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Feeling almost light-headed, Sha
Humming softly, not realizing that she was singing one of the tunes Whip played on his haunting flute, Sha
One of Whip’s gifts to Sha
It wasn’t long before the smell of biscuits, bacon, coffee and a wood fire filled the cabin. When the coffee had brewed, Sha
When Whip bent down to stand another log on end, he saw Sha
She was holding the cup out to him.
Whip took it, careful not to touch Sha
Not now.
Not when she was so close to eating from his hand.
«Thank you,» Whip said, his voice deep.
Sha
«You’re welcome, Whip.»
Her voice was as sweet and husky as Whip had remembered. Smoke and honey combined. Hearing him name on her lips was like being licked by a tender flame.
And looking at Sha
Her eyes were sapphire gems gleaming in the midst of the colorless dawn. Her silky chestnut hair had refused to be completely confined by braids. Soft tendrils escaped to brush against her cheeks and curl against her vulnerable neck.
When the breath Sha
A color that had nothing to do with the cold dawn appeared on Sha
«Careful!» Sha
Whip froze, but not because of the warning. Sha
The realization that Sha
But he didn’t do it. He had come too far to lose his sweet, silky mustang by startling her into flight.
«The coffee is devilish hot,» Sha
Whip smiled, revealing teeth as clean and white as her own.
«It’s best that way,» he said slowly. «Hot. Steaming hot. And sweet.»
Sha
«I’m sorry,» Sha
«No need. I like it black.»
«But you just said it was best when it was steaming hot and sweet.»
«Did I?»
Sha
Whip smiled slightly. «I must have been thinking of something else.»
He took a sip from the battered metal cup, closed his eyes, and savored the heat and taste of the fragrant brew.
«Now that’s fine. Really fine,» Whip said. «And no sugar on earth could be sweeter than having you bring me coffee.»
Color burned on Sha
«Breakfast will be ready soon,» she said, turning back toward the cabin. «I’ll leave warm water by the door so you can wash up.»
«I’ll eat out here.»
Sha
«There’s no need to eat in the cold,» she said. «I may be poor as a church mouse, but I have two chairs for the table.»
«It’s not that. I just don’t want to make you nervous by coming inside.»
Sha
«My cabin isn’t as big as Murphy’s mercantile. Once you’re inside, that bullwhip of yours won’t be much use,» she said dryly. «Prettyface is quicker, anyway.»
Whip looked back down at his coffee, not wanting Sha
Whip wasn’t a careless man.
But it would be stupid to point that out to Sha
«Then I’ll be honored to share breakfast with you,» Whip said. «Call me when you’re ready.»
He took another deep drink of coffee, set the tin cup aside, and picked up the maul once more.
«I’ll do that,» Sha
She lingered for a moment longer, hoping to catch another glimpse of Whip’s unusual, quicksilver eyes, but he didn’t look in her direction again. He simply braced his legs slightly apart, lifted the heavy maul, and brought it down with an easy motion.
The fir split cleanly, but Sha
Then Sha
Whip split four more round logs into eights before he trusted himself to look over his shoulder.
Sha
He let out a long, whistling breath. He was aching from his forehead to his heels, and the knowledge that she liked watching him move hadn’t helped to cool him off one bit.
But he had to cool off.
The closer Whip got to Sha
Silent John mustn’t have been any great shakes when it came to making a girl feel like a woman, Whip thought as he slammed the maul into a big log. Sha
Damnation. I wonder just how green she is when it comes to being a woman with her man?
The thought was u
Whip shifted his grip and brought the maul down so hard it whistled through the air. The wood broke apart violently and leaped beyond his reach.
With a muttered curse at his own clumsiness, Whip grabbed one of the chunks and set it on the chopping block once more.
«It’s hot and waiting for you,» Sha
The maul missed its target completely.
«Well, son of a bitch,» Whip muttered softly. «Looks like I’m no more use than a broken handle.»
He lifted the maul over his head again and swung down, using less force. The log obediently fell into two pieces and lay within easy reach.