Their cot was snug, warm as they entered, warmer even than it had been by the fire.\u00a0 After frigid nights in the open and on horseback, Cameron was more than happy to work off his boots and walk across a wooden floor in his stocking feet.\u00a0 Neve abandoned her crutches near the door and hobbled to the bed, sinking down on the edge and watching as Cameron tugged the door closed behind them in the dim light of their lamp.\u00a0 His gaze flicked up to meet hers and he smiled faintly as he tossed his boots into the corner.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d
\n\u201cI missed you,\u201d she said softly.\u00a0 \u201cI was worried.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI promised I\u2019d come back,\u201d he said, hanging up his jacket on the peg near the door and starting to unbutton his shirt.\u00a0 \u201cI meant that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWere you careful?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cameron smiled.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m alive and intact, aren\u2019t I?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat doesn\u2019t quite<\/i> answer my question.\u201d<\/p>\n
He nodded slightly and came to the bed wearing only his jeans and socks.\u00a0 He sat down with her and slid his arm around her shoulders.\u00a0 \u201cI had ample opportunity to get myself hurt pretty badly,\u201d he murmured, resting his chin against her hair.\u00a0 \u201cIf Thordin hadn\u2019t redirected my attention, I might have ended up in a nasty fight and all of us could have ended up in worse shape than we did.\u00a0 Then again, maybe they wouldn\u2019t have gotten hurt if I\u2019d stuck around.\u00a0 I\u2019ll never know.\u201d\u00a0 He stretched, trying to shake off the weariness that pressed down at him.\u00a0 Had it only been a few hours since they\u2019d made it back?<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re tired,\u201d Neve said, reaching up to ruffle his hair.\u00a0 \u201cWe should sleep, not talk.\u00a0 I shouldn\u2019t have made you sit up waiting with us.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all right,\u201d Cameron said, his eyelids growing heavier.\u00a0 It had hit him like a Mack truck all of a sudden, exactly how tired he really was.\u00a0 He was sore, too, from the long ride, but that wasn\u2019t anything a hot bath wouldn\u2019t fix in the morning.\u00a0 He could probably charm Tala into helping him heat the water if he promised to help her with the smokers or something later.<\/p>\n
Neve was lowering him down to their pillows and unfastening his jeans before he realized what she was doing.\u00a0 He blinked up at her, brows knitting.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSleep,\u201d she breathed, leaning down to kiss him before she shucked off his pants.\u00a0 He shivered, flesh puckering as it was suddenly exposed to the open air.\u00a0 She threw their blankets over him and limped to the lamp to turn down the flame.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll talk in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou sure?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then she was under the blankets with him, cuddled against his side.\u00a0 Cameron sighed quietly, wrapping his arm around her just before sleep swallowed him whole.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Their cot was snug, warm as they entered, warmer even than it had been by the fire.\u00a0 After frigid nights in the open and on horseback, Cameron was more than happy to work off his boots and walk across a … Continue reading