Crossover 'The Chosen One Trilogy: Book One' by Mireille Chester Read Free Book Online Page B

when I would look down at him and catch him
looking at me as well. But under all of the heart flipping and
breath catching there was another, more primal feeling I hadn’t
felt in a long time. I was definitely not a teenager, and my body
was aching to have Jasper take care of a need I hadn’t had
satisfied in over a year.
    We made it to the base of the mountain
just as the sun was starting to set.
    I unsaddled Dodge and gave him a pat.
“Thanks, buddy.”
    He bobbed his head.
    “Are you leaving again?” I tried not to
laugh as he looked to where Jasper was making a fire. “I don’t
think he’ll try anything. That is a man with one amazing sense of
duty!”
    Dodge snorted.
    “Go,” I said. “Be a horse! I’ll see you
in the morning.”
    He nuzzled my face goodbye and then
trotted off into the woods.
    “What was that about?” Jasper asked,
standing directly behind me. I nearly jumped out of my
skin.
    “Shit! How do you do that?”
    He grinned. “Sorry.” He started untying
the blankets.
    “Here, I’ll get those.” I grabbed them
and quickly looked up at Jasper as my fingers touched his. His eyes
were wide. I looked away and concentrated on setting the blankets a
short distance from the fire.
    “I wish Dodge would have waited. Can
you stand being alone for a minute?”
    My head snapped up. “Why?”
    “I just thought you might want some
supper.”
    My stomach answered for me.
    “I’ll be right back.” And with that, he
was gone.
    I busied myself finding more fire wood.
I didn’t want to think about what might be lurking out there. When
I had a decent pile stacked nicely I went to sit on the blanket and
waited.
    “Hayden, it’s just me.”
    I exhaled, not realizing I had been
holding my breath.
    He pulled a rabbit out from behind his
back. “Supper.” He presented it with a smile. He sat and skinned it
for me then placed it over the fire on sticks. “I’ll be right
back.” He sprinted away into the woods again.
    I looked after him and waited for him
to get back again, wondering what he had gone off to do. I tried to
keep the nervousness from taking a hold of me. Surely he wouldn’t
leave me alone if there was any danger.
    I checked the rabbit. It seemed done,
but I waited a few more minutes just to make sure.
    My reasoning about immediate dangers
started to fade with time and I was getting more than a little
nervous that Jasper hadn’t come back. “Crap!” The rabbit was
turning black. “I guess it’s done now!” I mumbled to myself and
pulled it off the sticks to let it cool down.
    I took a piece off and was pleasantly
surprised. It wasn’t half bad. I looked up as Jasper walked back
into camp. I forced myself to swallow.
    The firelight glistened off of his wet
bare chest. His dark hair looked black. He hung his shirt up on a
branch to dry, then shook his head like a dog, water flying in all
directions.
    I couldn’t stop staring.
    “Is everything ok?”
    I nodded and made myself take another
bite and looked into the fire. It was either that or make a fool of
myself. I held the rabbit out to him.
    “Thanks.” He tore a leg off. “Are you
sure you’re ok?” He kept looking at me.
    I nodded and chanced a look sideways at
him. “How’s your side and your shoulder?”
    He shrugged. “Fine.”
    “Do you think I could go to the creek
and... clean up?” What I should have said was cool down. Good lord,
was it possible he didn’t know what he was doing to me?
    “Sure. Just let me know when you’re
ready.”
    “I’m ready.”
    He looked like he was going to ask if I
was ok again, but stopped. “Alright then.” He led the way down a
little hill. The creek was clear. “Keep coming. It runs into the
lake up ahead.”
    When we got there, he turned to
leave.
    “Wait!” Suddenly, the thought of being
alone was very unnerving. “Stay. Please. Maybe you could just... I
don’t know.” I was glad it was fairly dark because I knew my face
was beet red. “Just turn around?”
    He