Quicksilver Passion (72 page)

She was shaking all over, but he could feel life coming back to her hands against his bare flesh. Once he got her inside before the fireplace, he could rub her body and get her circulation going and put plenty of whiskey in her. She’d be all right. From now on until a rescue team got here, he might have to keep her tied to the bed.

It seemed as if it took forever to get back to the cabin. Cherokee dumped her unceremoniously on the fur rug before the fireplace and added wood to the flames, building up the fire so that it lit up the whole room.

He handed her the whiskey from his pack.
Here, drink up, while I get you out of these damp clothes.”

She started to protest, seemed to think better of it, and took a couple of big gulps while he pulled her boots off and massaged her small feet.
Damned little fool! It would serve you right if you could never dance again!”

With Silver protesting, he stripped her naked, gathered her up, and put her in her bed, piling every blanket in the cabin on top of her. She lay there trembling.

Silver looked up at him. The expression on his face told her how angry he was. She had never been so cold in her life. More than dying, she was afraid of what frostbite might do to her looks.

Are you warm yet?”

She shook her head, afraid to lie to him. She had never seen a man so angry and scowling before. It dawned on her that it was because he feared for her.

He reached under the cover, took one of her arms, and began massaging it, while she protested about him touching her.

He didn’t even answer, just kept rubbing the circulation back into her arm. Then he began on the other one. After that, his hands worked their way down her bare legs and massaged her feet.
I’ve seen bigger feet on a child,” he said, and she didn’t know whether she was supposed to comment or not, he looked so angry.

Turn over,” he ordered.

She started to protest, then she saw the look on his face and did as he told her. The whiskey had made her more than a little dizzy.

He reached under the blanket and rubbed her back, his hands gentle in the area of her wounded shoulder. The whiskey was beginning to work its way into her system now, and she decided that if he was going to rape her, she was helpless to stop him anyhow. She relaxed and let his strong, supple hands knead their way down her body.

That’s more like it,” he murmured and then his hands were on her hips, rubbing there. Silver stiffened, but by then, his hands were on the back of her thighs. She turned her head sleepily and looked at him. His shirt was open to the waist, the powerful muscles of his dark chest rippling in the firelight.

She was still trembling with cold, even though she tried to keep him from seeing her shiver.

He frowned.
This calls for desperate measures.”

She watched in horror as he stood up and began undressing.
No! You aren’t going to—”

Shut up!” he ordered.
I’m going to get you warm if I have to tie you up to do it!”

While she struggled and protested, he peeled off the rest of his clothes, crawled under the blankets, and pulled her up against him.

As drunk as she was, the hard heat of his flesh against her chilled body made her gasp, and then without meaning to, she molded herself against him, shivering.

That’s it,” he murmured, holding her in the crook of his arm.
Take some of my heat, sweet darlin’, although it’s hell to have you in bed with me when I’ve sworn not to touch you!”