by Marla Monroe
“How bad is it?” he asked Harry as he slowly settled her on her sleeping bag.
“Not too bad. It tore out some skin, but it’s more like a bad graze. It just needs a good cleaning and a bandage, eh.” Harry’s voice had begun to quiver now as well.
Abby figured it was all from the adrenaline crash. She even had the shakes now. Poor Harriet sat against the back of the teepee, looking shell shocked. No doubt she was a little freaked out and a little lonely with both of the men looking at her.
“Harry. You need to check on your sister. She needs you to reassure her that everything’s okay now.” He looked over his shoulder and she saw the conflict in his eyes.
What was that all about? Why would he feel torn between her and his sister? She didn’t have time to think about it when Thad touched her wound with a cloth soaked in what felt like pure alcohol. All she knew was that Harry nodded and crawled over to check on his sister.
“Damn, that hurts!” she finally managed to get out after her breath returned seconds later.
“I know. I’m sorry, but you can’t afford to get an infection. I would never hurt you on purpose, Abby.” He gently dabbed the torture cloth all over the wound.
“God. How big of a piece of my shoulder did he shoot off? It feels like at least half of the meat there.” Abby cringed when he wiped around the area before stopping.
“It’s about the size of a loonie, but that’s kind of conservative if anything. It will be fine once it starts to heal.” He carefully covered the area with something from his pack. She felt it when he taped over it to hold it in place. “I’m so sorry this happened. I should have made you go back with me to grab my things.”
“Thad, you couldn’t have known anything would happen. I’ve traveled alone for nearly three weeks without having any trouble. I hitched a ride on a wagon with a family for as far as they were going in my direction, but for the most part, I’ve been by myself. It’s not your fault. I’m just thankful we met you before it did happen.” Abby smiled up at him, hoping to reassure him that everything was fine. “What is a loonie, anyway?”
“Oh, sorry. That’s a Canadian one-dollar coin. Forgot where I was for a second, eh?”
“That explains the accent. I was thinking you were from France and got stuck over here.”
She loved the slight blush that tinged his cheeks at her teasing.
“Harry? Is Harriet okay?” Thad asked, looking in their direction as if to hide that blush.
“Freaked out, but fine. Thank you. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t been here. I can’t believe that I let someone get the drop on me like that. I feel like a fool.” Abby watched him stroke his sister’s hair as she curled up against him.
“They were lying in the grass waiting for us, Harry. None of us knew they were there. There was nothing you could have done.” Abby tried to reassure him, but it was obvious it wasn’t working.
“Let’s get some rest, then head out early in the morning. I’m going to put the rabbit in the pot with everything and let it simmer tonight,” Thad told them as he gathered the first-aid supplies and shoved them back into Harry’s pack.
“Thanks, Thad. We’ll need it in the morning before we head out.” She managed a weak smile.
“What happened to those men? Will they try something again?” Harriet asked in a muffled voice.
“Don’t worry about them. They won’t be hurting anyone again.” Abby watched as Thad disappeared out of the teepee’s flap and into the darkness beyond.
* * * *
Harry lay awake for a long time, thinking about what had happened and the fact he’d been lax in the promise he’d made to himself to always be aware of their surroundings. He’d let down his guard and nearly lost his sister as well as Abby.
He also couldn’t figure out why he was so attracted to Abby when he’d known her less than a day. Women were more than their bodies or how good they were in bed. He valued a woman for her spirit and intelligence. Even more than that, Harry cherished what was in their hearts and souls. He couldn’t be attracted to someone who was petty and judgmental. They had to have a warm heart and the ability to accept others for who they were. Harry was almost positive that Abby was that kind of woman. But how could he know for sure after such a short period of time? It didn’t make sense.
But he had his sister to think about, so worrying over something that had no bearing on anything until Harriet was safe was wasted time. She came first. Harry couldn’t think about himself or what he wanted until he was positive his sister was protected and happy. He wasn’t being hunted like she was just for being a female. The fact that she was pretty only made it worse.
