Lock

When I return, she’s still tied to the bed, as she’s supposed to be. From a distance, I check the rope, and I’m surprised to find it’s still completely intact. She hasn’t even tried to chew through it.

Nice.

She’s finally learning how to behave. It’s about time.

Although that look on her face makes me anything but happy.

She’s still angry with me, and I get it. I did some bad stuff, but I did it for a good reason. Still, that doesn’t make it any better. She doesn’t wanna be here, and it’s my fault.

Despite looking like a brute, I don’t want to be one. I don’t want her to be unhappy because it makes me unhappy too. So I’ve decided that the right way forward is to make sure she likes me first before I ask her to stay. Get her to warm up to me.

And I know just how.

I go to the kitchen area and throw everything I’ve gathered into a bowl.

“Welcome back,” she murmurs from her little corner.

I grab a bowl and fill it with water outside, then come back in, only to find her staring at me curiously. “What are you doing?”

She’ll find out quickly enough.

I grab the two bowls and walk toward her. She sits up as far as she can on the bed as I sit down beside her, holding the bowl close to my body because she’s trying to peer inside.

I want it to be a surprise.

“Close your eyes,” I say.

She raises a brow. “Why?” Her voice sounds insecure.

I smile. “Trust me.”

She narrows her eyes, contemplating it for a second. Trust is the first step. The rest comes next. We’re nowhere without it, so I want to teach her this. I don’t want to be her enemy.

“Please?” I add as she did way back when.

It makes her blink a couple of times, but then she finally closes her eyes for me.

She sits there, waiting, her body locked in position, skin bare … ready for plunder.

Perfect.

But I have to hold myself back if I want this to work, so I clear my throat and focus on the bowl in my hand. I take out a berry and push it against her lips.

“Open your mouth.”

“What is it?” she asks, frowning.

“Do you trust me or not?”

After a moment, she tentatively parts her lips, and I push the berry inside. “Bite.”

When she does, her eyes flash open, and she grins. “A berry?” She glances at the bowl, so I guess the surprise is gone now. “You brought me berries?” She giggles.

“What?” I say, grabbing another one.

“Nothing … it’s just …”

I narrow my eyes as I push another one into her mouth and watch her chew meticulously. I can see her swallow, and I imagine her tongue and how good it would feel wrapped around my dick.

Fuck.

“You said you only wanted meat,” she says, pulling me from my thoughts.

I wish she’d want the meat …

And I don’t mean the one from my kitchen.

Fuck me, I’m getting too excited about seeing her tied up in my bed. I shouldn’t … not yet, at least.

“I do,” I say. “But you don’t.”

I push another berry into her mouth and watch her eat it with glee.

“So you’re feeding me now?”

“Shhh …” I stuff more into her mouth until she’s laughing. “Eat your food.”

“Or what?” she taunts. “I’m already tied up; what else are you gonna do?”

“Oh …” A deep rumbling laugh leaves my throat. “There are plenty of other things I could do.”

She almost spits out her berries. Almost. “Like what?”

“Curious?” I muse, lifting a brow.

“Maybe.” She licks her lips and then ogles the berries again. Or my dick. I’m not sure because the bowl is right between my legs. “More?”

Oh, yes … there’s definitely more.

And I can’t wait to give it to her.

But first, I have to woo her and make her see how amazing this place is.

“I see something else there too … leaves?” she says.

I hold one up. “Hope it’s the right one.”

She nods, laughing again. “You did good.”

“Thanks,” I say, scooting closer as I push the leaf into her mouth. “It’s my peace offer. Is it working?”

“Maybe,” she murmurs, chewing.

“That’s a lot of maybes,” I reply.

She cocks her head. “Well, you did tie me up.”

I swallow and let my eyes roam freely across her body, wondering what else she’d let me do … if I gave her the right kind of treatment. And when she catches me looking, I’m not even ashamed.

“We’ll see what we can do about that later,” I reply.

* * *

For a few days, I work on making the hut a suitable place for two. I’ve been carving a bed, and it’s shaping up to be nice extra seating too. Much better than the stumps I used for chairs.

When it’s done, I wipe the sweat off my forehead and grab some of the leftovers fur and throw it on top. Perfect.

I grab the flask and chug some water. As I lower it and swallow, I catch her ogling my chest, but she quickly looks away again.

Grinning, I ask her, “What do you think?”

“About what?” Her voice fluctuates in pitch, so I’m guessing she thinks I’m asking her what she thinks about me.

But why would I ask that?

I already know she likes me even though she’d never admit it. She’s practically eye-fucking me at this point, but it’s obvious she would never let herself act on it since she’s supposed to hate me. And I deserve it.

“Oh, you mean that thing?” she says, looking at the bed, so I nod. “What is it?”

“A bed.”

“Oh …” She frowns as if she’s confused, but I don’t see the problem.

It’s nearly evening, time to sleep, so I throw some more furs on top of the new bed I made and lie down.

“What … are you doing?” she mutters.

I turn toward her on my elbows and look at her from afar. “Sleeping. And you should too.”

“No, I mean … why there?” Her skin starts to flush, and I can’t help smirk at that beautiful shade.

Is she really asking me why I’m sleeping here instead of with her?

“Thought you could use some space,” I reply, winking.

“Oh, right.” She nods a few times and looks away, turning around on her back eventually.

“Good night,” I say, closing my eyes as I try not to think about her too much.

“Night,” she replies in the sweetest voice. I still can’t get used to her being here.

I let out a sigh in the hopes I can concentrate on sleeping, but it’s proving difficult when I don’t hear her breathing right next to me. I never knew I could actually grow attached to hearing her sleep. Despite the fact she doesn’t sleep a lot, when she does, it makes me want to wrap my arms around her.

I’ve never given in to the temptation, though.

That might prove to be more difficult as the days pass by.

I wonder how long that resistance will last … for the both of us.

“Lock.”

I look up.

Did she say my name, or did I imagine it?

She’s staring up at the roof of the hut and murmurs, “I can’t sleep.”

“Close your eyes,” I say.

“It doesn’t feel safe,” she adds, then she turns her head toward me.

“What do you mean?” I ask, leaning up again.

She shrugs and lets out a sigh. “I don’t know. I … never mind.”

She rolls over to face the wall, so I turn around too. However, her words still gnaw at my mind. I can’t let it go, so I get up and go to her. I sit down on her bed and slowly lie down. She doesn’t move, doesn’t even flinch as I lay my head down beside her and breathe in and out.

Her whole body is covered in goose bumps, though.

I smile and gently touch her skin with my hand.

“No one can come into this hut. You’re safe,” I murmur.

She doesn’t respond.

The electricity between us is undeniable as all her muscles tense up under my hand. So I tuck my hand underneath my head and focus on trying to relax even though I’m fully awake and struggling to control my growing hard-on.

Her hair prickles my face, but I like the sensation. Her hair smells so good, so feminine; I can’t stop sniffing her. Is that bad?

It probably is. I don’t want to scare her away again.

Not that she could run … she’s still tied up.

I’m not sure I should untie her yet. What if she runs? What if she tries to kill me? I’d understand if she wanted to. After all, I’m the man who ruined her chances to go home.

But then why do I get this feeling she doesn’t even mind being around me anymore?

She likes me despite wanting to hate me all the same.

Guess we’ll just have to deal with being complete opposites.

“Better?” I ask, as I don’t know if I made the right decision by crawling in the same bed.

A soft, almost inaudible moan escapes her mouth.

“Better.”

But I heard it.

I definitely heard it.