of unease as a case of the heebie-jeebies, just like she always got after watching a horror movie. Unfortunately, that last thought only reminded her of The Hills Have Eyes , a horror flick set in the desert that had given her nightmares for months.
Perhaps it was just the coyotesâ cries that had the horses agitated? She found the blanket and clutched it around her shoulders with her free hand. She shivered again, but this time as much from nerves as cold. When she returned to the fire, Keith was sitting up, scowling at her.
âI told you not to wander off.â
âI didnât wander. I only went to fetch a blanket and check on the horses. They seem jumpy.â
âSo do you,â he observed.
âMaybe I am, a little. I think the coyotes spooked me. Iâm not used to all this.â She added a dry laugh. âThe closest Iâve come to experiencing wildlife in the past four years was a visit to Venice Beach.â
âCoyotes are harmless enough,â he said. âThey prey on mice and rabbits and rarely bother humans.â He rose and shouldered his rifle, reminding her all too much of Daniel Day Lewisâs Hawkeye in The Last of the Mohicans , her favorite epic romance. In that moment it was far too easy to cast herself as Cora Munro. She shook off the ludicrous thought.
âWhere are you going?â she asked.
âTo check on the horses.â
âBut itâs not your turn yet,â she said.
âDoesnât matter. Iâm awake.â
She eyed the bedroll covetously, wondering if it would still be warm from his body.
âGo ahead,â he urged with a tilt of his head.
âBut itâs technically still my watch,â she replied.
His brows furrowed. âAre you always so stubborn?â
âNot always,â she said.
âThen you just like to argue with me .â
âThatâs not true!â she argued.
Their eyes met. He cocked a brow.
Caught in the act, she couldnât suppress a chuckle.
He walked off, shaking his head and mumbling something she couldnât understand.
* * *
Miranda was right about the horses. They were jumpy as hell, but after scouting the area twice, Keith found nothing. Damning the moonless night, he returned to the fire, laying the rifle within close reach. True to her stubborn nature, Miranda hadnât taken his place but sat before the fire, cocooned in the blanket. So be it. Let the little fool freeze.
He sank back into his bedroll, turning onto his side to better see into the darkness. He watched her with a growing mix of fascination and frustration. Tall, pale, and slender, Miranda Sutton was nothing like the women he normally went for, but her earthy innocence called out to his carnal nature. His brows contracted. âWhat are you afraid of? Me or yourself?â
âNeither,â she snapped. âIâm not afraid of anything.â
He made a scoffing sound. âLiar. Youâd rather freeze your ass off than share this bed with me. You make no sense, Miranda. I want you, and I believe you want me too. Thereâs no shame in a man and woman pleasuring each other. Making love is one of the most genuine acts of human nature.â
âYou have a silver tongue, Keith, but thatâs not what it would be. Making love is what you do with someone you have feelings for. Or at the least with someone you like and respect. Anything else is just a fuck . Iâm not your next fuck.â
âDid you know that there are no vulgar words pertaining to sex in any of the native tongues?â
âIs that true?â she asked.
âYes. We donât defile the act with dirty words. In fact, we have no swearwords at all.â
âYet you think itâs perfectly fine to randomly hop from partner to partner and bed to bed?â
âI didnât say we accept promiscuity. We donât. We call those kinds of people tepee creepers.â
âTepee creepers?â She