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“I know I sound crazy.” Sighing, I sensed my entire plan crumbling around me. “But please, I have to help her.”

“The best way you can help her is to calm down.” He pulled in a breath, and I sensed it was taking every ounce of his patience not to lose his temper. “Stay here and I’ll get another fire going.”

“But Chelle.” I glanced behind me at the door standing between me and the hundreds of feet of snow keeping Chelle and me apart.

“...is okay, Erin.” He edged closer until only inches separated us. “Put the bag down and let’s talk.”

Talk.

My eyes fluttered closed for a moment. The last thing I wanted to do was talk. That was why I’d wanted to go before he woke up.

“No.” I denied the tremble in my voice.

The fact he was there, as large as life, was immaterial. I couldn’t let his handsome looks or domineering character change things. Chelle had told me to find her, and I had to go.

Spinning on my heel, I reached for the door handle. “I’m leaving.”



















Chapter Thirteen

Drastic Maneuvers

Eli

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REACHING OUT, I CAUGHThold of her shoulder strap and tugged her backward.

“I said no.”

Perhaps I hadn’t been clear enough when I’d spoken before. I wouldn’t make that mistake again.

“What makes you think you’re in charge?” Her brow creased as she glanced around to see what was halting her progress, and at any other moment—if she wasn’t about to act in total defiance to all sense and logic—I’d have found her expression insanely cute.

Her face was heated, much the same way she might have looked after the climax I’d ripped from her sweet cunt in the early hours, but I never had the pleasure of seeing her then. I’d felt her, though. Known the warmth of her body as, overwrought, she’d jerked and moaned through her orgasm, and God, how I’d wanted her. I’d intended to replace my slippery fingers with my rock-hard cock, but by the time I’d looked for consent, she was already fast asleep, her body limp in my arms.

As it was, the version of Erin who’d greeted me when I awoke had me riled up in an entirely different way. That time, instead of seeking my own gratification, my adrenaline was focused on trying to keep her safe. The woman was about to open the door to goodness only knew how much snow and bring it potentially crashing into the hut. She didn’t seem to have thought through her decision.