by Joleen James
"Was anyone around when you received the ring the first time?" Rick asked.
"Yes, all the girls were in the dressing room."
"Then I think you're okay. You received a present. The ring is yours to do with as you see fit."
"Okay, good," She pressed a hand to the flutter in her belly, waiting for relief to chase the butterflies away.
"Did he ever try to physically harm you or force himself on you?" Rick asked.
"No. He tried to kiss me once, but he wasn't successful. He didn't force the kiss. In fact, he acted like a gentleman when I said no. After that, he began to send the gifts, show up backstage, come to my house. I asked him to please leave me alone, but the price tag on the gifts increased. I'm pretty sure he had me watched. There was a black sedan that used to follow me. Totally creepy."
"I'm sorry." Rick clenched his jaw, and she knew that look combined with his stiff posture signaled how angry he really was.
"Fox is good at intimidation," Tawney said, "but as a guy, why would you scare the woman you want? It makes no sense."
"I suspect he's not used to hearing the word no," Rick said. "Maybe he's in love with you, or maybe he just gets off on your fear."
"Love?" She chuckled. "He doesn't even know me. If he is in love, he's weirder than I thought."
Rick nodded. "If you're really spooked, you could stay with Brandi or Star."
"No, I don't want to do anything that will spoil Star's special time. My sisters know about Fox, but I don’t want Star or Brandi to worry about me."
"Okay." Rick hovered near the door. "I'm right next door. Call me if you need anything."
"I will. Thanks, Rick. I don't know what I would have done without you today."
Their eyes met. The years reeled away and she let herself remember how much she used to love him. Instantly her chest ached as remembered heartbreak returned.
"Good night," he said, breaking the spell.
She closed the door, then turned the deadbolt.
They were different people now. Rick had his own demons. She had hers. She needed to remember that, but sadness filled her anyway.
Tawney crawled into bed. She slid her gun under the pillow and checked to make sure her phone was within easy reach.
She hated being alone, hated admitting she needed someone to make her feel safe. She was stronger than that.
Maybe Rick was right. She was giving Fox Lassiter too much power. Running away made her a coward. Yet she wasn't sure she could face Fox. She did know one thing, being around Rick made her feel stronger. And she liked the feeling.
* * *
Tawney left Karma Fitness and stepped onto the sidewalk. She tilted her face up, letting the powdery snowflakes hit her skin. She inhaled a scent she hadn't recalled in years—snow. Funny, but snow had a smell. And along with the smell of a big snow came the anticipation or magic that had filled her as a child. Smiling, she set out for home. Snow or no snow, she had a date with a cup of tea and her dirty laundry.
"Great class this morning," a woman called out as she passed Tawney.
"Thanks," Tawney said, the compliment warming her in a way her jacket couldn't. The class had gone great. She'd had twenty people! Twice the number of people Liv's class had brought in last week. Liv had smiled the entire hour, watching from her desk. After, she'd told Tawney again that she was good for business.
Tawney was starting to believe her.
Still smiling, Tawney rounded the corner.
"Tawney."
Mel stepped out from the shadows of the building.
Tawney's heart danced a triple beat, but she recovered quickly. "Hi, Mel, what are you doing out here?"
"Just grabbing a smoke." He smiled. "Say, I was wondering if you'd like to get some lunch with me."
Her gut clenched. She thought of the flowers he'd sent her. The hairs on the back of her neck rose to attention. There was something about him that made her skin crawl.
"No time for lunch today," she said her tone light while inside fear held her in its grip. "I have a ton of things to do before my shift tonight." She moved to pass him. "Thanks though. I'll probably see you later." Tawney walked away, her pace brisk.
Please don't let him follow me.
She resisted looking over her shoulder until the cottage came into view. Only then did she pause. No Mel. She breathed a sigh of relief as she let herself into the house.
Darn Mel for scaring her.
And shame on her for letting him.
Unsettled, Tawney started a load of laundry. She paced the tiny cottage, too keyed up to make that cup of tea.
