Bound (A Faery Story 1)

loomed large, getting closer every second. Like it or not, she was

going into the woods.

72

Sophie Oak

Chapter Six

Meg shivered, even though the fire was crackling nicely. Beck

had spent the better part of an hour building it. He stoked it until the

orange and red flames flared and gave a warm glow to their little

camp. She was all alone with a complete stranger. Oh sure, they’d had

a couple of sexual encounters, but she didn’t really know him. She sat

back against the trunk of a huge tree and watched the man who had

claimed her.

True to what Dante had told her, Beck had let her do absolutely

none of the work. He’d helped her off the horse and settled her

carefully on her feet. His first task was to make a comfortable place

for her to sit. He’d taken two blankets out of his saddle bags to make

a little nest for her while he gathered wood for the fire.

She removed her boots and pants before wrapping up in the

blankets. He was never out of sight. After he started the fire, he’d

pulled out bread, some cheese, and what looked like beef jerky.

Meg’s stomach rumbled. She decided not to honor her New Year’s

Resolution to avoid meat and dairy.

Beck hadn’t touched a thing until she declared herself full, and

then he ate everything she hadn’t eaten.

He was such a puzzle to her, sweet one minute and completely

shut down the next.

“I need to know something,” he said quietly as he sat down across

from her.

Meg nodded, not trusting herself to speak. He was heartbreakingly

beautiful by firelight. The soft light of the fire delineated the lines of his face. His jaw was carved from granite, but his eyes were soft. He