Nervous, she narrowed her gaze past her fence and caught a shadow, a big upright shadow about eight feet high. She gasped, stumbling back. What the hell was that? She heard the sound of twigs and branches being snapped and she screamed. The shadow was approaching her. She spun on her bare feet and started to run back to the inn, but she lost her footing and stumbled onto the grass. Her heart raced so fast she thought it was going to explode.
Hands grabbed her by the shoulders and helped her up as she heard heavy breathing behind her. Almost hysterical now, she stared up at Gunnar and felt relief flood her veins.
"Gunnar, thank God! There's a monster back there! I've never seen anything like it."
His breathing was laboured, his expression grim, as his gaze dipped to her cleavage. Stella stiffened. He was naked. She inhaled sharply at the look of desire on his face.
"You shouldn't be here," he said hoarsely. "Go back inside. Now."
"Gunnar, what's wrong? Where are your clothes?"
"I said go back inside," he ground out.
"Come with me! There's a huge thing out there. We need to call the police."
"I...you," he looked down at the rapid rise and fall of her breasts and swallowed hard.
Stella couldn't move as something significant arose between them. Was he what she'd seen in the back and the moon's glow had played tricks on her?
"Gunnar, what's wrong?" she whispered. She inhaled slowly as his hands moved slowly around her and ran up and down her back.
"End my misery," he said hoarsely.
)
