by Casea Major
When he reached the safety of the trees, he set her to her feet then dropped his chin to his chest and sighed. “I’m gonna level with you. We’re in some serious shit here. I hate to do this to you, but can you run on that ankle?”
“I’ll try.” She frowned. If I was coordinated enough to run on my ankle, Pauly D, I wouldn't have fallen in the first place.
He darted his gaze and cracked his knuckles while she tried to put a little weight on it. Pain shot up her leg again. “Ouch.”
“Look, you’re gonna have to deal with it. It won’t do permanent damage to walk on it, but it’s gonna be unpleasant.”
She shot him a look of disbelief. “Unpleasant? Are you kidding me? It hurts like hell.”
“Just suck it up and let’s go.” He took her hand and pulled her along between the dense trees.
Blood pounded in her temples. Steam would spew from her ears at any moment. What an asshole. At least her anger made her forget about how much her ankle hurt. They traveled quickly, for a cripple and a caveman, and came to a small copse of trees set in a circle. He pushed her between two trunks into the center of the circle where a massive knotted oak grew.
He faced away from her and crouched down. “Climb on my back.”
“What?”
“Climb on my back. There’s a shelter up there that will hide us.”
“How do you know?”
Another heavy sigh. “Just do it.”
Oh, hell’s bells! She climbed on his back, and he scaled the knots of the tree, carrying her with ease, higher and higher to an unknown destination above. She looked down and lightheadedness swept over her. A whimper escaped her lips.
“Don’t look down.”
“Don’t look down? Is that the best you got? I guess I should now say ‘I bet you say that to all the girls’ just to add more ingredients to this cliché soup.”
She continued to speak as he stepped up on a landing and dropped her ass-first on something soft in the corner. The space spread ten-by-ten across several branches, surrounded by three walls with a grass mattress on the floor. Several short chairs resembling handmade beach loungers sat around a wide log used as a table. It was quaint as far as tree houses went.
He plopped down next to her on the mattress. “How’s your foot?”
She gave him a sideways scowl and looked down at her swollen ankle. “I’ll live. So how'd you know about this place?”
He grinned and his eyes sparkled. “Robin Hood's hideout is in the woods, right? Under the Major Oak. Once I found the circle of trees, I knew it had to be here somewhere. It didn't take a brain surgeon to figure it out.”
She rolled her eyes. “Obviously.”
He cocked an eyebrow and opened his mouth to answer when the sound of horses pounded through the forest below. Robert held his finger to his lips to silence her. She sat quietly, staring into his mesmerizing eyes. They provided a confidence that dispelled her fear.
Men shouted above the pounding hooves. “Sheriff, they have to be here somewhere. They cannot have disappeared.”
A wickedly timbred voice carried to her ears. “Keep searching, men. They are here, and we will find them for questioning. Then we will hang them from the nearest tree.” The sound of hearty laughter wrapped bands of fear around her chest and cinched them tight.
A lump stuck in her throat. Pretend or not, her four dollar American Airlines bagel threatened to spew itself all over Robert.
He held her shoulders and shook his head as he whispered, “Not gonna happen. Not on my watch.”
The sounds faded as the group of men trampled deeper into the forest.
She closed her eyes, taking deep breaths to quell the wild drumming of her heart. It’s just a silly game. Why had she done this? She'd only wanted a gallant knight to provide her with a romantic evening and an earth-shattering orgasm. Was that too much to ask? Crap like this always happens to me.
Like the time security mistook her for a terrorist at a Black-eyed Peas concert. She’d only said that Will.i.am was the bomb. Face it, Mare, you’re jinxed.
Her fear made her restless. She stood and limped across the small platform muttering. “Come play out your medieval fantasy. Wear a Scarborough Faire costume. Get killed by a local sadist.”
“Marianne, you need to calm down. No one’s getting killed or tortured or nothin’. Okay? Take a deep breath. Your body’s gonna go into shock if you don’t.”
“Calm down? How the hell are we going to get out of here? Do you even know where we are or how we got here?”
