He gripped her tightly, holding her prisoner. Her heart beat wildly, her breasts nearly flattened by his forearms. No clothes. A moan nearly escaped her. She was naked, in a strange man’s arms.
The cougar howled within, worried and anxious. It took every ounce of her strength not to give over to the beast.
“No one’s going to hurt you. Breathe. Your heart’s beating way too fast.”
Breathing was impossible around the panic swelling her throat. She stared at Jericho just a few feet away, pleading silently with him to make Hunter release her.
“Hunter, let her go.”
“I can’t do that,” Hunter said, his breath blowing across her ear. “She’ll bolt for the door.”
“She won’t make it, and you’re scaring her to death.”
He was right. She couldn’t make it to the door now that they were focused on her. She’d never get past them the way she’d done before.
Slowly, Hunter loosened his hold. She took advantage and lunged away, her knees scraping the floor in her haste. She fell forward, her palms smacking the wood as she caught herself. Jericho was there, touching her shoulder, and she rolled, instinctively putting up her hands to protect herself.
He didn’t touch her again. He crouched over her, clad in only his underwear. His expression was hard, but something in his eyes comforted her. What?
“We aren’t going to hurt you,” he said in a low voice. “We found you in a cave, nearly dead from exposure. We brought you back here so we could warm you up and take care of you.”
She scrunched her eyebrows together. “Why?”
He blinked in surprise. To the side, Hunter moved, and her gaze darted cautiously to him. But he ignored her and collected his clothing from the floor.
“Would you have preferred we left you to die?” Jericho asked.
“Why would you care?”
He cocked his head to the side. “Such strange questions. Now I’d like to ask a few, but first I think you should get dressed.”
She glanced down, more aware than ever of the fact she was completely nude, sprawled on the floor. Never before had she been uncomfortable with her nakedness, but now a hot flush stole over her skin, and she was mortified.
Her arms folded over her middle, covering as much flesh as she could. Then she hunched forward so that her legs gave her additional protection.
Without a word, Hunter walked by and dropped a shirt on the floor beside her. Then he headed toward the kitchen. “I’m going to put dinner on. Let me know if she’ll be staying to eat,” he said in Jericho’s direction.
She reached gratefully for the shirt and pulled it on, clutching at the lapels to hold them closed. The warm, masculine scent floated upward and surrounded her. Such a wonderful smell. She hugged the shirt tighter as if she could absorb the very essence of the rugged male who’d worn it.
“Now, would you like something to eat? We can offer you something better than the cold stew and cornbread you were scarfing last night.”
Embarrassment heated her cheeks at his dry reminder. And even though she’d sell her soul for a hot, cooked meal, she shook her head.
“I need to go,” she said in barely above a whisper.
Jericho stood and gathered his own clothing, but she saw that he kept a careful eye on her.
“Go? Where the hell are you going? Back to your cave? What in the world are you doing out on a mountain in the dead of winter running around bare-assed naked?”
Then as if the thought had just occurred to him, he stilled and his expression softened, his eyes gentling.
“Did you leave a hospital or something? Are there people looking for you, and should you be on medication?”
She stared at him in confusion. “I don’t go to hospitals, and I don’t take medication.”
Doubt shadowed his face. “Maybe you don’t think you should, but there are people who could help you.”
Realization was slow in coming, but when it hit her, her mouth gaped open. Maybe she hadn’t had much to do with the human race over the years, but she wasn’t an idiot.
“Are you calling me crazy?”
His lips twisted sardonically. “Crazy? Naahh. It’s perfectly sane to run around in the snow naked and to break into people’s cabins and steal their clothes and eat their food.”
“I’d say that’s desperate, not crazy,” she said quietly.
Now fully dressed, he returned to her and bent down on one knee. He didn’t make any move to touch her, and for that she was grateful. She didn’t trust herself. It had been too long since she’d had contact with another human, and she craved something as simple as touch. Skin to skin. Fingers through her hair.
A long-distant memory bubbled painfully to surface. A smiling woman brushing Kaya’s hair while another girl with golden hair played close by.
Cheetah.
The word came unbidden from the dark cloisters of her mind. She felt a kinship with this girl. The cheetah running with the wind and the cougar trying to keep pace only to be left behind.
Left behind.
The deadness spread from her chest into her stomach. She’d been left by the humans. Her humans.
“What are you thinking?”
Jericho’s softly echoed question filtered through the hazy memories. Her nose drew up and stung with unshed emotion. No, she wouldn’t break. She must be strong and resilient, a worthy companion to the guardian animal spirit who shared her soul.
She drew in a steadying breath, stuck out her chin and eyed him with determination. “I’d like something to eat, and I would appreciate some pants if you have any to spare. But then I must go.”
It took all her courage to face this man and lay out her demands as if she had a right to do so. She prayed to the Maker that he couldn’t see how hard she was trembling.
Surprisingly, he held out a hand to her. She eyed it suspiciously, but he was patient, holding it there as he waited. Finally she took it, allowing her palm to slide over his.
He stood and then pulled her up in front of him, but he didn’t let go of her hand. “First let’s get you some pants. I have some thermal underwear but those would look goofy.”
She shrugged. “As long as they’re dry and warm.”
One eyebrow lifted as he regarded her with open curiosity. “I think I have some sweats that you can tighten enough to keep around your waist. If not, I don’t know if we have anything that’ll work. We don’t exactly keep women’s clothing around here.”
Again she made a motion of indifference.
He pulled on her hand, and she stumbled forward in surprise.
“I don’t trust that you won’t be out of here like a shot if I leave you to get the sweats.”
“I won’t leave until I’ve eaten and gotten the warm clothes,” she said solemnly.
He laughed, and the shock of the deep, husked timbre of such a delightful sound rolled down her spine, making every nerve ending stand up and pay attention.
“You’re an honest little thing,” he said with a shake of his head.
“I’m cold and hungry. It would do me no good to lie.”
They came to a stop inside a small bedroom, and she gazed around, inhaling his unmistakable scent. It was imprinted on every object. She stared longingly at the bed, at the softness of the mattress. The covers were gone, on the floor of the living room if she wasn’t mistaken.
He let go of her hand long enough to rummage in the drawer of a nearby chest, and then he yanked out a pair of black sweats.
He eyed her critically as he held the pants up next to her bare legs.
“I guess you can roll up the waist some.”
She took them from him. “I’ll manage.”
“Okay. I’ll wait right outside. You can use the bathroom through there if you need it.” He pointed to the doorway leading off the bedroom.
She gave a short nod and stood gripping the pants while she waited for him to disappear. After one last look in her direction, he backed out and closed the door behind him.
Needing to feel like she had added privacy, she ducked into the small bathroom and shut the door. Before she pulled her pants on, she turned on the faucet and watched in wonder as the water slid seamlessly into the sink.
Her fingers flicked out to play with the stream, and she winced at the chill. She ducked her head, cupped her hand and pulled the water into her mouth.
Running water was a luxury she hadn’t enjoyed in well over a year. She frowned as she remembered her last trip into civilization. No money, no plan. Just a desire to embrace her humanity again.
She glanced at the shower and wondered if they had a hot water heater for the water piped in from one of the nearby streams. The cabin was surprisingly modern despite its remote location.
Now that the idea was planted in her mind, she couldn’t resist the lure of having hot water rain down over her body. She reached into the cubicle and turned on the water. After a few moments, she sent her fingers seeking into the stream.
A sound of absolute delight escaped her lips before she could call it back. Eager not to waste a drop, she stripped out of the shirt and stepped under the spray.