Stolen Moments 4

The night air was cool as they stopped to make camp for the night. The moon was high with the twinkles of the stars. The sky was as black as coal and it matched Yelena’s mood. She sat before the fire and stared at the flames dancing about while Emily sat a few feet away from her. Her heart was torn in two and she thought about her father’s broken face just moments before he died and tears filled her eyes again. She covered her face with her hands and sobbed. It wasn’t enough that her mother was gone, now she’d lost her father too. She had no one in the world and she even lost her home. She cried until she felt her throat ached and her eyes run dry. When she finally stopped she felt a blanket being placed around her shoulders. Then she felt Tom take her hand and she watched as he placed a picture of her father and her in her palm. She looked up, shocked, at him.

            “You brought this?” she asked.

            He nodded. “I thought you might want it. I’m sorry, Yelena.”

            She clutched the photo to her heart and sobbed. “Why?!”

            “They were after me. They must have followed me.”

            Yelena shook her head. “You had enemies following you and you lead them right to my doorsteps. I will never forgive you.”

            He swallowed. “I know that and I’ll live with that.”

            She shoved him away from her. “Stop talking to me. I hate the sound of your voice.”

            He grabbed her arm. “Hate me, fine, but I won’t be letting you go that easy. I may have made the mistake of bringing them to your doorsteps and failed your father, but I won’t fail you.”

            “It doesn’t impress me.”

            Yelena got up and walked toward the small creek. She plopped herself down on the dirt and watched the water hiss by. She took the photograph and stared at it. She felt the tears fill her eyes as she tore off a fabric from the hem of her dress. She wrapped it and tucked it into the waistline of her gown. She cupped a handful of water and began washing her face. The cool water took some of the ache away from her neck and she knew her eyes were probably sore and red. She washed as much as she could without getting her dress wet and stood up. It had gotten darker while she was bathing and she looked around the forested area. Everything looked the same and she couldn’t remember where she had come from. But she saw the fire from the campsite and followed it. She untied her hair and let the curls fall down her shoulders. She was running her fingers through the curls when she walked into the camp and found four strange men staring at her. She stopped and looked around realizing she’d walked into the wrong camp. The men were looking at her like they’d never seen a woman before. And based on their dirty appearances, she was sure they hadn’t. She gulped and began to step back when one of them stood up.

            “You’re more than welcome to make camp here, my beautiful lady,” he said.

            She bolted and ran in smack into a hard chest. She looked up and found herself staring at Tom’s face. She was so happy it was him that she wrapped her arms around him and curled her head into the curve of his neck.

            “I’ve been looking for you everywhere,” Tom said loud enough for them to hear.

            “We didn’t touch your woman,” the man who spoken earlier said.

            “I know. If you had, you wouldn’t be alive.”

            “Get me out of here,” Yelena whispered.

            “Gladly,” he said.

           

            Tom was watching her as she walked ahead of him. He had been waiting patiently for her to return and when she made no sign of showing up, he felt uneasy. When he found her at the creek, he’d been watching her bathe. The sight of the water drowning in between the v of her breasts made him alive in places he’d thought he was dead. The moon’s ray gave him advantage and he took it. When she was finished, he followed her and found her walking into someone else’s camp. He knew she was confused and was probably following the sight of the camp fire. Even though he couldn’t see her face when the man spoke to her, he knew she was frightened; and how she held him proved right. He remembered how those arms of hers felt around him and he wanted them there again. He liked the way how her head fit perfectly in the curve of his neck. She smelled wonderful and those luscious curls were just as soft as he’d imagined.

            “You’re awfully quiet,” she said from ahead.

            He smiled. “I’m not the one who walked into the wrong camp.”

            She stopped and turned around. Walking into the light, her eyes held daggers. “I was lost. I followed the sight of the fire. I’ve never been out of my home in the wild like this, unlike you.”

            “You’ve got a sharp tongue for someone who was shivering against me a few moments ago.”

            If she blushed, he couldn’t tell. “It was for play.”

            “Well, you’re quite an actress.”

            She let out a scoff, turned, and began walking away. He shook his head and followed her back into their campsite. He found Emily lying on his bedroll with her blonde hair across her shoulders and chest. She looked like a woman in taking and her eyes were heavily hooded with want. He saw Yelena’s eyes cast over her and then directed them to his. He caught her gaze and she turned away. She quickly ran to sit on the bedroll by the fire. He turned to find Emily sitting up, patting the empty spot next to her. He ignored it and walked to sit beside Yelena. He heard Emily’s angry sigh and when he turned around, she had turned to the other side. He sat across from Yelena and enjoyed the view of her.

            “She’ll be a cat from hell in the morning. No man has ever turned her down before,” Yelena said without looking at him.

            He laughed. “I don’t doubt that.”

            She finally looked up. “Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be over there with her?”

            “Do you want me over there?”

            She shrugged.

            He smiled as the flames caught her blush. “If it doesn’t bother you, I’d like to stay right here. I like the company over here much better.”

            “Suit yourself.”

            Although she said it with bitterness, he thought he caught a smile at the curve of her lips. He watched as she took a big yawn and lay down on the bed with her back toward him. He smiled and knew that the girl was anything but tired.

            Tom woke to the sound of Yelena’s cries and he bolted up to her side. She was on her back clawing into the air, crying out her father’s name. He grabbed her hands and she kicked him in the ribs. He let out a breath as he let go of her hands and one of her nails caught his jaw.

            “Yelena, wake up!” he cried.

            “Dad! I’m so sorry!” she cried.

            He grabbed her hands again and this time, he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly against his chest. “Shh…I’m sorry, lassie. But Daddy is gone.”

            She started sobbing loudly and when he pulled away, she was wide awake with tears staining her cheeks. His heart tore in half and he wiped her tears. She let out another heart wrenching sob and threw her arms around him.

            “Please don’t leave me here. I’m scared,” she whispered.

            “Lassie, I’m not leaving you anywhere. I promise I’ll take care of you,” he said.

            “Will you hold me?” she asked.

            “Of course,” he whispered.

            He laid her back down on the bed and let her nudge herself into his arms. She laid her head on his shoulder and he wrapped both arms around her as she curled like a cat beside him. Her slender fingers curled around his shirt and a few moments later, he heard her soft breathing and let out a breath of relief that she’d found comfort.

 

            The morning sun skidded across Yelena’s arm and she stirred as the wind blew across her cheek. She inhaled a breath and found her eyes staring into the opened eyes of Tom’s. She watched as his eyes scanned her face and then came back to settled on her eyes. They were wrapped up in each other’s arms like lovers and they were like one body.

            “What happened?” she asked.

            His eyes softened. “You don’t remember?”

            She shook her head. “No.”

            “You had a nightmare. You asked me to hold you.”

            “And did you do more than that?”

            He smiled. “Even a rebel like me prefers my women willing when they come to my bed.”

            Yelena swallowed and she removed herself from his arms. “Thank you. I’m ok now. I’m good now.”