Unspoken Ch. 02

Snowy Hills

My mind constantly wandered back to Aimon's handsome face as I pulled my dress on that afternoon. His big gray eyes, shiny black hair, and smooth olive skin made me feel warm all over. The few times we were outside, I noticed his eyes reflected the color of the sky and snow. Sometimes his irises looked more blue than gray, and sometimes they were almost silver. Aimon had expertly repaired the damage my dress received during my frantic escape into the woods. I had enjoyed being naked for the last three days, only wrapped in furs or Aimon's arms for warmth. It was time for me to show Aimon the results of his excellent care.

He wasn't giving me much choice about it. He had pushed the door rope into the cabin, fully expecting me to unlock it and let him in when he returned from hunting. I would have to make myself walk like he requested. He was adorably clever in little ways like that. You could see his mind at work by how the cabin was kept. Even the build of the cabin reflected a sharp mind. The windows were placed to optimize natural light from the east, south, and west. The clothing nook was next to the fireplace, allowing the warm stones to dry snow or rain-spattered garments. An enclosed stone box was built next to the fireplace for baking bread.

The most interesting thing I had noticed was the large iron pot in the kitchen that had water slowly dripping into it. Snow would melt off the roof and drip into a canal carved from an oak branch. The little canal led outside to catch dripping water from the roof's corner before delivering it into the pot. There was almost always enough water in it for cooking and drinking. Aimon rarely had to carry water up from the meadow stream.

I was eager to explore Aimon's home as I scooted to the edge of the bed and lowered my feet to the floor. I carefully flexed my injured leg until the pain stopped me. The muscles were stiff and sore below my knee, but some strength had returned. Aimon had carved a branch into a crutch and left it next to the bed. Gathering my strength, the crutch helped me pull myself up and keep my balance. With extreme caution, I slowly put weight on the injured leg. Throbbing pain stole my breath for an instant, forcing me to hold still. After a few minutes of deep breathing, the pain eased enough for me to hobble around the cabin.

Exploration of the kitchen came first. There was a bag of flour sitting high on a shelf with a Hartwell label on it. Hartwell was the biggest town within a two day's ride of my father's estate. Aimon was either making trips there himself or trading with a local. Aimon had a horse. The beautiful brown mare could easily be seen in the southern meadow. There was a small storage shed with a stall behind the cabin for the horse to shelter in. A small chicken coop sat next to it.

Exhaustion crept over me as I finished examining Aimon's weapon corner by the door. I had accomplished my most important goal for that day, and it was time to rest. Overdoing it could be just as bad as doing nothing at all. Sleep found me quickly after making myself comfortable on the bed. A light knock on the door woke me close to sunset. My heart leaped at the thought of greeting Aimon. I hurried out of bed, carefully pulled myself up with the crutch, and hobbled over to the door. Peering through the rope hole, handsome blue-gray eyes greeted mine. I pulled the plank out of its cradle and pushed the door open with a smile.

Aimon had already removed his scarf and hood as he stepped into the house and embraced me. Our lips met an instant later, and a rush of heat flowed throughout my body despite the cold from the open door. I groaned and shivered in delight to taste his mouth again. He thought I was shivering from the cold and quickly reached back to close the door. I released him from the kiss long enough for him to lock us in, then I immediately pulled him back into my arms.

We smothered each other with kisses as my crutch clattered to the floor. In the heat of the moment, I put too much weight on my leg, sending a sharp, shooting pain into my knee. I gasped and lost my strength. Aimon grabbed me before I fell. I leaned against him with my stomach churning. I absolutely hated being injured and unable to help with daily chores. Aimon carefully gathered me in his arms and carried me back to the bed. He helped me get comfortable as the churning in my stomach eased. I took a deep breath, wiped the tears from my eyes, and looked at him in defeat. The smile he gave me was full of pride as he stroked my hair and wiped another tear off my cheek.

"What's for supper?" I whispered.

He smiled big, raised his hands over his head, and used them to make antlers.

"Oh boy! Venison," I chuckled.

He nodded and kissed me again. His touch and smell chased off the rest of my discomfort. He drew away and returned my crutch to the bed before retrieving his skinning knife. Then he disappeared out the door again. It would take him a while to clean and prep the deer, so I allowed myself a short nap before supper.

