Twisted Rock

by Jill Sanders

  He glanced down at her feet and when he saw the trickle of blood on his floorboards, worry flashed quickly in his mind.

  After parking, he got out of the truck and gathered her in his arms to haul her back inside the house.

  “You don’t have to carry me, I’m perfectly —”

  “Shush.” He glanced around the entryway. “Bathroom?”

  “Over there.” She nodded. “But I have medical supplies upstairs in my bathroom.” She nodded to the stairs on the left.

  He took them two at a time as she chuckled.

  “What?” he asked when he reached the top. “Where?” He glanced around. There were six closed doors around the landing area.

  “The farthest door on the left.” She pointed. “I’m not bleeding to death,” she hinted. “There’s no rush.”

  He was already in what he assumed was her master bedroom. Not sparing a glance around the space, he headed towards the open doorway and gently set her down on the bathroom countertop.

  “The Band-Aids are under the sink.” She pointed.

  He set the first aid kit on the counter next to her, took out the antiseptic, and began cleaning the cuts on the bottom of both of her feet.

  When she hissed at the sting, he softly blew on the area to ease her pain.

  “I don’t think Band-Aids will help. They usually don’t stick to the bottom of your feet,” he supplied.

  “No, I wouldn’t think they would. I’ll be fine, really.” She wiggled her feet and for the first time that day, he noticed the bright pink color on her toes.

  “See.” She jumped from the counter and gripped his shoulders and winced when she stood. “Okay, so I may have to invest in some slippers or boots to leave by the front door.”

  His hands were on her waist, holding her still. In one move, he set her back on the countertop. “Looks like you’ll have to stay off your feet for a while.”

  “I can’t, I have to sweep and…”

  He stopped her by chuckling. “How about I run home, get Ozzy, and come back to help you?”

  She twisted her lips as if she was thinking. “Hunter should be back soon with the pizza. I can just have him…”

  “Okay.” He took a step back and helped her down slowly. This time, she stayed on her feet and looked up at him.

  “My turn.” She reached for a wet cloth and wiped his face. He was a little surprised when the cloth came back with blood on it.

  He glanced past her and winced as he saw the cut under his eyes. “He must have been wearing a ring.”

  “It doesn’t look like it needs any stitches, but you’re too tall for me to get a good look at it.”

  He bent down until they were eye to eye and held still as she examined his face. He winced as she dabbled some antiseptic over the cut.

  “Sorry,” she whispered, but she continued to clean the wound. Her breath fell over his face and he closed his eyes to keep her from seeing what was behind them. What she was doing to him. “There,” she finally said, and he straightened up. “I don’t think a Band-Aid will stay put there either.”

  “I’m fine.” He glanced at himself in the mirror and knew that come morning, he’d have a shiner. “I’ve got to give props to Mr. Schneller. He sure has a mean right hook.”

  “The man scares me.” She shivered visibly and wrapped her arms around herself.

  “Oh?” He turned his attention to her. “Why?”

  “When we first moved in, he would leave us notes in the mailbox, claiming that this was his land. No one had lived here for over thirty years and he’d been using the land to hunt on. I’ve caught him cutting across the property to make his way to the beach to fish as well.”

  “Did you call it in?” he asked.

  “No. Isaac and I agreed that he’d done it for so long, there wasn’t any harm in it. Isaac had a talk with him and the hunting stopped, but every now and then I still see him crossing the land to fish.”

  “I’ll have a talk with him.” He thought about it. “Trespassing is trespassing.”

  She shrugged. “He never bothered me before, but now that I’m alone…. Especially now that I know he’s exploring other… recreational pleasures”—he chuckled— “I think it’s best he stayed on his own land.”

  He nodded. “Agreed, I’ll talk with him. He may be stuck in the hold for a while after this last stunt while waiting for sentencing.” He started to follow her out of the bathroom, which he realized was quite impressive now that he’d had a chance to look around.