“I’ll grant ya, it’s not exactly what I expected, but I have no reason to believe we won’t be safe until tomorrow morning. I was in that jacked-up castle earlier. How did you get here?”
Her gaze flickered to him. His eyes were filled with concern. She nodded once. “Castle.” Then she turned and continued to pace…er…hobble.
He sighed. “We need to make it back there. I think that’s a safe place for us.”
It seemed reasonable, and Victoria had said something about being safe in the room. Everything muddled together in her mind. She threw up her hands. “Okay. What’s your plan, Jersey Shore?”
His eyes blazed as he scowled at her. “I’m not from Jersey. I live in Brooklyn. We’ll wait a few more minutes then we’ll backtrack to the castle through the woods.”
“Are you sure you can find the way back?”
His face dimpled. “Have you noticed that all you’ve done is ask me questions? Yeah. I think I can find the castle.” He lazily slid his gaze down her body. “Where you from?”
At the sight of the desire on his face, her shallow breath became a pant. A thin layer of perspiration covered her from chest to forehead. “Dallas.”
“Well, Dallas, what did a pretty gal like you expect from this deal?”
There was no way in hell she would answer that question. So she employed her stellar skills of diversion and subterfuge. “What did a guy like you expect from this deal?” Okay, maybe not the cleverest line she’d ever come up with, but this guy with his mesmerizing eyes messed up her mojo.
He leaned back with his elbow on the mattress and flashed a brilliant smile. She swallowed hard. “To get to know a lovely young woman such as yourself and have a little adventure. You think you can handle that?”
Could he be any more cocky? His thinly veiled innuendo struck her with the delicacy of a baseball bat. No question he was hot. From a purely physical standpoint, he was perfection, but did anything rattle around behind those blue eyes?
She crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her chin. “What I want to know is, can you handle that?”
Oops, she hadn’t meant for that to sound like a challenge or an invitation, but even to her own ears, it did. He stood, his long legs closing the distance between them in two strides. She braced her legs to hold her ground, but retreated toward a wall. So much for holding my ground. Pressing her head back against a branch, she looked up into his even stare. God, his eyes were Ceylon blue, his lips full and lush. He stopped in front of her, but continued to lower his head toward hers. Other than the rustling wind, only her ragged breathing sounded amongst the leaves.
Robert braced his hands on either side of her shoulders, effectively trapping her between him and the tree. Every cell in her body buzzed with electrical current, and her gaze helplessly transfixed on him. The lids of his eyes lowered, and his straight nose brushed against hers.
“Can I kiss you?” His whispered request tickled her skin.
Chills swept over her heated body. Her knees gave way, and she sighed out some inaudible response he apparently took as affirmative. He brushed her lips with a kiss.
With agonizing leisure, his mouth eased over hers, first feathering her closed lips then caressing each one between his. His velvety flesh wisped like flower petals against hers, and the aroma of fresh mint scented his breath. The languid motion of his kiss ignited a desire that throbbed all the way down between her legs. The longer he lingered, the hotter s
he burned. He never sped his pace or reached for her in any other way. It was only a kiss, yet so much more.
His warm tongue slipped between her lips and slowly explored her mouth, sliding across her teeth and stroking her tongue. A soft moan escaped her and excruciating tension built in her core with each lazy thrust.
She wrapped her arms around his waist and trailed her fingers down his hips as she molded to his body. He gasped and ended the kiss. The staggering length of his arousal pressed into her abs and the burn in her sex flared into a raging inferno.
He rested his forehead against the tree, and she laid her hands on his chest with his body lightly molded to hers. The heat radiating between them smoldered hotter than the Vegas asphalt at high noon. His breaths were steady, but his heart pounded against her open palms.
His voice, deep and husky, sounded near her ear. “Maybe. Maybe not, Dallas.”
She opened her eyes. “Huh?”
He kept his eyes closed and rubbed his cheek against hers. “I was just answering your earlier question.”
