Dawn reluctantly closed the door. It wasn’t fair that Neil had to stand out in the cold all night. And the longer she sat in front of the hot fire, the more worried she became for the man. Not able to take it any longer, she grabbed a blanket from her bed and went to the door.
Once again Neil stepped in front of the door. She held the blanket out to him.
Neil shook his head. “I’m fine, don’t worry yourself about me.”
Dawn shook her head and proceeded to wrap the blanket around him.
“A little snow is too much for one of my warriors?”
Neil quickly pulled the blanket off him and shoved it at Dawn before turning to acknowledge Cree with a nod. “The snow does not bother me, my lord.”
Dawn looked to Cree, ready to protest but his dark scowl made her realize it was not her place to interfere when he spoke with his warriors.
“I thought as much,” Cree said, “though you know the protocol for guard watch when it snows.”
“Aye, my lord,” Neil said with a bob of his head. “Guards are to be changed every thirty minutes.”
“That starts now,” Cree ordered with a wave to a warrior that stood a few feet away. “You have been here long enough. Kirk will relieve you and see Sloan for the night’s schedule.”
Neil nodded and turned to Dawn. “Thank you for your generosity.” He took off then disappearing into the swirling snow.
Dawn retreated several steps as Cree entered the cottage.
He closed the door and scowled at her. “Do not coddle my warriors.”
Dawn hugged herself and shivered.
“I know it’s cold outside, but they are seasoned warriors and do as they must under any conditions. They have been through much worse than this minor snowfall.” He walked over to her, his arm going around her waist and drawing her close to him. “Are you as ravenous as I am?”
She smiled, ran her hand along his chest and nodded.
“It will take much to appease my appetite tonight,” he cautioned with a whisper.
Dawn tapped her chest lightly and then tapped his.
“You will appease me?”
She crossed her heart.
“That’s a promise?”
She nodded.
He brushed his lips over hers. “I will hold you to that promise.”
He kissed her and she returned it with an eagerness that had their passions mounting in leaps and bounds.
A pounding at the door had Cree swearing as he reluctantly tore his lips away from hers. “Who disturbs me?”
Sloan’s voice rang out. “The messenger you have been waiting for has arrived.”
“Damn,” Cree mumbled, his hands falling away from Dawn. “Fortify yourself with food or rest whatever it takes, for you will get no rest when I return.”
Dawn smiled, crossed her heart, and shrugged.
Cree’s arm shot out going around her waist and yanking her hard against him. “You want a promise from me?”
Her breath caught deep in her throat as she nodded. He was hard against her and she was already wet with the want of him.
“I promise that you will never forget tonight.”
Chapter Thirty-five
Dawn waited until she could no longer keep her eyes open. She sought her bed disappointed that Cree had yet to return to her. The message must have been of great importance. She only hoped it wasn’t bad news and that all would be right with the village. She, like many others, worried that perhaps Robert Gerwan would be given his land back and life would once again turn harsh.
She added two more logs to the already roaring fire not wanting it to burnout in the middle of the night, especially with the snow still falling. The wind had grown stronger as had the snowfall. She had taken a peek hoping to see Cree headed to the cottage but all she had caught sight of was swirling snow and the guard bundled in a fur-lined cloak and huddled close beside the front door.
The bed welcomed her with its warmth, though she wished it was Cree’s arms and his naked body that held her snug. He would come, she had no doubt. After all he had promised her and she knew that Cree would not break his promise to her; he was a man of his word.
Trying to remain awake was difficult and she succumbed to sleep sooner than she planned with hope that Cree would wake her soon.
Cree dismissed all guards for the rest of the evening. The snow was falling heavily and it would be impossible for anyone to find their way through it in the dark. The guards would resume their duties at first light.
He entered the cottage quietly and secured the latch that was usually left unlatched. He wasn’t surprised to find Dawn abed and he disrobed with haste, though when he approached the bed he stood there staring down at her.
It had taken longer than he had expected to return to her and if he hadn’t promised her that he would return he didn’t know if he would have tonight. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to return. He was hungry for her and had been sense he left her, but then when didn’t he want her. He wondered over his perpetual state of arousal whenever he was around her and he also wondered if she felt the same since she was always eager to couple with him.