nodded, simply to assure him that she was being truthful. She didn’t know if he thought she had doubts about that since she wasn’t sure of their interest. Trying to decipher what they were thinking didn’t get her anywhere.
“How about we stretch our legs a bit and run.” He tilted his head. “In human form. I know you’re anxious to get into these woods and play a little, but for today, we’ll run as we are now.”
A shot of disappointment burst through her. He was right. She did want to change forms and charge through the forest, maybe even hunt a little. It had been a while since she’d simply enjoyed being in her other form, but she could wait a day.
Running did sound good. Maybe it would help clear away the problems circling in her mind. She was confident in the lotions and drinks she was using. The lotion wouldn’t sweat off on a run, and if it did, the herbal teas changed her scent enough to mask it on its own.
The only problem was she might pay for her enjoyment of this tonight with cramps along her thigh. She couldn’t be sure what would set them off. Sometimes it was exertion and sometimes stress and other times she didn’t know what caused the spasms in her leg.
“A run sounds wonderful. Why don’t you lead the way if you have a plan on where to go?” She smiled and relaxed, deciding to just let go and enjoy the day.
“We’ll keep to the plan Colm had. If I go too fast or you need to stop, just call out.” Linc turned to face her before he smiled and released her hand.
He turned away and she let her eyes trail over his taut buttocks before following him. She wanted to reach out and touch that taut curve, but balled her fists and started after him. The forest lured her with the chittering calls of animals and the variety of colors and smells she could see as they approached it.
The scents seemed off, but she knew it was because of the drink that she used every night. Still, she could easily smell the tangy, sharp scent of sap and leaves even if she couldn’t identify the trees. One of her favorite things had always been walking or running through the forest. She could get lost in savoring the colors or simply enjoying a good run.
When they hit the tree line, he picked up the pace, but she knew he was holding back because of her. She easily kept up with him. That began to get on her nerves as they jogged through the forest. If they were going to run, she wanted to run.
“Go faster,” she yelled as they ran.
He quickly glanced back over his shoulder as if to check to see if she’d been keeping up with him before increasing his speed. She smiled. The path was relatively straight and smooth. She knew that was the only reason he’d chanced doing that here. They moved faster through the trees, but she still enjoyed seeing the flowers and berry bushes as they passed by them.
All thoughts other than the run and following Linc flowed out of her mind. She didn’t know how long they ran, but when Linc disappeared around a corner and behind some trees, she hurried after him, not wanting to lose him if the trail became winding or suddenly forked.
She rounded the corner at top speed and ran right past Linc. By the time she saw the drop-off, it was too late. Her feet slipped and tangled with a limb as she crashed through a bush. A twinge of pain stabbed her ankle, throwing her even more off balance.
A hand closed around her wrist as she fell over the edge. The fingers tightened. He tugged and tried to pull her back. A raw, growling curse sounded as momentum pulled him over the edge along with her.
She hit the water and barely managed to close her mouth before it closed over her head. Kicking to the surface, she coughed a little and looked around. Linc had fallen in after her. Poor man. All because he’d tried to save her from a dunking. She’d heard the splash following hers, but he hadn’t surfaced.
She looked up at the wall of rock and dirt to the spot where she’d fallen. Her sense of humor kicked in. She grinned as she pushed back her hair. That hadn’t been one of her more graceful moments.