“That’s it,” he said, turning and walking over to her.

“You gave your word,” she said as she heard him approach and hurried to push her shift down where it was entangled at her shoulders just above her breasts.

“What good does my word do when you need help?” he said and grabbed hold of the bunched shift and lifted it up over her shoulders, only to have it get stuck around her neck and head.

“Let me be. I’ll do it myself,” she argued, her voice muffled by the garments and her hands fighting his.

Thaw sprung up from where he sat on the bed, protesting along with Snow, his snarls aimed at Tarass.

He paid her no mind as she continued to struggle, until his arm caught her around her naked waist and held her firm. “Stay still or I will take my dagger and rip your garments off you.”

The threat had the desired effect. She froze against him.

A low warning growl emanated from Thaw and he poised himself for attack.

“Calm your pup now,” he ordered Snow.

She didn’t hesitate, the snarl warning her that he was about to attack. “Enough, Thaw, I’m not in danger. Tarass helps me.”

The pup sat but kept up a low growl, letting Tarass know he was watching him.

It took only a couple of moments to free her of the strangling garments and leave her standing naked in front of him.

She didn’t know why she closed her eyes, since he was nothing more than a gray shadow to her. Perhaps it served as a covering, a blanket of sorts that left her feeling less vulnerable. By not seeing his shadow, he couldn’t see her.

“I’ll be quick,” he said softly.

That he was now trying to be courteous only made it more difficult.

He had no intimate interest in Snow. He wanted only to see what wounds she had suffered and tend them. But as he began to examine her, thoughts of what a lovely body she had kept interrupting. He’d never seen a woman so perfectly proportioned. She had just the right roundness and curves that blended beautifully and flawlessly, cream-colored skin with the exception of the bruises and scratches that had him shaking his head.

He needed to stay focused and it didn’t help that he had to lift one of her breasts, that fit nicely in his hand, to look at a bruise that had formed there.

Snow stiffened and wished she could crawl under the blanket and never come out. “Is that necessary?”

“There is a bruise beneath your breast. I want to make sure nothing is embedded there,” he explained as her chilled breast rested in his warm hand and he watched as her nipple puckered even more than it had.

“Please hurry,” she said, annoyed that the warmth of his hand at her breast felt pleasing.