filtered down, a slender streak of light that gave a measure of illumination.
Chance could see her better now. She wasn’t moving at all, but staring at the blanket they would share. Biting her lips, she might have drawn blood from the intense look on her face. The wind howled and nearly blew her down as it whipped by, little as she was. She righted her footing and let out a curse. “Damnation!”
Chance held his tongue in check and watched as she lowered her body down into a crouch, protecting herself from another blast of air. She approached the blanket and when she reached him, a scowl covered her face. “Turn around.”
He thought her modesty foolish. Soon they would be lying together, their bodies touching intimately, and they were going to feel everything they had to feel. But this one time, he did Lizzie’s bidding. He turned his back and let her have her pride. “Let me know when you’re ready.”
He heard rustling and more oaths shed from her mouth as she fumbled with her clothes. She didn’t have too much to remove, no fancy buttons to unfasten or layers of petticoats that needed to come off one at a time. All she wore tonight was a rain slicker over a jacket, and her riding clothes. What she wore underneath it all, though, was a mystery to him. But he had a feeling he was going to find out right now.
After a few more seconds, she said, “I’m under the b-blankets. And I’m s-still c-cold.”
“I’ll be right there,” he said. He took off his gun belt and removed everything he wore down to his long johns. Those he unbuttoned, then removed his arms from the sleeves, allowing the wet half of them to dangle from his waist. The more skin-to-skin contact, the faster Lizzie would warm up.
Shortly, she’d see his wisdom and know some comfort. If only he could be that lucky.
Chapter Six
L izzie couldn’t get the idea of lying naked with Chance out of her mind. Waves of heat spread through her system like blazing fire. She welcomed the momentary warmth and grasped on to it for as long as it would last. Her heart in her mouth, she was now naked but for the thin chemise she wore tucked inside even thinner bloomers. Anticipation gnawed at her. Even her fear and humiliation weren’t enough to warm her for long. The chill had come back but her dignity had not.
She’d never been this cold in her life. Why would she be? Not even the dunking in the lake at home had iced her blood like this.
She’d seen Chance bare chested the day he’d rescued her. She’d been only half-conscious but she recalled the magnificence of him. His shoulders had spread out as beautifully as an eagle’s wings. His powerful arms, his big hands and sheer strength as he moved her to water’s edge that day, tugged at her memory and only added to her agony now.
Lizzie brought the blanket up underneath her chin, waiting for Chance to join her. Her body a mass of trembles, she thanked heaven that Chance wouldn’t know the true reason for her quaking.
She concentrated on the blanket under her and how wet and scratchy the wool had become. It tore at her skin some and itched like the dickens. The discomfort wasn’t enough to distract her though when she heard Chance approach. She closed her eyes and stilled.
“I’ve gotta yank off your boots, Lizzie. If your feet are cold, the rest of you won’t release the chill.”
“Long as you don’t yank anything else off me, I’ll do fine.”
She heard Chance chuckle and then she felt his hands circling her right boot. He gave a tug and off came her stockings, too. He took the other boot off and she flinched when he accidentally touched her legs. She felt the blanket lift as he tucked her feet under it.
“Soon as I get my boots off, I’m coming in.”
Oh, mercy.
Seconds later, Chance lifted the blanket. Lizzie kept her eyes shut. It would be easier imagining him next to her, than actually seeing him buck naked beside her, though neither option garnered any sanity.
He climbed
Chance could see her better now. She wasn’t moving at all, but staring at the blanket they would share. Biting her lips, she might have drawn blood from the intense look on her face. The wind howled and nearly blew her down as it whipped by, little as she was. She righted her footing and let out a curse. “Damnation!”
Chance held his tongue in check and watched as she lowered her body down into a crouch, protecting herself from another blast of air. She approached the blanket and when she reached him, a scowl covered her face. “Turn around.”
He thought her modesty foolish. Soon they would be lying together, their bodies touching intimately, and they were going to feel everything they had to feel. But this one time, he did Lizzie’s bidding. He turned his back and let her have her pride. “Let me know when you’re ready.”
He heard rustling and more oaths shed from her mouth as she fumbled with her clothes. She didn’t have too much to remove, no fancy buttons to unfasten or layers of petticoats that needed to come off one at a time. All she wore tonight was a rain slicker over a jacket, and her riding clothes. What she wore underneath it all, though, was a mystery to him. But he had a feeling he was going to find out right now.
After a few more seconds, she said, “I’m under the b-blankets. And I’m s-still c-cold.”
“I’ll be right there,” he said. He took off his gun belt and removed everything he wore down to his long johns. Those he unbuttoned, then removed his arms from the sleeves, allowing the wet half of them to dangle from his waist. The more skin-to-skin contact, the faster Lizzie would warm up.
Shortly, she’d see his wisdom and know some comfort. If only he could be that lucky.
Chapter Six
L izzie couldn’t get the idea of lying naked with Chance out of her mind. Waves of heat spread through her system like blazing fire. She welcomed the momentary warmth and grasped on to it for as long as it would last. Her heart in her mouth, she was now naked but for the thin chemise she wore tucked inside even thinner bloomers. Anticipation gnawed at her. Even her fear and humiliation weren’t enough to warm her for long. The chill had come back but her dignity had not.
She’d never been this cold in her life. Why would she be? Not even the dunking in the lake at home had iced her blood like this.
She’d seen Chance bare chested the day he’d rescued her. She’d been only half-conscious but she recalled the magnificence of him. His shoulders had spread out as beautifully as an eagle’s wings. His powerful arms, his big hands and sheer strength as he moved her to water’s edge that day, tugged at her memory and only added to her agony now.
Lizzie brought the blanket up underneath her chin, waiting for Chance to join her. Her body a mass of trembles, she thanked heaven that Chance wouldn’t know the true reason for her quaking.
She concentrated on the blanket under her and how wet and scratchy the wool had become. It tore at her skin some and itched like the dickens. The discomfort wasn’t enough to distract her though when she heard Chance approach. She closed her eyes and stilled.
“I’ve gotta yank off your boots, Lizzie. If your feet are cold, the rest of you won’t release the chill.”
“Long as you don’t yank anything else off me, I’ll do fine.”
She heard Chance chuckle and then she felt his hands circling her right boot. He gave a tug and off came her stockings, too. He took the other boot off and she flinched when he accidentally touched her legs. She felt the blanket lift as he tucked her feet under it.
“Soon as I get my boots off, I’m coming in.”
Oh, mercy.
Seconds later, Chance lifted the blanket. Lizzie kept her eyes shut. It would be easier imagining him next to her, than actually seeing him buck naked beside her, though neither option garnered any sanity.
He climbed
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