WindSwept Narrows: #18 Paige Andrews

by Diroll-Nichols, Karen

  “Yeah…yeah, you will,” Sebastian started the bike and fastened his helmet before taking the direction the kid had pointed him in. She likes running, he thought as he drove, eyes scanning the area beneath the limited street lights. And she’d been out since five-thirty. He felt his jaw tightening. He parked the bike next to one of the gates, flipped up the visor and stood listening. There was no boat at the water’s edge tonight. He entered the code and pushed the gate open, propping it wide as he went toward the warehouse.

  The problem was there was so much ground to cover. He aimed the small light in his hand at the ground, the stream showing him the tread from her runners in the packed dust. Smoother shoes were all around, but hers were his focus. He moved slowly, quietly, barely breathing through the first large area, following the small prints. He made it half way through the second chamber before his pace increased rapidly.

  He saw the long legs first, encased in black lycra and leading along the form stretched out face down on the dirt and dust covered ground. Gloved hands moved gingerly over her legs and arms after his fingers checked the pulse at her throat. He played the light over her before tucking it into his pocket and carefully turning her to face him, his hand beneath her knees and lifting her in his arms. Her head fell against his arm, ponytail flipping as he walked briskly back the way he’d come, kicking the gate closed behind him and continuing to the bike.

  Tricky, but not impossible, he thought, bracing himself and swinging one leg over the seat of the bike. He pulled the zipper down on the thick leather jacket and held her against him. She was freezing, her hands and face colder than he’d ever felt in a human. She hadn’t moved, hadn’t made a sound until he crushed her against him inside his jacket.

  “Paige…” Sebastian held her with one arm, sliding the keys into the slot and turning the engine over. He took her arm and pushed it behind him. “Paige…can you hear me…” He positioned her legs and gripped the handles, throwing the lights on and kicking the stand up before positioning his other foot and easing forward just a little.

  “No shouting…okay…” she whispered, her voice rasping. “God…my head hurts…got any water?”

  “Not right now. Hold on to me, Paige.”

  “Hold…ohh…nice and warm…why am I so cold?” But she burrowed against him, even scooting a little closer, arms stiff when she moved them around the firm waist. “I’m tired…”

  “Just rest…” He whispered, flipping the visor down and sending the bike onto the road and heading to the health center on the resort.

  It was after midnight when he pulled beneath the awning at the emergency entrance. “Get a gurney,” he ordered the guard who came from inside at the sight of the lights.

  She hadn’t said anything and her arms had gone limp against him. He let the man lift her from his arms before slamming the stand down and following in long, solid strides. He never let her out of his sight, ignoring the woman telling him to wait outside the curtain shrouded room.

  “Sir, you can’t be in here…”

  “It’s okay, Macy…” Mariah Peyton came through the other side, white lab coat open and fluttering as she moved confidently and efficiently. “Mariah Peyton,” she told him with a quick glance before going to the unconscious Paige. “Paige…”

  “Sebastian Hartley,” he said automatically. “You know her? I don’t know what happened. I found her face down on a warehouse floor…best I can tell, she’d been there since about six.”

  “Macy, get me two thermal blankets, nuke ‘em about ninety seconds,” Mariah checked her eyes, checked her palms and tipped her head to the side. She held Paige’s wrist, silently counting and watching the clock. Dark eyes caught Sebastian’s. “Yeah, we’ve met. Lift her…” She ordered without preamble, watching him handle her like porcelain as the heated blankets were stretched over the bed. “Macy, get some wet cloths and clean her hands, some scrapes need antiseptic. Clean up her face. No scratches or cuts there. She’s up to date on her tetanus…” She wrapped her as best as she could until the hands were cleaned and then carefully braced her on her side.

  Careful fingers pulled the cloth band from the ponytail, spreading the thick red hair around before turning her to the other side and repeating. A low, soft groan came from Paige when her fingers spread the hair on her right side.

