LITMIR.BIZ

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just as soon as they made it back to the ranch. Izzy had trained those dogs to kill, and that wasn’t safe for anyone.

      Glancing down, Egan saw that his knife was in its sheath. He didn’t even remember putting it there. The handle was covered with blood. He pulled it out and saw that the blade was, too. He got up and made his way to the well. There wasn’t anything to clean it with but water. He scrubbed the dried blood with leaves and that did the trick. Slipping it back into its sheath, he knew he might have to use it again.

      “Egan!”

      His name echoed through the valley with mind-splitting terror. He ran back to the cabin and Rachel flew into his arms.

      “Egan.” She threw herself against him and held on, her body trembling. “I...thought...you’d left me here.”

      He stroked her back. “You know I wouldn’t do that. Calm down. You just had a bad dream.”

      “Every time I close my eyes...”

      “Shh.” He led her to the bed. “How do you feel?”

      She drew in a deep breath. “Better now that you’re here.”

      “We need to start walking soon.” He checked the scratches and bites on her neck. “Everything looks good.” Touching her forehead, he added, “And you don’t have a fever.”

      “Can we stay here a little while longer? I don’t want to go back out there just yet.”

      “The sooner we leave, the faster we’ll make it to the ranch.”

      She looked down at the scrapes on her hands. “I can’t go home like this.”

      “Rachel, you’ve been through something horrific and you need your family.”

      She raised her eyes to his and they filled with tears. At the sight, his resolve weakened.

      “I need you. I know that sounds crazy, but—” she shook her head “—it’s the way I feel. Please, let’s stay here just a little while longer and then I can face my family.”

      The pain in her voice got to him, but he had to be honest. “Rachel, you hardly know me. You’re clinging to me because you’re afraid.”

      “I know,” she said in a dejected voice. She got up and walked to the doorway. “Oh, look at that view. I can understand why your ancestors chose this spot.” She walked out onto the porch and he followed. Six deer were at the creek, drinking. Quietly, she eased onto the stoop as if mesmerized by the sight.

      “I’d love to paint that,” she whispered.

      He sat beside her. “Obviously, you’re an artist, because you seem to want to paint everything.”

      “Yes. I teach art in a private girls’ school in New York.”

      At that moment, he realized Rachel was way, way out of his league. Yet it was hard to explain the feelings that had ignited between them. They had nothing in common and she was... He didn’t even want to think the words, so he stared off to the creek below.

      They sat in silence for a long time, both comfortable with each other, but he was very aware of her breasts pressing against his T-shirt.

      Finally, she turned to him. “I’m so hungry.”

      “I think I left some canned stuff here. I’ll check.” He went inside and left her to her musings. He found a can of SpaghettiOs and one of ravioli. After opening them, he carried them outside with two plastic spoons.

      “We try not to leave anything up here because it attracts foraging animals. Canned stuff is the only thing they won’t drag off.” They sat on the stoop and ate like two kids with a treat.

      “This is delicious,” she said. “Or I’m just really hungry.”

      “You’re really hungry.” He spooned ravioli into his mouth and it wasn’t bad. “When we were kids, my mom used to buy this by the case. On the ranch, you’re always busy and kids are always hungry. It was a go-to staple.”

      “How many brothers do you have?”

      “Six. My mom had seven kids in eight years. Jude and Phoenix were born in the same year.”

      “I can’t even imagine that.” Rachel licked the spoon. “Jude and Phoenix were in my class. Jude dated Paige forever. Did they ever get married?”

      “No,” Egan said shortly. He didn’t want to discuss his family.

      “That’s sad. They were so in love.”

      “Mmm.” Paige had chosen a career over love and family. Egan didn’t understand that, but he felt for his brother.

      “There was another brother a year ahead of me and he was a bull rider.”

      “That’s Paxton.”

      “The girls were crazy about him.”

      Egan ate the last of the ravioli. “Yeah, Paxton’s a ladies’ man.”

      Rachel glanced sideways at him. “Are you?”

      “Not close. My mother calls me the loner in the family. I’d rather be out here in these woods than in a crowded room of people.”

      She pointed the spoon at him. “You see, I would have guessed that about you. You’re a quiet thinker and Paxton has nothing on you in looks, except his hair is lighter. But personally, I prefer dark hair and serious thinking men.”

      The conversation was getting way out of his comfort zone. Egan took the can and spoon from her.

      “What are you going to do with those?”

      “Bury them so animals won’t be tempted into the cabin.”

      “Doesn’t the music keep them out?”

      “Not if they smell food.”

      A shovel lay on the edge of the porch. He reached for it and walked into the woods. She didn’t panic that he was leaving her, but he could feel her eyes on him. He took his time because he had to gather his thoughts. They were getting too close, sharing too much.

      After a few minutes he returned to the cabin, determined to keep things on an impersonal level.

      “It’s so peaceful and quiet here. I love it.”

      “But it’s far away from what you’re used to.”

      “Yeah.” She rubbed her thumb over the dried blood on her jeans.

      “Rachel, we need to talk.”

      She glanced at him, but didn’t say anything.

      “You didn’t do anything wrong. You didn’t cause your mother’s death, so there’s no reason to fear going home.”

      “Then why do I feel this way?”

      “You’ll feel differently when you talk to your family. They’re who you need right now. Not me. I’m a stranger.”

      Her eyes held his and he felt as if he was swimming in the blue waters of South Padre Island, warm, inviting and irresistible.

      “You don’t feel like a stranger to me. I trusted you from the moment I looked into your eyes.”

      “You know nothing about me.”

      “But I do. You saved my life, and I don’t think there’s anything you can say about yourself that will change my mind.”

      There was only one way to change her mind and he had to do it. “I spent time in prison. I’m an ex-con.”

      She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “Do I have sauce on my face?”

      Exasperation replaced his patience. “Yes.”

      With her tongue she licked around her lips. He watched the action as if she had hypnotized

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