“I’m sure.” She glanced at the area around her. “So, now what?”
“Right here, in this curve where ye fell, is as good a spot as any, tae shelter in. But we’ll need firewood. The few sticks here willnae be enough. I spotted some driftwood just down the stream a bit. I’ll gather some. We’ll need a good bit tae last the night.”
“You won’t be long?”
“Nae lass,” he grinned. “Only a moment.”
“Okay.” She nodded. “I’ll be right here.” She grinned up at him. “Take care not to twist an ankle on the stones.”
He laughed. “Aye. Or ye’ll be carryin’meout o’ here.”
She tipped her head and studied him. “Just in case, how much do you weigh?”
Her teasing grin tripped something deep in his chest. As he walked away to get the wood, he realized managing mortal emotions was a far bigger, and more difficult, task than he remembered.
Chapter Four
“That tasted really good.” Lauren put the two remaining scones and an apple back in the small bag Reggie had offered her, earlier. “Thanks for sharing your food with me. And the water. I didn’t realize I was so thirsty.”
“ ’Tis thanks tae a good friend, that I had it tae share. But the pleasure of sharin’ was mine,” Reggie replied.
Using the bank for a backrest, Lauren tried to ignore the chill settling over her. Though it was somewhat exacerbated by the cold strip of cloth Reggie kept dipping in the stream and applying to her ankle, she couldn’t deny how much his ministrations had lessened her pain. And so far, there’d been hardly any swelling. Even though she regretted he’d had to tear the rag from the bottom of his shirt, it just might make the difference in her being able to walk out of here in the morning.
A shiver rippled through her as she studied the clear night sky, blown away by the volume and intensity of the stars.
“Are ye cold, lass? Would ye like a fire?”
“Not just yet. I’ve never been anywhere totally devoid of artificial light, like this. I want to enjoy this display of stars a little longer.”
With the rippling water as a backdrop, she allowed her thoughts to drift.
“A star-spangled blanket of indigo,” she muttered.
“I’m sorry?” Reggie looked over at her. “I dinnae ken what ye said.”
She groaned. “No,I’msorry. Hazard of the trade, I’m afraid. The sky is so beautiful. I was imagining it as a line of description for my book.”
“Yer book?”
“I write True Crime novels.”
“I…dinnae ken.”
“Well, sadly, this…” she indicated the sky and deeply shadowed surroundings. “…is the kind of beauty and isolation, where the type of crimes I write about, often occur.”
And why she, of all people, was incredibly foolish to be sitting here with a total stranger. But she couldn’t seem to conjure the tiniest bit of unease with Reggie. Quite the contrary, in fact—though she wasn’t naive enough to believe others hadn’t made a similar mistake. Why then, was she letting her gut—or was it her emotions—override her common sense? What was it about him that made her feel safer and more protected with him, than the idea of striking out on her own—assuming that was even a possibility?
But she already knew. She’d known the minute she’d agreed to stay the night, despite her ankle. She hadn’t stayed because it was the only option. Not entirely. The tingle in her belly wasn’t from fear, or uneasiness, or dire possibilities. It was from the kind of instant connection she’d only heard or read about and discarded as fiction. The kind that made her want to get closer. Dig deeper. Explore an attraction and temptation strong enough to override her common sense.
Acting impulsively was a first for her and crazy as it was, she fully intended to see it through.
“Why?” Reginald asked, glancing around, seeming even more puzzled than before.
Nowshewas confused. “Are you asking why I write about actual crimes, or why crimes sometimes occur in places like this?”
He shrugged. “Both?”
Though he seemed sincere, Lauren couldn’t imagine him so naïve he didn’t see the danger inherent in such a setting. Although, she could understand wishing to only see the beauty, especially with what he must have witnessed as a soldier. Perhaps he’d seen enoughrealityto last a lifetime and wanted to pretend little hidden pieces of paradise like this, could remain untouched.
