She held her hand out in front of her. Sure enough, the plaster on her cast had scraped up the backs of her fingers as she’d scrambled away from Gabe.
“It hurts.”
“I know. Let’s go up to the house. I’ll take care of you.”
Justin ran down the driveway as the bus pulled out. Grandma Dee jogged from the house and intercepted him on the driveway, glancing over her shoulder at Gillian lying in the field, her eyes filled with concern.
Justin held up a colorful painted picture and said, “Gillian, come see.”
“He can’t see me like this,” Gillian said to Blake and Gabe.
Grandma Dee distracted Justin, oohing and aahing over his picture while she led him to the house with a promise of fresh baked cookies.
“Gillian, can you get up and walk with me to the house?” Blake asked.
She sucked in a breath, tucked her good leg under her, planted her hands on the ground, and used her good leg to boost herself up to standing. She put her weight on her bad leg, testing out her aching knee. It hurt. Tired of being in pain, she glanced up and caught Blake’s steady gaze, his whole body tensed to rush to her aid if she faltered. She wanted him to come to her, but her going to him would go a long way to easing his mind. With barely a glance at Gabe standing behind Blake, she limped to Blake and didn’t stop until she reached him. He waited for her, not moving a muscle until she walked right into his chest, reached up around his neck, and held him close. He wrapped his arms around her, his fingers diving into her hair.
“Are you okay?”
“No, but I’m getting better by the second.”
“You really scared me. I heard you scream, and I thought you were really in trouble.”
“I thought I was, too. Something happened. My mind played tricks on me again. He didn’t look like him anymore. He looked like my dad and reached for me. I heard the gunshot and smelled the gunpowder. I panicked. I needed to get away.”
“You’re safe here, sweetheart. I’ll never let anything happen to you.”
“I know. I saw you nearly knock your brother right off his feet.”
“I’d kill anyone who touched you.” Blake hugged her close.
“I believe that.”
“But I don’t scare you.”
“No. Well, sometimes, but not in that way.”
“You never have to be afraid of me for any reason.”
“I’m trying, Blake. I know you’re impatient for me to come around and be normal—”
“Stop. I don’t think that at all. Today is nothing more than your mind still trying to process what happened. Maybe you need to talk to a professional.”
She didn’t want to, but she stepped back. He didn’t let her completely out of his embrace but kept his hands banded at her back. She slid her hands down his shoulders and rested them on his huge biceps. So much strength, yet he held her in a gentle embrace she could break if she wanted to, though she didn’t feel the need. His smile settled her. The warmth in his eyes eased her heart and erased the last of the fear running through her blood.
“No. I’m fine.”
“Gillian, you’re fine most of the time, but I know you think about it. I see it in your eyes sometimes. I bet you even dream about it.”
“This happened before,” she admitted.
“When we went shopping in town,” Blake guessed. “And again when you went to town with Dee three days ago.”
“I thought I saw him.”
“He’s dead and gone, sweetheart. He can’t hurt you anymore.”
“I don’t want to dwell in the past. I’m moving forward. Yes, this is a step back, but I’m not going crazy. We don’t need to call in the white coats and straightjacket.”
“I never said anything like that. I want you to be happy and see this incident lift from your shoulders so that it’s a real part of your past and not part of your every day.”
“I’m getting there.” She’d thought she was further along in this process. Yes, it was a process. Some days she couldn’t stop thinking about it, others she went hours without a thought, an image, a reminder. Blake’s frown made her add, “It’s only been a couple of weeks. If things get worse, I’ll see someone.”
“And you’ll be honest with me. If you’re having a bad day, tell me. Maybe I can help. The least I can do is be with you, distract you from your thoughts and make you smile.”
“Like when we go riding together and you tell me stories about you and your brothers.”
No one had ever cared enough about how she felt to offer to help her, let alone simply be there for her if she needed them.
“I don’t know what to say,” she said.
“Thank you,” he suggested.
“Thank you.”
“And you’ll be honest about how you’re feeling?”
“Yes. With you, but you can’t tell Justin or my grandparents if I confide something I don’t want them to know.”
“As long as I agree there’s no harm in keeping them in the dark.”
She frowned, narrowing her eyes, but relented. “Okay. I need to go inside and reassure Justin everything is okay.”
“You need to take care of yourself first. Come on.” He coaxed her toward his waiting brother. “Gabe, this is Gillian. Gillian, my older brother, Gabe, who is deeply sorry for startling you.”
“I truly am. It’s nice to meet you. I came to pick up Pain in My Ass.”
She flinched at the term. Blake squeezed her to his side. “He means his horse, not you. I’ve been training Bo.”
“Sorry, but he is a pain in my ass.”
“Not anymore,” Blake assured him.
“So, you’ll be at the wedding, right? Ella can’t wait to meet you. I would have brought her with me today. She loves this one”—Gabe cocked his head toward Blake—“but she’s in New York until Friday night.”
“Uh, what wedding?” she asked.
“You didn’t ask her?”
