Page 10 of Owen
“Congratulations.” And he even managed to sound sincere. “All right. Now that things are somewhat settled over there, it’s best we move you.”
Gulp.
“Move me? I mean, I guess I could hop on one foot, if you let me lean on you.”
He sighed like a man being stretched to his limits. “I’m not asking you to hop on one foot, lass. I’ll carry you. Obviously.”
Oh, boy, I liked that idea way too much. Yes, it would be nice to be in his arms, to let him carry me like I weighed next to nothing and he was my knight in shining armor. I wouldn’t mind an excuse to nestle up against that chest of his, either. It should’ve been against the law, a chest like that.
The fact that I liked the idea meant it was a bad one. “I don’t need you to carry me. But thanks. So long as I can hold onto you, I can hop. I’m in pretty good shape.”
“What troubles you so about the notion of my carrying you?”
“Nothing!”
“It would be a matter of moments, taking you from here to there.” He pointed to the fire, which now blazed merrily away and made me wish I was sitting near it. Boy, was it getting cold.
“And if we started now, I could be on my way,” I reminded him.
“Why do you insist on being so stubborn?”
“I am not.”
“You are, too.” He folded his arms and stared at me. “Have I offended you? Do you find me threatening?”
Well, yes, only not in the way he meant it. “Not particularly.”
“What is it, then? Why are you so dead set against my helping you?”
“Why are you so dead set on helping me exactly the way you think I should be helped?” I countered. “Why isn’t it enough for me to say no, thank you, I would rather you didn’t carry me. I would rather do what I can on my own, but I need a little help from you?”
He growled. He flat-out growled like an animal, and the sound made the hair on the back of my neck stand straight up. I didn’t like this. This wasn’t fun.
“You know what?” I decided, working my way to my feet, but barely able to put more than the tips of my sock-covered toes on the ground.
“What?”
“Thank you for everything you’ve done. Really. You’ve been a huge help, and you’ve been someone to talk to. I didn’t have to sit here alone, going crazy, wondering if morning would ever come. I wish I could pay you back somehow, but—”
“If you think I’m leaving you alone, you’re dead wrong.” He seemed completely unmoved by my little speech.
I had to admit it wasn’t one of my strongest, but I thought I was pretty clear.
“Bad choice of words.”
“What?”
“Dead wrong? Don’t use the ‘d’ word after you just got done telling me how dangerous it is out here. And incidentally, the fact that you’re so set on helping me, and exactly the way you think I need help—is freaking me out. You’re overstepping your boundaries, and I don’t like it.”
“Is that what this is all about? I’m going too far?”
“Um, yeah. I thought that was pretty clear.”
Understanding dawned on his face and darned if he didn’t look even more handsome than before. Why did he have to be so impossibly gorgeous? Though I guessed it was better than his being skeevy. It would be even harder to trust him.
“All right. Have it your way. I’m here for you to lean on if you insist on hopping like an idiot.” He held out an arm in a chivalrous gesture.
“Gee, thanks. Don’t forget to slide one last negative comment in there.” I secured my backpack before starting off, my left arm wrapped around his, the pickaxe as a crutch in my right.
