make things awkward, but I have to do it. I don’t have anything to lose at this point. “I like you, Ray.”
His eyes soften as they stare back at me, his face aglow from the light of the fire. “Nothing can come of this, Keri. No matter how badly I want you. No matter how much I don’t want to let you go when we get off this mountain, you and I can never be together.”
I want to argue with him. I want to scream. I want to ask him why. But I don’t. I’ve learned not to expect a lot. I’ve learned that I’ll probably always be on my own. But that doesn’t stop me from going for it anyway.
I take a deep breath, and my voice is so small, I’m surprised he can even hear me. “What about tonight? Can you give me tonight?”
He rolls toward me, and his arm goes around me to rest on my back. I can feel the heat from his hand imprint on my back, and it sends a warmth all through me.
He looks like he might tell me no, and I prepare myself for it. I can’t remember wanting anything as much as I want Ray. I’d give anything to call him mine. But if that’s not possible, I will take what he’s willing to give me.
“I can only give you tonight, Keri.” His hand slides around to my front, squeezing my breast in his hand before it slides down my belly and between my thighs, cupping my mound. “No matter how much I want you, I can only give you tonight.”
I close my eyes as if I’m trying to hide the hurt from my face. When I open them he’s staring at me with a mixture of desire and what I can only guess is pity. “I know I should say no. I know you’re going to think I’m easy, but I don’t care. If I can be with you, in your arms one night, I’ll take it.” A little bit of shame fills me. I should be stronger, but all I’ve thought about all day is being held by him again like last night. I want more from him. I want whatever he’s willing to give.