Blake frowned. “I haven’t had the chance to bring it up.” Blake stared down at her. “Gabe and Ella are getting married soon. I’d like you to come with me to the wedding at Wolf Ranch.”
“That’s a family thing.” If he hadn’t asked her already, maybe it was because he didn’t want to take her. Then again, did she want to go, put herself in the position as his date, where others might think it was something more? Is it something more? Certainly seemed that way if he wanted her to go with him to a family wedding. Not just a cousin or distant relative’s, but his brother’s.
“Family and very close friends,” Gabe clarified. “We’d love for you to come. Ella’s friends are all in New York and all over the world. She doesn’t know many people here. Neither do you, since you just moved here, so she thought you two might hit it off and she’d have a friend here, too. You’ll like her. She’s amazing.”
“Says her love-struck fiancé,” Gillian teased.
Gabe smiled, cocking up one side of his mouth in a half grin that matched Blake’s familiar one, and nodded.
“Really, you’ll like her. She’s not much older than you. Even though she runs her own company, she’s really down to earth. She’s smart and kind and generous,” Blake added.
“Sounds like love, all right,” Gillian teased Blake.
Blake’s mouth dropped open.
Gabe laughed and smacked Blake on the back. “Stay away from my woman.”
“I . . . um . . . she’s my sister.”
“Nice cover,” Gabe joked.
“Actually, that’s kind of sweet you already think of her that way,” Gillian commented.
“She’s right,” Gabe admitted. “Thanks, man. Let’s get your girl up to the house. If she leans any further off her bad leg, she’ll fall over.”
Blake traced his finger over her forehead and tucked a strand of
hair behind her ear. “Can you walk?”
“Yes,” she said automatically. Blake’s eyes narrowed with skepticism, and she remembered that not five minutes ago she’d promised to tell him the truth. “My knee really hurts.”
Blake scooped her right off her feet and held her to his chest.
“My arm hurts, too. I need some pain meds.”
“Let’s go get them. You can lie on the couch and rest for a while.”
“I have to feed Boots.”
“I’ll take care of him and you.”
She wrapped her arms around Blake’s neck and leaned her head on his shoulder, her face tucked at his neck. She inhaled his earthy, spicy scent along with the always-present leather and horses that clung to him. “Thank you.” This time, asking for help didn’t go down tasting like her pride—it settled in her gut as genuine relief and gratitude that he’d take care of her.
She hugged him close as he walked her back up to the house and his brother Gabe went off to the stables to get his horse.
Blake’s arm supported her knees, his big hand on her thigh. He gave her a soft squeeze. “You’ll be okay, sweetheart.”
She placed her hand on his cheek and made him look at her. He stopped and stared, and she lost herself in his warm brown eyes. “I feel better already.” After their first kiss, he’d always kissed her first. This time, she took the lead again and touched her lips to his for a soft, sweet kiss that washed away the last of her fear.
Blake took her through the front door, avoiding going through the kitchen, where Grandma Dee was probably distracting Justin with an after-school snack. He set her on the sofa and stared down at her. “Okay?”
“Can you get me some ice for my knee?”
“Anything you need. Wait there. I’ll be right back.”
Grandma Dee walked into the room, meeting Blake on his way to the kitchen. Blake leaned in close and whispered, telling her what happened without letting Justin overhear in the other room. Grandma Dee’s eyes went wide, but her gaze settled softly on Gillian.
“I’m okay. It’s no big deal,” she assured her grandmother.
Grandma Dee glanced at Blake for confirmation.
“She’s fine. She wrenched her knee and hurt her hands. I’ll fix her up, and she can get some rest.”
Blake walked into the kitchen, greeted Justin, and struck up a conversation about how Justin did at school today.
Grandma Dee came over and stared down at her. “Are you really okay?”
“I’m fine. Please don’t make a big deal about it. I just want to forget it ever happened.”
“Maybe working out in the stables and with the horses is too much for you.”
“I need to do it. I can’t hide away inside the house. I got scared. If I give in to the fear and close myself off, then what? How much of my life will I miss because I’m afraid to face it?”
“Maybe you need more time to settle in here.”
“Trust me, Blake isn’t going to leave me alone again until he’s sure I’m comfortable.” Funny how she knew that about him and counted on him to do it. “Gabe startled me, and I overreacted. It’s happened a few times in the stables with the guys coming in and out.” She thought of Ken. He tended to seek her out and show up unexpectedly when she thought she was alone with Boots. “I didn’t sleep well last night. Well, most nights. I’m tired. It caught up with me today.”
Blake walked in carrying a glass of water, several wet paper towels, and a bag of crushed ice. He handed her the glass, set the other items on the coffee table, and pulled her pill bottle from his pocket. He uncapped the childproof lid and poured out a single pill. She gave him a look, which he held, not wanting to give her more than she needed. Reading in her that she needed two pain pills, he shook out another and handed them over. She downed them with the water and set the glass on the table. Blake sat on the sofa beside her, grabbed her foot, and pulled off her shoe. He did the same with her other foot, then stood and made her swing her legs onto the couch. He propped her knee on a pillow, undid the knee brace, and dragged it down her leg. He set the bag of ice over her aching knee. Satisfied he’d settled her on the couch, he leaned down and kissed her on the forehead.
