So why is she curled up against me as if I haven’t done anything wrong to her?
And why the hell did I sleep with her? That was wrong of me. The thrill of the escape played a role, but it was still a choice I made. I should have been more levelheaded, more in charge. I should’ve protected her not only from the soldiers, but from myself as well.
I’m a fucking fool.
Annie groans and stirs once more in my arms. Waking, she stretches and then looks up at me, blinking, strands of hair covering her eyes. Suddenly, she bites her lower lip and scurries out of my arms until she’s sitting on her knees a couple of feet away.
I miss the warmth of her body against mine instantly. I want to pull her back down and hold her, and lie here all day. But she looks uncomfortable, uncertain even, and that makes me uneasy.
She tucks a loose lock of hair behind her ears, her eyes focused on her knees. “Good morning.”
“Good morning.” The air between us is tense and awkward. “How do your feet feel this morning?”
She looks down and wiggles her toes and grimaces. “They hurt. More than they did yesterday.”
I sit up and move her legs into my lap, taking off the socks, and examining her soles. Fucking Christ. The cuts are deeper than I remember, and it looks like they cracked open even more from all the hiking. She definitely needs stitches. “I think they need to be cleaned out again. Do you want me to do it?”
She nods, her teeth sinking into her plump bottom lip. I reach across and grab the bag, my arm brushing Annie’s soft skin. A low groan escapes my lips and I quickly look away. Annie needs medical attention, not a fucking, though I want to give her both.
“I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you,” she says, almost as if distracting herself from the impending sting as I hold the bottle just above the cuts on her feet.
“I understand. I’m sure you must’ve thought I was your boyfriend,” I say and she flinches, though I’m not sure if from the peroxide or the mention of a boyfriend.
Something deep inside me rears its ugly head and the thought of my little bird with another man causes my blood to boil.
“I don’t have a boyfriend. Not that it’s any of your business.”
My lip lifts on one side in a lopsided grin and I turn away so she doesn’t see my amusement. I rewrap her feet and put back on the socks. “We should get up.” I rise, stretching out the weariness in my limbs.
“Nikita, look!” Annie exclaims.
I whirl around and see her pointing to the far side of the clearing. From behind a thin screen of bushes, a pair of bucks gaze at us through the brush. Two racks of broad, velvety antlers spread above their heads. They stop and look at us, ears twitching. For a moment, we stare at each other, neither side moving. Then they snort and retreat back into the forest.
I turn back to Annie, who smiles wide. She turns to look at me. “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.”
Though her smile is warm, I feel like I’m in the wrong place, as if such comfort is only meant for others. I could lose myself in her words and the depth of her eyes; I could feel at home.
“Why did you stay?”
Annie jerks her head up so her gaze meets mine. I can tell it’s an unexpected question. To be honest, I didn’t expect to ask it myself. But now that I have, I need to know what she will say. Why didn’t she run when she had the chance?
She chooses her words carefully. “I ... I’m not sure. I thought you were a monster. If you were, I should have run. But I didn’t. So ... maybe you’re not.” It sounds as if she’s reasoning it to herself out loud, like she isn’t so sure of her own motivations.
Moments pass without either of us speaking, and then she sighs but holds her head high. “But understand that I stayed because I wanted to, not because I’m your slave.”
I walk over and grab the bags, slinging them over my shoulder, and then head back over to her and hold my hand out to help her to my feet. When she’s standing, I grip her chin and make her meet my eyes. “Don’t think too much.”
Without letting her respond, I kiss her gently. Her lips are soft against mine.
But then I break the kiss off. “Come with me,” I whisper. “There’s something I want to show you.”
Taking her hand, I lead her through across the clearing and through the woods, close to where the deer went. We trudge silently for a few minutes, picking our way through the dry needles and leaves underfoot. I keep her hand clasped in mine for reasons I don’t fully understand myself.
“Where are we heading?”
“You’ll see,” I say.
When we get to the cliff, I sit. Annie hesitates, then settles against me, like she did last night. We look out over the horizon, where the sun rises. Mellow blues and pinks blur together as the sun’s rays chase away a silver mist from the valley below us.
Annie grabs my hand and squeezes it tight as she takes in the view. Then she ducks her chin and turns to look at me over her shoulder.
My dick hardens at the sight of her lips so close to mine. My chest expands and my heart thumps faster. Annie’s lips part and she shifts in my lap, rubbing against my erection. My eyes close and I groan.
“I want to see you.” The rasp in her voice makes me shiver.
Wrapping my arms around her,