The smell of fried deer steak and onions woke me. I groaned at the heavenly scent. Aimon was kneeling by the fire with his cast-iron skillet and a fork, cooking the steaks to perfection. He looked over and smiled to see me awake. He beckoned me to the table as he began setting the food on it. The crutch aided me over to a chair. The prospect of eating at the supper table with Aimon was exciting. We sat close to each other and devoured the delicious feast of deer steak, pan-fried potatoes, and onions. I had brought the writing tray and chalk with me so we could converse after eating.

"Mmm, this is perfect, Aimon. Thank you," I mumbled with my mouth full.

He blushed and nodded as he watched me clean my tin plate. I noticed him reach up and rub his arm with a look of pain on his face as he finished his potatoes. There was something lumpy under his shirt sleeve that caught my attention. I reached up and felt it, and he quickly pulled his arm away.

"Aimon, is that a bandage on your arm? Are you hurt?" I demanded.

He looked at me guiltily and nodded. Gasping, I immediately began pulling his shirt up, forcing him to remove it. He made a breathy sound of pain as he raised his arms to pull his shirt over his head. There was a fresh linen bandage tied around his bicep. A small amount of blood was beginning to seep through it.

"What happened?" I demanded.

I reached up to untie the bandage so I could see the wound. Aimon shooed my hands away, shaking his head. He grabbed the writing tray and scribbled a note. My heart lurched at what he wrote.

"Cherokee arrow!" I read in horror.

"It's not that bad," he quickly wrote. "I chased the stag into their settlement."

My heart was pounding as I searched his pale eyes. I had assumed we were far enough south to avoid the natives.

"How far north are we?"

Aimon sighed, wiped the tray with his hand, and started a new note.

"We're on the edge of their hunting land. They're my friends," he wrote.

"Friends? They shot you!" I half yelled with tears growing in my eyes.

He quickly began writing again.

"They pick on me because their women like me," he wrote with a blush brightening his cheeks.

Despite my horror, I laughed at that revelation because I knew it was true. Aimon's smoky gray eyes could cast a spell over anybody. He smiled at my reaction. Then he wiped the tray and wrote another note.

"Their women leave gifts at my door sometimes. The Cherokee keep us safe. Don't think badly of them," he wrote before he looked at me.

My terror had lessened by that point. If Aimon trusted them, then I would too, but the stories my father's rifleman told me about the natives didn't help my anxiety.

"I'm not happy that they shot you, but I won't hold it against them as long as they leave us alone. How do they keep us safe?" I asked with an eyebrow raised.

Aimon took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He stared out the kitchen window for a moment, then he erased the tray and wrote another note.

"They keep my kinsmen away," I read with my heart in my throat. "You have enemies?"

He nodded as he reached up and touched the scar on his throat. The pain in his expression broke my heart and brought tears to my eyes. I could tell when he was thinking about something from his past. He would get very still, and his breathing would grow shallow. It was a nervous response to something that scared him. I quickly wiped tears from my eyes before I embraced him and kissed his face.

"I understand. We don't have to talk about it now, but I would like to know the story soon."

He nodded as he squeezed me in return and let his tears drip on my neck. It scared me to know how much he feared his kinsmen, but it didn't surprise me. It would take a monster to mark someone up the way they marked up Aimon. Whoever hurt him had obviously been trying to kill him.

Aimon took a deep breath and drew away from me so he could see my face. We stared at each other for a moment. It was a comfort being close to him, and I knew he felt the same way about me. I was useless in a lot of ways until my leg healed, but I could easily and happily shower him with as much bodily affection as he could handle. I stroked his cheek and felt the stubble on his jawline. He slept the morning away with me and didn't shave before hunting.

"Aimon, why do you shave every morning? I don't care if you have a beard or not."

I ran my fingernails over the black stubble, imagining what he would look like with a full beard. He smiled and sighed as he picked up the tray again.

"Grew it out last spring. Natives almost shot me. They didn't recognize me," he wrote.

"That's a very good reason to shave," I chuckled. "How old are you?"

He looked at me in thought for a moment. Then he shrugged.

"You don't know? How old do you think you are?"

He thought for a moment, then wrote, "mid-twenties, maybe."

"I think so, too. I'll be twenty-two in July. By the way, I'm dying to get out of this dress," I smiled.

