The Bear King's Captive: Curvy Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance by Milly Taiden
Authors: Milly Taiden
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stepped to his right. Opening a second door, he motioned for Leah to enter.
“¿Para mi?” Leah smiled and looked at him.
“Sí, señorita.” A relaxed smile spread across his face. A spew of words came from him in which she translated only a few. Something about a dress and a wife who did laundry on the boat. Commander was said, but she didn’t catch anything after the word. Hopefully it wasn’t important. She smiled and said okay. He smiled back.
She entered the room, not knowing why they were suddenly allowed cabins, but not caring either. Maricio closed the door. Immediately, a knock sounded behind her. She opened the door.
Smiling from ear to ear, Ivan bobbed up and down, trying to peek over her shoulder into her cabin. “Do we get to stay in these rooms?”
Leah walked farther into the space. “I hope so. I really want a shower.” The square room held a small sitting area with a plaid upholstered chair, desk, half fridge, TV, and bed.
She opened the narrow door across the room from the bed and gasped. Inside, she came face to face with the one item she thought she would never see again: a deep tub with shower. On the short countertop, shampoo, soap, comb, toothbrush and paste lay next to a small white hairdryer attached to the wall.
She rushed Ivan out the door. He glanced over his shoulder. “Hey. Don’t forget about eating.”
Yeah, yeah. She’d deal with that when the time arrived. She closed the cabin door and couldn’t get to the tub fast enough. She turned on the faucet and let the hot, silky water run down her arm and over her fingers. While the small tub filled, she took the toothbrush out of its plastic wrap and loaded on the paste.
After undressing, she tossed her over-worn clothes onto the floor in the main room. She pulled the door to, then stepped into the tub of exquisitely hot water.
The white cast-iron basin was too short for her to fully stretch out, but after lying on steel, she’d take anything offered. Bending her knees, she slid under the water, letting the heat warm her chilled bones and soothe her sore muscles.
After thoroughly scrubbing every inch of skin, the intoxicating comfort calmed her anxiety and washed away the remains of her headache. She leaned her head against the side of the tub and released a slow, deep breath, almost forgetting she was a prisoner.
* * *
Hannes tapped on Leah’s cabin door. After no reply, he knocked again and waited. When no answer came, he opened the door. He peeked his head in and peered into the dimly lit area. He frowned and stepped into the room. No Leah? Perhaps she was in the boy’s room. He’d just leave the bundle he carried on the bed.
Halfway across the room, he saw her clothes on the floor next to the bathroom. Hannes stopped and noticed the door slightly ajar. He laid his delivery on the bed, then slinked to the bath. Pleasing fragrances of shampoo and soap floated in the air.
Thoughts of various possibilities raced a twinge of excitement through his body. She would be quite exposed and susceptive to his commands. He grabbed the knob. Looking down at the back of his scarred knuckles, he couldn’t move. Anger, pain, regret consumed him. He turned and quietly left the room.
In the hallway, he put his hand over his pounding heart and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Why was this irritating American bothering him so damn much? He should just be done with her. But questions still nagged at him.
Loud explosions echoed in the hall--one after another. Inside the bathroom, Leah stood frozen in her flannel Hello Kitty nightgown. Child-sized hands covered her ears. Her heart pounded; fear choked every breath.
The noise stopped. She watched the bathroom door glide open the same way it always did in her nightmare. Her mom’s flower-scented soaps in the basket next to the vanity sink did nothing to block the burning gunpowder floating in the air.
On the hall wall, Leah saw the family picture Daddy made everyone dress-up
“¿Para mi?” Leah smiled and looked at him.
“Sí, señorita.” A relaxed smile spread across his face. A spew of words came from him in which she translated only a few. Something about a dress and a wife who did laundry on the boat. Commander was said, but she didn’t catch anything after the word. Hopefully it wasn’t important. She smiled and said okay. He smiled back.
She entered the room, not knowing why they were suddenly allowed cabins, but not caring either. Maricio closed the door. Immediately, a knock sounded behind her. She opened the door.
Smiling from ear to ear, Ivan bobbed up and down, trying to peek over her shoulder into her cabin. “Do we get to stay in these rooms?”
Leah walked farther into the space. “I hope so. I really want a shower.” The square room held a small sitting area with a plaid upholstered chair, desk, half fridge, TV, and bed.
She opened the narrow door across the room from the bed and gasped. Inside, she came face to face with the one item she thought she would never see again: a deep tub with shower. On the short countertop, shampoo, soap, comb, toothbrush and paste lay next to a small white hairdryer attached to the wall.
She rushed Ivan out the door. He glanced over his shoulder. “Hey. Don’t forget about eating.”
Yeah, yeah. She’d deal with that when the time arrived. She closed the cabin door and couldn’t get to the tub fast enough. She turned on the faucet and let the hot, silky water run down her arm and over her fingers. While the small tub filled, she took the toothbrush out of its plastic wrap and loaded on the paste.
After undressing, she tossed her over-worn clothes onto the floor in the main room. She pulled the door to, then stepped into the tub of exquisitely hot water.
The white cast-iron basin was too short for her to fully stretch out, but after lying on steel, she’d take anything offered. Bending her knees, she slid under the water, letting the heat warm her chilled bones and soothe her sore muscles.
After thoroughly scrubbing every inch of skin, the intoxicating comfort calmed her anxiety and washed away the remains of her headache. She leaned her head against the side of the tub and released a slow, deep breath, almost forgetting she was a prisoner.
* * *
Hannes tapped on Leah’s cabin door. After no reply, he knocked again and waited. When no answer came, he opened the door. He peeked his head in and peered into the dimly lit area. He frowned and stepped into the room. No Leah? Perhaps she was in the boy’s room. He’d just leave the bundle he carried on the bed.
Halfway across the room, he saw her clothes on the floor next to the bathroom. Hannes stopped and noticed the door slightly ajar. He laid his delivery on the bed, then slinked to the bath. Pleasing fragrances of shampoo and soap floated in the air.
Thoughts of various possibilities raced a twinge of excitement through his body. She would be quite exposed and susceptive to his commands. He grabbed the knob. Looking down at the back of his scarred knuckles, he couldn’t move. Anger, pain, regret consumed him. He turned and quietly left the room.
In the hallway, he put his hand over his pounding heart and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Why was this irritating American bothering him so damn much? He should just be done with her. But questions still nagged at him.
Loud explosions echoed in the hall--one after another. Inside the bathroom, Leah stood frozen in her flannel Hello Kitty nightgown. Child-sized hands covered her ears. Her heart pounded; fear choked every breath.
The noise stopped. She watched the bathroom door glide open the same way it always did in her nightmare. Her mom’s flower-scented soaps in the basket next to the vanity sink did nothing to block the burning gunpowder floating in the air.
On the hall wall, Leah saw the family picture Daddy made everyone dress-up
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