Page 11 of The Mountain Man's Determined Bride

“Hey, what did you do that for?” He looked at his hand and looked back at her.

“My hand slipped.”What a lie! Morgan you’ve always been a bad liar, he’ll see right through that.

“Well no matter.”

Then before she could prepare, Luke leaned down and scooped an arm under her legs and the other around her back and had her off the floor and nestled against his chest. Talk about throwing her, quite literally, out of her comfort zone.

“Hey! What are you doing?” She knew better than to fight it but she tried anyway.

“I’m not pussyfooting around with you anymore. Now shut up and hold still dammit.”

His grip tightened around her body and dang it if her insides didn’t betray her in naughty ways. She knew he hadn’t cleaned up so he still smelled of sleep, sweat and something else she recognized…something they had created. Continuing to put up a fight seemed pointless but she needed some kind of distraction as he carried her in the direction of not hers, buthisbedroom.

* * * *

“Would you put me down you big oaf, my legs aren’t broken ya know.”

Luke couldn’t have felt more awful than if he’d actuallypushedher over that couch. Technically it was his fault anyway and maybe he should have left well enough alone but he couldn’t let her walk away again, not after what they’d shared that night. It was time for her to stop running and time for him to find out why she ran away from him six years ago. She was seriously sending some messed up signals but if she still didn’t want anything to do with him after, well then he’d just have to accept it and move on.

“I’ll put you down in a minute but when I do, wearegoing to get some things straight. Understand?”

It didn’t look like she was in too much pain but she’d definitely have some bruises in the next day or two. He wasrelieved about that, so it was time to push her for some answers. Reaching his unmade bed, he laid her down up near the pillows.

“You know the chair would’ve been fine.” Morgan started to climb from the bed but one little bit of pressure on her right arm had her buckling over in pain and him running around the other side of the bed.

“Careful honey.” What a stubborn cuss. Maybe she did do a bit of damage.

“Here, we’re gonna scoot you back up to the headboard.”

“No its o…” She tried to refuse his help but he wasn’t taking no for an answer any more.

“It’s not okay Morgan. Would you quit bein’ so stubborn. I’m helping you move and then I’ll go find some aspirin and water.” He resumed the position again of one arm behind her back and one under her legs, lifted her like a feather and placed her back down against the pillows and headboard.

“Now, stay put.”

“Why do you have to be so bull-headed anyway?” She had crossed her arms against her chest and huffed out a breath. Unfortunately the gesture was no surprise to him. He shook his head, showing a smirk she refused to acknowledge and went in search of pain relief.

Why doIhave to be so bull-headed? Boy she’s one to talk…takes one to know one and that woman is a pain in my ass right now. If she weren’t such a fighter I’d a thrown her over my knee already…I’ll show her who’s bo…

“What are you doing out there?” She barked the question like she owned the place. Well technically she did but he was just ignoring that bit of information.

“I’m looking for some aspirin. It will help relieve some of the pain.”

“Yes I know what it does thank you. What I meant is you aren’t going to find anything rifling through all the drawers in the cabin.”

Luke appeared in the doorway of his bedroom once again, propped all smug-like against the jam with one foot crossed over the other and hands on his hips.

“Well then miss know-it-all, would you like to enlighten me please?”

“God you are so damned annoying and seriously I don’t know why I stayed here as long as…”

“The aspirin Morgan? Just tell me where the aspirin is please.”

For the love of Pete; he was only trying to ease a little bit of her pain. Couldn’t she just cooperate?

“Bring me my saddle bags and I’ll get them myself.”

Shaking his head, Luke left the doorway and walked to where he’d seen her drop the bags on the floor after he caught her trying to leave.