Somehow he had to be sure that whoever she chose to take care of her wanted her for more than her body. He needed to be sure that they were good enough for her and could take care of her before he would give his consent. He’d heard that out in the Border Lands, most women had two or more men caring for them. Harry wasn’t sure he liked that idea, but if it was okay with Harriet and it would keep his sister safe by having two men watching out for her, he was willing to consider it.
Thad came to mind. The man was definitely a good candidate just because he’d been respectful to the women and had pretty much saved their asses. He seemed to be well versed in survival as well. Harry needed to talk with him more to find out what he’d done before everything went to hell. The man had some sort of accent, so Harry wanted to find out where he was originally from.
Only time would tell if Thad proved to be completely trustworthy or not. It worried him that they were going to all travel together, but Harry knew Thad was their best bet at making it safely to the new community. He now knew that he couldn’t protect both women by himself, and he sure as hell couldn’t leave Abby behind. She’d accepted them easily enough and besides, he wanted to see if there could be something between them once he was comfortable that his sister’s safety was ensured.
Night sounds began sifting through the thin walls of the makeshift teepee Abby had created. He’d been an outdoorsman and avid hunter when he’d had time, but it had still taken him nearly a week of being on the road to manage a full night’s sleep out in the open while worrying about their future. Every little noise or snap of a twig had played over his nerves like fingers strumming a banjo.
Tonight they didn’t bother him at all. The soft song of the crickets and the occasional call of a night bird began to slowly relax him into a light doze.
The teasing wisp of a dream trailed around the outside of his mind, incorporating the night surrounding them. He found himself slow dancing with Abby in his arms. In the dream she didn’t have on dirty blue jeans or a loose-fitting blouse that didn’t quite hide her generous curves. Instead, the woman wore a gossamer gown of pale green that accented her plump ass while setting the tops of her awesome breasts on display.
They gently swayed with the music of the wind as it blew the grasses around them. Neither of them wore their boots, instead the feel of trampled soft grass cushioned the hard ground beneath their bare feet. Already he imagined making the tamped-down grass into a makeshift bed to slowly explore her amazing body.
When he looked up from her eyes, another set of eyes caught his just behind Abby. Piercing black eyes stared back at him with something akin to satisfaction that controlled his entire expression. Why? What was he so pleased about, and why was he holding Abby from behind in the first place? She was his, wasn’t she?
Despite how he felt about Thad being there in his dream with Abby, he saw himself nodding at the other man as they rocked her between them. Together they slowly lowered her to the soft trampled grass and started removing her dress, kissing the pale, pink skin beneath it as they revealed her sumptuous body to their eager eyes.
The quiet whistle of the wind and nothing else made it all the more surreal as he shared Abby with Thad. They kissed and licked every inch of her amazing body, touching her intimately and suckling her plump nipples until she was writhing between
them. The scent of her arousal as her pretty pussy dripped with her juices had his cock harder than he’d ever been in his life. He wanted to taste her and feel her cunt tighten around his dick.
When he was sure they were about to take their lovemaking to the next level, Thad lifted his head as if listening to something Harry couldn’t hear. The other man’s face twisted into anger and worry as he jumped up and ran through the swaying grass. It was then that he heard his sister’s screams in the distance.
Thad’s heart dropped into his stomach as he realized that once again he’d let his guard down, and he’d done it to have sex with Abby. What was wrong with him? Harriet was his responsibility, not Abby. Not yet. Maybe never, now. It was obvious that if he’d dreamed about Thad being in the picture that his subconscious had picked up on it as well.
Even as he struggled to get away from Abby, she hung onto him, trying to keep him from leaving her. Harry felt guilty, torn between her and his sister. He couldn’t do this. He had to ignore any feelings he had for Abby and concentrate on Harriet. If he lost his chance with the pretty auburn-haired beauty, so be it.
