Chapter 45: Closing In on Their Quarry

“You’re sure you don’t want to ride along?” Blake asked.

Shasta shook her head. “No, it’s family time. I’ll meet them all properly when you get back.”

“What are you going to do all day?”

“I don’t know,” she shrugged. “Maybe Bear and I will take a field trip over to Winchester. I could look for blueberries again and do some sketching.”

He watched her for a long moment. “Okay. But remember to stay near the water. Don’t go any further than the trapper’s cabin.”

Her smile was sweet. “Yes, Daddy.”

“And it might be a good time for you to work on your journal.” That morning, he’d reminded her about the blank book he’d given her the day she made her decision, encouraging her to write about her dreams, and her experiences and feelings about being his submissive.

Blake pulled her close and kissed her longingly. “I’ll miss you while I’m gone.”

When he let her go, he saw a glimmer of pain in her eyes. She’d be leaving in a few weeks. What would he do then?