Tender savage by Phoebe Conn Read Free Book Online

to tell anyone what it is I aim making until I am finished, but if you will tell me what it is you want, I'll try and make it."
    They were nearing the corner where he would have to turn toward the store, while she intended to continue on down to the river. Erica thought for a moment and then knew exactly what she wanted. "Could you make me a cougar?"
    "A cougar?" Gunter asked in dismay. "Well, I supfx>se I could try."
    "Yes, you do that. I'm sure you can carve a magnificent cougar." Erica brushed his cheek with a quick kiss and hurried away before he recovered enough of his senses to follow her.
    The Indian told time by watching the sun's progress across the sky. He knew the hour if not the exact minute, but he began to think himself a great fool for having looked forward to seeing Erica again. He thought of her by her name now, which made the embarrassment that her failure to appear caused him all the more acute. What a fool he had been to walk into townl He could always use more shells for his rifle, but still, had he not told Erica to meet him, she could not have stayed away to purposely disappoint him. He had planned to give her the letter and tell her good-bye, but the longer he waited the more

    furious he became with himself for ever growing interested in a white woman in the first place. Had she come to meet him, she would not have thrown herself into his arms. She would probably have taken the letter from his hand and with a coldly polite, "Thank you," gone back home.
    Thoroughly disgusted with himself for being so curious about sampling a white woman's affection when Erica's indifference was obviously no coy act but sincere, he finally laid the letter beside the elm tree where he had first seen her and placed a rock on the corner to secure it. His belongings were few, and slinging them across his back, he started up the river, cursing his own conceit with every step.
    Erica dashed down the path, looking for the landmarks she had taken the time to note the previous afternoon so she could slow down to a sedate walk before she came upon Viper's camp. When she found only the crumpled letter and no sign of the Indian, she was overwhelmed with disappointment. Why hadn't the man waited for her? Then she realized she had forgotten to bring money to reward him and felt even worse. Looking up the path, she wondered if she might catch sight of him if he hadn't had too great a headstart. Taking a firm hold on the letter this time, she lifted her skirts and continued to follow the river, hoping if she overtook an Indian that it would be he.
    When the Indian heard peculiar sounds on the trail at his back he at first mistook the noise for a deer. Stepping behind a pine tree for cover he brought his rifle up to his shoulder. When Erica came into view, he set the rifle aside, and stepf>ed out to greet her."I told you not to be late," he scoldea in so teasing a tone she knew he wasn't truly angry with her.
    Out of breath. Erica swept her curls off her forehead and leaning back against the pme, used Mark's letter to fan her flushed cheeks. "I am so sorry. Not only am I dreadfully late, but I've forgotten to bring any money so I can give you a reward."
    "I did not ask for money," the Indian exclaimed proudly. That she had plainly exhausted herself trying to catch up to him was so flattering a fact he decided she must like him more than her actions had shown. He still did not

    forgive her for being so late, however. "Why did you wait so long to come find me?"
    Still gasping for breath, Erica had a ready excuse. "We had a guest at the house for dinner and I couldn't leave when I usually do. I would not have kept you waiting intentionally."
    Her bosom heaved most invitingly with each breath she took, and the Indian found it difficult to focus his attention upon her face rather than her enticing curves as he replied "I did not wait," he lied, for indeed he had waited a good hour longer than he had wanted to.
    "Well, I've found you to say