“I see how you are looking at that water, and speaking from experience, I know exactly how you feel. Unfortunately for you, doctor’s orders say that you can’t get that leg wet, so a sponge bath will have to do for now. Once we are finished, I will change the bandage for you.”
“Thank you.” Kerri felt tears of gratitude. “I don’t care if it is just a sponge bath right now. I just want to feel clean.”
No other words were spoken as Ali helped Chase get cleaned up. Kerri didn’t let the fact that Ali said she was speaking from experience slip past her, but she let it slide. Maybe later, once she got to know the girl, she would ask what she meant. Once she was clean and mostly dressed, in a tank and brand-new panties that someone was thoughtful enough to buy, Kerri leaned back against the headboard. She was out of breath and tired. The blood loss had left her weak, but Kerri wouldn’t have changed a thing she did to escape.
“Okay,” Ali spoke, “let’s get your leg cleaned up now and a fresh bandage then we can go get some breakfast and meet the rest of the family.”
Kerri winced a couple of times as she helped Ali remove the soiled bandage. She grimaced when she saw the long, jagged scar running from her hip to her knee. “Wow, I really did a number on myself,” she said out loud.
“You did this to yourself?” Ali looked shocked.
“Yeah, I jumped out a window to escape my kidnapper. I thought I knocked all the glass out, but evidently I missed a piece,” Kerri said, smiling.
Ali laughed. “Yeah, I would say you missed a pretty big piece.”
The scar was angry-looking, red, and puffy. Her leg was still swollen, judging by the way the stitches pulled in certain places. The doctors did a good job sewing her back up, but Kerri knew she would always have the scar as a reminder of what happened. She was okay with that because it would also be a reminder to never let her guard down again.
Once she was bandaged, Ali helped her pull on a pair of sweats. They fit but were too long, so Ali rolled the legs up a couple of times. Once she was finished, she patted Kerri’s leg and gave her a look of sympathy.
“Don’t worry about the scar. It doesn’t determine who you are. Plus”—she winked—“I know for a fact that Chase won’t care one bit.”
“Oh, I wasn’t worried about that, but what do you mean you know for a fact that Chase won’t care? Does this have anything to do with what you said earlier about speaking from experience?”
Kerri told herself to mind her own business, but Ali was so open and honest that it made Kerri want to know everything about her. She could see innocence in Ali that made her want to not only be her friend but to protect her as well. Ali stood from the bed and smiled. She turned and grabbed the hem of her shirt and lifted it. Kerri gasped when she saw the jagged scar going down the right side of her back from shoulder to hip. The scar was discolored, but Kerri could tell she had received it a while ago. That meant that Ali had to have been almost a child when it happened. Kerri immediately became angry. Who would hurt someone like this? She hoped that whoever did it was either dead or in jail.
“Who did this to you?” She tried but failed to keep the anger out of her voice.
Ali laughed. “Calm down, Kerri. No one did this to me. I got it in a car accident a few years ago.”
Kerri let her anger go and settled back against the bed.
“If you think my scar is bad, maybe I shouldn’t tell you about Cane’s.”
“Who is Cane?”
Ali settled back on the bed. “If you are going to be here a while, then there are a few things you should know about our family. “Cane is married to my brother, Duncan, and his best friend, Logan.”
Kerri couldn’t keep the shock off her face. “Two men? Wow, I can barely handle one.”
Ali giggled. “I’m glad you aren’t disgusted. A lot of the women in town are, and they give Cane a hard time, but she doesn’t care. She loves Duncan and Logan. They are about seven months pregnant with twins.”
Kerri loved babies. I wonder if Chase loves kids. Whoa, where did that thought come from. Slow down. You only shared one “almost kiss” with him. No reason to be thinking about having babies with the man. “I bet the women in town are just jealous. What woman wouldn’t want to have two men? Wait,” she said, narrowing her eyes to look at Ali. “Should we even be talking about this? How old are you?” Ali giggled again, and Keri was beginning to suspect that it was something she did all the time.