  The bathroom was bigger than the entire downstairs of his house.

  There were marble floors and countertops, and an open shower with only two tile walls to close it in. Her claw bathtub was twice the size as his and sat in front of a large arched window that faced out to the lake.

  He stepped back into her bedroom and whistled. “Wow, you know, I thought the downstairs was impressive.”

  She glanced over her shoulder. “I’ll give you a tour.”

  He looked at his watch. “Tomorrow. Ozzy is waiting for me at home.”

  “Right. Thanks again for… my feet.” She giggled.

  “Thanks for the eye.” He was smiling down at her when they heard the front door open.

  Hunter called out, “Rose? Why is Sawyer’s truck still here?”

  Rose sighed. “I’ll let you go. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

  He nodded. “I’ll be here to help you pick up the lumber.”

  “Eight,” she supplied, and he nodded.

  “See you then.” He followed her down the stairs.

  When Hunter spotted him coming out of her bedroom, the man’s eyes narrowed.

  He figured he’d leave Rose to the explanations and without another word, stepped outside and left.

  As he figured, Ozzy had left him a little reminder of why he shouldn’t take so long to get home. Letting the dog run free, he cleaned up the mess and threw a meal into the microwave. He sat on the back patio watching Ozzy chase birds and thought of what being close to Rose had done to him.

  Climbing the stairs an hour later, he crawled into bed with Ozzy and quickly fell into a Rose-filled dream state.

  Ozzy’s low growl woke him, his entire body coming awake in a split second.

  “Easy,” he said softly and listened as the dog vibrated next to him.

  He grabbed the knife he kept behind the headboard and tiptoed to the edge of the loft. Looking over, he immediately knew that the house was empty. Going to the window, he saw the dark figure dart from behind his truck.

  Using his thumbprint to unlock the hidden safe, he pulled out his weapon and rushed down the stairs.

  “Hold it,” he called out, but it was too late. Whoever had flattened his tires was long gone.

  Using a flashlight, he walked around his truck and cursed. At least he’d spooked them off before they could get to all four tires.

  Pulling out his cell phone, he called it in.

  At eight o’clock that next morning, he parked his motorcycle beside Hunter’s car as Rose and her brother stepped out onto the front porch.

  “Where’s Ozzy?” she asked as her eyes ran over his bike.

  “He had to stay home. Car troubles.” He decided to leave it simple.

  “That’s too bad.” She frowned. “We’re ready to go.” She nodded to the flatbed rental truck.

  “I’ve got to be back in town at noon.” Hunter turned to Rose. “I tried to reschedule the meeting, but…”

  “What is it, exactly, that you do?” Sawyer asked. He hadn’t heard much of the guy in town. To be honest, he didn’t even know if the man lived in Twisted Rock.

  “I’m a lawyer,” Hunter said, his chest puffing out slightly. “In Buffalo.”

  “It’s a long drive to come all this way,” Sawyer commented.

  “Rose has enough spare rooms that I can stay over when I come down.” He smiled and tossed the keys to the truck to him. “I’ll have to follow you since I need to head out soon.”

  Rose hugged
him. “Go, we can handle this. Like I said, it’s just a few boards that need replacing.”

  Hunter looked down at him, his blond eyebrows raised. “You got this?”

  “Sure.” He smiled. “Like she said, it’s only a few boards.”

  Hunter was silent for a while. “Okay. If you need any help, give RJ a call.”

  “I will.” Rose got on her toes and placed a sisterly kiss on Hunter’s cheek. “Go, be a lawyer and sue someone.”

  He chuckled. “Thanks.” Hunter waved at him and got into his car.

  “Ready?” he asked once the car disappeared.

  “Yes.” She smiled up at him. “Maybe on our way back, we can swing by your place and pick up Ozzy, so he won’t feel so lonely.”

  He nodded. “Sure, I’ll just have to think of a way to get him home again.”

  “I can drive him in the truck,” she said as she slid into the seat. He glanced over at her.

