Broken (The Captive #5.5)(29)

His head turned in her direction; she felt it when his eyes latched upon her. The way his stare burned into her caused her toes to curl and for a second she had that same strange sensation of her heart beating in her chest. She couldn't move as he slipped from the saddle and landed upon the ground without a sound.

Genny slid away from the tree she had been standing by and walked toward him. Her body hummed with excitement as she stopped before him and tilted her head back to look into his striking eyes. She barely felt the brush of his fingers against her face before he wrapped his hand around the back of her head and bent to kiss her. Relief swept through her when his lips touched against hers. Everything that was wrong in her life faded away as every part of her became centered upon him.

He pulled her another step closer, her mouth opened to his when his tongue brushed over her lips. The corded muscles in his arms bunched when her hands curled into his forearms. She needed something to try and keep her grounded as his touch caused everything within her to soar higher than the treetops. With him, she had discovered a happiness she'd never thought she'd find in this often harsh and brutal world. His tongue stroked the excitement within her to higher levels, his arm around her waist pressed her more firmly against him.

It felt like a piece of her was taken away when he pulled away from her and rested his forehead against hers. His eyes, darkened by desire, were a deep forest green as they searched her face with reverence. They'd only been apart for ten hours but it had seemed like days and it was only getting harder and harder to be away from him. Closing her eyes, she leaned into his touch as his thumb rubbed her cheek.

"Come," he said.

Taking hold of her hand, he led her over to his horse. He rested his hands on her hips, lifted her up and placed her on the back of the horse so that she was sitting sideways in the saddle. He gave her a mischievous grin as he pulled her bunched tunic down toward her ankles. His hand sliding over her exposed skin made her body quake when he briefly caressed her leg before covering her up. He placed his foot into the stirrup and swung into the saddle behind her.

She hadn't been on a horse often but when he pulled her into his arms and settled her in his lap, she decided it was something she would like to do a lot more often. Curling against him, her head rested on his chest as he gathered the reins and nudged the horse forward. The sun flickering through the leaves warmed her, or perhaps it was him that caused her body to heat so much that her clothes felt increasingly confining as they made their way through the forest. The sound of the birds chirruping amongst the trees caused a feeling of peace to steal through her.

It was so strangely tranquil, something that her life never was. Even if it couldn't last, for now she could pretend that it was only the two of them in the world and that nothing else would ever intrude upon them. It was an amazing fantasy, one that she decided to indulge in as they moved further into areas of the forest that she'd never explored before.

***

Atticus rested his chin on top of her head when she curled trustingly within his arms. Her sweeping lashes fell down to brush against her cheek as she rested her head on his chest. He couldn't help but smile when he spotted the ribbon he'd bought her tied in her hair. He forgot about his conversation with Merle and lost himself to the feel of her lithe body pressed against his. It didn't matter what his cousin and the others thought, all that mattered was her.

"It's beautiful out here," she murmured.

"It is," he agreed as he led Drago across the stream and through the thickening trees.

"Sometimes I think it would be great to go into the woods and get lost amongst the trees forever."

"Why would you think that?"

She shrugged but the rigidity of her body belied the dismissive gesture. "I don't know, I love nature and think it would be an adventure."

He stared down at her but she didn't lift her eyes to look at him. There was something so sad about her suddenly that he couldn't stop himself from reaching out and caressing her cheek in an attempt to soothe her. "Genny is there something the matter?"

She glanced up at him and gave him a tremulous smile. "No."

He stared at her but her gaze was already focused on something else. "Tell me something about yourself that I would never be able to guess," he said in an attempt to bring the happiness back to her eyes.

"You already know so much."

"Tell me something I don't know."

Her mouth twisted thoughtfully as she pondered his question. "I can read and write," she finally said. "My mother had a lover years ago who was a scribe. He took a liking to me, and I think he was looking for a way to keep me entertained, so he taught me."

This revelation astounded him; there were aristocrats that didn't have the skill required to do either. "There's not many who know how," he murmured.

"I enjoy it," she whispered. "I write every day."

"And what do you write about?"

She finally looked at him again. "I simply write about my day."

"Am I in these writings?" he teased.

She smiled at him as she rose up and pressed her lips briefly against his. "Maybe," she replied with a sassy smile.

"Maybe? Maybe?" Unable to resist her playful demeanor he tickled her just beneath her ribcage. She let out a little squeal and squirmed in his arms in an attempt to avoid his persistent fingers. He'd never tickled anyone before in his life, but he would tickle her every day for the rest of hers if it made her laugh with such joy. He couldn't help but smile as her tinkling laughter rang through the forest and she pleaded with him to stop.