Free Carolyn Davidson by Runaway

never knew beans could taste so good,” Cassie said.
    “Hmm.” It was about as much conversation as he could manage. The night without sleep had caught up with him. It was hard telling what time it was, what with the earlydark coming on, with the storm overhead. He suspected Cassie was about wiped out, too, even though she’d managed to doze in the saddle a few times throughout the night.
    Will swallowed the last of the biscuit. “How many more of those you got?”
    “Enough,” she answered, her fingers deft as she split another, scooping on a generous helping of beans from the pot. She handed it to him and he muttered his thanks before he took a bite. Grasping the pot handle gingerly, she turned it toward him, handing him the spoon.
    “Here, eat the rest. I’ve had enough.” Settling her bottom on the floor, she folded her legs as she leaned toward the heat.
    “You sure?” Will cast her a doubtful glance. She nodded, her gaze captured by the flames. “Here, have a bite,” he offered, holding the spoon in front of her lips.
    Her mouth opened obediently and he watched as her lips closed on the spoon. He eased it from her mouth and filled it again, feeding himself the next bite. There was about the small ritual a strange bonding, and he filled the spoon again, lifting it, watching as she ate from his hand. Scraping the last bite atop his final bit of biscuit, he popped it in his mouth, chewing slowly, savoring the flavor.
    “Can we sleep now?” Cassie asked, not bothering to cover the yawn that accompanied her question.
    Will cast a look around the small cabin. Against the far wall a rudely constructed bunk offered dubious comfort. “Seems to me we’d be just as well off right here by the fire,” he said. “That bed doesn’t look like much, and we’ll be warmer here.”
    “I’ll put some more wood on,” Cassie said, rising. “Here’s your shirt, Will.” She dropped it into his lap, then found several chunks of wood to stack over the coals.
    He watched as she worked, then, shedding the blanket,he hastily pulled his shirt in place. The fire would dry his trousers, he figured. Taking them off would likely scare the bejabbers out of Cassie.
    “Are you pretty well dried out?” he asked, pulling his pack closer, shoving the contents about as he sought a soft spot for his head.
    She watched him, her eyes wary. “I’m all right. I’m warm, anyway.” She tugged at her boots, placing them to one side of the wide fireplace. “These should dry out pretty well by tomorrow.” As if she had done all she could to put off the inevitable, she turned to him.
    “I’ll roll up in the other blanket. You can sleep closer to the fire.”
    He shook his head. “No, we’ll sleep together, right here.” His hand motioned to the space they occupied and he stretched out, the blanket over his shoulders once more. “Bring the other blanket here,” he told her, patting the floor in front of him.
    She obeyed, moving silently on stocking feet as she gathered up the dark woolen square from his pack. Lowering herself to the floor, she spread the covering over them both, then settled down in the space he had indicated, just next to the hearth.
    He moved to curl his body around her back, arranging the blankets to form a double layer over them as he slid his arm under her head, easing it from the floor. His other hand scooped her closely to his chest and she stiffened for a moment.
    “Ease up, Cassie,” he ordered in a rusty growl. “I need to get warm.”
    Getting warm wasn’t the issue, Will thought, even as he muttered the words against the crown of her head. He was managing to generate enough inner heat to keep them both going all evening and half the night. He’d be better off ifhe kept his hands to himself and stayed six feet away from the bundle of temptation he held tucked so neatly against his needy body.
    His sigh was deep. He was a glutton for punishment, sure enough. Here he was with a softly curving female