Fox Lassiter did have the power. He'd made her afraid of all men and their motives. How did she get past that fear?
Tawney grabbed her phone and called Rick.
"Tawney," he said on the first ring. "Everything okay?"
"I've been thinking about what you said last night about Fox controlling me with fear."
"And?" he asked.
"I need to feel more secure."
"How can I help?"
"You know I have a gun; will you teach me to shoot it?"
"You don't know how to shoot it?" Rick asked, sounding slightly amused.
"I know how to shoot it, but I have no idea if I could hit a target. Will you work with me on accuracy? I think I'd feel better if I really understood the weapon and knew what the gun was capable of."
"You know I will," Rick said. "It's a great idea. Are you free now?"
She thought of her laundry. "I will be once I put my clothes in the dryer."
"I'll meet you in the driveway in fifteen minutes? Wear warm clothing and boots."
"Okay. Fifteen minutes."
Being proactive felt good, great. She could do this; she could take charge of her life.
* * *
Rick upped the tempo of the Jeep's windshield wipers. A fresh batch of thick snowflakes hit the glass before the wipers could clear the snow away.
Beside him, Tawney said, "Wow, it's really coming down. Should we turn back?"
"Naw. It's supposed to let up this afternoon." He stole a glance at her. She stared out the window. A red knit cap covered her dark hair. A brown parka with a fur collar kept her warm. Her beauty awed him, as it always did. He'd never get tired of looking at her.
"It sure is pretty," she said, turning toward him. "I know folks here get sick of the snow, and maybe I will, too, but not today. I love it."
Rick grinned. "A fresh snow does have a certain beauty. The turn off to the cabin is just ahead. I've got a great target practice area there."
"Okay."
The road to the cabin had a coating of fresh snow, making driving easy. Rick parked the Jeep near the porch, and they made their way inside. He plugged in the heaters.
Tawney blew on her gloved hands. "Holy cow, it's freezing in here."
"I'll make us some coffee. We can warm up a bit before heading out to shoot."
"Sounds good."
Rick put the water on. He debated starting a fire in the wood stove but decided against it. They wouldn't be there long enough. They both had to work at The Junebug tonight.
"It's so peaceful here," Tawney said as she pulled her gloves off. She set them on the kitchen counter. "I would have never pegged myself for a country girl, but I love it out here."
"Me, too."
She dug in her purse, producing her gun. The pistol was no bigger than the palm of her hand.
"You know that gun is tiny, but it can still do a fair amount of damage," Rick said. "It's not a toy."
"I don't want to kill anyone. Can't I just shoot at his kneecaps or something?"
"Risky," Rick said. "Might not stop him, might just make him angry."
"How about his dick?" Tawney smiled. "I've thought about shooting off Fox's dick more than once."
"Ouch," Rick said, grinning. "I didn't know you were so bloodthirsty. Remind me to never make you mad."
She met his stare. "I'm not going to shoot someone because I'm mad. If I s
hoot, it's because I'm afraid for my life."
He could hear the desperation in her voice, could feel her despair deep in his core. It was a desperation he'd heard in a woman's voice before. Angie. Shame and sadness double-teamed him. He'd failed Angie. He'd be damned if he'd fail Tawney. "I'll show you how to use your gun, but I’m also going to teach you how to use mine."
She pressed her lips between her teeth, appearing to consider his words. "Okay. Knowledge is power, right?"
"Yes, ma'am." The kettle whistled and Rick busied himself making coffee. Within minutes they were drinking steaming cups.
When they finished, Rick said, "Ready?"
"As I'll ever be."
He spent several minutes going over each part of her gun and his gun. He showed her how to remove the safety. How to check to see if the gun was loaded. He explained the sensitivity of the trigger to her. Then he went over the most vulnerable parts of the body to hit. When he felt that she understood both weapons, they bundled up and stepped outside.
Snow swirled around them, falling thicker and faster than before.
