Part 15 (2/2)

The clouds suddenly parted and the sun shone brightly. The warmth seeped into Daisy's bones, radiated throughout her body. It made her feel so good, so full of energy, she couldn't possibly consider returning to the cabin. She had never seen the mountains from this vantage point. They were magnificent.

She trudged along, drinking in every sight and sound, ignoring Zac's litany of complaints interspersed between warnings. The tree branches hung low with their weight of snow and ice. She broke off an icicle she found on a sapling bare of leaves, she put it in her mouth and sucked on it like candy. Birds huddled on tree branches, feathers puffed out to twice their normal size in an effort to insulate against the cold. A squirrel dashed along a tree limb causing a chunk of ice to hit the ground with a thump. Daisy didn't know whether its rapid chatter was a greeting or a complaint about the weather.

She looked back, but Zac no longer followed. She laughed and hurried on. In a short while the cabin was out of sight, but she didn't stop. She knew she would be locked inside the cabin as soon as Tyler returned.

She hadn't gone much farther when she noticed movement up ahead. Memory of the cougar flashed in her head, and she stopped. She glanced behind her, but a stand of snow-covered firs blocked Zac from view. Even as she turned to go back, she realized the animal wasn't the right color for a cat. It was much too dark. Besides, it appeared to be hiding behind a fallen tree.

After studying the animal for a few moments, Daisy decided it was struggling, not hiding. Drawing closer, she found herself looking into the deep brown eyes of a small doe. It had somehow become trapped under a fallen tree limb. Its struggles had brought it to the point of exhaustion. As Daisy came close, the animal made one last feeble effort to get to its feet then lay still.

”You poor thing,” she murmured. ”I'll help you.”

But the tree limb was six inches in diameter and partly frozen into the snow. Try as she might, she couldn't lift it. She was relieved when she thought she heard Zac come up, stunned when she turned and saw Tyler advancing toward her with a rapid and purposeful stride. She couldn't see his expression because of his beard, but if his eyes were any indication, he was furious.

Involuntarily she backed away. She hadn't ventured out to defy him, but it would probably look like it.

”What do you mean running away every time I turn my back?”

He grabbed her by the shoulders. Even through the thick layers of clothing, she could feel his fingers dig deep into her flesh. She felt helpless in his grip.

”I just wanted to get a breath of fresh air.”

”Couldn't you find any air closer to the cabin to suit you?”

In spite of his anger, Daisy had to laugh. ”No, I could still hear Zac's complaints. What did you do with him?”

Tyler shook her. ”Is it worth getting killed to escape Zac? Those men are still out there.”

”I didn't mean to come this far, but I saw where you'd made a path. And the sun felt so good--” A second shake wiped the smile from her face.

”It felt so good you thought you wouldn't mind getting shot.”

”I admit I forgot about the killers. You said they couldn't follow us with all this snow.”

”They wouldn't have to follow you. You keep along this ridge, and you'll soon be exposed. A man with gla.s.ses could see you from five miles away.”

Daisy glanced around her, but her view was cut off by stands of fir, pine, and aspen.

”What can I do to convince you to stop running away?” Tyler didn't seem so very angry now, just disheartened. ”If I thought you'd be safe, I'd take Zac and move to another cabin.”

”I wasn't running away. And don't you dare leave. I'd be scared to death.”

”Are you sure? You're not lying to get me off my guard?”

Daisy hated for Tyler to think she was so desperate to escape from him, but she couldn't think of anything to say that would change his mind. Only completely different behavior could do that, and the best time to start was now.

”I'm not afraid of you, and I'm not mad at you. I just wanted to get out of the cabin for a few minutes. I thought Zac was following. What happened to him?”

”I sent him off with Willie.”

”Why did you come back?”

”I had a feeling you might not stay put.” He didn't look upset now, just resigned.

”Did you find a deer?”

”No, but Willie's still looking.”

”I did. Right here.”

Tyler's gaze followed where she pointed. Catching sight of the deer, he climbed through the branches until he reached the trapped animal.

”Are you going to kill it?” she asked.

”No.”

”You said we were almost out of food.”

”I don't kill helpless animals. Let's see what's wrong with it.”

Daisy didn't understand Tyler, didn't suppose she ever would, but she was too relieved to care just now. She marveled at how gently he handled the deer. The animal seemed to know he didn't mean it any harm.

”It's got a gash where the limb hit it, but I don't think anything's broken,” he said. ”I won't be able to tell until I move this limb.”

Daisy hadn't been able to budge the limb. Tyler lifted it without seeming to try hard. Daisy couldn't deny the thrill that shot through her. She'd never met a man she felt was big and strong enough for her. Tyler was big enough with room to spare. She never felt overgrown or unfeminine around him.

She vividly recalled the feel of his arms around her, the pressure of his thigh against her leg, the s.h.i.+vers that lanced through her when his arms brushed the side of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Despite the cold, liquid heat warmed her entire body. Why couldn't he have been the man for her?

Daisy told herself it was useless to dwell on what couldn't be changed. She would do better to think about the deer and the gash where the limb struck it. The animal struggled to rise then fell back. ”Poor thing, it can't stand up.”

”It's mostly just tired. It'll be fine after some rest.” Tyler bent down and gathered the struggling doe into his arms.

”What are you going to do?”

”I hope it doesn't mind sharing the shed with the mules.”

The deer made one final attempt to escape, then gave itself up to its fate.

”Is the shed strong enough to keep the cougar out?”

”It's kept him away from the mules.”

Daisy couldn't stand the thought of the cougar getting the little doe. She didn't know why it should bother her so much. Maybe it was the doe's helplessness. Maybe it was because she felt the same way.

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