by Sable Hunter
“No. Believe it or not, I met Sawyer when a grass fire threatened his peach orchard. The man was literally standing between his trees and a raging fire with only a water hose to defend himself. I nearly had to carry him out of harm’s way. He didn’t leave though; he was right there offering us every bit of help he could. Before it was over, he lost a couple of acres, I’m sorry to say. But I gained a lifetime friend.”
“I’m a little jealous.” She watched his face, loving the way the corners of his eyes crinkled when he smiled. “I really haven’t acquired a lot of friends along the way.”
“What do you mean? You’ve got the McCoy girls and Jenna, and I’m sure there are more that I don’t know about.”
Shane shrugged. “Not really.” As she spoke, it hit her. Brodie could easily be her best friend. Worry fogged her vision for a moment. How much power should she give this man? He was fast taking over her life and part of her still expected him to turn cold and walk away at any moment. “I’ve never been the sort who needed a lot of friends.” She turned to look out the window. Was she being overly dramatic or was she setting herself up for a fall?
“Just give yourself a chance. You’ve moved around a lot lately. Once we’re settled…” He jammed on the brakes. “Grab my medic bag in the back and call for an ambulance.”
Since she’d been looking the other way, Shane only got a glimpse of someone in the road before she reverted to professional mode and automatically followed his instructions. After calling 9-1-1 and giving them their location, she ran to join Brodie with bag in hand. “Hit and run?”
“Looks like it. His car is over there.” He pointed to a parked sedan with its door standing open. Glancing up at her with a worried look, he shook his head. “I’m afraid to move him. Set up some hazard lights. We don’t need someone barreling down on us as they come around that curve.”
Shane ran back to the truck and found two lighted triangles to set up as a warning system. Once she’d done that, she returned to aid Brodie in any way she could. Kneeling next to him and the young man who lay unconscious on the pavement, she tried to make sense of what she was seeing. “There’s not a mark on him, just a big bump on his head.”
“Yea, I can’t find one either. I’m beginning to think he wasn’t struck by a car at all.”
“Look, Brodie.” She moved aside the cuff of his pants to uncover major swelling and two tell-tale fang marks. “He’s been snake bit.”
“Damn. He must’ve fell trying to get away from the snake. It had to be a rattlesnake, that’s the only kind big enough in these parts to leave a mark like that.” He began to dig in his bag for antivenom.
Shane stood up and began walking toward the right-of-way. She didn’t get far before she gasped. “Brodie, it wasn’t a rattlesnake.” She didn’t move closer, but she could plainly see a big snake. “It must have been hit by a car, I can’t tell. I think it crawled off over here and died. This guy man must have stopped and tried to pick it up.” Shane made a face. She really didn’t like snakes.
“Well, what kind was it?” He rose to come to her, checking his watch. “Where’s that damn ambulance?”
“I think it’s a cobra.” She moved a bit closer. “I can’t be sure.”
“Shit.” Brodie grabbed her arm. “Stay back. It might not be dead.” Taking his radio, he called Rose to connect him with the ambulance.
After a few seconds, Shane could hear them talking. “You need to call ahead and tell them to get some cobra antivenom, I know you don’t have any with you.”
“Cobra? Good God!” Orion’s voice could be heard. “I thought this was a hit and run.”
“Not exactly.” Brodie answered. “He did fall…”
About that time, the man groaned and the sound of sirens could be hurt.
Shane breathed a sigh of relief.
“Sir!” Brodie returned to the man. “Hold on. We’re going to help you. Can you tell me what happened?” Brodie could tell the man’s leg was continuing to swell. He was just lucky the bite wasn’t closer to his heart.
The man groaned again. “I was transporting this snake to a buyer. It got out and I didn’t know it…crawled under the seat and bit my leg. I panicked and pulled over. When I got out, the cobra got loose.”
A movement in the grass caught Shane’s eye. “Brodie! The snake isn’t dead after all.”
“Get away from that thing, Shane,” Brodie yelled. “I mean it!”
She didn’t have to be told twice, edging back, but trying to keep the reptile in view. “Oh, Lordy,” she moaned, shivering.