  “Looks like she was smacked with a board…maybe…something flat…solid…ponytail and hair in general saved her a worse thunk…” she reached to the stainless steel tray and caught Sebastian’s eye. “Wrap her in the blanket and hold her arms down…” she snapped an ammonia vial and waved it beneath her nose, her other hand out and on Paige’s face when she jerked and moved to shove back. “Paige…easy…”

  “I hate those…eeewww…god, I need air…water…I’m cold…why am I cold…” Pale red lashes lifted a little, wincing at the bright lights above her. She turned her face toward the mattress. “Mariah?” She blinked slowly, taking in the tall woman with long, dark hair pulled back into a high ponytail.

  “What happened, Paige?”

  “Someone hit me…I saw the swing too damn late…god, my head hurts…”

  “I’ll call the police…”

  “Oh…well…I’d really rather you didn’t…it’s not…I wasn’t…” Paige burrowed into the warm blanket. “I’ll deal with it…”

  “Secrets, Paige?” Mariah looked up at the man behind Paige.

  “No…well, a little…it would just be best if it stay with me…”

  “How do you think you got here, Paige?” Mariah asked at the same time a low male voice cleared his throat.

  “Aww, hell…why couldn’t the pigeons just eat me and put me out of my misery,” Paige recognized that sound.

  “I missed you, too, honey,” Sebastian said drolly, stepping closer and peering down at the half open eyes.

  Mariah only smiled and put a palm on Paige’s arm. “You think you can sit up without rolling onto the floor or puking?”

  “Haven’t eaten anything…feels like days…so doubt there’s anything to puke,” Paige commented, closing her eyes and lifting her head and then her shoulders. She sat up slowly, hands on the bed for support. “Nice colors…god my head hurts…I was going home and sink into the tub…after my run…”

  “And the warehouse got in your way?”

  “Sarcasm at its finest,” Paige mumbled testily.

  “You were told…”

  “And I swear I’ll repent…someday…” Paige shoved her feet over the side of the bed, holding onto the railing and straightening her shoulders with a stiff, muffled groan.

  “Okay…” Mariah stepped to her side, flashing and peeking into her eyes before shrugging. “No blood…a few abrasions where the board stuck…big assed bruise on the side of your head, hidden by that mass of hair and deflected by the ponytail. Take some Tylenol and stick an ice pack on your head…set the alarm…wake up every couple hours…or stay here for the rest of the night.”

  “Rest…” Paige opened her eyes all the way, letting them scan the room. “One? In the morning?” She groaned.

  “I’ll keep an eye on her tonight…then I’m thinking shackles after that,” Sebastian assured Mariah, his voice flat.

  She saw the relief in his eyes, felt it almost as if it were alive and kicking when she had opened her eyes finally. Mariah nodded and went to the curtain, pulling it aside.

  “You can go home, Paige…but take it easy, okay?”

  “Got it…easy…no problem…it’s Wednesday…”

  “A very early Wednesday, but yes, it is Wednesday,” Sebastian moved to her side. His hand went to hers, surrounded the small slender and slightly scratched palm. “You’re a lot warmer now than when I found you. Come on…onto the floor…”

  “I’m okay…feet work…flat…” Paige stood half leaning on the bed and took in a long, slow breath. “Good. Alright…you have a car?”

  “I do…but it’s not with me at the moment,” Sebastian walked at her side, his teeth grinding with each
step until she put her head back, rolled it slightly from side to side and aimed toward the sliding doors to the outside.

  “It’s not…then how did I get here?” Paige looked at him and then into the darkness once they were standing outside. Her gaze landed on the large black and chrome motorcycle. “Oh…no…you have got to be…I don’t remember…”

  “You rode in on my lap, wrapped in my jacket to try and get some heat into you,” he told her, his hand on her elbow and guiding her toward the waiting bike. He opened one of the side bags and pulled a jacket out, holding it open for her. “Put this on, Paige.”

  “I…” hands slid into the sleeves without thinking, her mind trying to recreate the transportation mode and coming up short. She looked down at the jacket and the sleeves that trailed down her thighs. “Good grief…”

  “It’s just to keep the wind off on the way to your apartment,” he dropped his helmet over his head and lifted the visor before pulling another from the case and fitting it over her head, snapping the strap and tightening it a little.

