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“Where’s the damn clothing?” Elijah snapped, roughly yanking on one of his saddle bag's bindings.

Exchanging a loaded glance with E.Z., Aiden removed the bag from his chest and tossed it at Elijah before dismounting.

Elijah snatched it from the air, and hastily began rummaging through it. He paid no mind to the mud now covering the bottom of the bag. E.Z. joined him, helping himself to clothes and canteens, then separated them into piles. When he pulled out a pair of shoes, I almost cried.

He walked over and gently propped me on a large stone in the stream's path. My feet automatically sought out the chilly water, cooling the sting of the lacerations.

Now that the guys seemed less stressed, I relaxed, some of my anxiety leaving with theirs, and I felt the full force of that pain without the fear the journey had caused thus far. I couldn’t help the gasp of pain that escaped.

My grip around Griffin's shoulder tightened, not letting him drop me. He didn’t react to the bite of my nails on his back, allowing me to hold him while I collected myself.

Once I released him, Griffin tied his long chestnut hair back with a leather band from his wrist, then squatted before me, his thick hands resting on his thighs.

With his hair pulled back, I could see his sun-kissed face better. Even with his eyes shuttered with sympathy, the deep emerald seemed amplified with all the natural greens surrounding us. His full lips, a deep red against his closely cropped beard, were pulled down into a weirdly endearing pout.

“I have to remove the arrow.” Though gentle, Griffin’s voice was deep and gravelly. He cleared his throat, looking down at his hands for a moment. He leaned closer and spoke softer, but his voice was still deep and rasping. “This will hurt a lot. I will be as fast as possible.”

Griffin looked into my eyes as he spoke more words than he had ever graced me with before. His eyes held an apology while they searched for my approval.

I smiled and nodded, my voice deserting me. I did trust him. Maybe not completely, but I trusted that he would care for me.

“Don’t scream like a girl, Kaia. We don’t need you telling everyone where we are,” E.Z. helpfully contributed.

Any other time, I would have a biting comeback for that outrageous comment, but I had no strength to spare to argue with him. Or even react.

I looked at the rest of our group, trying to avoid how good it felt to be in Griffin’s presence.

Aiden was watering the horses and securing the saddle bags.

Elijah had exchanged his undershirt and dress pants for a casual tunic, ordinary slacks, and hastily laced-up thick boots. He didn’t look up to check on me, or anyone else for that matter, isolating himself off to the side, radiating hostility.

E.Z.… was practically naked. He had removed every ounce of clothing except his briefs and stood there as if being without clothing in the middle of the woods while running for our lives was an everyday, regular occurrence. His smirk showed how much he enjoyed my shocked perusal.

E.Z. stood feet shoulder-length apart, with sunlight streaming through the trees all around him. The bright rays whirled around him with the sway of the branches in the breeze. It caused the golden hairs on his body to sparkle like the sun wanted to touch him as well. E.Z. was as tan as I had assumed. A beautiful, smooth, golden complexion was spread over a perfectly sculpted chest. The thick, intricate black markings he earned over the years shifted when his arms flexed with movement.

I stared, mesmerized. The drugging sight was enough to distract me from my pain. I couldn’t help but marvel.

“Shut up, jackass, and put some damn clothes on,” Griffin huffed, shaking his head, drawing my attention back. “Ready?” he asked me with a slight smile and much more patience for me than he had for E.Z..

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded.

Griffin reached slowly, giving me time to pull away. His fingers were rough, but his touch was soft as his fingers trailed along my skin, pushing my shift up and away from the injury. He secured the fabric by tucking it under my thigh once it was high enough. The tip of his fingers grazed near the edge of my undergarment when he withdrew.

I shivered and sucked in a breath.

“Sorry,” Griffin rasped out, peeking up at me. “I was making sure it stays out of the way.” As he spoke, a blush worked its way into his cheeks.

Watching Griffin get embarrassed was unbelievably adorable, almost more endearing than his pout.Who knew the big guy got self-conscious so easily?

“Griff! Don’t molest the patient,” E.Z. sing-songed, before becoming more serious. “Though I will say, it is kind of turning me on watching you two. There’s so much,” he shivered absurdly, “tension.”

… And my embarrassment was back. Now, I was the one blushing. Luckily, E.Z. had put his clothes on, or this would have been even worse. Goddess, one day around that man, and I blushed more than I had ever blushed in my entire life!

Aiden reached over and smacked E.Z. on the back of his head, knocking it forward. The look on his face should have put fear in E.Z.’s heart. But he was not at all scared.

E.Z. rubbed the back of his head with a shocked expression and whined, “Hey! What was that for?”

The outrageously pathetic look on his face would have been funny had I not been completely mortified.