“I’ll help Justin with his homework, and we’ll watch a movie together while you rest. Those pills should knock you out soon.” Blake kneeled beside her, took one of the wet towels, and dabbed at the scrapes on her hands, which rested on her stomach. “There, that’s better.”
Touched by the care and attention he showed her, she crooked her finger for him to lean in closer. She reached up, took his face in her hands, and pulled him down for a kiss. His lips met hers. With soft touches, he kissed her again and again, finally settling his lips against hers when she sighed. He took the kiss deeper, his tongue sliding over hers. She held him close with her hand on his shoulder. He ended the kiss far too soon and pressed his forehead to hers, his eyes closed. When they opened, she gazed into his tawny eyes, so filled with need and longing.
“You’re killing me, sweetheart.”
She smiled, her eyes drooping, the meds kicking in. “I don’t know what to do with you when you’re sweet.”
“Kiss me all you want,” he suggested.
“Kiss me now.”
“My pleasure.”
He kept the kiss soft, sweet, lingering, like he had all the time in the world. She wished things could be like this all the time, but had a feeling her relaxed, mellow mood had more to do with the pain meds smoothing out her rough edges than the fact that she’d truly settled into this new relationship with Blake. This was a good start though. She could definitely get used to kissing him and the warm feeling seeping into every cell of her body.
“Get some rest. I’ll get Justin and be right back.”
“Blake?”
“Yeah, sweetheart.”
“Thanks for not making a big deal about what happened.”
His warm palm settled on her cheek. “You’re going to be okay.”
She knew that, but hearing him say it helped.
His hand swept down her neck to her shoulder. He kissed her forehead and stood and left.
With her eyes closed, the knock on the front door made her jump, but when Gabe walked in, she didn’t even flinch. She gave him a soft smile.
“Blake around?”
“Kitchen.”
“Feeling better?”
“Pharmaceutically mellow.”
Gabe smiled and laughed with her. Looking at him now, she wondered why she’d ever been afraid of him, when he looked so much like Blake. How could she have mistaken him for her father? Nothing but her mind playing tricks on her, and her subconscious letting her know she still needed time to deal with and overcome what happened to her—what she’d had to do to protect herself and Justin.
“Let’s hope Blake’s mellowed out, too.”
“He’s just looking out for me.”
“As he should. I just got off the phone with Ella. Expect a package from her. She really can’t wait to meet you. I hope you join us at the wedding. We want you there. I know Blake wants you there.”
“What is Ella sending me?”
“A surprise. She does that sometimes for her friends.”
Gillian didn’t know what to say. She had yet to meet Ella, but the woman was treating her like a friend. Gillian had been on the ranch for a while. It might be nice to have a girlfriend her own age. Grandma Dee was great, but a friend to talk to and share things with would be nice.
“I need to get on the road, so I’ll say goodbye to you and go find Blake.”
“Again, I’m really sorry for the way I acted.”
“Forget it. I have. Since you’re staying here, we’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other.”
“I hope so.”
Gabe left her. The meds made her comfortably n
umb and drowsy, but didn’t stop her from watching the men say goodbye at the front door with a hearty hug and smack on the back. They smiled at each other, completely at ease in each other’s company. Connected. More than brothers, they liked each other.
“Walk me to my truck.” Gabe opened the door and Blake followed him out, wondering what his big brother had to say in private.
Blake stopped next to the truck’s open window after Gabe climbed in behind the wheel. “What?”
“You’re robbing the cradle a bit there, bro. She’s younger than Dane. She’s younger than most of the women he dates.”
“I know how old she is. And Dane doesn’t date anyone. He sleeps with them. Gillian isn’t like those women.”
“No. She’s broken.” Blake opened his mouth to defend her, but Gabe held up a hand to stop him. “She’s on the mend, but she’s still got a long road ahead of her. You up for that?”
“Would you have let Ella handle her uncle alone?”
“No fucking way.”
“I won’t let Gillian go through this alone. Get to know her. All those things you love about Ella, her kindness, smarts, strength, resilience, determination, Gillian has all those things and more times ten. I don’t care how old she is, I care who she is.”
Gabe pressed his lips together and nodded. “That’s all that really matters. Mom and Dad really like her.”
“You don’t?”
“I do. I can’t wait to get to know her better. I assume she’ll still be around, and with you, when Ella and I get back from our honeymoon.”
“Count on it.”
“Great. I feel a family barbeque coming on.”
“We’re in.”
“Catch you later. Thanks for training Pain in My Ass.”
“Bo. His name is Bo.”
Gabe laughed and took off down the driveway with a wave out the window.
Blake went back in the house, closed the door, and walked over to Gillian. “I thought you’d be asleep by now.”
“Nearly there. Did your brother tell you to run away from me as fast as you can?”
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