When the ambulance pulled up, Orion and Lyndon jumped out. “Shane!” Orion yelled, happy to see her.
“Over here, Stark!” Brodie yelled. “We’ve got a head injury and a snakebite.
“And over here we have the snake.” Shane pointed.
“Lyndon, you help, Brodie. I’ll catch this little beauty.”
“Are you crazy?” Lyndon squawked as he placed the backboard down by the injured man. “Shit, that leg’s swelling like crazy.”
“We can’t leave it here, guys.” Orion moved toward the snake. “By the time Animal Control gets here, this deadly little girl will be long gone.” He eased closer. “I don’t see that it’s hurt. I’m going to catch it.”
“And do what with it?” Lyndon yelled again as he and Brodie tended to the victim.
“Sugar, go find me one of those cloth body bags in the back of the ambulance.”
Shane nodded, and took off, finding what he needed. When she returned, Orion was holding the long snake by the tail and it was weaving and coiling on itself. “Orion, be careful!”
“Hurry!” he cried and she ran to him, holding out the bag at arm’s length.
“Fuck, Shane!” Brodie yelled. “Give me that damn bag.” Just as soon as he got the patient into the back of the ambulance, Brodie sprinted to her, taking the bag and helping to get the cobra inside. “Whew!” Orion said, bending over and resting his hands on his knees. “What a rush!”
“You’re nuts,” Brodie said, completely serious.
“Well, what else could we do?”
“Let’s go!” Lyndon yelled.
“Be right there!” As he took off, he pulled Shane close for a hug and whispered, “I’m glad to see you two together. He needs you.”
“Go, Stark!” Brodie commanded and Orion saluted at him as he went by.
Once the ambulance was gone, Brodie closed the sedan’s door, cautiously peeking inside as he did so.
“See any more snakes?” Shane asked as she headed back to Brodie’s truck.
“No, but I do see the cage. I don’t understand who would want to mess with something so dangerous.” He shrugged and walked over to join Shane. Instead of going to the driver’s side, he came around to the passenger door, opened it and pulled Shane to him. Framing her face, he kissed her hard. And long. With feeling. Shane wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back. They’d shared kisses since the shooting, but nothing like this. When he finally pulled back, he rested his forehead to hers. “I hate for you to be in danger. Hate it! I want to protect you every minute of the day.”
Shane rubbed his shoulders. “I know.” She felt for him and she understood. He’d never get over losing Mary the way he did. Never.
Finally, he released her and came back around.
Continuing on their journey, it wasn’t long before they pulled down a narrow lane lined with crepe myrtle trees. The fields on either side were planted with row upon row of peach trees. At the far end of the road was a Texas-style stone house with a wide front porch. Cars were parked everywhere. “This seems to be quite the party,” Shane observed.
“Yea, I don’t have a clue what’s going down.” He found a parking place and came to help Shane, getting there right before she slipped to the ground. “I wish you’d let me be a gentleman.”
She grinned. “Sorry. I forget, I’m used to taking care of myself.”
Tucking her hand under his arm, he whispered, �
��those days are gone.”
His possessive attitude unnerved her. She could feel herself slipping back into the same habits as before. If everything fell apart again, she didn’t know if she’d survive.
“Shane! Brodie! Where have you been? We’ve been waiting?”
They looked up to see Sawyer coming toward them, and he wasn’t alone. Three small children stood by him, little stair steps, two wee boys and a cherub faced girl. Shane felt her heart begin to melt.
“Sorry, bro. We ran into a problem on the highway. Well, well, what have we here?” Brodie squatted down. “I don’t believe we’ve met.” He solemnly shook the little person’s hand.
“Brodie, Shane, meet my children. As of today, I’m their legal father.”
Brodie jerked his head up to stare at Sawyer. “Wow, I’m thrilled for you.”
Shane could tell from his expression; he was totally shocked. She moved closer, her heart hammering, thoughts of her own baby coming to her mind. “Hello.” She leaned close to the little girl. “My name’s Shane, what’s yours?”
“Elspeth.” But with an adorable lisp, the name was just a series of cute sputters.
“I love your name, Elspeth. How old are you?”
