“I know what is good for me,” she insisted.
“As you say,” he said as if the matter was settled.
“How long before the clothes dry, do you think?” she asked on a yawn.
“Hours. They are well soaked.”
“We will be here through the night then?”
“It would seem likely, especially if the snowstorm continues.”
Wintra felt weary. She hadn’t slept well last night at all, waking often and at every sound. An odd thing had happened though, and she hadn’t given it much thought until just now. When she had finally fallen asleep, her eyes heavy with fatigue, something had stirred her awake. Her vision had been bleary, but she had thought she had seen Owen leaving the campsite. It had been a ridiculous thought, so much so that she had fallen back to sleep without worry. Owen would never leave her alone, unprotected. What then had she seen?
She had been foolish not to shake herself awake and make certain Owen had been there. After all, he had gone off in the morning to hunt for food without telling her. But why would he leave in the dark of night? Where would he be going? Unless it had been to relieve himself. Why had not she been more observant? And should she have been so trusting of Owen?
Suddenly, she wondered if it would be wiser of her to return to her brother. Cree loved her, she had no doubt of that, so would he not want to see her happy? Would he not grant her permission to wed a man of her choosing? Owen had all intentions of speaking with Cree and seeking his permission to wed her, so what did it matter if she simply went on ahead and spoke with her brother about Owen? She could have the matter settled before Owen arrived and all would be settled easily.
With her mind at ease and her body exhausted, though toasty warm, Wintra drifted off to sleep.
Torr could feel when her body relaxed and sleep claimed her. It was as if she melted in his arms, as if she surrendered. He chased away the thought of her surrendering to him. His arousal had finally eased and he did not want it returning any time soon. He had always managed to control his desires rather than give them free rein. It was far less troublesome that way. And as far as beautiful women—they were just as troublesome. Add to that stubborn, and you really had a problem. And that problem was lying in his arms right now, and damn if she didn’t feel good there.
The heat from their snug bodies had him finally relaxing, his eyes drifting closed, though he came alert when the wind rapped against the door. It sounded as if the snowstorm had intensified, and he worried that they would be stuck there for days rather than hours. He wanted to get Wintra home, so that Cree could settle the problem.
He smiled as he dozed off, wondering how the mighty Cree would fare against his beautiful, tenacious sister.
Chapter Six
Torr inched the door open to take a look. The snow and wind had eased to a trickle. Once their clothes dried they could be on their way. He shut the door and went to test the garments. His were nearly dry, but Wintra’s would take a bit longer. He stoked the fire, and then stood warming his hands.
He didn’t know how long he had slept, though the fire hadn’t died down that much, so it couldn’t have been that long. He was anxious to be on his way. He didn’t care for the troop of warriors he had seen Owen with. He did not think it would bode well for him if their paths should cross. While he did not doubt his fighting skills, he also did not doubt that he would be outnumbered. His instinct had served him well in battle and he always paid it heed. And presently instinct was warning him to beware of Owen and his intention regarding Wintra.
Another two days, possibly three due to the snow, and they should be home, or at least on Cree’s land. Would Owen dare follow there? And how had he reacted when he had discovered that the woman he loved was gone? Torr’s own task had been a simple one, bring Wintra home, but had proven far more a puzzle than he had imagined.
Wintra had been abducted and Owen had conveniently rescued her and decided to take her to his friend’s home due to the snowstorm. So why send his men away, leaving him and Wintra on their own, unprotected? Unless he knew another troop of warriors were nearby, though why meet with them secretly?
He turned, his glance falling on Wintra. Her wound still needed cleaning, the blood having caked around the abrasion while some blood had dried along her brow. He hadn’t been concerned with it, since it had stopped bleeding rather fast, a good sign. He shook his head as he continued to stare. The blood on her face did nothing to distract from her beauty. He wondered if anything could.