Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 119764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 599(@200wpm)___ 479(@250wpm)___ 399(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 599(@200wpm)___ 479(@250wpm)___ 399(@300wpm)
“We’ll get up early and make a day of it at the fort,” Dakota says, beaming at the group. “Everyone dress warmly, and if you have something to trade, pack it up and we’ll see what we can get for it.”
“I’ll break out my Dolly,” Aggie says.
“Like a baby doll?” Rabbit asks.
“No, my Dolly. My hair.” She pats the strange fake mane she’s currently wearing. “She’s for when I feel sassy.”
“I thought that was Shakira,” Dottie says.
“She’s for sass and ass,” Aggie says.
“Lord help us,” is all Dottie says to that.
My mate gives a fake yawn and stretches. “Well, I’m going to get ready for bed since we have a big morning. Whoever’s up last, bank the fire, please?”
“I’ll handle it,” Rabbit says, trailing the herbal toy in front of her to make Kermit grab it.
I get to my feet, nuzzling my cat before releasing it. “I come.”
“That’s what she says,” Aggie snickers, and earns herself a smack on the arm from Dottie.
Dakota smiles, but it seems forced, and I know she is worried. I put a hand on her back, and follow her inside. She does not speak until we are behind the curtain of our quarters. Instead of pulling out the things she spoke of earlier—bags of scavenged items for trading—she hugs her waist and gives me a miserable look. “Please tell me I’m doing the right thing, Murr.”
“Dakota right,” I reassure her. “Sick, make better. Dakota good leader.”
Her lower lip juts out, ever so slightly. “Sometimes I don’t want to be the leader. Sometimes I just want someone else to take charge.”
“Murr take charge,” I offer, pulling her into my arms. I rub her back up and down, soothing her. “Murr says we go tomorrow. We see fort. We trade. We make Dottie better. Good, all good.”
She leans into me. “I just don’t want anyone to hate me.”
“Hate Murr,” I say, my tone fierce. “Murr leader, Murr decision.”
Her hands slide to my waist, lightly dancing over my skin before pulling off my kilt. “We both know that won’t work. They’ll know it’s me. We’ll just have to weather the storm, whatever happens. For now, I don’t want to think about any of that, though.”
“Murr leader,” I say again, taking her hands and folding them together. I tighten my grasp around them, pinning them in place against her chest. “Murr make decision.”
“What’s your decision right now?”
I grin down at her. “Clothes off, Dakota. Kiss everywhere.”
“I like the way you lead.”
Does she? I have more leadership to show her, then. I lead her to the bed. I lead her in the removal of her clothing, and I lead her into my arms. I let her come first, however. In some things, a proud warrior should let his mate lead. So I kiss and touch her until she is sighing, and until she forgets all about her worries.
She might worry through the daylight hours, but when she is with me at night, I will not allow Dakota to have anything but pleasure. She needs the release and then the contentment that follows.
This is my job as her mate, and one I take very seriously.
CHAPTER 88
DAKOTA
The ride over to Fort Dallas is just as unnerving as I expected. We’d piled into an old Buick and buckled in, and I held my breath when it lifted slowly into the air. It’s one thing to risk my life, but with Rabbit in the car next to me, a seatbelt doesn’t feel like enough to keep her safe. I clutch her hand in mine and look in the rearview mirror at Dottie and Aggie. They’re also holding hands, a pinched look on Dottie’s face as if she’s having second thoughts.
I know just how that feels. I, too, am having tons of second thoughts.
“It’s okay, Mom,” Rabbit reassures me with a whisper. “Murr isn’t going to drop us.”
“I know. I’ll relax when we get there.” As if going to a fort is going to be any better. My past experience with forts is that they’re usually run by small men with big egos, and the needs of the many get squashed down by a few greedy individuals. But I keep that to myself, because I’m hoping against hope that today is pleasant. That we’ll find some nice people to trade some bits and bobs with. We’ll get some supplies for Dottie’s birthday, get her checked over by the doctor, and go home tonight and not think of any of this ever again.
Yeah, right. It’s nice to dream.
A cool breeze drifts through the windows of the car, whipping my hair around my head. I pulled it into a braid before we left, but strands are getting free and tangling around my face anyhow. I pull my superhero cape tighter around my neck, breathing in Murr’s scent that lingers on the fabric. I trust him. I do.