Page 43 of One Bed for the Bluestocking
Not even if it meant her own ruination.
Swallowing, she unbuttoned her coat, the garment into which she had carefully sewn padding to conceal her feminine form.She had worn it, and a couple of others, like suits of armor for all these months and had been so careful never to let Nathaniel see her without it even out here in the wilderness.
But she had to do something!And she hadalmostbeen able to wedge herself into the gap.Removing her padded jacket might make the difference.And after all, it was growing dark.Perhaps Nathaniel wouldn’t notice that anything was amiss.
Kate swayed a bit as she draped the coat over a rock.She was starting to feel quite woozy, but no matter.She would have Nathaniel’s notebook in hand in a trice, and they would be down off the mountain in minutes.
Turning sideways, she started to wriggle her way behind the rock.
Nathaniel watched as Kit wormed his way behind the boulder.
It was tough going.Kit could fit into the tight space, but only just, and he had to painstakingly squeeze his way into the crack.
The young artist bent to the side, straining toward Nat’s wayward notebook.It was a mark of how depraved Nathaniel had become that he couldn’t tear his gaze away from Kit’s backside.He supposed he had never seen Kit without his coat on, not even out here, where they were about as far from civilization as it was possible to be.Who knew that his bottom was so… luscious?
Nat shook himself.Kit was doing him a tremendous favor, and this was how he thanked him?By leering at his arse?What waswrongwith him?
“I have it!”Kit cried from within the crevice.
“Bless you!”Nathaniel exclaimed, hurrying over.
Kit managed to straighten in the narrow space.He smiled as he handed over the leather book.Nat quickly stuffed it in his pack in an attempt to keep it dry.
Kit was slow to emerge from behind the boulder.He reached down and began tugging his right leg.“Ugh.My foot seems to have become wedged in… something.”He grunted.“I can’t see very well back here.”
Nat wasn’t surprised.Between the hour and the storm, the light had all but faded.He offered his hand.“Can I help?”
They struggled to free Kit from the tight space, but his foot remained stuck.Nat could not help but notice that he had a muddled look in his eyes.“Is it very painful, then?”
Kit blinked at him, confused.“Is… is what very painful?”
“Your foot.”Nat made a circular gesture to his own face.“I can tell that the pain is affecting you.”
“Oh!That’s… that’s nothing,” Kit muttered, looking more disoriented than ever.
Nat didn’t believe him, but he decided not to press the issue.The best thing was to get Kit out with all possible speed.“Take my hands.I’m going to pull as hard as I can.”
Kit locked his hands around Nat’s, and Nat clasped his in return.“All right.”
“Ready, steady… go!”Nat leaned back, putting all his weight into it.He could see the strain on Kit’s face, but for a moment, nothing happened.
Then, suddenly, Kit’s foot slid from between the rocks, sending them tumbling onto the rocky ground in a heap.
Nat groaned.He had landed on his hip, but it wasn’t anything serious.He doubted he would even have a bruise.
He turned to check on Kit.His eyes were closed, his long brown lashes fanned across delicate cheekbones.
Nat nudged him.“Kit?Are you all right?”
The young man did not stir.
Nathaniel sat up and shook his shoulder.“Kit?What happened?Say something.”
Kit’s only response was a groan.
Nathaniel glanced around.He hadn’t seen what had happened, as he’d gone sprawling arse over teakettle himself.Had Kit hit his head?The ground was nothing but rocks, so it was easy to imagine how he could have done that.
But Nathaniel couldn’t help but notice that Kit was lying beside a large rock that protruded a good foot from those around it.Based on the position in which Kit had come to rest, it seemed likely that he had struck it during the fall.
