I want to go home very badly."
Loretta fixed her gaze on her captor's medallion. All around her, the smell of his world permeated her senses, leather, dust, smoke, and unidentifiable foods. She was probably out of her mind to trust him. But, oh, how she wanted to. To Aunt Rachel and Amy. It was a fact that he hadn't lied to her--except for the time he had promised to cut out her tongue and hadn't. She couldn't very well hold that against him.
She scooped up a handful of nuts and berries, taking a small amount into her mouth. The sweet taste of honey washed over her tongue, activating her salivary glands. Her stomach growled in response. He heard the sound and cocked an eyebrow.
"It is good?"
"Mm," she said, taking another bite and brushing her palm clean on her bloomers. "Delicious."
"Dee-lish-us?"
For the space of a heartbeat she forgot to be afraid of him, and a smile spread across her lips before she realized it was coming. When he smiled back at her, the strangest feeling swept over her, an inexplicable warmth. He had smiled at her before, of course, but never like this.
"Delicious," she repeated. "That means good, much better than just good."
His smile didn't fade, and she found herself fascinated. On a civilized man, that lopsided grin of his could have been heart-stopping. His sharply defined lips lifted lazily at one corner to reveal gleaming white teeth, deep creases bracketing his mouth. Not the face of a killer, surely.
The mood shattered when he reached out to touch her cheek. The sudden movement made her recoil, reminding her of who he was and what he was. That he considered her his property. Because she jerked away, he settled for capturing a lock of her hair, twining it through his fingers.
"You are dee-lish-us. Like sunshine, eh?"
Unnerved by the gleam that had stolen into his eyes, Loretta caught hold of his hand to disentangle it from her hair. Just because there were no scalps in his lodge didn't mean he was above taking one if the mood struck. "Only things you can are delicious."
The moment the words passed her lips, she recalled how he had nibbled at her neck. Heat crept up her nape. As if he guessed her thoughts, his gaze dropped to her throat. She found herself longing for her homespun dress with its mutton sleeves and high neckline.
Mischief danced in his eyes. Or was it a trick of the light? "This Comanche is not a Tonkowa, a People Eater."
Loretta fixed her gaze on her captor's medallion. All around her, the smell of his world permeated her senses, leather, dust, smoke, and unidentifiable foods. She was probably out of her mind to trust him. But, oh, how she wanted to. To Aunt Rachel and Amy. It was a fact that he hadn't lied to her--except for the time he had promised to cut out her tongue and hadn't. She couldn't very well hold that against him.
She scooped up a handful of nuts and berries, taking a small amount into her mouth. The sweet taste of honey washed over her tongue, activating her salivary glands. Her stomach growled in response. He heard the sound and cocked an eyebrow.
"It is good?"
"Mm," she said, taking another bite and brushing her palm clean on her bloomers. "Delicious."
"Dee-lish-us?"
For the space of a heartbeat she forgot to be afraid of him, and a smile spread across her lips before she realized it was coming. When he smiled back at her, the strangest feeling swept over her, an inexplicable warmth. He had smiled at her before, of course, but never like this.
"Delicious," she repeated. "That means good, much better than just good."
His smile didn't fade, and she found herself fascinated. On a civilized man, that lopsided grin of his could have been heart-stopping. His sharply defined lips lifted lazily at one corner to reveal gleaming white teeth, deep creases bracketing his mouth. Not the face of a killer, surely.
The mood shattered when he reached out to touch her cheek. The sudden movement made her recoil, reminding her of who he was and what he was. That he considered her his property. Because she jerked away, he settled for capturing a lock of her hair, twining it through his fingers.
"You are dee-lish-us. Like sunshine, eh?"
Unnerved by the gleam that had stolen into his eyes, Loretta caught hold of his hand to disentangle it from her hair. Just because there were no scalps in his lodge didn't mean he was above taking one if the mood struck. "Only things you can are delicious."
The moment the words passed her lips, she recalled how he had nibbled at her neck. Heat crept up her nape. As if he guessed her thoughts, his gaze dropped to her throat. She found herself longing for her homespun dress with its mutton sleeves and high neckline.
Mischief danced in his eyes. Or was it a trick of the light? "This Comanche is not a Tonkowa, a People Eater."
( Catherine Anderson )
[ Comanche Moon ]
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