Even as he ran through the grass toward where he’d heard Harriet’s screams, Harry had the feeling he’d be too late. In that moment he prayed that Thad would get there in time. The other man seemed to be taking care of both women with no help from Harry at all. Why couldn’t he be interested in Harriet? That would be perfect for all of them. It shamed him that even with his sister’s cries in his head he was thinking of himself and what he wanted.
Just as he’d feared, Thad stood just outside the teepee holding a torn shirt in his hand with a furious expression on his face as he looked to the southwest. When he turned his head to look at Harry, pity pushed aside the anger.
“That’s what happens when you let your guard down for even a second, Harry. You can’t do that out here. You’ve got to keep her close and in sight at all times or someone else will steal her from you in the blink of an eye.” Thad shook his head and walked away.
The sound of a gunshot jerked him from sleep even as he lunged to his feet and got tangled up in the emergency blanket that covered the top part of the teepee. As hard as he fought to free himself of it, all that circled in his head was where was his sister—and Abby?
Chapter Four
“What are you doing, Harry?” Abby couldn’t hide her amusement at the man fighting the silver emergency blanket as if it were some kind of wild animal.
“Abby? Um, heard a gunshot. What’s going on?” Harry’s muffled voice made it hard to understand him.
“Let me help you. Everything’s fine. Harriet just got up and is sitting by the fire dipping up stew.” She pulled at the blanket until Harry’s head and shoulders were free.
“What about the gunshot?” he demanded, as he looked frantically around.
“Thad scared off a couple of wolves that were sniffing around. He said the smell of the rabbit stew had drawn them out of the trees.” Abby smiled and patted his arm. “Come on and let’s eat.”
“Why is everyone up except me? Why didn’t you wake me?” Harry’s tense expression switched from worry to irritation in a heartbeat.
“Harriet said you didn’t rest well last night. You were restless and she wanted to let you sleep as long as possible. She’s really worried about you, Harry. She doesn’t think you’ve had a good night’s sleep since you started out weeks back.”
“You should have woken me anyway. I’m supposed to be protecting her, and I’ve already done a shit poor job of it.”
Abby watched him shove the rest of the way out of the now-demolished teepee and storm toward the fire where Harriet sat. Abby didn’t know what to make of the man. He’d seemed to like her yesterday, but now she wasn’t so sure.
Doesn’t matter. I don’t need to jump at any man I think might be decent just because I’m scared to be alone. I’ll just end up in the same situation I just got out of.
She didn’t want just anyone who’d take her. Abby wanted a man who would appreciate her, extra weight and all. Someone who’d grow to care about her despite her freckles and plain Jane ways. She didn’t expect to fall in love with someone like she had with Evan. A love like theirs only happened once in a lifetime. She had no illusions that there would be some great love story waiting for her somewhere. She’d settle for a good, hard-working man who would keep her safe.
“Come on, Abby. The guys are going to eat it all if you don’t grab a cup,” Harriet called out from where she sat next to her brother by the fire.
“Coming.” She took her time, though, wishing that things had been different.
“I think you need to pretend that Harriet is your wife until we get to where we’re going. It’s safer that way. If they know she’s your sister, they’ll be more likely to try to wrestle her away from you. If she’s your woman, they might have some respect for that.” Thad took another sip of the stew from the metal cup he held.
“We look too much alike and since our names are so similar, no one will believe it,” Harry argued.
“Don’t tell them her name. It’s none of their business anyway. If you have to, call her Susie or something.” Thad shrugged.
“I think he’s right, Har. It’s not like we’re going to see a lot of people out here anyway.” Harriet pulled a piece of meat from her cup and popped it in her mouth.
“What about Abby?” Harry looked her way, giving her goosebumps at the heat she imagined she saw in his eyes.
“I’ll say she’s my woman until we’re safe. Not a big deal.” That didn’t even look in her direction.
