I shiver when I hear another sound outside that’s much worse than the coyotes.
Thunder. Distant, subtle, but still headed for us.
“Sheesh, they really got you riled up.” His hand touches my shoulder and it’s like a rush of comfort floods through me.
“I, um … it’s the sound of them yapping. It gets to me.”
“I can see that.” He lies back down and rests his head on his hand. “You’re safe in here tonight. I’ve got my rifle—” He puts his hand up when he sees me stiffen. “It’s tucked safely in my case. You’re good.”
I manage a smile and pull my blanket tighter around me.
“You can even lie down in here. I promise, I’ll keep my hands to myself.”
I throw him a glance through narrowed eyes. “I find that hard to believe.”
“Faraday’s honor, I won’t even try to kiss you unless you ask me to.”
A small sizzle of want tickles the insides of my thighs. Part of me would love to lie down and have him kiss me until dawn, but that ever-approaching sound of thunder keeps yanking me from that dream.
“Hey, hey,” he weaves his hand in mine. “It’s not just the coyotes, it’s the storm, isn’t it?”
I nod and squeeze his hand.
“What happened, Roxanne?” He asks, inching closer to me. “Everyone has shared tonight. Might do you some good to do the same.”
I glance up at him and forget about the roll of thunder for a moment. He shifts to face me, the lantern light skimming across the rumpled fabric of his shirt, hinting at the kind of strength you only notice when you’re close enough to touch it. It’s wildly unfair that a man can look that solid and that soft all at once.
“C’mon. Go ahead,” he urges, gently tugging me. I lie down at his side, and he wraps a blanket around me. “You can tell me what happened unless …” He grabsDante’s Infernoand holds it in front of him. “Might I entice you with a reading of this story about a man being led through the nine circles of hell?”
I laugh. “Hmm, that’s a very tempting offer.”
I can feel myself leaning toward him. Like some part of me is cracking open, just wide enough to let his warmth in. I want to tell him about the storm, the internal scars, the moment everything split open in that forest and the girl I was never quite came back. I know he’d listen, and I feel the words rising in my throat.
CRACK.
The sky splits open with a vicious flash of white, and my body reacts before my mind can catch up. I flinch hard and let out a quick gasp. My heart’s in my throat. I’m not in the tent anymore, I’m in the woods on that night.
Lightning in the sky, mud on my hands, and no one coming back for me.
“Hey, hey, you’re okay, Roxanne, I’m here,” Duke says, his voice low and soothing. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
That’s it, I’m fucking done. I sink forward toward him. I bury my face into his strong chest and another dam bursts. I don’t even realize I’m clutching the front of his shirt until he exhales and rests his chin gently against the top of my head.
“Breathe, you’re okay. God, I’m so sorry.”
I roll onto my back. “No, I’m sorry, I hate crying in front of people. I never cry. Like never, and since I’ve been here?—”
“Youshouldcry. You need to. You can sob in here all night. It’s good for you.”
I sniff. “That’s what they tell me.”
Duke reaches behind him, rummages through his backpack, and hands me a Kleenex.
“Are you always this prepared?” I ask.
“Absolutely.”
I crumple the tissue after wiping my eyes and nose. He even takes it from me and puts it in a plastic bag. This man isn’t even bothered by my germs! I reach for another tissue and start talking.
