Page 32 of Hunting for her Heart
Willow
“Come sit with me. I’ll have you warm in no time,” Bo tells me as he leads us to the back of the small cave. He sits with his back against the wall and pats his lap. “Straddle me, and I’ll warm you up.”
I hesitate, biting my lip nervously as I try to readjust the extremely small binding around my hips. If I part my legs, it’ll ride up to my waist, like it had in the water. Luckily, he hadn’t noticed since I was on his back, but here… yeah, there would be no hiding my lady bits from him if I straddled him.
“Shit, I should really make that poultice,” he says, eyeing my bruised body. “But can I warm you up first?” I can tell he genuinely just wants to help, but I’m not sure I can sit on him like that; I’d be too exposed. Standing here, wearing practically nothing, is already pushing me past my comfort zone.
“Make the poultice,” Hawk says, appearing through the waterfall with a blue bundle held above the water. He places it on the ledge and quickly unties it, pushing the logs free of the wet dress before the water soaks through.
Then instead of getting out of the water at the other side,where he can walk up like Bo did, he places his palms on the edge and hoists himself out of the water. My eyes widen as I take in his huge form, water dripping down his bare skin in a mesmerizing path.
“I’ll make the fire. Ronan won’t be long.” He looks at me, his eyes trailing up and down my body, and I fidget, wondering what he’s thinking. Is he disgusted by my bruises? Or by my frail form? Either way, I hug myself a little tighter and move to lean on the wall as Bo starts to pull out the ingredients he collected.
“You can sit, if you like,” he says, eyeing the way I’m awkwardly standing.
“I… Um… I’d rather stand. This covering makes sitting hard,” I admit. “Plus, I’ve sort of been sitting on you all day.”
He nods as he turns his focus to his task. My attention is split between the two of them. Hawk stacks wood, then uses a blade and rock to spark a flame. And Bo crushes the herbs into a fine paste.
A small flame jumps to life, and Hawk leans low to blow into the base of the firepit, helping to stoke it. Watching him work does something strange to my body. I’m no longer shivering, but goosebumps start to cover my arms, anyway.
My core tightens and I inhale sharply, realizing this is attraction that I’m feeling. I watch as he flips his long, wet brown hair over his shoulder, revealing more of the shaved side, and something about that makes me ache to touch it. Would it feel smooth or prickly? How often does he have to shave it?
Something touches my foot, and I glance down, seeing a small yellow wildflower, similar to the one Hawk left me when I was in the tree, and it makes me smile.
“Come here,” Hawk says, beckoning me closer as hestands up, the fire now roaring to life. When I’m in range, he gently grabs my arm and pulls me in front of him, so I’m facing the flames, the heat instantly starting to warm me. He rubs his hands up and down my arms, trying to help warm me up faster. “I’m sorry we don’t have any blankets or bedding for you, angel. I promise in Redmere, you will have everything you can desire.”
An image of my sister pops into my head. “Not everything.”
“Hmm?” he hums in question, leaning over my shoulder so he can look at my face. “What was that?”
“I just…” I trail off, unsure how to answer. Realizing I don’t know anything about their families, I ask, “Do you have any siblings?” His hands freeze their movement, and I notice Bo looking at me with what looks like alarm. “Did I say something wrong?” I ask, taking in their worried faces.
“No,” Hawk says slowly, his eyes moving to the fire as he starts rubbing my arms again, slower this time. “But I guess it’s time we were honest with you about this.”
My body tenses as I worry about what they’ve been keeping from me. It’s obviously something bad; they seem nervous to tell me. “What is it?” I ask as I tense up, bracing for the bad news.
“The three of us,” Hawk begins gently, just as Ronan appears through the water. We all glance at him, but Hawk continues. “We’re clansmen, but we’re not brothers.”
Ronan’s eyes widen a fraction, his eyes darting to me before he swims over to the lower edge, carrying some sort of large, dead animal, already skinned, around his shoulders.
When Hawk doesn’t continue, I twist my head so I can look up at him. “And?” I ask, prodding him for more.
He frowns at me. “And… I’m sorry we didn’t tell you sooner.” I look over at Bo in confusion, and he’s staring at me with concern etched in his face.
“That’s it? Your secret is that you’re not related?” I ask in confusion. Hawk slowly nods as Ronan comes over and sets our meal down beside the fire.
“You deserve so much more. I’m sorry,” Ronan says, looking genuinely upset.
“I don’t understand,” I say, shaking my head. “I mean, I knew you weren’t related. You look nothing alike. You don’t even have the same eye color.” I watch as Ronan’s eyebrows raise in surprise as he stares at me. “Besides, the women had already told me that back in camp, but they had a name for it.” I rack my brain, trying to remember what Larissa had called them.
“Lonelings,” Ronan says.
“Yes, that was it. I didn’t really get it, and I still don’t. Why does that matter?”
Nobody speaks, but the look of worry fades from their gazes. Ronan tilts his head as he studies me. “It doesn’t bother you that we aren’t brothers?”
I try not to outright laugh at the strange question, but a smile breaks free, anyway. “No, why would it?”
