Taken By Storm(29)
She had no future, a fact she accepted, so therefore she had to live life for the moment, and Burke was here for the moment.
“Storm!” Tanin called out again.
She hurried off, trying not to think about Burke.
“I did not see the man,” Storm heard Peter say upon entering the hut.
“Is there anything you can tell me about him?” Burke asked.
Storm noticed that Peter breathed slowly as if it hurt him to take the slightest breath. “Take your time,” she said, kneeling beside him.
The injured man attempted to smile and winced. “I do know he was given extra attention.”
“Treated special?” Burke asked.
“If treated worse is special,” Peter answered sadly. “His size probably helped him. He was a big man, wide with muscle and tall. He had to bend his head to enter the torture room.”
“What color was his hair?” Burke asked.
“Like yours,” Peter said with a nod to Burke.
Storm watched Burke tense.
“He was a brave one, or perhaps foolish,” Peter said. “He refused to speak, answer any questions, deny any accusations.”
“What did they accuse him of?” Storm asked.
“Stealing from the Earl of Balford. A horrendous fate awaited him is what they promised when they finally dragged him away.”
“What did he steal?’ Burke asked.
“I don’t know,” Peter said.
“You never heard him called by name?” Burke asked anxiously.
“If I did, I don’t remember. I wish I could be of more help.” A tear spilled from the corner of his swollen eye. “I am forever grateful for the rescue and am sorry to have misled you.”
“Don’t worry,” Storm said, patting his arm gently. “We would have rescued you whether you were the man we were after or not.”
The man reached out a feeble hand to Storm. “You’re the woman whispered about in the prisons. The one everyone prays will free them.”
“I do what I can for those in need.”
“You must be careful,” Peter urged. “I heard them talking about plans to capture you and make you pay for your crimes.”
“Do not worry about me.”
“No. No,” Peter protested anxiously. “You must take care. You must not meet such a horrible fate.”
Janelle stepped in, chasing everyone out, insisting that Peter had to rest and shoving clean bandages into Burke’s hands. “See to Storm.”
Storm took the bandages from Burke. “I can see to my own wound.”
Burke snatched the bandages back. “Janelle ordered me to see to it and so I shall.”
Storm grinned. “Since when do you obey a woman?”
“Since the order is no chore at all.”
They were standing beneath her tree house and in an instant, Burke had her around the waist, the rope around his arm, and they were gliding up to the treetops.
She liked the feel of his embrace. He cuddled her against him, holding her firm as if he never intended to let her go. She let her defenses down for a moment to rest her face on his chest and breathe in the scent of him, loving the pungent mix of earth and pine.
His warmth and his strength both penetrated her to the bone and filled her with a sense of peace. She hadn’t felt such peace since Daniel had last held her.
Her head snapped up along with her guard, and when they entered her quarters she said, “I can tend to my wound.”
“Better that I do it,” Burke insisted, turning the chair around for her to sit after placing the bandages on the table.
She didn’t move. “The wound is healing fine.”
“Show me,” he said, gesturing her to sit.
When she hesitated he asked, “What are you afraid of, Storm?”
“Not you, Mr. Longton,” she said, stepping almost nose to nose with him.
“Then prove it. Let me help you.”
She could not take a challenge lightly or allow this man to think she was afraid of him.
“All right, Burke, tend my wound,” she said and slipped her shirt over her head to stand bare-chested in front of him.
Chapter 12
“Sit,” Burke ordered with a tap to the wooden chair. It was apparent Storm had tried to shock him. He hoped his reaction wasn’t as apparent, though it sure had surprised him how quickly he had sprung to life. The quicker he could get his eyes off her breasts the better. They were round and full and her nipples a dark, rosy color and hard, possibly as hard as he was right now.
Relief flooded him when she sat, and though her breasts were partially out of sight, they weren’t out of mind. He worked quickly at changing her bandage and was pleased to see that her wound was healing nicely.
“The stitches should come out soon, don’t you think?” she asked looking up at him.