moment then, astonished as he saw the fear in her eyes changed to trust. In those moments, Rivers placed her life in his hands, and somehow it both pleased and frightened him.
He released her, sitting down and leaning back against the earthen wall of the cellar. Propping his arms on his knees, he motioned for her to come and sit with him. She hesitated for only a moment and then, much to his surprise, actually nestled herself safely against him. She leaned her back against his chest, astounding him next by taking his hands and wrapping herself snugly in his arms.
Paxton let his chin rest on the top of her head, and, for all the swirling dust, he could still smell the sweet scent of her hair. To have her there in his arms, against his body…it was pure pleasure. Small and slight she may be, but he knew she was strong and capable as well. Still, she needed his comfort. He knew she needed him, only him. And, for those next few moments, he decided to let her need him.
Rivers felt secure in Paxton’s arms. He was warm and strong. His breath in her hair sent goose bumps erupting along her arms and legs. The feel of his powerful hands on her arms both calmed and excited her. She felt she could breathe easier, yet was more breathless than before.
Outside, the wind began to diminish once again. Yet in its place there was a new sound—the sound of heavy rain hitting the earth and cellar door. Quickly, however, the wind became a gentle breeze, and the rain fell softly.
“Is it over?” Rivers asked quietly. Her own voice sounded strange to her ears, which were still ringing with the wicked roar of the wind.
“Probably,” Paxton answered. “But we’ll sit here awhile, just in case.”
Rivers couldn’t have asked for anything more blissful than to sit in Paxton’s arms forever. But she turned to look at him, and he released her, though he made no move to stand.
“Your face!” she exclaimed, upon seeing the wounds there once more.
He reached up and touched one of the wounds, looking at the blood it left on his fingers. “I think a piece of that barbed wire flew up at me when we were gettin’ ya untangled.”
Rivers reached up and caressed his cheek, being careful of the wounds. “I’m sorry, Paxton,” she said.
Paxton shifted uncomfortably. Much more of this and he’d break. After all, there she sat, right up against him. And her lack of proper clothing wasn’t helping matters! He smiled and thought to himself how cute she looked in just her under things.
“What?” Rivers asked as the smile spread across Paxton’s face.
“Nothin’,” he answered.
Suddenly, Rivers was overwhelmingly self-conscious. “Tell me! What?” she demanded.
“Well, it’s just that…well…ya look so danged cute in just your drawers,” he chuckled.
Rivers looked down at herself. He thought she was “cute”? There she sat in attire to put most men out of their minds, and he thought she was cute!
“Well…I guess that’s meant as a compliment,” she muttered, as a frown wrinkled her brow.
“Of course it was. What did ya want me to say?” Paxton teased. “Now, sit back and rest. We’ll go out in a while.”
Rivers frowned as she leaned back against him once more. Still a bit miffed at his remark about her being cute, she almost didn’t notice at first when he moved her hair to one side. She noticed first his hand brush lightly against her neck. Then he put his chin to her temple and pushed gently, directing her head to tip to one side.
“What are you doing?” she whispered.
“Don’t ask stupid questions, Rivers,” he answered, just before she felt his mouth on the sensitive flesh of her neck.
Rivers flinched at his kiss as the rushing ripple of goose bumps raced over her entire body—a fact that Paxton apparently did not miss, for he caressed her arm, chuckling quietly. He kissed her neck again and then turned her head toward his and kissed her cheek. The warmth of his breath on her neck and
He released her, sitting down and leaning back against the earthen wall of the cellar. Propping his arms on his knees, he motioned for her to come and sit with him. She hesitated for only a moment and then, much to his surprise, actually nestled herself safely against him. She leaned her back against his chest, astounding him next by taking his hands and wrapping herself snugly in his arms.
Paxton let his chin rest on the top of her head, and, for all the swirling dust, he could still smell the sweet scent of her hair. To have her there in his arms, against his body…it was pure pleasure. Small and slight she may be, but he knew she was strong and capable as well. Still, she needed his comfort. He knew she needed him, only him. And, for those next few moments, he decided to let her need him.
Rivers felt secure in Paxton’s arms. He was warm and strong. His breath in her hair sent goose bumps erupting along her arms and legs. The feel of his powerful hands on her arms both calmed and excited her. She felt she could breathe easier, yet was more breathless than before.
Outside, the wind began to diminish once again. Yet in its place there was a new sound—the sound of heavy rain hitting the earth and cellar door. Quickly, however, the wind became a gentle breeze, and the rain fell softly.
“Is it over?” Rivers asked quietly. Her own voice sounded strange to her ears, which were still ringing with the wicked roar of the wind.
“Probably,” Paxton answered. “But we’ll sit here awhile, just in case.”
Rivers couldn’t have asked for anything more blissful than to sit in Paxton’s arms forever. But she turned to look at him, and he released her, though he made no move to stand.
“Your face!” she exclaimed, upon seeing the wounds there once more.
He reached up and touched one of the wounds, looking at the blood it left on his fingers. “I think a piece of that barbed wire flew up at me when we were gettin’ ya untangled.”
Rivers reached up and caressed his cheek, being careful of the wounds. “I’m sorry, Paxton,” she said.
Paxton shifted uncomfortably. Much more of this and he’d break. After all, there she sat, right up against him. And her lack of proper clothing wasn’t helping matters! He smiled and thought to himself how cute she looked in just her under things.
“What?” Rivers asked as the smile spread across Paxton’s face.
“Nothin’,” he answered.
Suddenly, Rivers was overwhelmingly self-conscious. “Tell me! What?” she demanded.
“Well, it’s just that…well…ya look so danged cute in just your drawers,” he chuckled.
Rivers looked down at herself. He thought she was “cute”? There she sat in attire to put most men out of their minds, and he thought she was cute!
“Well…I guess that’s meant as a compliment,” she muttered, as a frown wrinkled her brow.
“Of course it was. What did ya want me to say?” Paxton teased. “Now, sit back and rest. We’ll go out in a while.”
Rivers frowned as she leaned back against him once more. Still a bit miffed at his remark about her being cute, she almost didn’t notice at first when he moved her hair to one side. She noticed first his hand brush lightly against her neck. Then he put his chin to her temple and pushed gently, directing her head to tip to one side.
“What are you doing?” she whispered.
“Don’t ask stupid questions, Rivers,” he answered, just before she felt his mouth on the sensitive flesh of her neck.
Rivers flinched at his kiss as the rushing ripple of goose bumps raced over her entire body—a fact that Paxton apparently did not miss, for he caressed her arm, chuckling quietly. He kissed her neck again and then turned her head toward his and kissed her cheek. The warmth of his breath on her neck and
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