I drew closer to him and pressed our lips together. He let out a pleased sigh as he set the tray down and brought his warm hands to my neck. We kissed for a long moment, enjoying each other's taste and smell. I wanted him inside me again already. I couldn't think of a better way to end the evening. He was already untying the strings on the front of my dress, so I reached over to unbutton his pants. We chuckled at each other's eagerness. His chuckle came out as a fast breath against my lips. I could tell what it was even without the normal sound. He let out another sensual breath as I wrapped my fingers around his cock and pulled it free of his clothes.

I absolutely loved the breathy sounds he made. They sent tingles dancing between my legs every time. The last one was definitely a groan that lacked volume. He gulped as I began to stroke him. His thickness was hard as a rock in my hand. Had my leg been better, I would have climbed into his lap to get him inside me. I'm sure he had no clue how tempting he was.

Once he properly loosened my dress, he helped me stand so he could pull it over my head. He was extra careful not to let me lose my balance by grabbing my ass and pulling me tight against him. I chuckled as he squeezed my soft flesh while pressing his hard cock against my mound.

"Will you help me over to the bed?" I asked.

He smiled and shook his head no. I raised an eyebrow at him as he pushed my dinner plate aside. Then he gently lifted me up and set my bottom on the table. My heart leaped when he parted my knees and stood between them, letting his cock rest against my swollen wet opening. My heart was suddenly racing as he leaned in and kissed me again. He was gently pushing harder against me with his tip, making my legs anxious and my inner muscles flex with want. Suddenly, my injured leg twitched, and I gasped from the ache it caused. Aimon quickly drew away and assessed the problem. He pulled my chair closer and gently lifted my foot into it so I could relax the muscles.

"That's much better," I breathed in relief. "Where were we?"

I grasped his cock and pulled his tip back against my opening. My whole body felt weak and tingly as I used his tip to massage along my wet skin. He reached up and squeezed my breasts, making me even hotter. He leaned in and kissed me as we continued to provoke each other. His breath was getting shaky as I squeezed his cock and worked his tip inside me.

In a heated rush, he pushed my hand aside, grabbed my ass, and quickly penetrated me, forcing a gasp out of me. It felt amazing to be stretched around his shaft again. He pulled me forward as he plowed through my tight muscles, opening them again and again. I groaned from the delicious stroking. The angle of penetration made everything tighter, increasing the friction and stealing my breath with pleasure. He slowed his thrusts and looked at me worriedly after a shaky cry of pleasure came out of me.

"I'm not hurt. Do it harder," I begged.

I matted my fingers in his hair and pulled his lips back to mine. We kissed hungrily as he jarred our bodies with his thrusts. He squeezed my ass, anchoring me to the edge of the table as he pounded inside me. I had to break off the kiss to breathe. My insides were raw with pleasure. The intensity of it made my leg throb, but everything else felt amazing. I cried out when sharp tingles rushed through my abdomen. I sank my fingernails into his arms as my inner muscles hungrily clutched at his meat. I shook again and again as he worked me through the pleasure, then I felt his body tensing. He squeezed my ass and pushed hard into me. I felt him shake with every wet burst of heat inside me. I loved feeling him lose control. It was the most intimate thing I had ever experienced. He eventually released my ass and ran his fingers into my hair. He kissed me deeply, tasting my mouth in a slow, appreciative manner. I licked my lips when he finally drew away.

"You know what, Aimon? That was the best dessert I ever had."

He let out a breathy laugh before he pulled my lips back to his. We kissed as he gently rocked inside me, sending moisture dripping out of me and onto the table. I honestly wanted him to pound me more, but the throbbing ache in my leg distracted me. I had tensed and put pressure on it earlier. More lovemaking in that position would be too painful.

"I need to rest my leg soon," I breathed.

Aimon looked at me in concern and nodded. Then he looked down at the mess we had made on the table. He gave me a soft kiss before he pulled out of me and stepped into the kitchen to retrieve a towel. Losing his warmth made me shiver as I glanced out the little window over the bed. My heart jumped into my throat to see a face gazing back at me through the glass. My horrified shriek scared the face away. Aimon spun and looked at me in surprise. His eyes darted to where I was staring. He dashed over to the window and looked out for a moment. He eventually stepped back and looked at me with an eyebrow raised.

"There was a face!" I cried.

