Love Me Forever Read Online Free PDF

in her weakened condition. He had made certain to treat
her with gently hands and with respect, never once touching her
intimately, though it was difficult. After all he was a man.
    A man who needed to heal.
    Brianna stirred in her sleep and he moved
swiftly to her side from where he sat near the table. He adjusted
the wool blanket around her and then ran a soothing hand over her
forehead. He had worried about a fever setting in, though she had
no open wounds, and usually festering wounds drew a fever. While
bruises were painful, they were not always life-threatening, though
he had seen men die from a single bruise.
    He sat on the bed beside her and ran his
hand along the side of her face.
    She sighed and snuggled her face against his
touch.
    He had gone and retrieved her satchel from
the overturned coach, and he had searched for the healing basket
she had mentioned, but he could not find it. He had thought she
would feel more comfortable in her night shift, but the movement
required to slip into it had proven too painful for her, so she
remained naked beneath the blanket.
    Questions haunted him, questions he wished
to ask of her, yet he knew now was not the time. He had come to
realize that while she may have been married, she was not
comfortable with a man’s touch, which led him to believe that her
marriage had not been a loving one.
    He did wonder who now watched over her, for
she had two clansmen with her on her journey, a sure sign that
someone offered her protection. Who was it? And was he now
searching for her?
    She had offered no information on her clan,
but then he could not fault her for that, for the Highland clans
were forever at odds with each other, one minute calling one a
friend, the next minute a foe.
    He had time to discover more about her even
if someone was out searching for her. The cottage was tucked away
deep in the woods with no direct path leading to it. And it seemed
that Mother Nature herself wished Brianna to remain with him, for a
light snow had started in the late morning and turned heavier as
the hours passed. It was near to nightfall now and several inches
covered the ground, concealing their footsteps and preventing
anyone from finding them.
    They were hidden from the world for a while
and he liked the idea. Brianna needed time to heal from her wounds,
as did he.
    He watched her eyes drift slowly open, and
her soft, faint smile forced him to smile, as best he could, in
return.
    “I feel chilled.” She shivered and attempted
to burrow further beneath the covers.
    Royce silently cursed himself. He had gone
hunting earlier and had left his heavier tunic on when he returned,
being in a hurry to clean the fat rabbit and prepare a stew for
supper. He had felt she needed more solid food than just broth. He
had not realized he had allowed the fire to burn low until he
placed the iron pot in the hearth. He had added more logs
immediately, but the logs were damp and taking time to flame. He
had since moved a stack of logs inside knowing that if the
snowstorm continued a blazing fire would be essential to their
comfort.
    He retrieved another wool blanket from the
chest at the end of the bed and placed it over Brianna. “We can try
again to dress you in your night shift. You would be much
warmer.”
    She seemed to give his suggestion careful
thought, and then slowly shook her head. “I know I must sound a
coward, but it is just too painful,” —she paused, taking a light
breath— “perhaps in another day or two.”
    “A coward you are not.” He sounded as if he
scolded.
    He wanted her to realize her own bravery. It
took courage to bear pain and to trust a stranger to help.
    She paid no mind to his gentle scolding, her
smile growing stronger. “My brother tells me that I am stubborn; my
sister-in-law tells me I am determined.”
    “I like your sister-in-law.” His own smile
grew slowly along with hers.
    “She is a woman I much admire.”
    Brianna sniffed the air. “Is that rabbit
stew I