She couldn’t remember the question. She'd be lucky to remember her own name.
He pushed away from the wall and adjusted his pants. She wiped the corners of her mouth. Her lips tingled like they’d been coated in cinnamon candy.
“Can you make it to the ground, or should I carry you?”
She glanced down at her ankle, which seemed to be expanding and smiled at the thought of holding on to him again.
He followed her gaze down her leg and frowned. “Fuck. That looks bad. I’ll carry you.” He lifted her at the waist and slung her over his shoulder.
“Hey!”
“Sorry, Dallas. This is the only safe way I can get you to the ground, but don’t worry. I’ve done this before.”
“Sure you have, Jersey.”
He growled at the slur and lowered his foot to the first step. His arm tightened around her thighs and sent delicious thoughts of their impending evening swimming through her muddled brain.
She hoped he couldn’t feel the heat radiating between her legs as her hips pressed against his shoulder. “Put me down. I can climb down myself.”
“The hell you can. Your ankle looks like a fucking truck tire.”
He descended with ease as though he did it every day and stepped to the ground. As he slid her from his shoulder to her feet, he palmed her ass, leaving a trail of fire along her backside.
She glared up at him, and he only smiled and shrugged. Can I trust him with my life?
Robert pulled her along the forest’s edge. She had no way of knowing if they traveled the right way or not. Hopefully he knew. Sharp pains pierced her ankle, and she cried out each time she had to put her weight on it. Her foot looked like a runaway yeast roll rising out of a muffin tin.
“We really need to get you some ice for that and elevate it.”
“Ice, Jersey Shore?”
He cracked his knuckles and sucked in a deep breath before he spoke. “Like I said before, I’m not from Jersey. And why don’t you let me worry about medical treatment? You just concentrate on not falling down and breaking your other leg.”
“Why? Are you a doctor?”
His eyes darkened and shot a thrill up her spine. “No. I’m not a doctor. But I do know a few things.”
She opened her mouth to spew an unfriendly retort. Without warning, he swept her up in his arms and pressed a hard, hungry kiss on her lips; so different from the first kiss, it rattled what little control she held. His lips assaulted her, battering against the seam that couldn’t deny him.
Cradled in his arms, she succumbed to the onslaught. Her lips parted to allow him entry, and his tongue swept inside. He slid an arm from her hip to cup her ass. Her fisted hands opened against his chest and slipped around his neck. The woodsy scent of his skin filled her senses, contrasting with the determined lash of his tongue. This wasn’t the passion of a gentle lover. His kiss revealed his carnal need to dominate and stake a claim. Her body not only submitted, but she reveled in the feral display. If he'd decided to take her right there, she couldn’t have stopped him. Truthfully, she wouldn’t have wanted to.
As quickly as he’d lifted her, he deposited her on a flat rock next to a stream. The kiss must have had the desired effect, because his eyes sparkled with smug satisfaction as he slipped the shoe from her swollen foot.
“I figure those guys are searching the other side of the woods, but eventually they’re gonna head this way, and we need to be in the castle by then. We’ll take just a minute here and I think I can carry you the rest of the way.”
Mare couldn’t speak so she merely nodded as she eased her aching foot in the icy water.
Robert’s face lined with concern, and his gentle tone set a hummingbird loose in her chest. “I know it hurts, baby. Rest your foot in the water for a few minutes. We aren’t far. I’ll get you some Tylenol when we get there.” His voice lowered as he captured her gaze. “And we can take a nap before…dinner.”
Still reeling from his kiss, she dropped her chin so her hair hid her face. Damn, he unnerved her. Regaining her confidence, she raised her head. She met his implied invitation with a simple nod. He gave her a sexy grin and her stomach clenched. Why did they even need a castle?
He jiggled his leg. “I’ll be right back. Holler if you need me. I’ve got to take a piss.”
His words caused her desire to die like road-kill. Lovely. She pinched the bridge of her nose and wondered if she could ask him not to speak for the remainder of their time together.
