Only 06 - Winter Fire

coursed through her. She arched slightly in primitive reflex, giving herselfto the beauty of the sun’s penetrating, caressing heat.
    Distantly she realized that her shoulders were cold and her breasts were bare and wet and someone was breathing in tiny, ragged whimpers. She tried to stay within the dream…
    And then she sat bolt upright.
    She had just realized that it wasn’t the sun between her legs. It was a hand.
    A man’s hand.
    Case muffled Sarah’s attempt to scream the fastest way he could. His mouth covered hers so thoroughly that only a small cry escaped.
    He assumed that she would stop struggling when she realized where she was, and who was kissing her, and why. After all, she had been the one to come to him.
    But she went after him like a wildcat, kicking and clawing with every bit of her strength.
    He twisted until he lay heavily on her, pinning her legs to the ground. Then he caught her hands and dragged them together. Holding both of her wrists with one hand, he lifted his head just long enough to cover her mouth with his other hand.
    â€œSarah, it’s me, Case,” he said softly.
    Her narrowed, glittering eyes told him that she didn’t care who the hell he was.
    â€œSarah!” Conner called from thirty feet away. “What’s going on?”
    She jerked beneath Case, but he didn’t give an inch. He covered her the way he had when they were in a rocky alcove and the Culpeppers were right below.
    â€œAre you all right?” her brother called. “Sarah!”
    â€œJust a bad dream,” Case called softly. “She’s fine. No need to wake the dead.”
    â€œWhat’s she doing out here?” Conner asked, his voice low.
    Sarah and Case looked at one another.
    â€œIf you start screaming,” he said in a low voice,“there’s going to be a lot of explaining to do—starting with why you crawled into my bed if you didn’t want just what I was giving to you!”
    She went still. Belatedly she remembered where she was, and why.
    â€œSis?” Conner called quietly. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
    Case lifted his hand.
    â€œNothing is wrong,” she whispered.
    â€œWhat?” her brother asked.
    â€œI’m fine,” Sarah said more loudly.
    â€œWhat are you doing out here? Is Case sick?”
    Case’s black eyebrow lifted in sardonic query.
    â€œAm I sick?” he mouthed silently.
    â€œWhen Ute came in from his watch, he said Case was thrashing and groaning,” she said. “I came out to check on him.”
    Surprise showed for an instant on Case’s face. Then his expression became as hard as the cliffs rising out of the dawn.
    â€œThat was hours ago,” Conner said. “I’m coming in from watch myself.”
    â€œI fell asleep,” she said.
    â€œOh.” Conner hesitated. “Are you going back to the cabin now?”
    She had a stark vision of what she must look like at the moment, with her shirt undone and her pants around her knees.
    â€œGo on without me,” she said through her teeth.
    â€œAre you sure?”
    â€œConner, for heaven’s sake! Do you want to walk me to the privy personally, or can I have just a wee bit of privacy?”
    â€œOh, sure. Sorry. I just…”
    â€œI know,” Sarah said, her voice gentle. “I shouldn’t have snapped. You know how quick off the mark I am when I first wake up.”
    â€œEspecially after a nightmare,” Conner said.
    She didn’t correct her brother’s idea of who had been the one with bad dreams.
    â€œGo on,” she said. “I’ll be along in a minute.”
    â€œShould I start the fire?”
    â€œNo need. Just go to sleep. I’ll take care of the morning chores.”
    There was a moment of silence. Then Conner withdrew toward the cabin.
    When she could no longer hear any trace of her younger brother’s presence, she looked directly into Case’s eyes.
    â€œGet off me,” she said through her teeth.
    Without a word he rolled aside. He watched her warily, as though uncertain of what she might do next.
    Blood welled from a nick just beneath his eye.
    â€œHave the decency to turn your back while I dress,” she said bitterly.
    â€œClimb down from your high horse,” Case said, his voice even. “I’m not the one who came crawling into your bed.”
    But even as he spoke, he rolled over and turned his back on