  “Look…I’ve never…”

  “It’s not difficult and you’ll be fine,” He mounted the bike and took her hand, leading her to his right side. “Look down…see the chrome peg?” He looked up long enough to see her nod. He swore he heard a little whimper in his microphone. “Right foot on the peg…now stand on it…” He braced his foot while she followed orders. “Swing your left leg over the seat and drop behind me, Paige.”

  “Sebastian…seriously…” Paige felt like a flamingo for a moment, perched atop the peg, one hand on his shoulder and the other on the chrome bar behind the seat.

  “Now, Paige, it’s cold and I’m tired,” he ordered brusquely, listening to the long, slightly ragged sigh before she did as he said, her body sliding down the slight angle and against his. “Now…either hold onto the bar behind you or me, but hold on.”

  Paige swallowed the yelp when the engine turned over, her arms immediately going around the man in front of her, her face against his back and eyes squeezed tightly shut.

  “Keep your feet on the pegs, Paige,” came the voice through her helmet.

  Paige heard her own whimper and for a brief moment, forgot her head hurt.

  “Paige?” Sebastian kept the bike slow, as slow as safely possible.

  “Yes…I’m here…it’s okay…yeah…yeah…I’m good…it’s alright…”

  “I need to breathe, baby…open the arms a little,” he pulled up to the stop sign and put one hand over the two of hers effectively cutting off oxygen to his chest. “Shit…I don’t have gloves for you.”

  “Breathing…yeah…I get that…okay…sorry…” she felt him pushing against her hands and let her fists open and her eyes followed, one at a time.

  “Slide your hands inside my jacket, Paige,” Sebastian lifted the heavy bottom of his jacket and took one of her hands to slide beneath the leather. It seemed to instantly register, the second hand following. “Better?”

  “I didn’t ever think I could be so cold,” she whispered, not even noticing the little yelp that sounded when he took off at the light and her hands tightened considerably.

  Sebastian figured getting her home the most important and took in a long, deep breath before shooting the bike into night traffic.

  “Paige! Open your hands, for Christ’s sake, you’re gonna kill me here…” but he laughed when he felt her helmet moving in a nod and her hands opened, pressing flat against his ribs. “It’s alright…I won’t drop us…”

  “I…I really didn’t intend to go there. I just wanted a run…a long, long run…I needed to think…” Paige kept her hands flat, refusing to let them join, even when the bike swerved slightly.

  “It’s alright…just junk on the road…” Lots of little whimpers and yelps told him she was alright, as if the palms that had switched from squeezing to pulling her hard against him weren’t clear enough.

  “How…how did you find me? I’m sorry…it’s so late…”

  “I’ve handled later and your downstairs neighbor. Nice kid…”

  “Ned…yeah, he is…good artist…likes digital games…”

  He pulled into her parking space a few minutes later, the silence bothering him.

  “Paige?” Her hands hadn’t gone slack so he knew she was still mostly awake.

  “Good. I’m good…god, I’m tired…”

  “We’re home…hold still…remember how you mounted?” No movement. “Right foot…peg…put your weight on it and stand up, swing the left one behind you until you come up with concrete.” Sebastian held his breath and the bike steady while she followed orders, her hands on his shoulders when both feet met the ground. He kicked the stand into place and reached for her hand, tugging until she was where he could see and reach. He opened the strap beneath her chin and lifted the helmet, watching the long red hair fall out in a jumbled mass. “Stay right there…good…hold the bike for me…”

  Paige let her other hand go to her temples, rubbing the heel of her palm against them and closing her eyes. She knew she swayed a little. Sebastian moved quickly, stuffing his gloves into the helmet and stuffing her helmet into the case before putting an arm around her waist.

  “Keys?” He waited while she dug a palm into the zipped pocket and came up with a ring. He took them and guided her to the stairs.

