might suggest that she was having more of an effect upon him than she’d thought.
“You could, perhaps, adjust the rope a little,” she replied. Her stomach flipped. If she could just get him to leave enough slack in the rope she might be able to wriggle out of it.
“This top loop?” he asked, gently fingering where it ran over her arm.
She nodded. Her heart beat so hard that she could see it moving her shirt front and she bet that he could see it too.
Charlie pushed his forefingers into the top of the rope and pulled it towards him. The backs of his hands rubbed the undersides of her breasts. Her nipples hardened. She gasped with relief as he pushed the rope lower and freed her aching mounds.
“That better?” he croaked.
Layla forced a smile. Pull yourself together. Be convincing. “Just a little looser. Please?”
He fiddled with the knot at the back and Layla took a deep breath, filling her chest. She held it until he’d secured the rope again then she slowly released it.
“How’s that?”
“Better. Thank you.” Though she couldn’t shake the memory of his hands against her breasts. Her flesh burned there as if scalded. She wondered how his hands would feel against her skin. The impact through her clothing had been enough to rouse her desire. Wanton.
“Now…Get some rest.”
“Yes,” Layla replied and watched as he walked back to the fire. Rest. She needed it, sure. Though how she was going to rest when her body was burning with desire and need, when she should be focusing on escaping, she had no idea.
Layla opened her eyes. Her heart thudded like a drum. What had woken her? More importantly, how on earth had she fallen asleep? She was still upright against the tree and her neck ached from sleeping unsupported.
The fire had died down but the night air seemed milder. An owl hooted in the distance and another one answered nearby. She shook her head. Her sleep had been disturbed by wild animals. She moved from one buttock to the other, trying to relieve the numbness of being stuck in one position.
A strange noise came from the other side of the clearing. It was a soft moaning, almost like someone was in pain. Had Charlie or Etu been hurt?
She leant forwards and peered through the gloom.
Nothing.
She wriggled her arms and pushed out all of her breath. There was some slack in the rope. Her plan had worked. Good. She used her wrists to push the length up over her breasts. She slid down the tree trunk. The bark raked her back as it pulled her shirt from her trousers and the rope dug into her flesh but soon it was loose enough for her to slip over her neck and her head.
She was free. Charlie’s compassion in not tying it too tightly had left enough wriggle room for her to release herself. She lay still for a moment.
Now what? She could hear her own heartbeat as it swooshed blood through her ears.
She had to find the money then escape without waking her two captors.
She crept around the edge of the clearing, keeping to the shadows. Her gaze flickered left then right. Would Charlie have kept the money on him or tucked it into the saddle bag? Probably the latter. She’d have to take care near the horses as they might make a noise if she disturbed them.
Reaching the other side of the fire, she stopped.
Her mouth fell open. Was that really what it looked like?
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