Release (Hold #2) by Claire Kent
Lenna stared at the sack in bewilderment. Instinctively, she looked up at the Hairy Man, who was still standing beside her.
Evidently reading her questioning expression, the man took the last berry in his hand and dropped it into the sack. Then he made another gesture, clearly telling her that she was to follow them.
He too started to walk away.
But now Lenna understood. She was allowed to go with them. And, in return, she had to fill up this sack with berries.
She would have preferred to be a welcomed guest, but this was better than nothing.
At least she’d have some chance of survival.
So she jogged after them, hoping that she’d find enough berries, now that she’d cleared the forest. The ones she’d found before were all in the forest. There were clusters of trees around, though, even in the grassy plain, so she still had some hope.
They walked for over an hour, and Lenna had to work to keep up. Now that they’d started, they didn’t even acknowledge her existence, except for the Hairy Man, who glanced back at her occasionally and made impatient gestures for her to hurry up.
Under normal circumstances, Lenna walked just fine. But she’d been walking for almost three days, and she had cuts and bruises all over her body. Plus, she kept having to stop, whenever she recognized the leaves that hid the berries she was supposed to collect.
Frankly, it was very annoying to be constantly rushed under these circumstances.
The large cut on her shin from the wolf’s fang was burning so intensely now she had trouble focusing on anything else. So, when she saw another patch of berries beneath a tree, she didn’t kneel down or crouch, but rather sat down completely in the hope of relieving some of the strain on her skin.
She started picking the berries, relieved to see how many there were here. In a few minutes, her sack was almost three-fourths of the way full.
She was about to get up when she felt strong arms on her sides, hauling her up from behind.
With a startled shriek, she kicked her legs out and jerked her head back to see who it was.
The Hairy Man. His big hands were spanning her ribs, and one of them was in direct contact with her skin, just under her breast, since her torn shirt had fallen open.
It wasn’t a sexual advance, though. She realized that almost immediately. He was grunting at her again, his tone rough and bossy.
Fed up with this treatment, Lenna snapped. “Let go of me, you animal. I’m tired and injured, and you’re making me pick these damned berries!”
He’d lifted her up to her feet, but he hadn’t released her yet. Her angry voice appeared to surprise him. He paused briefly before he grunted some more.
Lenna felt a little hysterical, and she had to stifle a laugh. This was absurd. They couldn’t understand each other, and yet they were bickering as if they could.
She struggled in his grip, gasping when she felt one of his fingers against the underside of her breast.
He let her go, so abruptly that her knees buckled.
She fell forward, crying out at the pain in her feet and legs.
His face was really hard to read because of the ridiculous beard, but his eyes narrowed now, and he lowered himself onto the ground beside her.
They had a brief scuffle as he tried to take possession of one of her legs—the one with the throbbing cut.
He was snuffling when she finally let him look at it, and it was freaking her out. He’d leaned over, like he was smelling it.
Disgusted, Lenna looked away. If he did anything too weird, she was going to have give up on him.
But he didn’t even touch the cut. Instead, he just stood up and walked away.
“Well, fine,” she muttered. “Go ahead and leave me here. I’ve never met such an ugly, selfish, smelly, rude…”
She was still listing her grievances when the Hairy Man returned.
He was carrying some leaves, and he was muttering under his breath too. If his expression was anything to go on, he was as annoyed with her as she was with him.
“I don’t know what your problem is,” she said, although she knew he couldn’t understand, “I’m the one at a disadvantage here. It wasn’t like I got hurt just to slow you down.”
He ignored her and crushed the leaves in his palm. Then he took hold of her ankle and stretched out her leg.
Before she realized what he was doing, he smeared the leaves onto the deep, painful cut.
She whimpered slightly as the leaves stung the wound, but, before she could object or pull away, the sensations grew blessedly numb. The leaves must be painkillers.
“Oh. Thanks.” She didn’t feel particularly generous, but she realized that at least he’d been trying to help.
He stood up, looming above her. Realizing his silent demand, Lenna sighed and leaned forward to grab the sack of berries at his feet.
When she glanced up, from a different angle, she noticed something new. Something that made her twitch in her surprise.
She looked away quickly and stumbled to her feet. He hadn’t even offered her a hand.
He grunted something else and motioned for her to get moving, his expression impatient and annoyed.
Lenna blinked and started walking, her leg feeling a lot better, although her feet were still killing her.
Well, one of her questions was answered. This Hairy Man was definitely human—as human as the sleek, handsome leader.
At least, what she’d seen under his animal skin tunic was decidedly human. And male.
He hadn’t been wearing any undergarments.
And he had been hard.
She wasn’t quite sure what to do with that information, except for cringe a little bit at the thought. Hopefully, she hadn’t been the thing that had turned him on. The idea of having sex with such a rough, hairy creature was not an appealing one.
Now, if the Gorgeous One offered—and wasn’t an asshole—then maybe she’d consider it. But this one—this one couldn’t even be bothered to bathe.
Surely he hadn’t gotten turned on looking at her bruised, bloody leg. Things were weird enough here as it was.
He certainly wasn’t acting on lust. He was already a distance ahead of her, and there had been no warmth or interest on his face.
She was stuck on this planet. That much was inevitable. And she had little chance of surviving on her own. Lenna had always been practical. She would make do with whatever help she was offered.
But, if a big, smelly caveman expected to have sex with her, she would have to make other plans.
For now, she wasn’t going to worry about it. It could have just been a fluke. None of the men here seemed to have been swept away by her femininity.
Hurrying to keep up and trying to ignore her aching hunger and the pain in her muscles, Lenna followed the Hairy Man to wherever he was going.
Maybe it was hunting that turned him on.
About the Author
Claire has been writing romance novels since she was twelve years old. She has a PhD in British literature and, when she's not writing, she teaches English at the university level.
She also writes romance novels under the penname Noelle Adams (noelle-adams.com). If you would like to contact Claire, please check out her website (clairekent.com) or email her at [email protected].
Other Books by Claire Kent
Escorted
Breaking
Nameless
Christening
Incarnate
Seven
No Regrets
Finished
Complicated
Hold
Sweet the Sin
Darker the Release
Taking it Off
Release
Claire Kent, Release (Hold #2)
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