“I am seventeen. I will be eighteen in a couple months, but don’t worry. I haven’t lived some sheltered life. Believe me. Growing up, having all the girls in town falling all over my three brothers and Logan, I had to hear everything they did. If it wasn’t girls bragging on what a good time they had, it was girls coming to me for advice on what they should do to land one of them. Plus, I run the diner in town, and I hear all kinds of crazy conversations there.”
Kerri stared at Ali in awe. The girl was young, but she was very mature for her age. Kerri liked her a lot. “Okay,” she said when her stomach growled loudly. “I think I am ready for some breakfast, but how am I going to get there?”
“One moment,” Ali said as she stood from the bed. She opened the door, and Kerri heard her laugh. She looked to see what was so funny and saw Chase leaning against the opposite wall, waiting on them. Kerri wondered how long he had been standing there. Ali turned to wave at her and went on out the door.
* * * *
Damn, how long does it take one tiny woman to get ready? Chase waited impatiently outside of the guest room while Ali helped Kerri get cleaned up and fresh clothes on. He had seen the look on her face when she glanced at the tub as he carried her out of the bathroom. He knew that she wanted a bath and was grateful to Ali for helping her. Helping her to the bathroom and pulling her panties down was enough to test a man’s control. That had been one of the hardest experiences of his life. Who knew that could be used as a form of torture? Chase had been to war and seen enough combat to make a grown man never want to leave his room again, and none of it affected him. Yet one small woman nearly brought him to his knees when he sat her on that counter and removed her panties.
The door finally opened, and Ali waved him in. Kerri was lounging on the bed in a tank and sweats, but damn did she look good. From the smile she had spread across her face, he could tell that she was feeling better. He was glad. He hated seeing her in pain.
“Hey, little bit. I see you are feeling better. How is the pain?”
“The pain is nothing I can’t handle. Maybe a few aspirin after I eat something and I will be okay. I don’t want anything stronger than that.”
Chase nodded and went to lift her. “Okay, let’s get you to the kitchen then so you can eat. Breakfast should just about be ready.” Lifting Kerri against him, Chase couldn’t help but be affected. The cold shower he had just taken turned out to have been pointless because he was rock hard again just like that. Kerri belonged in his arms. She fit perfectly. Her body heat seemed to sink into him, and damned if she didn’t smell good. He felt Kerri sigh and relax against him as he began to carry her down the hall. He felt her stiff nipples against his chest and knew immediately that she wasn’t wearing a bra. Barely holding back a groan, Chase made it to the kitchen and sat Kerri in one of the chairs at the table. He pulled out the chair next to her and sat down. He gently lifted her injured leg and placed it in his lap. Aware of the quietness of the kitchen, Chase looked up and found eight sets of amused eyes, including Kerri’s, watching him. He didn’t care. He just needed to be touching her.
Clearing his throat, he pointed toward Kerri. “This is Kerri MacGregor. She ran into a little problem and is going to be staying here for a little while until the threat to her has passed.”
Chase introduced Kerri to his family until he got to Gavin and Angel. He noticed the recognition in her eyes when he got to his team members and wondered just how involved she was in her father’s company. “From the looks of it, you already know my old team members, Gavin and Angel. I br
ought them in as extra protection since we don’t know what we are up against.”
Kerri nodded but didn’t say anything. Getting the introductions out of the way, the family dug into breakfast and talked about plans for the day. He loved the fact that they treated Kerri, Gavin, and Angel like members of the family and included them in the conversations. Kerri fit right in with them. She laughed with Cane and Ali like they were old friends. Chase realized that Kerri was a strong woman. Not once had she complained about pain or being uprooted from her home and forced into hiding. She was kidnapped and held hostage yet here she was in his home, laughing and talking like nothing ever happened. Damn if it didn’t turn him on. He caught her looking around and wondered what she thought of his home. Chase loved it himself and hoped that she loved it, too, because if he had his way, she wouldn’t be leaving. He had to laugh at himself. It seemed like just yesterday he was preaching bachelorhood. He swore he wanted to be single. Now look at me, he thought. He was sitting there, hoping a woman he just met would want to stay with him forever. Yeah, it was crazy, but it felt right, and he always went with his instinct.