Aimon grabbed a blanket off the bed and quickly draped it over me. Then he picked up the writing tray.

"What did it look like?" he wrote.

"Uh... big dark eyes, thick dark eyebrows, no beard," I explained.

He sighed and shook his head as he scribbled another note.

"Cherokee," I read with a gulp.

He nodded and began writing again.

"They were teasing me about you earlier today after they shot me," he wrote with a blush spreading across his cheeks.

"Shit..." I whispered, feeling violated. I wondered how many wild men saw me naked over the past few days. "You need curtains," I declared.

Aimon smiled and nodded.

"You're sure they won't hurt us?"

He nodded as he wiped the tray clean and wrote another note.

"I've lived next to them for many years. They respect me, and I respect them, but they are curious and mischievous," he wrote.

I sighed in defeat and nodded. Aimon obviously thought highly of them despite the arrow they shot at him earlier. Men constantly mystified me when it came to violence. When someone shoots you in the arm, you don't normally declare how wonderful and friendly they are.

He smiled at the mix of emotion on my face. Then he gathered me in his arms and carried me over to the bed. He helped me get comfortable under the fur blankets. Then he buttoned up his pants and went about making curtains. He strung a rope between two nails over each window and hung leather pelts on the rope until the view was completely obscured. Sleep crept over me again as I watched Aimon cleaning up the dinner table. My injury had me sleeping twice my normal amount. I vaguely remembered his warm arm around me as he joined me in bed. The comforting smell of his skin lulled me into a deep sleep.

Aimon's erection poking against my ass woke me the next morning. I chuckled as I snuggled against him. From what I could tell, he was still asleep, but his cock had a mind of its own. I smiled as I gently raised my leg and shuffled against him, encouraging his cock to fall between my thighs. Reaching down, I wrapped my hand around it and pressed it against my tender skin. His hard, silky flesh felt heavenly against me. He let out a pleased sigh and stirred. His hand cupped my left breast as he rocked his hips, sliding his cock through my growing moisture. I shuddered with tingles and encouraged his tip to slide against my opening. It felt absurdly good when he pushed against me at a weird angle. His hard flesh pressed against the bones around my opening, putting pressure on the sensitive skin as he found his way into my warmth. I groaned when he finally penetrated me, stretching my muscles around his rock-hard shaft.

Aimon let out a breathy groan as he began to thrust inside me. I took his wrist and guided his hand down to the sensitive little bulb of flesh at the front of my opening. He immediately massaged it, making my insides twitch. He kissed my neck as he worked more pleasure into our bodies. My thoughts drifted back to our previous intercourse on the kitchen table. It had been scorching. I wondered if he had planned to penetrate me there or if it was a moment of erotic inspiration. His mind was such a tempting mystery. It left me wanting a quill and ink so he could write a book about himself for me.

I groaned as he thrust faster, hitting deep in my belly. We were both getting extremely hot. I squirmed and readjusted to keep myself from falling forward as he pounded inside me. A noisy gasp escaped my lips as I tensed with pleasure. I cringed and curled my toes as he massaged me through the hot waves. He gasped a second later and pushed deep into me with his cock jumping, quickly filling me with wet heat. I loved feeling him tremble against me. A few seconds later, he let out a heavy sigh and kissed my sweaty neck.

"Mmm... good morning, Aimon," I whispered.

He squeezed my breasts in greeting. His greeting seemed better than mine, so I squeezed his cock as hard as I could with my inner muscles. He let out a breathy laugh and thrust into me again, making me drip.

"Another sweaty, messy morning. I could get used to this," I whispered.

We enjoyed being close even when we were a little sweaty. It had become a reminder of our intimacy. Aimon eventually climbed out of bed to rekindle the fire so he could make breakfast. He didn't need to hunt that day, thanks to the abundance of leftover meat from the stag. He had salted it and wrapped it in leather the previous night.

Once the fire was burning strong and some meat was brought in to thaw, he helped me clean up and put on my dress. Then he stood me in the middle of the room with my crutch. He motioned for me to close my eyes, and I obeyed, wondering what his bright smile meant. A second later, something warm and fluffy was tossed around my shoulders. Then he kissed me softly and drew away. I took that as my cue to open my eyes. I looked down and gasped in delight. He had finished the fur-lined coat while I slept the previous day. He had been making it for me.