\u201cShe doesn\u2019t want you to go, Cam.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cameron Mackenzie closed his eyes, leaning against his horse\u2019s flank for a moment, momentarily pausing in the rub-down he\u2019d been giving the animal. \u201cShe and I went over this, Marin. You and Thom agreed. Trade is important and I\u2019m the one best qualified to ride out for it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t exactly recall agreeing to that<\/em> piece, but you\u2019re right about trade being important.\u201d I crossed my arms, watching him. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t have to be you making this ride, though.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, it does.\u201d Cameron turned toward me, his brows knitting together. \u201cIt\u2019s one of those things, Mar. You and Thom and Phelan and the others, you\u2019ve got things that you know in your gut you\u2019ve got to do. This is one of those things for me. I have to be the one to go out and do this, at least this time.\u201d<\/p>\n The words at least this time<\/em> echoed in my head. In my heart and in my gut, I knew for sure that he was thinking this would be more than a one-time thing.<\/p>\n The worst of it was, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was right about that.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know that I have to do this,\u201d he said, watching my face. I sighed and looked way.<\/p>\n \u201cNeve\u2019s my friend, Cam. More importantly, she\u2019s pregnant with your children and she doesn\u2019t want you to go.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019ll be fine,\u201d he said, his voice quiet and firm. \u201cI won\u2019t be gone that long\u2014just going to make contact with the settlement to the south that Phelan came across this winter and then start setting up a trading outpost between here and there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut alone?\u201d I shook my head. \u201cThat\u2019s a bad idea.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDaniel said he\u2019d send a few of his pack with me,\u201d Cameron said, then hesitated. My stomach sank.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t like this.<\/em><\/p>\n Cameron cleared his throat. \u201cThom said he\u2019d come, too.\u201d<\/p>\n That was exactly<\/em> what I was afraid he\u2019d say.<\/p>\n What the hell is my husband getting himself into now?<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cShe doesn\u2019t want you to go, Cam.\u201d Cameron Mackenzie closed his eyes, leaning against his horse\u2019s flank for a moment, momentarily pausing in the rub-down he\u2019d been giving the animal. \u201cShe and I went over this, Marin. You and Thom … Continue reading