Part 4 (1/2)
”It's your parents,” he said before laughing. ”And your brothers, and they don't look too pleased. I'm thinking they finally figured out the two of us are here together.”
Before he could say anything further, the door flew open. Hawk strode in, looking as if he expected to find the two of them in a steamy embrace.
”Travis,” Hawk said in greeting, but it seemed to be more of a warning than a h.e.l.lo.
As much as her overbearing family drove her nuts sometimes, she loved them dearly, and loved how protective they were of her. If only she could choose what they were protective about, and what they left her alone to live her life for . . .
”Hawk!” she said as she stood up and rushed toward him. It had only been a week since she'd seen him, but time seemed to stand still in this little cabin in the woods.
”Taylor.” He met her halfway and pulled her against him for a hug before drawing back and a.s.sessing her. ”How are you feeling? Have you had any problems? Are you ready to come back home?” He was firing the questions off too fast for her to answer, so she waited for him to finish.
”I'm feeling fine, Hawk, and no, I haven't had problems, and I a.s.sure you that you will know immediately when I'm ready to come back to town.” She emphasized the last word, because when she did come back from the woods, she doubted she'd be going back to her parents' home. She was more than ready to have her own place again if she was to be stuck in Montana for any length of time.
”Baby girl, I've been trying to give you your s.p.a.ce, but your father and I figured you'd be running low on supplies, so we wanted to surprise you,” Maggie said as she hugged Taylor next before pa.s.sing her to her father.
”You were thinking right. I just ate the last chocolate bar last night,” Taylor said. That was a true emergency, after all.
”I was thinking more real food, but I did include chocolate,” Maggie said with a laugh.
”So what in the h.e.l.l are you doing shacking up with my baby sister?”
The room went silent and everyone froze as Taylor turned to find her brother-Travis's best friend-facing off with him.
”I'm not shacking up with your sister, Bryson-though I suppose you could say I'm cabining up with her, if not in the way you mean. And it's great to see you, too,” Travis said, not even slightly ruffled.
”I thought you wanted peace and quiet,” Bryson growled.
”I did want that, and you promised it to me, but apparently your mother thought it would be a good idea for Taylor to get some peace and quiet as well.”
”And what have the two of you been doing?” Bryson asked, hands on his hips. ”The cabin only has one room.”
Taylor saw that her brother was also carrying a gun. This could end badly.
”Are you accusing me of something, Bryson?” Travis asked in an almost deadly calm that sent a s.h.i.+ver down Taylor's spine. It was time to step in.
”This is none of your d.a.m.n business, Bryson,” she said, and Bryson turned her way. ”If you have a problem or want to make accusations, then maybe you should fire your questions at me.”
”I don't need you to step in for me,” Travis said, still obviously unhappy with Bryson's att.i.tude.
”We'll talk later,” Taylor said, sending him a look that had shut up more than one man during her years on the circuit.
”Yeah, we will.” Another s.h.i.+ver pa.s.sed down her spine. This one wasn't fear, though.
Turning away from Travis before the two of them combusted, she faced Bryson again. Finally, his hands dropped and he walked up to her. ”I'm sorry, sis. I'm just worried about you,” he said and gave her a hug.
”It's okay to worry about me, but you don't have to come in here acting like an a.s.s in the process.” But she easily accepted his apologetic hug and gave him a big squeeze in return. ”And though it's none of your business, we've been taking turns with the room. I was quite unhappy to find Travis here at first, and I wanted him to leave, but he's been . . . helpful, and not bad company.”
”What? You're making her sleep on the couch?” Bryson said as he turned toward Travis.
Before Travis could reply, she spoke. ”That also is none of your business.”
She stared sternly at her brother for several long seconds while he seemed to be gathering his wits. Finally, he gave her a sheepish grin before pulling her close to his side.
”Okay. I'll leave you alone, but just know that I can be here in less than an hour if Travis gets out of line,” he told her, turning his head and sending Travis a look only guys could read.
”Deal,” she said, sending her own little smirk Travis's way.
And just like that, the tension was defused. They all made a couple of trips out to her parents' gigantic SUV and brought in all the new supplies her mother had bought.
”Are you thinking I'll be out here for the next decade, Mom?” Taylor asked with a laugh as she looked at the bags now covering the counter and kitchen floor.
”I wasn't sure what you'd need,” Maggie said. Her mother had always been a nurturer to anyone who needed help.
”I really appreciate it,” Taylor said. ”I'll appreciate it a lot more if you help me put it away.” Otherwise it would take all night to get the supplies organized.
The family spent a pleasant afternoon visiting, and when the sun began to set, Travis lit a small fire in the outdoor pit. Taylor curled her legs beneath her and roasted a marshmallow to perfection before slapping it onto a graham cracker with chocolate. An absolutely perfect s'more.
”So flipping good,” she said with a sigh, making her brothers laugh.
Travis, Hawk, and Bryson were on the other side of the fire, enjoying the fragrant cigars Hawk had brought along, and her parents were sitting together on a large log with notches for seats.
Soon the conversation quieted, and Taylor found her eyes drifting closed. She was sound asleep when her parents and brothers packed themselves into the SUV and promised Travis they'd return soon.
She woke up only partially, just enough to think it all a dream, when Travis lifted her into his arms, carried her inside, and laid her on the bed. After removing her shoes and sweats.h.i.+rt, he covered her up and headed for the door.
Her last sigh was his name on her lips.
Travis jerked straight up on the ridiculously uncomfortable couch, instantly awake and alert as he tried to focus his eyes in the dark room.
Only shadows danced on the walls from the dying embers in the fireplace, but it was enough light for him to get his bearings and see that no silhouettes, either human or animal, were moving around the cabin. What had woken him?
A groan of pain coming from the bedroom answered his unspoken question. Instantly on his feet, grabbing the gun he kept beneath the couch, he moved swiftly to Taylor's room and pushed open the door, the bathroom light casting a soft glow over her grimacing face as she held her knee to her chest and twisted around on the bed.
”Taylor, what is it?” he asked, instantly putting the gun down on the nightstand and carefully sitting on the edge of the bed as he reached out a hand for her.
”It's nothing,” she said shakily.
”I can't help you if I don't know what the problem is.”
”My leg,” she groaned. Her body tensed and sweat broke out on her head.
”What happened?” He reached for the leg she was holding, and tried to see whether there was an open wound. He couldn't find anything, but the light was dim.
”It's an old injury,” she replied, tears now falling down her face as she writhed in pain before him.
”What can I do?”
”Nothing. I get these muscle spasms in my thigh, and when they hit, they're pure h.e.l.l, but I just have to suffer through it.” She twisted again, moaning, and this time, her body fell against his. She was in too much pain to scoot away.
”What if I ma.s.sage it?”