Protecting The Princess - Nadine Millard Page 0,27

I?” he asked and when she nodded, he lifted the bag and brought it to the table at the hearth.

Jacob’s eyes widened as he opened the valise and took in the contents.

There were breads, cheeses, cured meats. One pot contained tea leaves. Another, an assortment of biscuits and little pastries.

“I have a bit of a sweet tooth,” she confessed with a charming blush.

Jacob’s eyes watched the trail of pink start at her throat and move slowly to her cheeks.

Stop it, he told himself sternly.

Moving his eyes back to the contents of the bag, Jacob frowned slightly.

There was enough for two, maybe three days.

His guess was that she wouldn’t go shopping in the little hamlet the coach had arrived in.

And she didn’t seem like she was planning on going home any time soon.

“You know there isn’t enough to feed you here for long? The food you’ve brought will spoil easily, if it hasn’t already.”

“I know that,” she snapped, and he realised she was annoyed again.

Perhaps she was just hungry.

Without another word, Jacob set about preparing a meal while he waited for the water on the fire to boil.

When it started to bubble, he made tea for both of them, even though he despised the stuff, then poured the remaining water into a clean bowl.

“Can you sit by the fire?” he asked, aware that she’d watched him in complete silence.

Wordlessly, she stood and grabbed the linens, then moved to take the seat across from him.

“It’s easier to see by the firelight,” he explained, even though she hadn’t asked him anything.

Jacob felt suddenly nervous. This felt—intimate. And while that wouldn’t usually bother him, in fact he’d quite enjoy it normally, with the princess it was entirely too tempting. Too dangerous.

She still didn’t speak, just stared at him with those wide chocolate-coloured eyes.

Using Herculean strength, Jacob focused his mind on the task at hand.

He lifted a not altogether steady hand to her face and brushed a curl back from where the blood had dried at her temple.

Her slight wince reminded him that she was hurt and scared, and that served to keep his mind on the task and not on the satiny smoothness of her skin.

Jacob worked diligently and soundlessly, dipping a linen into the hot water and gently wiping at the cut.

To his intense relief, it was more a scrape than anything else, and it wasn’t deep enough to cause concern. Though there was a goodly sized bump to show for her efforts.

When he was done, Jacob risked eye contact.

Once again, the impact of her wide, innocent gaze was like a punch to the gut.

He cleared his throat again.

“I think you’ll live.” He smiled, ignoring the rough quality to his voice. “But no more boxing matches with trees.”

She laughed softly, her breath fanning against his cheek, and desire slammed into him like a bolt of lightning.

Jacob jumped to his feet and busied himself with cleaning up the mess of used linens and disposing of the water.

When he felt as though he could breathe without wanting to devour the princess, he returned and took his seat across from her.

“Are you hungry?” he asked wryly, as he took in her look of longing as she stared at the spread before her.

“Famished.” She grinned.

“You don’t mind sharing?” he asked as he pushed a cup of tea toward her.

She sipped at the liquid before releasing a sigh of contentment.

“This is wonderful,” she said effusively. “And no, I don’t mind sharing. It seems the least I can do.”

Jacob felt strangely content that they’d reached a sort of comfortable understanding.

They ate in companionable silence for a moment or two, and he was relieved to see some of the pallor leave her face.

“Feeling better?” he asked when she sat back.

“Much. I didn’t realise how hungry I was. Or how tired.”

She flicked a strand of hair over her shoulder and Jacob found himself staring at it, mesmerized by the way it bounced back into place.

“W-well, you’ve had a trying day,” he answered gruffly. “A good night’s sleep will see you to rights.”

His words seemed to freeze the very air around the princess, and her eyes snapped up to his, huge and untrusting.

Jacob couldn’t blame her. Didn’t blame her. But he also didn’t relish the idea of sleeping under the stars.

He would. He had, in fact, many times.

But it wouldn’t be his first choice of venue.

“I’ll just tend to the fire then leave you to sleep,” he said to put her mind at ease.

“Are you leaving?” she blurted suddenly, blushing scarlet under