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  “You only live a mile from here.”

  “How do you know that?” he asked.

  “Simple.” She leaned closer to him. “I asked around.” She laughed. “Small towns.” She rolled her eyes. “Go, I don’t want to miss all the good pieces of wood.”

  This time it was his turn to laugh.

  “So, are you going to tell me what happened?” she asked once he was on the road.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Something happened. I could see it in your eyes. Car problems?” she hinted when he remained silent.

  He sighed. “Someone slashed my tires last night.”

  She gasped. “Oh no!”

  “Yeah, I was thinking it was…” He shut his mouth and shrugged. “Kids,” he lied.

  “You live pretty far from the road. Why would kids go to the lengths of hiking back there to do such a thing?”

  “Not everyone likes cops.” He pulled onto the highway. “I’ve arrested a lot of people in the year and a half I’ve lived here.”

  “I’m sure that’s true. Still, do you think you’ll catch who did it?”

  “No. But my insurance is paying to have the truck towed and new tires put on. They only got to two of them, since Ozzy woke me up.”

  “Then he deserves a treat,” she jumped in. “I always wanted a dog.” She sighed and looked out the window.

  “Why didn’t you get one?” he asked.

  “Isaac didn’t…” She grew silent and didn’t finish the sentence.

  “You know, the local shelter has some great dogs. We can always swing by there and check them out,” he suggested.

  She turned back to him and the sadness behind her eyes was replaced with possibility.

  Five

  A tsunami of feelings…

  Sawyer laughed at Rose as a group of dachshund puppies surrounded her.

  “They’re all too cute to pick just one.” She giggled as the puppies ran around wildly trying to lick her face.

  “That’s why I picked Ozzy. He was a year old and already house trained.” He stood outside the fenced-in area and leaned against the railing, watching her.

  She had to admit, he looked even better than the puppies at the moment. Her libido was working overdrive. Could you blame her? It had been a year since the last time a man had touched her.

  Standing up and trying to clear her sex-deprived mind, she made her way slowly through the mass of excited ankle bitters—as Hunter had always called small dogs—and exited the kenneled area.

  “Okay, you might have something there. I don’t have time with all the construction to train a puppy. Besides, they chew on wood.” She turned to him, frowning. “Don’t they?”

  “All dogs can. You’ll have to do some training to get them to change any unpleasant habits they may have,” he answered.

  She thought about potty training a puppy, then thought about simply training an older dog and nodded. “Okay, take me to the older dogs.”

  The wood planks they had purchased earlier were in the back of the truck. When Sawyer had suggested they make a quick stop at the shelter before getting Ozzy and starting work for the day, she’d jumped at the opportunity.

  They walked through the rows of kennels and a small terrier mix caught her eye and melted her heart. The little girl shivered and cowered in the corner, but when Rose picked her up, she snuggled to her chest and almost purred.

  “This is the one.” She turned to Sawyer. “I’ll take this one.”

  He chuckled. “Not much of a guard dog.” He gently stroked the dog between the ears with one fingertip. Rose couldn’t help but watch the movement and daydream. Her libido again.

  “Still.” She broke her thoughts and snuggled the dog against her chest. “She’s the one.”

  “Okay, I’ll go find someone to start the paperwork for…” He glanced down at the sign hooked to the kennel door and laughed. “Mrs. Tinkles?” He chuckled as he went and found someone to help them.

  “Don’t worry about him. The first thing we’re going to do together is change your name.” She held the small dog up until they were nose to nose. Her eyes squinted, and the small dog followed suit. A wave of love hit her like a tsunami.

  “That’s it.” She hugged the dog to her chest. “Tsunami…” She didn’t like the sound of it and ran a few variations through her mind as they waited for Sawyer.

  “How about Tsuna?” she asked Sawyer when he returned.

  “What?” Sawyer looked at her funny and she laughed.

