Delivering His Gifts (Mountain Men of Liberty #10)- K.C. Crowne Page 0,92
small rocks, dirt, and some branches and leaves fell on me, but the worst was over.
When it was safe and the forest was silent again – mourning in the aftermath of the terror it had spread – I opened my arms and looked down. The green-eyed beauty was unconscious.
Shit.
With a sigh, I picked her up, her body limp in my arms. She was tiny, 5’4” at the most, and light as a feather. Lifting her took no effort at all, and I turned, trudging up the hillside like fucking Tarzan taking Jane back to safety.
As soon as I was on solid ground, I laid her down on the mulch and studied her, checking for injuries that might be life-threatening. God, she was beautiful. An angel.
She had a bruise on the forehead, matted blood in her hair, but neither injury looked too serious. Her skin was smooth with a tiny splash of freckles across her nose. Perfect full lips, delicate neckline, everything perfect. My eyes slid down her body and found curves enough to make a man’s mouth water. She was in fucking good shape, too.
Her clothes were torn, and through the rips her soft, smooth skin showed. A long tear up her leg showed the pale skin of her thigh through her jeans, and I swallowed. My cock was suddenly at full attention, straining against my pants.
Nyet, I told myself. I could not want her. Not like this. She was unconscious, helpless, possibly injured, even if not serious. Frowning, I stared at her. Who the hell is she? And how did she end up in these parts of the woods where hardly any soul trespassed?
Had Maksim sent her to find me? I wouldn’t expect a woman like her for a spy for the mob, so that would make her perfect. But a spy? He couldn’t imagine Maksim would let a beauty like her slip out of his grasp. He’d want her for himself, and that thought bothered him more than it should have.
I didn't know who the hell she was, so I needed to keep my guard up. But she needed help. She needed to be patched up, taken care of.
Bringing her back to my cabin crossed my mind, but I didn’t like anyone knowing where I lived. The whole point of being up here was so no one could find me. Or figure out who I was.
Even if this girl was an innocent pedestrian, it was a major risk to let her know about my life here. I didn't exactly blend in. I was a fucking big ass Russian with a deep accent and mob tattoos all over his neck and body. Not exactly your everyday average nice guy. More like the kind of dude that had things to hide. I was bound to draw attention. And that was all Maksim would need to find me.
But fuck, I couldn’t leave her here. She needed help. And damned if I was going to abandon this creature. No fucking way. I grunted, ignoring the voice screaming at the back of my mind that I was making a colossal mistake, and lifted her in my arms again. She was unconscious, so she wouldn’t know how we got to the cabin, I rationalized.
The trek to the cabin was a little harder after the mudslide. The ground was slippery and unstable, and I had to leave my axe. Couldn’t carry her and it, so I’d have to come back later. I made it after nearly double the time I would have made it on a normal day and welcomed the comfort of my home nestled in the shadows.
The cabin was small but cozy, and it was comfortable for what I needed. The bedroom and bathroom were separate from the open plan living room and kitchenette, and I had running water after I’d tinkered some with existing, rusting pipes. The water came from a natural stream higher up, but I had managed to get it flowing into the house.
The cabin was warm when I shouldered open the door and carried her to my bedroom. I carried her to the bed and laid her down gently. I studied her more closely, making sure she didn’t have any visibly serious injuries. A bump to the head, a few minor scratches and bruises, but nothing appeared to be broken.
Carefully, I peeled the torn jacket from her shoulders. She moaned softly when I moved her, and the sound made my balls tighten.