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Ivy froze. Without even realizing it, her anger drew her further into the shelter until she was only inches away from him. Her eyes spun back to his smirking face. “Ye did that on purpose.”
“You must be feeling better. Just as argumentative as you were yesterday.”
She stiffened, but chose to ignore this last comment. Instead, she asked, “How did y’know?”
Sam shrugged while he reached for his holster and removed it. “Been around it enough times to recognize the signs. Back in the train, I saw it in your eyes right before I shut the door on the baggage car.”
“Oh.”
“Surprising what a little distraction can do to the conscience, eh?”
When she only shook her head in confusion, he reached out and tapped one finger against her head. “It’s all up here. It ain’t real. It’s your mind messing with ya, is all.”
She frowned, feeling baffled. She did not like this man knowing her weaknesses so intimately. Or the unexpected comfort that he somehow understood her, even in the smallest way. She watched as he laid his holster on the ground between him and the stone wall behind his back, but still within easy reach, before he stretched out comfortably once again on the ground.
Irritated, Ivy asked, “Where am I to sit, Mr. Michalski? Seems ye’ve gone and taken most all the room.”
To her surprise, he shifted and patted the ground in front of him. “Right here, ma’am.”
Ivy felt her eyes go round. No way. Absolutely no way.
He must have read her mind, for he smirked suddenly. “‘Fraid so. I’m goin’ be needing to tie you round my waist, as seein’ there ain’t no trees in here to secure you to.”
“Ye—ye’re going to tie us together?” A rush of fear chilled her cheeks.
He nodded. “We’ll keep extra warm that way too.”
“No.”
His brows raised. “No?”
She shook her head, not sure she trusted her voice. No way could she allow him to touch her.
He frowned. “Way I’m seein’ it, ya ain’t got a choice.”
Ivy frowned as well. Her pulse had begun to accelerate, and already she was having difficulties breathing.
“If you’re thinkin’ I might take advantage of you, think again. I already told ya, I ain’t that desperate.”
The sincerity in his eyes had her inhaling deeply and finally allowing some air into her lungs. Though, oddly, felt the bite of his insult. It certainly wasn’t the first time, but from this man, it left a bit of a mark.
Taking her time, she shuffled over to her side on her knees, taking care not to touch him if at all possible. Something he didn’t seem to concern himself about, for he reached for her and dragged her back up against his chest. She sucked in a jagged breath. Along her back, she could feel his large form pressing into her.
His arms came around to encircle her and Ivy couldn’t stop the small gasp from passing her lips. She bit down hard on her bottom lip, forcing any other protests—or screams, from escaping. How she hated being this close to a man. No other position could possibly make her feel more vulnerable. Weak.
“Relax, Ms. McGregor, I ain’t going ravish your body, regardless what you may think.”
Her cheeks burned with humiliation and she would have dearly loved to tell him to go to hell and if he so much as laid an inappropriate finger on her person, she would bite it off. But her voice failed her, so she was left with no choice but to lie silently in his arms.
Closing her eyes tightly, she concentrated on breathing. Forcing air pass her lips, down her throat, and into her lungs. She felt the rope being pulled around her waist and knew he was securing her to him. On the back of her neck, she felt his breath fan the hair covering her flesh. A shiver ran down her spine.
“Cold again, aren’t ya? And after I gone and got ya all dry and warm too.”
Without warning, his arms wrapped around Ivy’s midriff, causing her to freeze. But sighed inwardly when she realized his only intention was to secure her wrists together. What was her world coming to when she found relief in the arms of a man whose only intention was to bind her hands together to prevent her from escaping?
Escape.
She had been thinking about it all day. If she had really wanted, she would be out of the rope and halfway across the countryside before he even woke. If she had any idea which direction to head. Case was, his warnings rang true. She knew nothing about the harsh land they crossed with its endless forests and rivers. Not to mention the wildlife.
