“How often do you need to…” He wanted to ask how often she needed to orgasm, but he couldn’t seem to bring himself to say the word.
“I’m fine,” she snapped.
“Maybe for now,” Blade interjected quickly. “Answer his question.”
“I can take care of it myself when the time comes. Now back off. Both of you,” she retorted and swung her gaze to the fire.
“And here I thought we could revisit that one night together,” Blade remarked and winked at her. Rage splashed through Cade. Why the hell Blade would dangle a night together in her face, in front of him…it was just plain ungentlemanly.
Cade raised Blade’s gun and aimed it at his midsection.
“Watch your mouth,” he growled, making it quite clear he didn’t approve of the way Blade was talking to Red.
Blade glared at him and she said nothing, not that he was expecting her to. Okay, so maybe he was hoping she’d send him a look of thanks.
He shook his head at his puppy-dog thoughts. Man, he was pathetic, wasn’t he? Looking for appreciation from her.
“The storm is going to be nasty.” Blade’s comment ripped Cade back to reality.
He was right. The wind had picked up, driving a thick sheet of ice cold flakes against them. Reena had lifted her cuffed wrists and was rubbing her hands near the fire.
Shit.He’d forgotten he’d made her drop her mittens back on the lake. Her hands would be on the icy side.
“Stand up, Red. Time to tuck you in,” Cade instructed.
Her head snapped up and she glared at him with pure hatred.
“I’m not going anywhere,” she snarled and returned her attention to the fire.
“The lean-to is a hell of a lot warmer. Out here you’ll freeze to death.”
“Out here she’s got me to keep her warm.” Blade chuckled.
Cade grinned as Red cursed a blue streak at Blade. She grabbed her hat from the ground, shook off the snow and slipped the hat onto her head. She stood.
“You’re colder than an iceberg,” she retorted to Blade, then calmly waited for Cade to unlock the chain that secured her ankles to the downed log she’d been sitting on.
“Stand right there,” Cade ordered and quickly unlocked the chain from her ankle cuffs.
To his surprise, she did as he asked and her heavy-lidded eyes had him swallowing at his dry throat as his cock tightened painfully.
Keeping an eye on both of them, he quickly removed his last pair of handcuffs from his belt and tossed them onto Blade’s lap. Cade jerked his gun toward the chain from which he’d just released Red. “You know what to do.”
Blade frowned and shook his head. “You’re making a mistake—“
“Just do it!” His patience was running thin, especially with Reena standing so close and her seductive sweet scent sailing on the wind, teasing his nostrils until he could barely think straight.
Blade shrugged, leaned over and grabbed the chain. He secured one of the cuffs to the end of the chain and the other to his left wrist. The clicks of the cuffs snapping home shot through the air, making Cade sigh in relief. Blade was now locked up tight.
“After you,” Cade instructed Red and swung the rifle toward the lean-to.
She moved into the makeshift shelter where he’d laid out one bear fur as a bed and another as a blanket. It hadn’t been easy carrying all that around in his backpack, but it sure beat freezing while tracking Red.
She slipped off her boots, crawled over the bear rug and covered herself with the second skin.
“Would you at least unshackle my legs? The metal is making me cold,” she said softly, keeping her voice low so only he could hear. She stuck her socked feet out from beneath the fur and Cade caved with compassion. The foot-long length of chain between her legs did look uncomfortable, and so did the cuffs around her ankles.
Damn her. She sure did know how to push his buttons, didn’t she? He never let a bounty go without shackles. It’s why he was always known for catching his man or—in this case—his woman. Hell, he didn’t want her to think he was an iceberg like Blade. He could cuff her to himself tonight, preventing her from escaping. That wouldn’t go over well, though. He may need to move fast in case of company from those hunters or if Blade tried anything.
