“What is it?” she asked.
“A place to sleep,” he said, and crawled under a bush’s low branches.
The girl dipped down and followed him.
Bree got to her hands and knees and peeked in. The space was about as big as the flatbed of a pickup. She shrugged. Might as well join them.
When she crawled in, the first thing she noticed was dry dirt under her hands, and she smiled to herself. He knew what he was doing all right.
Horland flung something out and let it float to the ground. Bree touched it. It was a thick blanket. He let out a sigh as he stretched out on the outer edge.
“Sleep,” he said.
Bree guided the girl onto the blanket and wondered if she should take the child’s coat off. It was damp through, not soaking wet, but still wet enough to cause a chill.
“Sit up, sweetie. We need to get rid of that wet coat.”
The girl wriggled out of the coat and curled up in a ball. Bree took her cloak off. The underside was dry, and she covered them both with the expanse of it.
The girl had taken up the position on the edge of theblanket, so Bree nestled down between her and Horland. She gazed at Horland’s chest; its rhythmical rising and falling had her mesmerized.
Her gaze flitted up to his face. She couldn’t make out any details but for some reason, his features were clear in her mind. He was still as perfect as any model... and he was too close. She turned over and faced the girl, took in some deep breaths.Don’t think about him.
Although she tried not to, all she could think about was how close he was and that she could feel his body warmth filling the tight space.
She concentrated on her breathing, forcing an evenness of rhythm until finally she slept.
SOMEONE SHOOK BREE’Sshoulder. She groaned and opened her eyes.
Horland’s breath washed over her ear. “Get up.”
She sat up with a start. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s morning and we should eat before we continue.”
Bree turned her head. The little girl was still sleeping soundly.
“Let her sleep a while longer.” Horland crawled out of the bush.
Bree rubbed her eyes, trying to clear the sleep fuzz from her brain. She made sure the child was covered. Her stomach rumbled at the thought of food, and she quickly escaped the bush and stood up. Rubbing the cold on her arms, she peered at Horland. While still somewhat dark, the early morning’s sun managed to spread light under the forest canopy, and she noted he held his bow in one hand and an arrow in the other.
“I hope you’re not going to shoot me,” she said.
He eyed her then raised his brow as if she’d just given him a thought.
“You’re not, are you?” She rubbed her arms harder.
He nocked the arrow.
Bree put her hands up, palms facing him. “What are you doing?”
He waved the loaded bow to the bushes. “Collect twigs and small branches from under the bushes where they’ll be dry, and I’ll start a fire when I come back.” He chuckled and disappeared into the forest.
She glared after him. “You think you’re so funny.” She clicked her tongue against her front teeth. He probably thought she had no idea how to start a fire out of nothing. Well, she’d show him.
Bree harrumphed and set about collecting tinder and kindling and some larger branches to keep the fire going. The larger bits were easy, but she scoured the forest floor for the tinder she needed, checking under the bushes for any dry leaf litter. She had to get down on hands and knees for that and with her bottom up in the air, she edged forward on her elbows, hoping Horland stayed away long enough that she could exit said bushes with her dignity intact.
She found the perfect pile of litter and scooping it up, she backed out with the help of her forearms.