She lifted her ankle and flexed it. The swelling had gone down in only a few minutes. Smiling to herself, she stuck her foot back under the icy current. Robert’s kindness had touched her, so had his kisses. Even if he was…unrefined, she wanted him. She’d melted in his mouth like Hershey’s candy. What would making love with him be like? She closed her eyes and sighed.
Cool fingers slid down her neck under her hair. Goose bumps prickled her skin. “I was just thinking about you.”
“You were, my dear? How marvelous, for I have been thinking of you as well.” The clear voice sent a wave of horror through her, and her eyelids flew open.
She stared up into the blackest eyes she’d ever seen, deeply set in a face with features far too pointy to be handsome. His lips curled in a thin smile. Narrow hands banded around her forearms and jerked her from the rock. The strength in his wiry limbs surprised her.
A scream bellowed from her, and she prayed to God Robert heard her.
Chapter Three
Mare scanned the trees where Robert had gone. “Robert! Help!”
The Sheriff narrowed his eyes. “This Robert—my men are searching the forest for him now, and when we find him, we shall kill him.”
She stared the actor in the face and shook from his hold. “Let go of me, asshole. I’m not playing your games, and I’m about to lose my temper.”
The man’s onyx eyes glittered with malice. He raised his hand and struck her hard across the face. “I assure you, milady, I play no game.”
She placed a hand on her cheek and trembled in shock. No one had ever hit her. Never. For the first time since she’d been in this land, it occurred to her it wasn’t make-believe. This was real.
Her logic had been temporarily suspended when she’d stepped into the meadow. She’d just thought…maybe they were in some strange arena made to look like Sherwood Forest.
Panic struck her heart as brutally as the Sheriff’s hand on her face. This place wasn’t Vegas, and this man truly meant to harm her. Oh God, why did I agree to come here? How could these people do this to unsuspecting idiots?
The Sheriff glared at her. “I expect you to comply and answer all my questions…or you will receive far worse, milady.” He stroked her hair. Her skin felt as if it would crawl off her body. “It does not please me to strike you, my dear, but I will be harsh if I must. You will do well to remember that.”
She trembled, and her teeth chattered. Tears streamed down the cheek tha
t still stung from the smack of his hand. She was royally screwed. Where the hell is Robert?
The man grabbed her jaw and yanked her face to his. “What are you doing in these woods? I don’t abide strangers in my forest.”
Almost nose to nose with him, she swallowed hard. His pointy teeth matched the rest of his face, and his rancid breath caused her eyes to water. The words nervously poured from her. “I’m not sure how I got here, but I came for a one-night stand with some guy who’s obviously deserted me. I just want to get back to my room in one piece. Please don’t hurt me.”
“A stand? Against my men?”
Clearly he mistook her words, and she didn't want this guy to mistake her for a fighter. “No. I came for a—” What’s a word this creepy weasel would understand? “Lover’s rendezvous.”
His beady eyes narrowed, and a smirk twitched at his thin lips. “Indeed?”
Maybe it hadn’t been the best idea to put that thought in his head. The man seemed to latch on to it like a teenager to a discounted iPod. He released her jaw to stroke her cheek. She tried to wrench away, but his arm cinched around her waist and pulled her flush against him. His pencil-thin erection pressed into her hip, and he stuck his hand down the bodice of her dress.
Guys had groped her before, but she'd been lucky. No one had ever tried to force themselves on her. She yanked and twisted, trying to loosen his grip and get away.
A firm, strong voice sounded behind them. “Yo. Get your grubby hands off the lady.”
The sheriff spun her around and thrust his arm across her neck. With lightning quickness, he pressed a small dagger to her throat.
Robert loomed ten feet away. A shiny handgun pointed toward them.
She gasped. “Robert, what are you doing? You have a gun?”
“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m tryin’ to save your ass.”
“Save me? Do you even know how to shoot that thing?”
“Zip it, Marianne!”
The use of her proper name and his fierce glare silenced her next words, and she closed her mouth with a small squeak.
