this to happen. I promised you I wouldn’t hurt you, and I meant it.” He found himself wondering why he was explaining anything to her.
He got to his feet, and pulled her up. Then he bent to retrieve his knife, returning it to its sheath.
She watched him silently, trying to figure him out. He’d backed off instantly when she’d asked. That surprised her. Shocked her, actually. Did he really mean it when he said he wouldn’t hurt her? Was he really just trying to help her?
“That’s twice you got the drop on me.” He admitted reluctantly. Then continued with a smile. “I guess that’ll teach me not to let my guard down around you. I underestimated you.”
She watched as his hand ran across the knife mark on his vest.
“I hope you realize that you came just a couple inches from finding yourself all alone out here.” He gave a short laugh. “Who’d have guessed a little spit fire like you would almost be the death of me.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, realizing what she’d almost done. Wondering how he could joke about it.
“Don’t worry about it. It’s not the first time I’ve cheated the reaper.” He grabbed her by the upper arm, and yanked her to him as he turned, and walked back toward his bike.
She submitted as he pulled her along, back to where he had left the blanket. She had begun to shiver uncontrollably.
He let her go, and grabbed up the blanket.
“I thought you were going to rape me. That’s why I ran,” she suddenly felt the need to explain, her teeth chattering from the cold and exhaustion.
He looked over at her. “I almost just did.”
She said nothing, just stared at him.
“You don’t trust me. I guess I can’t blame you. But it won’t happen again. You have my word, for whatever it’s worth.”
She looked in his eyes, wondering if he could lie to her, and stare right in her eyes while he did it.
“Come here,” he demanded, holding his hand out to her.
She backed up a step shaking her head.
“C’mere,” he repeated threateningly.
She looked down at his hand knowing if she didn’t come to him, he’d just come after her, and she’d already pushed his temper to the limit.
He stared her down. He could see the defiance in her eyes. He could see she was going to challenge his authority at every turn. She needed to learn to submit. The sooner, the better. They were going to have to work on that. He blew out a breath, his patience about at an end. “Look, Angel. It’s been a long fucking day, and I’m beat. I just want to get some rest. That’s all. I swear. Don’t fight me, sweetheart.”
Hesitantly, she went to him.
Cole sat down, and leaned back against the boulders. He pulled her down in front of him, and nestled her between his legs covering them both with the blanket.
She began to struggle again.
“Quit!” He tightened his arm around her, holding her close, and after a while she stopped struggling, and sat there stiffly. “Body heat’s all we got to keep warm,” he said tersely.
She waited but he did nothing, and so she began to relax as the warmth of his body began to seep into hers. She watched as he took a long drink from the bottle he’d brought, and then he held it up to her.
“Here. Take a drink.”
She turned her head away. “No, thanks.”
“I’m not asking you, I’m telling you. Take a drink,” he ordered.
She looked over her shoulder at him defiantly, but made no move to take the bottle from his hand.
He shook his head. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way, darlin’.”
“What do you mean?”
“I can pour it down your throat, if that’s the way you want it.”
Her mouth parted. He was serious.
He raised his eyebrows. “I’m waiting.”
She took the bottle, and drank, choking and gagging on the raw, burning liquor. She handed the bottle back, glaring at him through watering eyes.
“You need to learn to do what you’re told.”
She stiffened.
He smiled. Yep, they were going to need to work on that. “It’ll warm you up, okay? That’s all. I’m not trying to get you drunk, and take advantage of you.”
She looked away.
“You don’t have much of a sense of humor, huh?”
She didn’t say anything.
“Yeah, I guess I wouldn’t either in your position,” he admitted.
She felt the whiskey warming its way down to her stomach. She watched him take several more hits off the bottle. When he noticed