Once breakfast was finished and the table cleared, Chase kept Kerri sitting. His family had all left for the day, leaving Chase there with Kerri, Gavin, and Angel.
“Okay, we need to make a plan,” Chase began. “My gut tells me this isn’t over. This guy wants something, and Kerri is the key to him getting it, so I don’t expect him to go away easily.” He looked over at Kerri. “I know you have gone over this before, but we need you to tell us everything that happened from the beginning.”
Chase held his hand up to stop the protest she was about to make. “Like I said, we need to hear it again. Now that you aren’t on any more pain meds and are thinking with a clear head, you might remember something vital to finding out who this guy is.”
Chase listened as Kerri retold her ordeal from beginning to end. It was the same story she told in the hospital. “Come on, Kerri, think. There has to be something that you aren’t remembering that can help us find this guy.”
“I have told you everything.” Kerri growled, obviously getting frustrated. Hell, he was frustrated too. He wanted her out of danger. “All I know is that this guy has some kind of grudge against my dad. He didn’t come right out and say it, but the way he talked about my dad was like he knew him. This wasn’t just some guy out for an easy buck. His voice was almost familiar, like I have heard it before, but I can’t figure out where. The only thing I can tell you is that his eyes were lifeless. They were so dark, they were almost black. I would recognize them immediately if I ever saw them again.”
Kerri shivered and leaned back in her seat. Chase could tell she was more affected by the memories of what happened to her than she let on. “Okay, here is the plan.” Chase stood and began pacing the kitchen. He always thought better when he was moving around. “Gavin and Angel, I want you to be my eyes and ears in town since I will be staying here with Kerri. I don’t want anyone in town to know she is here, period. Duncan and Logan made that mistake with Cane and led her ex right to her. I won’t take that chance. The best place to watch what goes on around here is the diner, which is perfect because you can help Riley guard Ali while you are there.” Chase ignored the look that passed between the two when he mentioned his sister’s name. “Duncan and Logan will be keeping an eye on Cane, and Riley can take care of himself when he isn’t helping out at the diner. While we are all here, we will work out a schedule. I want someone on guard around the clock.”
Chase looked over and saw that Kerri was fading fast. She looked like she was about to fall out of her chair. He stood and lifted her in his arms and glanced back at Gavin and Angel. “Let me get Kerri back to bed, and then we can finish this.” He didn’t wait for a response as he carried Kerri back to bed. Once he had her comfortable, he sat down next to her.
“Get some rest, little bit. Once you wake up, if you feel better, I will show you around.” He watched Kerri smile and close her eyes. Once she was breathing deeply and evenly, Chase leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her lips. They were still sweet from the syrup she’d had at breakfast. He couldn’t wait until she was better. He had plans of taking that kiss a whole lot further.
Chapter 5
Three days later
Chase found Kerri sitting on the couch with her leg propped up on a pillow. “Hey there, little bit. How did you get in here?” He loved the way her eyes lit up when he came in the room. After being out on the ranch all day, it felt good to come home and have someone waiting on him.
“I had Riley bring me in here when I woke up from my nap. I just couldn’t stay in bed another second.” Kerri sighed.
Chase knew she was tired from blood loss and pain, but he didn’t like the sadness he heard in Kerri’s voice. He knew that being inactive was going to get to her eventually, but he didn’t want her to get depressed. He needed to find a way to cheer her up and fast. He grimaced when he went to sit on the couch and stood again.
“I stink. I’m going to take a quick shower, and then I will come back and watch a movie with you till dinner is ready.”
Kerri moaned and closed her eyes. “You just don’t know what I would give to be able to take a long hot shower or bath right now. I feel like I have layers of dirt and grime on me.”
Chase smiled. That’s it. I know what will cheer her up. Without responding, he turned and left the room. He took the shortest shower in history and threw on a pair of old sweats. He didn’t bother putting on a shirt because it would just get wet with what he had in mind. He gathered all the supplies that he needed and then went to get Kerri. She was still on the couch where he left her, just staring out the window. Hopefully she would go along with his plan because he didn’t think he could stand to see the sad look on her face any longer. He lifted her without saying a word and carried her down the hallway to the bathroom. Once in the bathroom he sat her on the counter in the same spot he always sat her in when he helped her use the restroom.