  Paige closed her eyes and climbed, counting. Eighteen, her mind reminded her, leaning against the metal rail, opening her eyes when she felt the rush of warm air. She shoved off the rail and moved quickly inside, shivering as she moved. Hands pulled shoes free, leaving them lay where they fell. She didn’t even bother with the jacket, one knee on the edge of the large bed before she pushed into the mass of blankets, wiggled, arranged and sighed heavily.

  Sebastian watched the process with widening eyes. One hand was up and rubbing the back of his neck. It was a kingsized bed. And she was now sprawled across the bottom of it. He dropped the helmet and gloves to a chair sitting before a little brightly painted vanity. His jacket looked decidedly out of place draped over the back, but he really didn’t care at the moment. He visited the large bathroom and found extra blankets in the closet, pulling one of the thick heavy ones from inside and taking it with him to the bedroom.

  He vaguely remembers pulling his boots off before stretching out on the large free portion of the bed, the quilt over him and eyes closing gratefully. A little over two hours later, he watched through blurry eyes as the woman at the end of the bed sat up, hands working the zipper before he watched the light leather jacket fly across the room.

  Chapter Six

  Paige knew there was warmth somewhere.

  She could feel it. Radiating warmth, her mind said, her butt snuggling back at the same time she felt heat against her throat. Good, her mind answered, hands clasp around another blanket and her sigh broke free seconds before she let herself sleep again. She groaned when the soft music filtered through the weird dream. Her head still hurt, but it was manageable, she decided before mild panic began to set in.

  The room was filling with slow spring light but she was pretty sure when she went to bed, she only had two hands…and two feet. She couldn’t see them, but she felt a heavy leg over one of hers, their feet touching. She slowly lifted the blanket, looked at the two hands she knew were hers and then at the third one that was crossed in front of her and cupping her shoulder firmly. Then there was the hint of something warm against her throat and just a little scratchy.

  “Go back to sleep, Paige,” ordered a low, husky voice. “You’re not going in today.”

  Too big a part of her wanted to obey, and she sighed and closed her eyes again. But a bigger part of her said she lived alone and if she was hearing things, it might be time to visit Mariah again. She ran a set of tired fingers through her hair carefully. She could feel where the pain was coming from and felt gingerly over her head. And bumped into another head. She was also pretty sure she only had one of those when she went to bed, too.

  “Work�
�” she said aloud as the music continued playing. “I have work…”

  “I’ll get you a doctor’s excuse. Lay down…” But something told him four hours down was all he was getting tonight, his sigh thick when she moved and sat up. He knew exactly when she registered him in her mind because it was loud and a little girly.

  “What the…” Paige shot out of the bed, stumbling back and looking quickly down her body.

  Clothing still there.

  Okay, that was a good sign. Eyes darted around the room, fell on the leather jacket, boots and another jacket that now rested near the bathroom on the floor. She collected it and tossed it to the boots as if it were contaminated.

  “Good morning to you, too,” Sebastian groaned and stretched. “I don’t suppose there’s half a chance you have coffee here, huh?”

  “What…why…who said…”

  “Paige…do you still have a headache?” He pushed against the bed, moving so his feet were on the floor. He could see the pain in her eyes, the oval face surrounded by wildly waving red hair.

  “You…” she held up a hand, one finger pointing. “You are my boss. You shouldn’t be here.”

  “I brought you home.”

  “I…Mariah…okay…someone hit me…I know that…” Her head shook adamantly. “You shouldn’t be here,” she repeated firmly. “There. Most definitely not there.”

  Somehow, the night he’d asked her out, he knew that would be an issue.

  “Paige…you need to take the day off and recover,” Sebastian reached for the boots and began pulling them on, zipping them in place before he stood up and met the look on her face. “You’ve got a bruise covering half your head, Paige. I can see the pain in your eyes…you’re wincing and blinking a lot…” His stomach twisted into a knot.

  Paige wasn’t sure how she ended up with her face pressed into his shirt, five fingers spearing her hair and gently massaging from her neck, into her hair and back again.