Page 9 of His Fierce Fugitive
I nod, because…words. I mean, it’s early, I’m groggy, and kissing Tak has me turned me completely upside down.
And now there’s thisthingat the mouth of the cave.
A mega bull? A hyena on steroids?
Whatever it is, it’snothappy.
If I find out it lives in this cave, I’m going to kill Tak.
If this beast doesn’t kill him first.
No, I won’t think like that. He’s got this. He already has that big knife in his hand.
I back away as he’s yelling at it, and look for something I can throw. A rock, maybe? He lunges, the weapon slicing through the air with precision.
The beast snarls and steps back, but jumps forward again. It’s quick for such an enormous animal. And that’s scary.
But as I watch Tak skillfully land blow after blow, my fears ease.
This creature is no match him, and after a final thrust of the blade into its face, the beast’s lifeless body crumples before us.
Tak pulls the carcass to the side of the cave and flips his long silver hair back like it was all in a day’s work.
He barely even broke a sweat.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, as he catches me staring. His eyes search mine. There’s concern there, but also something else I can't quite decipher.
I realize I'm trembling and not just from the adrenaline that surged through me as Tak fought off the alien beast. I’m achy between my legs. Watching him in pure strength and fearlessness has done something to me. His unwavering dedication to my safety in the face of danger stirs something deep within—a softness that, until now, I had forced into a forgotten corner of my heart.
"I...I'm fine," I stammer. “That was incredible.”
My breath catches in my throat when he comes close and brushes a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering against my cheek. “I told you you never have anything to fear when you’re with me.”
Except maybe losing my heart.
I thought I was done with trusting men after my ex-husband. But here I am, feeling vulnerable, yet safe in Tak's presence.
And wetter than I’ve ever been.
He smiles. "We should go," he says, cleaning off the blade in the gritty dirt, and packing up our things.
As we get back out into the jungle, my mind drifts back to our kiss. I’m not sure what made me kiss him. I’m more surprised than anyone that I did it. Just…being warm and safe in his arms made me remember how good it feels to be wanted and cherished. I let go for one teeny second.
I think of the pain, Gil, my asshole ex-husband, caused. Having an affair with a woman from his office, then blaming me for driving him to it…was devastating. The memories are a festering wound, reminding me why I erected these walls aroundme in the first place. But Tak's unflinching loyalty and devotion, despite my reticence, continues to chip away at my defenses.
As we walk, I’m suddenly overwhelmingly aware of my own pungent smell. Days of being cooped up in a nasty jail cell and then trekking through this jungle haven't been kind to my personal hygiene. I don’t know how Tak is able to stand it. Somehow he doesn’t smell nearly as bad as me.
“I stink,” I announce, unable to contain it any longer.
“You do not,” he says.
I glare at him. “Don’t patronize me.”
An amused glint appears in his electric green eyes. "I can sense we’re near water. We’ll stop and bathe."
“How can you tell?”
“Listen,” he says, cupping his tall, elven ear.