When she held up three chubby fingers, Shane melted. “And what’s your brothers’ names?”
“Dis is…”
“I can talk!” a blustery little male voice announced. “My name’s Mason and this is Harvey.” He patted the smallest child on the head. “He don’t talk.”
“Mistah Sawya is gonna teach Harvey to talk. Aren’t ya, Mistah Sawya.”
“Daddy, Elspeth, he said we could call him Daddy.”
“That’s right. I’m Daddy.”
As Sawyer beamed, Shane’s estimation of him as a man went from high to over the moon. “Sawyer you are one lucky man.”
“He sure is,” Brodie agreed.
As a group, they made their way to the back of Sawyer’s home where a crowd was gathered around a patio, gazebo and an outdoor kitchen built beneath a shade arbor. A simultaneous call of “Brodie!” let Shane know that this was his crowd. Some of them, she recognized. The Chief and Jenna was there, she could see the tiny baby in his proud papa’s arms. But the woman coming toward them with warning daggers in her eyes was new to her.
“Hold on, honey,” Brodie grabbed Shane’s hand, her bark is worse than her bite. “Jai!”
Jai. Shane racked her brain, then she recalled – this was Brodie’s sister.
“Jai, this is my Shane. Shane, this is Jai, The Yellow Rose of Texas. She’s pretty to look at, but be wary of her thorns.”
“Brodie, we’ll talk later.” Jai looked at Shane. “Shane. May I speak with you? Now?”
Shane gave Brodie a panicked look, but didn’t resist when the woman steered Shane toward the gazebo.
As he watched the two women in his life leave together, Brodie wasn’t alarmed. Jai was harmless – mostly. She was just concerned. He didn’t feel any need to protect Shane, she could hold her own.
What he was most concerned about was Sawyer’s surprise venture into fatherhood. The children had scampered off to play, so he didn’t have to hold back on his inquisition. “Where in the Sam Hill did you find those little angels, Father Goose?”
Sawyer let out a long, cleansing breath. “I met a woman.”
“Recently? Why didn’t I know about this?”
“No.” Sawyer shook his head. “A long time ago. She’s missing and they have no one. Long story.”
“A story I definitely want to hear.” Brodie couldn’t believe the changes that were coming to his friend’s life. Glancing across the way, he saw Jai speaking to Shane. Sawyer wasn’t the only one whose whole world was about to change. So, was his.
And he couldn’t wait.
… “Stand this way.” Jai took her by the arms and turned her to face Brodie. “Now, look scared.”
Shane thought the beautiful blonde was crazy.
So, she didn’t dare disobey. “Like this?” She widened her eyes and opened her mouth.
“Perfect.” Three seconds passed, then Jai squealed. “I love you! I am so thrilled to meet you! You are a miracle worker. We all thought that Brodie had died with Mary, you’ve brought him back to life.”
“Wait,” was the only word that Shane could get in, before Dr. Jai Jekyll turned into Ms. Jai Hyde.
Her eyes narrowed and she gave Shane a look that would freeze lava. “He’s been through hell and back. So, you’d better not dare hurt him or I’ll personally rake you over hot coals and flay you alive.”
“I’m pregnant,” was the best defense Shane could manage on short notice.
Again, the miraculous transformation took place as Jai’s face morphed into complete joy. “Marvelous! I’m so happy for you both.” She threw her arms around Shane and squeezed her so hard, all Shane could do was squeak.
Over the course of the next two hours, Shane met all of Brodie’s friends and neighbors. Like the reunion, there was no lack of remembrances of Mary, yet everyone seemed relieved for her to be in the picture. Jenna had come to her rescue more than once, pretending to need help changing the baby.
“This is the sweetest little one I’ve ever seen,” Shane bent over to smell his sweet baby smell. “And I love the name Wyatt.” She tickled the tiny boy’s tummy gently. “Wyatt Curry Gray, you are too cute.” Her mother-to-be emotions were getting a workout today.
“I hear congratulations are in order for you,” Jenna said lowly, almost reverently. “Are you happy?”
Shane couldn’t hold back. “Ecstatic, yet scared to death. Right now, Brodie is perfect. But I’m so afraid he’s going to look at me really close soon, realize I’m not Mary, and run for the hills.”
