Page 62 of The Last Warrior

Timidly, the young woman crawled out of the lodge, squinting under the glare of the sun. She looked briefly at Little Star and then at Suzette, before lowering her gaze. After a moment, she said, “You want…Black Lion?”

Suzette nodded.

“Then…this right tepee.”

“But, it cannot be…unless…” Suzette frowned. “Who are you?”

“This one?” The woman pointed to herself.

“Yes, who are you?”

The young woman swallowed and glanced around, as though searching for another to help her with what she was about to confess. “I…Rabbit Leggings.”

“Yes, Rabbit Leggings.” Suzette rolled the name off her tongue. “How do you do. But what are you doing here?”

Again, the woman swallowed hard. “I here because…I…his…” She gulped twice. “I his wife.”

“Wife?” Suzette repeated. “Black Lion’s wife?”

“I say wrong word? Wikte?”

“It right word,” affirmed Little Star. “This wife of…Two Bears, him the…white man knows…as Black Lion.”

Suzette didn’t respond. In truth, she was uncertain if she could have spoken a word. With her stomach twisting within her abdomen, her nausea became even more pronounced, and she felt as though something she had eaten last night was disagreeing with her horribly. Alas, she could barely think, let alone speak.

“Little Blue Eyes?” Black Lion at last peeked out from the lodge’s entrance flap. His eyes were sleepy, his hair tangled and his chest bare.

Suzette, however, hardly took notice. She heard his voice as though she were far away from herself.

“Little Blue Eyes, what are you doing here?”

What in the name of the good Lord could she say to this man...without swearing?

She stared at him as if she had never seen him until this moment, and perhaps she never really had. This time, she took in his mussed, though thoroughly masculine appearance. He looked good. Much too good, and she steeled herself against the sexy look of him. She had to.

“I…” She tried to speak, but nothing, absolutely nothing came to mind to say.

“Little Blue Eyes? What is this? What has happened? Wait, let me pull on my jeans.”

He was gone but a second, and, feeling like her feet had grown roots, she was still there in the same position when he appeared out of the lodge. She couldn’t think, it seemed, and her thoughts were pure reaction. Still, it couldn’t have been more obvious; he had to have just awakened from sleep. Not only was his hair in disarray, but he was shirtless, and she was certain there was nothing but pure man between himself and those jeans.

The thought was erotic. He was erotic, and silently, she cursed his handsome image, as well as herself, for her lack of resistance to him.

She could think of nothing to say—not with an audience. So she took the only action which came readily to her. With as much dignity as possible, she turned to leave.

But he moved with the speed of a panther and blocked her way. “My wife?” He leaned in toward her and whispered for her ear alone. “What has happened?”

“Wife? Yes. Pray ask your wife what has happened.” Turning at an angle away from him, she took another step away.

He caught hold of her arm and said, still in a whisper, “Am I not looking at her?”

Suzette wasn’t about to argue with him. Perhaps she might do so later. At this moment, she felt too vulnerable. She needed to get away. Twisting her arm out of his grasp, she turned from him. “Pray, do not insult me further.” She picked up the edge of her skirt and began running away from him.

The ground, however, was still frozen from the evening hours, and her feet slipped over its icy patches, making her departure far from graceful.

“Little Blue Eyes, wait!” He came up behind her as she stumbled and grasped hold of her, steadying her. “Now I know what is wrong. There has been a misunderstanding.”

“There certainly has been.” Since she couldn’t outrun him, she turned on him. “How could you do this to me? How could you lie? You, who speak of honor and integrity. And look at you. You! You have lied to me, and I…I trusted you. I was coming here to apologize to you.”