"It's really snowing," Tawney said. "Maybe we should put this off and head home."
"It's fine," Rick said. "We're here. Let's fire off a few rounds. Put on your ear protection."
She did, taking a minute to adjust the protective gear. "Okay," she said loudly.
Rick smiled before putting his own ear protection in place. He said, "Let's start with your gun. The trigger is sensitive, remember? It doesn't take much pressure to set it off. Hold your arms like this." He held his arms out. "Gun in your right hand, left hand here to brace the weapon and absorb the kickback."
Tawney held her arms out like he showed her.
Rick moved behind her, his arms going around her, helping her to brace the weapon. The last thing he wanted was for the gun to kick and hit her in the face.
"Line the barrel of the gun up with the center of the target."
"Okay," she said.
"Pull the trigger."
She did. The gun exploded, kicking back, but Tawney had a good hold on the weapon and his arms around her weren't really necessary. Yet he didn't let go of her and he didn't ask himself why.
"Good," he said. "Again."
She fired again. "Did I hit anything?"
"No," he said, "and that's okay. Right now I just want you to have a feel for how the weapon fires. Want to try on your own, without my support?"
"Absolutely." Tawney fired twice more. On the third try she hit the target, the ring of metal filling the air.
"I did it," she cried, whirling to face him. "I hit it." She smiled ear to ear. Snowflakes stuck to her lashes, her hat, her coat.
Her beauty hit him like a fist to the gut. It took him a second to realize he was staring at her, but he recovered quickly. "You did. With practice you're going to be a crack shot."
She laughed. "Can I try your gun now?"
"Sure." He went over the weapon's specs with her, again showing her how to hold the gun. He stepped behind her, his arms going around her. "This one will have more of a kick. The blast will be louder, the wound more deadly."
"Okay," she said.
"The trigger isn't as sensitive, but there's a fine line between when it fires and when it doesn't. Go ahead and squeeze it, but don't be surprised if it goes off. Be prepared for the kick."
"I'm ready."
Rick braced himself and her. Tawney backstepped into him. He tightened his arms around her. The floral scent of her hair teased his senses. The feel of her backside against his sensitive male parts caused his body to heat from the inside out.
He never wanted to let her go.
The weapon fired.
She jerked back against him.
"Wow," she said. "That was different."
"Try again," he said.
The gun blasted, pushing her into him. Arousal roared through his body. "Again," he said.
She pulled the trigger, bumping up against him.
He groaned, glad her ear protection prevented her from hearing the soft sound. He wanted her. No denying it.
"Let me try alone." She stepped away from him.
Rick let go of her, the snow falling on him where her body had been seconds ago. "Be ready for the kick back."
She nodded, leveling the weapon and firing. The bullet hit the target. Tawney whirled around. "I did it. Wow, did that feel great."
Rick smiled, removing his ear protection. He took the gun from her.
Tawney took off her ear protection. "Thank you for the lesson."
"You'll need more practice, but do you feel more confident than you did this morning?"
"I do." Her grin was infectious. "And I don't feel as helpless. I love the feeling of power I have right this minute."
"You're going to be okay," he offered. He hated that she'd been intimidated. He didn't wish that feeling on anyone.
She nodded, her eyes on him.
Snow swirled between them, hitting Rick's eyes, mouth. "I don't think this snow is letting up anytime soon. We should probably head back."
"Okay."
In the house, he turned off the heat. He made them each a travel mug of coffee for the drive.
Rick set the windshield wipers on high. The blades couldn't clear the snow away fast enough. Ice began to form on the windshield severely hampering his vision.
"Can you even see?" Tawney asked, the words filled with concern. "I can't."
"Not really. Snow is freezing to the glass."
The Jeep hit a rut. Tawney braced her hand on the dash. "Where's the road?"
"It's here somewhere." He'd had plenty of experience driving in the snow, but this was an all-out whiteout. He'd definitely underestimated Mother Nature today. "I’m turning around."