She wanted to tell him to stuff it, but knew she needed the cover in case they did meet up with anyone looking for a woman. Why had things changed so much? Life had never been fair, but this was too much.
“Abby? Are you okay with that?” Harry’s voice made her realize she’d been sitting with her cup halfway to her mouth.
“Yeah, sure. All that matters is that Harriet and I don’t have to worry about being grabbed,” she agreed.
“Do you trust him?” Harry asked, watching her with an odd expression that looked almost like hurt.
“Yeah. I do. I trust you and Harriet, too. He saved us yesterday. He could have left us to our fate, but he didn’t.” She looked up to catch the quick guilty look before he hid it with his cup.
“We need to hurry up and gather what we plan to take.” Thad interrupted the uneasy silence. “We’ve got a long way and getting a late start this morning is only making it take longer.”
They finished up the stew, then hustled around, stuffing their belongings into packs. The emergency blanket was toast, but Abby took the time to fold the tattered remains anyway. She’d learned the hard way that there was always use for anything she could carry. By the time they gathered around the maps to make sure they were heading in the right direction, Abby’s pack felt heavier than it had been before she’d set up camp two days ago. Looking around at the others, she felt as if it had been more like two weeks instead of just two days.
“I agree,” Thad told Harry. “That looks to be the best way to start out. We can skirt that biggest mountain and circle around back on track on the other side.”
“That’s going to take a few days longer, isn’t it?” Abby spoke up.
“Yeah, but the mountain is just too dangerous to navigate. There are too many places someone could jump us and take us by surprise. I’d rather take a few days longer. Besides, there’s nothing fun about walking up hill with packs and there’s no guarantee we won’t have to do some climbing here and there.” Thad’s grimace spoke to his probably having done that before.
“I wasn’t looking forward to it either,” Abby admitted. “That’s one reason I’d already planned to camp at the cross more than one night. I was trying to psych myself up to it.”
“It’s a good thing you did, ma chèr. You’d have walked right into a trap if you’d tried it alone.” One corner of Thad’s mouth lifted in a half smile before it faded away. “L
et’s go. Day’s wasting.”
Abby folded the map and stuffed it back in her pack before falling in behind Thad with Harriet behind her and Harry bringing up the rear. She couldn’t help but wonder at the term of endearment Thad had thrown out. Baby. Maybe he was just getting into character in case they came across anyone on the road. Something inside of her warmed at the word, but Abby resisted the urge to embrace it. Now wasn’t the time for romantic notions, with so much at stake. She needed to remind herself of that any time she started thinking like that.
It took close to thirty minutes to reach the road again. The wound to her shoulder caused her to constantly shift the pack around and when they had to climb down then back up a ditch bank, Abby could tell she was slowing them down.
Why do I always allow things like this to make me feel guilty? It’s not my fault that I’m hurt. I’m not deliberately slowing them down. I’ve got to quit letting all the hurtful things from before affect me like this.
They walked well into the afternoon before Thad stopped and led them off the paved road, then down a gravel road a few dozen yards. Abby couldn’t figure out what he was planning to do, but was glad for the chance to sit down and prop her feet up to rest. The bottoms of her feet burned and her shoulder felt as if she had glass shards embedded in the bullet graze from the strap of her backpack rubbing against it. She prayed she didn’t end up with blisters on her feet or an infection in her wound.
When she’d first started out, after she’d left the commune, all she had to walk in were ragged boots that were literally falling apart. She’d already wrapped both boots with strips of a sheet she’d found in an effort to hold them together, but it didn’t last long. Finally, she’d had to find another pair or risk more than a few stone bruises.
The first few houses she stopped had all been pretty well picked over by that time. It wasn’t until she’d looked under beds at the fourth house that she managed to find a set of boots that were in decent shape. The newer ones didn’t quite fit, despite the two sets of insoles she’d stuffed into them.
