She made a note to ask her friend about the ways of the Indians. If she was going to be married into this tribe, she needed to know more so as to not do the wrong thing. After finding the picture and his kind words today, this was a way to show she was starting to care more.
Obadiah handed her a plate, brushing his fingers against hers. Her cheeks heated. This time she didn’t cast her eyes down, afraid she wasn’t pretty enough for him. He’d put those thoughts to rest this afternoon. He brushed his knuckles down her cheek before he served the the supper. The caring way he helped her with the cooking warmed her heart more than any food could ever fill her stomach.
“Is it frowned upon to marry outside the tribe?”
He shrugged his shoulders, swallowing the bite he’d taken. Watching him in the moonlight over fire had her heart racing. It cast a little edge about him. Not that he needed any more edges. His black hair was tied back. Her fingers ached to run her hands through it to see if it was as silky as it looked. It had brushed against her skin a couple of times, but she’d been too afraid to touch it. His gaze was hooded as he stared at her. The inner corner of his mouth turned up.
“Yes and no. The older members don’t like it but some of the younger have already married out.”
“What about you?”
The bold words coming from her startled her. He brought this out in her. Made her want to be braver and not mince words around him. One step. Two. Three. He stood in front of her casting her in a shadow. The slow way he lowered his gaze down her body and back up to her face had her squirming. She worried characteristically at her bottom lip.
“I don’t follow rules. Ever.”
Obadiah pulled her into his arms. She didn’t resist. He was hard to put up any kind of fight with. She lived for when he touched her. He looked at her like no other girl mattered in the world since he’d met her. Made her feel like no other girls before compared to her. The hazy heat he caused inside her made it hard to think. She could only feel his strong arms around her. His breath on her skin. His hands splayed on her hips, cupping her toward him. Her hands pressed against his chest.
She waited to see if he’d kiss her. He took his sweet time with a smirk on his lips. He knew he got to her. Rats.
Big fat raindrops fell on them as he leaned in to kiss her. She jumped in his arms. A squeal coming from her lips turned into laughter. She swore she heard him growl as he pushed her away. He quickly put the fire out as she scrambled to get the food put back into the bag.
“Go inside. We both don’t need to get soaked.”
“I’m fine.”
“Woman. Listen to me for once.”
She sighed as loud as she could over the others in camp talking. He laughed, looking at her in a sideways glance, shaking his head at her. Esther made her way to the tent. Her clothes were plastered against her body. Drenched. She dressed as fast as she could before came in and got into the bedroll. She shivered as she tried to get warm with the covers they had to use.
***
Obadiah snuffed out the fire, gathered the rest of the items, and then headed into the tent. He wanted to curse at the rain. She’d been close, so close in his arms. Kissing her lips was all he thought of. He tossed the towel aside, rolling his eyes as he remembered when she laughed at him. The sweet sound made him almost lose his mind. He wanted to bottle up her innocence and keep her safe for the rest of their lives. She might be tough, but she still had moments when she was not. Adorable.
What had him wanting to put his life down for her? Other girls didn’t compare to her.
She scared him. Scared to give his heart away. How to get so attached to another person and then they are taken away. He’d seen what it did to his Pa. A shell of a man once so vibrant and alive, still in love with his wife. It tore at him when he thought of Pa. Soon he’d take care of the man who did this to his family. Make it right by the tribe as well. Mother Earth would look on them with goodness for sure. The man must pay for taking her away.
His back turned to her. He didn’t need to see her face to know she was looking at him. The heat infusing his body let him know all he needed to know. He let the shirt drop from his body before he turned around and stalked to the bedroll, climbing inside. His pants somehow weren’t wet. Esther tried scooting to the far side as if not to touch him. There was the innocence he loved so much.
Thunder shook the ground, making the tent rattle as the wind whipped around them. Her scream pierced the night air. She rolled over so fast he didn’t have time to react as she clung to his chest. Esther’s body shook violently against him, taking him by surprise. The month they’d been out here together she’d never backed down from