He did a U-turn but must have missed the road, because the right tires slipped into a rut, putting the Jeep at a definite tilt.
Tawney cried out. "Oh no."
"I think we're stuck," he said. "Damn it."
Rick exited the Jeep into the swirling snow. He surveyed the Jeep. There was no way he could get the vehicle out without a tow.
He leaned into the vehicle. "We have to walk back to the cabin."
Tawney's forehead wrinkled. "Okay."
"Don't look so worried. We'll walk back in our tracks. It's just up the road." He helped Tawney out of the Jeep. They quickly adjusted their scarves, pulling them up over their faces so only their eyes were visible.
The snow dragged at their boots.
"Keep your head down." Rick took Tawney's arm.
They trudged on, walking in the Jeep's tracks, making the turn to the cabin. When the house came into view, Rick breathed a giant sigh of relief. There was always a chance of losing their way in the snow. He hadn't allowed himself to think of that possibility until now.
"We made it," Tawney said. "I've never been so glad to see a cabin in my entire life."
"I hear you," Rick said. He'd had no intention of becoming a statistic.
On the porch now, they stomped the snow from their boots before going inside. The air was still warm from the heaters. With his coat still on, Rick got the heaters running again, then started a fire in the wood-burning stove. It was only after he'd coaxed the flames to a decent burn that he turned to look at Tawney. She stood at the kitchen stove, her coat still on.
"I think we're good," he said.
She brought him a steaming mug. "Tea."
"Thanks." He looked at her over the rim of the cup. "We're stuck here overnight, maybe longer. I'm sorry."
She shrugged. "No worries. It's not a bad place to be stuck."
Rick grinned. No it wasn't a bad place to be stuck at all.
CHAPTER TEN
Tawney stood at the cabin's kitchen window, watching the swirling snow hit the glass. Snow had accumulated on the outside window casing, framing the window in winter white.
"Slowing down any?" Rick asked, glancing up from the book he'd been reading.
Too keyed up to read,
Tawney had tossed the mystery book he'd given her aside. Never much of a reader or a relaxer, she found it hard to sit still. Being here made her antsy. She needed to quiet her brain, but it was hard with Rick in the room. There was something a little too intimate about being snowed in with the man you had almost married.
"No." She rejoined him. "What do people do when they get snowed in?"
"Watch movies? Play games?" He hefted his book. "Read."
"Yawn."
Rick set his book aside. "What kind of things do you do for fun?"
"I lived in Vegas." She smiled. "I took classes in my free time, tap, ballet, exercise. I rehearsed. I went to the spa. I shopped."
"City girl." He laughed. "Boy, are you in the wrong town. I knew it when you were in high school, and it still holds true today."
"Really?" she said dryly. "What makes you say that?"
He considered her, his look measuring. "I don't know. I always had the feeling you needed to get out of this town. Like it wasn't big enough or loud enough for you. Maybe that's why things ended between us."
"I don't see it that way at all. I always figured I wasn't good enough for you. Let's face it, Destiny's girls were thought of as white trash charity cases. Your grandparents didn’t approve of me. Oh, they were nice to me, but I knew that they thought I was holding you back. Obviously, you thought so too because you left me at the altar." The tired old ache was back in her heart. "I waited for you for over an hour that day. You just left me, like I was trash." There, she'd said out loud what she'd been thinking since returning to Seward and finding him.
"Trash?" Rick sat up a little straighter. "No."
The words were said softly and she heard the sincerity behind them.
"I never meant to hurt you." He reached for her hand. "We were young. I got cold feet. For a number of reasons, none of which had to do with you, your family, or my grandparents."
She snatched her hand away. "How can you say that? Of course it had to do with me. I wasn't good enough, or smart enough, or loveable enough." Tawney shot off the sofa. "Tell me the truth. I can take it."
"I am telling you the truth." Rick stood. "Come on, you know we weren't ready to be married. I wanted you, and marriage was a way to get what I wanted. I'm not proud of that, but I was a teenager. I didn't do my thinking with my head."