“He won’t do that,” Jenna assured her. “Brodie’s been through a lot, but he is a good man. And he loves you very much, I can tell.”
Shane’s voice dropped. “Well, he acts like he does sometimes, but he’s never said so.”
“He will.” Jenna picked up Wyatt and blew on his tummy. “He will.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“Your sister is scary.” Shane confessed as they headed back to Austin.
“I know,” Brodie agreed, chuckling. “Once she chased me up a tree, brandishing a lawn rake and wouldn’t let me come down until I admitted cats were superior to dogs.
Shane laughed. “Are they?”
“Only when I’m around Jai and her herd of cats.” He sighed. “I wish she’d find someone. She’s never dated to speak of. I told her she’s well on her way to being ‘the old cat lady’ of Pflugerville.”
Shane slapped his leg. “That’s ugly. Your sister is a little psycho, but she has to be the most stunning woman I’ve ever seen. I can’t believe she’s alone. If she looked like me, maybe. But she’s not, Jai is breathtaking.”
“Quit putting yourself down,” his voice had grown insistent and serious. “I don’t want to hear it anymore. You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known.”
Shane was stunned, she kept waiting for him to add an addendum, ‘except for Mary, of course’. But he didn’t. She felt a warm glow begin around her heart. “Okay, I won’t.”
The rest of the way home they spoke of Jenna and Logan’s baby and Sawyer’s new family. “I just can’t believe he took those children in like that,” Brodie muttered. “He has absolutely no experience being a father.”
“Neither do you.”
“No.” He nodded. “But I’ll get to start from scratch with a smaller model. Besides, I’ll have you to help me.”
She smiled. “Yes, you’ll have me.”
Brodie grew quiet, then his hand snaked over to her knee. “I want to make love to you tonight, Shane. I’ve bided my time; I’ve tried to give you all the things that I so selfishly withheld from you before. Can I?”
Tremors of arousal rocked Shane. She felt herself grow wet and needy. “I’d like that, yes.”
Brodie broke no laws getting home, safety first. But
when he found a place in her parking lot, he slammed out of the truck and came to her, lifting her in his arms and carrying Shane to her door. His lips claimed hers and he kissed her all the way, almost walking off the sidewalk as they went. Shane got the giggles. “Careful, you’re going to fall.”
“I’ve already fallen.”
She waited for him to say more, but his lips were too busy doing other things.
As soon as they were behind closed doors, they worked feverishly on undressing one another, leaving a trail of strewn clothing from the front of her apartment to the back. “I’ve been so hungry for you, baby,” Brodie whispered as he ate at her mouth. “Some nights I thought I’d go crazy I wanted you so much.” He grabbed her hand. “Feel.”
Shane trembled as he placed her hand over his strutted cock. “Poor baby. Why did you wait? I thought you didn’t want me anymore.”
“Not want you?” He grasped Shane around her waist and just picked her up. “Take me.” As big and powerful as Brodie was, he could handle her weight easily. Following his wishes, she wrapped her legs around his waist and reached between them to guide him to her opening.
With twin gasps of absolute relief, Shane accepted him within her body. He pulled her tightly against him, impaling her on his cock. “I don’t know how I ever existed without you. Don’t go away and leave me again, please don’t go away.”
She cradled his head, hoping beyond hope that he was talking about her – Shane Wilder.
“I’m here, Brodie. I’m here.”
Holding onto his shoulders, she gave herself over to him as he moved her entire body up and down – up and down – a lush, erotic slide up and down his pole. While he masterfully controlled her movements, he bent his head and kissed the scar on her shoulder, then began feasting at her breasts, sucking first on one nipple and then on the next. The sensations were so strong, so wonderful, that Shane shattered, her whole body shaking in his arms.
Still, he didn’t relent, he kept fucking her, backing her up to the wall and slamming into her over and over again, biting the soft flesh of her neck, marking her as his woman, his life.
Shane rode the tide of his passion, relishing the power of his possession. And when she felt him surrender, felt him shake in her arms, she flew with him, the very heart of her womanhood clasping and holding onto him as tight as she could.
