LITMIR.BIZ

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and a bed, and that was all.

      “How about that pie?” Ryal said.

      “As you can see, I’m cutting it,” Beth said. “Why don’t you get the iced tea out of the refrigerator and make yourself useful?”

      Ryal grinned. “Yes, ma’am.”

      Beth rolled her eyes. “He’s not usually this malleable. I think he’s just showing off for company.”

      Mariah’s leg was throbbing. She needed some of her pain meds but was embarrassed to ask. When Beth put the pie on the table, Quinn scooted a piece toward her and handed her a fork. She took a bite and rolled her eyes.

      “Oh, my gosh, this is good,” Mariah said.

      Beth grinned. “It’s a recipe my Granny Lou gave me. She’s the best cook in the family.”

      “Lou Venable is the best cook in both families,” Quinn said, then added for Mariah’s sake, “We’re actually distant cousins to the Venables, who happen to be Beth’s family, too.”

      Mariah didn’t bother to hide her surprise. “You two are related?”

      Ryal nodded. “We’re very distant cousins, which is not all that unusual on Rebel Ridge, although we all grew up knowing each other. Not a lot of people ever move off the mountain, and those who do usually wind up coming back. What about your family? Where are they from?”

      “I have no idea,” Mariah said. “I was an abandoned baby who grew up in a series of foster families. Aging out of the system at eighteen means a kid like me winds up on the streets. I needed to belong somewhere, so I joined the army in the hopes of learning a trade and ignored the fact that we were already in a war.”

      “I’m so sorry,” Ryal said. “I didn’t mean to—”

      “No, don’t apologize. I don’t want anyone to cry for me. It is what it is, and Quinn already knew all this, which I assume is why he offered to babysit me through the rest of my healing.” She wouldn’t look at Quinn, couldn’t look for fear she would see pity, and that was something she couldn’t bear—not from him. “I am unbelievably grateful, but I can’t promise to be the ideal houseguest. My memory’s shot, and my leg is a mess.”

      “But you’re alive,” Beth said. “And trust me, I know how to appreciate that more than most. But that’s enough serious stuff for now. Who wants ice cream on their pie?”

      “I do,” Ryal said.

      “Well, we all knew that,” Quinn drawled. “The only person in the family who eats more than Ryal is James.”

      Mariah smiled and held out her plate. “I’ve been eating hospital food for two months. I won’t turn down ice cream.”

      Beth doled out the ice cream, and for a few minutes conversation was sparse. As soon as they finished eating, Quinn carried their dirty plates to the sink.

      “Thanks for the loan of the car and for helping out, but we need to get moving.”

      Then he glanced at Mariah. Her hands were curled into fists and the knuckles were white. Damn it. How had he let her get that bad without noticing? He walked over to where she was sitting and leaned down.

      “How bad are you hurting?”

      “Enough.”

      “The doctor gave you pain pills. Where did you pack them?”

      “They’re in the outside pocket of my bag, the one with the zipper, not the snap.”

      “I’ll be right back.”

      Beth turned just as Quinn walked out. She started to ask where he was going, then saw the pain on Mariah’s face and guessed what was happening. She got a glass of water, then took it to the table and sat down beside her.

      “I’m so sorry. Here we were acting like this was a party, and you just got out of the hospital. Why didn’t you say something?” she asked as she set the glass in front of Mariah.

      “It just started getting bad a few minutes ago,” Mariah said.

      Beth touched the top of Mariah’s head, then the side of her face. “You don’t have to hide how you feel from us. We don’t judge, okay?”

      “Yeah, okay,” Mariah said, then breathed a sigh of relief when Quinn came back.

      “Here,” he said, and dropped two pills into her outstretched palm.

      Mariah downed them quickly. “Thanks.”

      “You’re welcome. Do you need to go to the bathroom before we leave? Like I said, it’s about an hour to the cabin.”

      “I guess,” she said, but when she tried to stand, her leg went out from under her. Quinn grabbed her before she fell. “Damn it!” she muttered.

      “I got you,” he said, and slipped an arm around her waist to walk her down the hall to the bathroom door.

      “Can you make it from here?”

      There were tears in her eyes. “Yes. Just wait for me.”

      “Don’t worry, kid. I’m not going anywhere without you.”

      * * *

      By the time they said their goodbyes and he got her to the Jeep, the pain pills were having enough of an effect that she was feeling some relief. He put a pillow on the passenger seat before helping her inside.

      “The Jeep’s shocks aren’t as good as the SUV’s, but if you sit on this pillow I think it’ll help.”

      “You don’t need to worry about me,” she said, as Quinn reached across and buckled her in.

      He was so close she could feel the warmth of his breath against her skin. What she was thinking was disconcerting in the midst of so much pain. Then he turned, and she found herself caught in his gaze.

      “What happens if I want to worry about you?” he asked.

      Longing washed through her. “I don’t know. I guess I can’t stop you, can I?”

      Quinn’s pulse was racing. He was so close he could almost taste the kiss, but he wouldn’t go there. Not until she was standing on her own two feet and no longer dependent on him for her care. It wouldn’t be fair, and if he had a chance in hell of rebuilding this relationship they had to start on equal ground.

      He winked to lighten the moment, then backed out of the Jeep and closed the door. By the time he got inside, she had her emotions in check.

      “I know you must be exhausted, but this is the last leg of the trip. Once we get to the cabin you can sleep, relax and watch some TV, whatever you want.”

      “I’m okay. The pain pills are kicking in.”

      “Good. Next time, don’t wait so long, okay?”

      “I won’t.”

      She waved at Ryal and Beth, who were standing on the porch, then leaned back against the seat as he drove away.

      “Your family is really nice.”

      “Yeah, they’re pretty special, but they’re also nosy. You’ll probably meet more of them than you’re ready for over the next few weeks.”

      She shrugged. “I’ll take my chances.”

      “Just don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he muttered.

      Mariah grinned. “Take a breath, Quinn. I’ve been fighting insurgents for almost five years. I’m not afraid of your family.”

      The smile on her face was like a breath of fresh air. It was the first time since they’d left the hospital that he’d gotten even a glimpse of the Mariah he’d known before. It gave him hope that the rest of her was in there somewhere, waiting until it was safe to come out.

      When

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