  “You know, for a name. Short for tsunami.” She turned the small dog his way and he laughed uncontrollably.

  “You’re going to name that small, gentle, scared, little dog after a large, overwhelming wave that terrorizes millions and destroys everything in its path?”

  She looked down at the dog and smiled. “Yes.” She touched her nose to the dog’s and felt the wave of love hit her again.

  Less than half an hour later, they walked out of the shelter. Tsuna needed two days to get ready. She had to be neutered and chipped, not to mention updated on all her shots before she was able to go to her new forever home.

  Rose hadn’t known there was so much involved in adopting a dog, but she found it all very fun and enjoyed the new experience.

  She leaned back in the truck and relaxed as Sawyer drove. When he pulled onto a small dirt road, she sat up slightly. She was curious to see what kind of place he lived in. The rustic feel of the quaint refurbished barn home made her smile.

  “I like your place.” She leaned towards the dash, so she could see the place better.

  “I’ll give you a tour.” He parked the truck and got out. “They must have come to get my truck.” He motioned towards a parking area in front of a detached garage. “Come on, Ozzy’s excited there’s company.”

  She could hear a dog barking now and followed Sawyer to a small blue door on the side of the house.

  She was happily surprised at a few things. The first was that Ozzy wasn’t the massive beast that she’d imagined from his name. He was a wire-haired dog almost as small as Tsuna. Second, she fell in love the instant she stepped into his home.

  The entire first floor was open space. She could see from one end of the house to the other. The kitchen sat at the far right of the space, with a dining room in front of a massive bright blue barn door. There were shelves instead of cabinets over each countertop in the kitchen. Every single cup or plate was perfectly in place as was each container of food. They were all perfectly labeled in crisp handwriting on the small black chalk area on the front of each container. She’d seen homes like this in the magazines but had never imagined it belonging to a bachelor.

  The stairs were tucked at the back of house. It was steep, and each step was made of half logs. There was a small sofa and TV area just beside and under the stairs. A massive iron stove sat between the sofa and a recliner.

  Glancing up, she could see that the entire floor above was a loft.

  “I’ve got to let Ozzy out before I show you t
he rest.” He made his way towards the large blue barn door.

  He unlatched the door and slid it open. The view he exposed was breathtaking.

  She followed him and stepped out onto a patio area. There was another table and chairs, but this set was made to bear the brunt of everyday weather. Beyond the patio was a small green field and only a few yards away was a beautiful lake with a dock hanging over its peaceful waters.

  Ozzy had followed Sawyer out and now that he was done with his business, the dog came sniffing around her.

  She sat down in one of the chairs and gave him her attention until he lost interest.

  “See?” Sawyer chuckled. “He likes everyone.”

  She smiled. “Okay, finish showing me around.” She nodded back to the house.

  They walked back into the house and he motioned for her to head up, then he followed her up the narrow stairs.

  “Have you ever bumped your head on this?” She tapped the low beam that seemed too low for even her to fit under.

  “The first few months I lived here, I thought I was going to go brain dead.” He easily maneuvered up the rest of the way. “Now I have it down pat.”

  He raised his arms and motioned for her to look around.

  Okay, she was really impressed. He was extremely tidy. There wasn’t even a pair of shoes sitting on the floor.

  As she suspected, the entire top floor was open as well. A small half-wall blocked the view from the downstairs. The bed sat directly against it. Along the back of the house, there was a small window with a small claw-foot bathtub under it. To the right was a very narrow shower, and there was a toilet and small sink area next to them.

  “So much for privacy up here.” She motioned to the toilet.

  “Ozzy doesn’t mind since I watch him go too.”

  She chuckled and shook her head as she walked towards his bookcase. She was surprised that it was full of fiction books.

  “Sci-fi?” She glanced back at him after picking up one of the novels she’d read herself.

  He shrugged. “You’ve got to read something, right?”

  “Most men don’t.” She ran her fingers over each novel, wishing silently to borrow a few of the titles.