Page 58 of A Shot at Love
“How far do you think we’ve come from the cabin?” she asked.
“Hard to tell.” He consulted the compass. “We’ve circled around a few times. We’re facing the front of it now. We should get back.”
Gemma nodded and followed him.
A few minutes later they saw the cabin come into view. They were, as Ky had said, approaching it from the front road they’d traveled on the night before.
He disengaged the alarm and preceded her into the house, motioning for her to stay behind on the porch. He entered the cabin, did a quick, thorough sweep of the great room, and when he gave her the signal that it was safe to enter, she realized, with utter astonishment, that she’d obeyed him without hesitation.
The realization she’d blindly and compliantly consented to his command floored her. Never before with any other man had she followed what amounted to an order.
Why now?
Despite his primitive male sexiness and the fact that he made her quake at times with the sheer power of it, Gemma still wasn’t even sure she liked him, much less trusted him. She’d all but proven to him that morning she could defend herself if need be against an assault and he was aware she was as proficient in hand to hand combat as he was. She could take care of herself, and had been for most of her adult life.
“Are you hungry?” He re-holstered his gun. “There’s some canned soup I can heat. Some bread.” He’d moved to the kitchen and opened one of the cabinets. “It’s not much, but it’ll do.”
She didn’t answer him, still lost in thought.
“What’s wrong?”
He moved so quickly, before she could blink and lift her head he was standing in front of her, his hands locked on her upper arms.
She stared at his hands, securely, yet gently wrapped around her. Each finger was long and lean and she could feel his natural heat passing through them and burning into her skin. She lifted her head. His brows were pulled in tight to the center of his forehead, concern swimming in his eyes.
“Nothing,” she said, astounded her voice sounded as steady as it did, despite the cyclone of emotions spinning within her. “I’m just not hungry. I think I’ll go upstairs and lay down for a little while.”
“Are you okay?” His splayed fingers squeezed around her arms and she wondered if he realized he was doing it.
“I’m fine. I’m tired. The walk…” She shrugged. “It tired me out some.”
He kept staring at her, an unasked question burning in his gaze. Finally, he released his hold.
For the life of her, Gemma couldn’t explain why she suddenly felt lonely.
With a nod Ky said, “Okay. I can imagine you’re exhausted after not sleeping so well last night.”
He took a step back, dropped his hands into his trouser pockets. “If you get hungry, let me know.”
Gemma snuck one last look at him, then turned and walked up to the second floor. She could feel his gaze, following her, burning on her back the whole way and had to clamp down on the need to turn and look back down at him.
After she shut the bedroom door, she clasped her hands together and realized they were shaking. She laid her camera carefully down on the dresser top, every movement precise and slow, un-holstered the gun and put it alongside the camera. Mindlessly, mechanically, she crawled into bed, not bothering to pull the covers up over her body. On her side, with her knees drawn up to her chest, she closed her eyes, and on a ragged breath, fell almost instantly to sleep.
And dreamed of a God-like man with eyes the color of a calm sea.
*
Shadows from the afternoon sun played along her face, forcing her eyes open. Gemma rolled to her back, stretched, and listened as her stomach told her it was time she gave it something to eat.
The great room was empty, the bedroom he’d used as well when she peeked in. The entire downstairs area was quiet. Too quiet.
Knowing Ky would never purposely leave her alone, she nonetheless gave in to a few seconds of panic when she couldn’t find him. A slow, dim, thudding sound came from what she thought might be the garage, so she moved through the kitchen’s back door after disarming the alarm, and out to the building.
The sound was loud, accompanied now by grunting noises. Fear pounded through her. Gemma pulled her gun from its holster and crept along the side of the house. She stopped at a small window facing into the garage, held her breath, and peeked in.