“What are you doing, Chase?” Kerri asked.
Oh God. This is going to be torture. Swallowing around the lump in his throat, Chase answered hoarsely, “I’m going to help you get a bath. Hopefully that will make you feel better. Since my sister can’t lift you, and I refuse to let one of the guys see you naked, you’re stuck with me.” He expected Kerri to argue, but she gave him a wide grin instead.
“At this point I don’t care who gives me the bath. I’m just excited to be able to take one. How are we going to do this? I thought I couldn’t get my leg wet.”
Chase held up a box of plastic wrap. “According to your doctor’s instructions, we just need to keep your bandage clean and dry. Since it is time to change it anyway, I figured we could wrap your leg in the plastic wrap and tape it really good. Once you are out of the bath I will clean it and change the bandage. I won’t lie though. Your raw feet are probably going to burn like hell when they hit the hot water.”
Kerri squealed and threw her arms around his neck. “I don’t care. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Chase.”
Kerri didn’t waste any time removing her clothes. Her modesty seemed to fly out the window with the prospect of an actual bath. Chase tried to keep everything as professional as possible, but he couldn’t stop the bulge growing in his pants with each piece of clothing that came off. He had been walking around with a permanent erection since Kerri got here. He had all intentions of offering her a towel to wrap up in, but if she wasn’t complaining, then neither was he. Just like over the past few days, he had to help her get her pants and panties off, and just like all the other times, he went rock hard when he revealed the tiny patch of trimmed curls between her legs. Chase turned away before he embarrassed himself by coming in his pants. He tried to focus on wrapping her leg, but that meant he had to spread her thighs, giving him a glimpse of her hot, pink core. She was bandaged pretty much from hip to knee, so he started wrapping at her knee and went up. When he got to the juncture of her thigh and hip, his
knuckles brushed her pussy each time he wrapped the inner part of her thigh. He held his breath when she jumped. He was trying his best not to cause her pain, but the plastic had to be tight. Looking up, he saw that there was no pain on her face. He could see that he wasn’t the only one affected by what he was doing. Kerri’s clit was swollen, and she was becoming wetter by the minute.
Trying his best to ignore her heavy breathing, he finished what he was doing and taped the plastic in place. “There now, that should hold until we finish with the bath.”
Chase had already run the water for the bath and made sure the temp was perfect, so he lifted Kerri and carried her over to the tub. He gently lowered her into the water to make sure it wasn’t too hot for her. Her breath hissed, and her teeth clenched when her feet hit the water, but she made no other protest as he continued lowering her. He laughed when she sighed and laid her head back against the side.
“I know you would probably like some bubbles or whatever other crap you women like to put in your water, but I didn’t think it was a good idea with your leg. I didn’t want to get anything on it.”
“That’s okay,” Kerri said without opening her eyes, “the water feels great without it. I feel like I haven’t bathed in years instead of almost two weeks. I’ll tell you this, I will never take bathing or showering for granted again.”
Chase responded to her with a grunt. He couldn’t think enough to put words together. He was too busy looking at Kerri’s body. He took advantage to look while she had her eyes closed. With nothing but clear water in the tub, he had a great view of everything. Her breasts were the perfect size for him, not too big or small. A perfect handful. He didn’t need any more than that. They were topped with small pink nipples that, at the moment, were standing straight out and flushed from the hot water. He trailed his eyes down to her stomach. He had a thing for belly buttons, and Kerri’s was damn sexy. He wouldn’t mind playing in it with his tongue. He went on down to her legs. For someone so short, her legs looked like they went on for miles. They were slender and toned. Even her feet were sexy despite the raw skin on the bottom. They were small and dainty. He wanted to see her in high heels with bright-red toenail polish on and nothing else. Chase trailed his eyes back up her legs and stopped when he got to the V of her thighs. Her legs were slightly parted in the water, and he could see her tiny clit peeking out.
Davis, Keyonna - Faceless Enemy [Pine Valley 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 5
