Wyatt had stood and grabbed her arm without fully realizing he had even moved to do so. He didn’t yet totally understand it, but he felt a real connection with her—and it was definitely growing more intense. She was clever, brave, kind, and beautiful. He would’ve been a fool to not be drawn to her some. Still, he could sense there was something else that was attracting him to her. A fact that failed to give him any pause. In fact, it filled him with a strange sense of confidence. He gently pulled her arm close to his chest. “I am afraid I can’t do that,” he said quietly.
Nev shook her head with frustration. “Why not?” she asked, staring at him.
“Well, you see… I made a promise not to. And I already unintentionally broke it once. Of course, I was unconscious at the time, so I don’t think that really counts,” Wyatt said with a playful smile. He then pulled her closer to him. “I would never consciously break a promise, not to you,” he affirmed gently. His eyes gazed affectionately at her as he watched her mind spin.
Nev felt a swirl of emotions, and she shook her head in disapproval. Tugging her arm lightly, she half-heartedly tried to pull away from him. “You can’t. I can’t. You don’t know me,” she countered, lowering her head and sounding disheartened.
Wyatt gently lifted her face to his with his hand. “I know you enough. I know you are brave, beautiful, and might be even more stubborn than me,” he assured, smiling warmly.
Nev wanted to protest more. The guilt would break her if he came to harm because of her. She needed to make him see. She had to make him understand why this could never happen. Looking into his eyes, however, all she could do was shake her head in disapproval.
Wyatt laughed and said, “Ha, ha. I also know that you are still somehow under the impression that shaking that gorgeous head at me is going to get me to do what you want. Remember, I only said you might be more stubborn than me.”
She just blinked at him in response, unable to formulate any words to argue against him.
Wyatt smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist. Pulling her close to him, he lifted her face gently to his. Then, Wyatt leaned toward her slowly. Once his lips were just beyond hers, he kissed her tenderly.
Nev’s resolve to push him away melted as he kissed her. She pulled her arm from his grasp and then wrapped both hands around the base of his neck. She stretched her fingers through his hair and gently twisted his locks around her fingers.
Wyatt pulled her close until her body was pressed firmly against his. Her lips were soft, and the sensation of her hot breath on his face sent chills throughout his body. After several minutes passed, he pulled back slightly and gazed at her. “Well, that certainly makes almost drowning in an underground cave worthwhile,” he said, grinning widely.
Nev felt warm and flooded by emotions. She’d made a vow to never allow herself to care for someone again. Even more importantly, however, was her promise to never let anyone else ever care about her. Don’t do this, she scolded herself.
Wyatt sensed she was battling some internal conflict. Surely, he had not so misinterpreted things that now she was feeling regret. The thought that he might be the cause of her discomfort was an unpleasant one. He searched her face looking for some hint as to what was really bothering her. “If I’ve done something to hurt you,” he whispered while watching her closely.
She met his gaze and then rested her head on his shoulder. “No. It is me who will, undoubtedly, hurt you,” she sighed, sounding remorseful.
It was Wyatt who now found himself shaking his head in disagreement. “Why would you say that?” he asked with concern.
“Because the last person I cared for was my father. In the end, all it earned him was a cruel end to a hard life,” she explained as she pulled away from him. She took several steps and then stopped. “You are a good man, Wyatt. And the world has too few of them already. I will see you to the city and to your sister, but then our paths must split before something happens that I cannot endure,” she said regretfully. With that, she started walking down the tunnel.
Wyatt stared after her feeling puzzled and sorrowful. He’d seen her start to relax around him several times in the short time he’d known her. Each time had been followed by her pulling away and rebuilding her walls around herself. He hoped this time was different. Even though they had not known each other for very long, he knew the connection they shared was real. When he kissed her, he had sensed her carefully built walls start to fall away. She had been truly present, truly with him for that one precious moment.
Now he feared she was more distant from him than ever. With a heavy sigh, he rushed to catch up to her. It would still take them at least a week to reach Addi. Maybe I can convince you to let your walls down, at least, a little by the time we get to my sister. Good thing I am stubborn, he thought.
Chapter 9
The prowler had lost the trail of his quarry in the forest. With his anger and hunger unfulfilled, he turned his interest to a small, unsuspecting pack of wolves that had the misfortune of crossing his path. He attacked them with all the
