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“I don’t want you to hold my hand, and I am not a child” That was the cruelest i at it “I s, but that doesn’t make me a child”

“This trip is going to be hard I’et better Today is just a sa of what’s to come,” Benteen warned “You have a choice You can either cry over every little thing that happens andaround in s are—like the rest of us Mrs Stanton isn’t in her wagon crying her eyes out The sa happened to her today”

It wasn’t a totally fair comparison, and Benteen knew that Mary Stanton had not led the sheltered city life that Lorna had But he e Lorna

“What are you going to do? Stay here in the wagon and feel sorry for yourself? Or come outside by the fire with the rest of us?” he questioned

“I’er in her dark eyes

“Good” He held out his hand to take hers

Grudgingly she laid hers into his grasp, resentment for his bluntness and lack of concession to her fe under the surface Benteen wasn’t sure whether her attitude would change to please him or to show hi jaw could attest to that It would carry her through this journey in better condition than wrapping her in cotton wool

When she shifted her weight to cli out to him of all that oman about her His other hand curved itself to her neck to stop her movements, and felt her head stiffen in resistance to his touch Benteen ignored her unwillingness for his kiss and brought his ht line of her lips He was irritated when she wouldn’t yield to him, and increased the pressure until she did

But subh, not when he’d previously tasted the fullness of her response He began an investigation of individual curves in her lips, chewing at the lower one and wandering over the top until he felt her leaning into hi with a hard, brief kiss, and drew back

Her mouth was softly swollen, tilted toward hi quickly, at a disturbed rate Her eyes were dark with need She looked pliable and a little flushed with eagerness

“That’s the way a bride should look,” Benteen ”

Soarded hiirl and I did so my daddy didn’t like, he’d sit me down and talk tothe relevance of her childhood irl, he always gave ive out kisses as rewards for good behavior?”

Benteen frowned, wondering if he had i in her question He couldn’t be sure Sonored her query

“Let’s go outside,” he said, “before everyone starts wondering e’re doing in here”

The remark achieved its desired effect She didn’t pursue an answer to her question and followed Benteen to the rear of the wagon He swung down and turned to lift her to the ground