Page 64 of The Piper's Pursuit

But Steffan was no Hennek, and he was not hovering over her.

“You look well to me.” She gave him her best frown.

When he had brushed his hand against her cheek, she hadn’t flinched. She was not repulsed or angry. And she couldn’t stop thinking about kissing him.

Was this good? Or bad?

After trying to sleep while her thoughts went around and around in her head, she opened her eyes. Steffan’s breathing was steady and heavy, indicating that he had fallen asleep.

How sick was he?

But it was good he was sleeping, was it not? She knew precious little about caring for wounds. She should rest so that she didn’t fall behind later because she was so tired.

Kat opened her eyes and realized she’d fallen asleep too.

Steffan lifted his head off the ground. “I hear horses,” he whispered.

They both scrambled to their feet and stood still, listening. Steffan’s hand was on her shoulder.

The horses’ hooves were getting closer, and it sounded like several.

“Get the horses.” Steffan turned and rushed to where their horses’ reins were tied to a tree nearby. He untied them in a moment and led them farther off the road into the trees.

They hung on to their horses’ reins and put calming hands on their heads. Steffan stared hard toward the road. When the horses and riders galloped past, Katerina thought she recognized one or two of Hennek’s guards.

“Hennek’s men.” Steffan rubbed his chin.

“It was a good thing we took a rest when we did, was it not?”

He turned toward her and his jawline softened as he gazed into her eyes. “It was a good thing.”

He lifted his hand and caressed her cheek for only a moment, as he had early that morning. “Thank you,” he said.

“For what?”

“For trusting me.”

“What makes you think I trust you?” But Katerina couldn’t suppress the smile that drew up the corners of her mouth.

He lifted his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders.

“Because you let me do this.”

She froze, her gaze caught by his. A voice in her head said,“You’re being foolish, like your mother, who trusted a man such as Hennek and even fell in love with him.”

Steffan is nothing like Hennek.

Kat slipped her arms around his back and pressed her cheek against his shoulder. Steffan wrapped his other arm around her. She took a deep breath, reveling in the feel of his shirt against her cheek and her arms around him. He was so warm. In fact, oddly warm, as she realized she could feel heat emanating from the cut on his chest.

She squeezed her eyes closed, wishing she could shut out the feeling of dread that was sweeping over her, remembering the man who had died after getting bitten by the Beast of Hamlin.

Steffan had been bitten by the beast.

She lifted her hand and pressed it to his forehead, then his cheek. “You feel warm.”

He placed his hand over hers, keeping it pressed against his cheek.

She took a step back, forcing him to let go. She turned away from him, her heart pounding harder than ever. She went over to her horse, unsure what to do.