“I’ll tie him to the fence behind us. He’ll stay safe at all times,” he assured her. “How do you feel? I want you to drink some water before we go. I’ll ask Rocker to join us. He’s used to seeing you in the field and knows how you react. It’ll come in handy if we need to stop.”
“I’ll do it. I’m highly doubtful about this, but you did teach me to scramble my own eggs,” she said,making light of it.
“I’ll see if we can come up with a reward system. It seems to me, you liked it when I put my fingers…”
Scarlett put her hand over his mouth. “Shhh. Ice doesn’t need to hear it. I think we traumatized him as it is.”
“Somehow, I imagine he saw a lot of animalistic behavior in the kennels.” Ty shot back.
“I’ll freshen up and meet you back here,” she agreed. Reaching out for Ice, she stood and went into his room. Scarlett wet the cold cloth again and pressed it against her face. Could Ty release her from her nightmare of staying in the dark? She didn’t know, but she was tired of hiding in the shadows.
CHAPTER 30
Ty stood behind her,rubbing her arms. “Relax, Scarlett. We’re only practicing,” he murmured close to her ear. “Take the stick. When you hear a noise, I want you to point in the direction it came from. When you feel me or Rocker close to you, I want you to hold up the stick. See, no danger involved.”
“It depends on whether Rocker pisses me off anymore,” she growled.
“Come on. It’s not the first time I’ve made you mad,” Rocker taunted. “Let’s get this party going.”
“Remember, I’m right here, sort of. You know what I mean. I have a surprise for you when we return home. Show me what you can do, Sparky,” he encouraged.
“Sparky?” Rocker made a gagging sound. “Who the hell calls you that? Oh, I get it. You’ve forgotten your sass. You’d better earn your title back, because Sparky sounds like a name for your dog.”
“Get close enough to me, Rocker, please. Didn’t they tell you I hit my head and have memory loss? I’ll forget to point my stick in the air and pop you with it,” she threatened.
“We’re starting. No more talking, Scarlett. Concentrate,” Ty ordered.
He watched as she gripped the pretend weapon in her hand. He knew she felt nervous, but this exercise might help alleviate her anxiety.
He signaled to Rocker, who threw a rock toward the middle of the field. Scarlett pointed.
Another sound came from the opposite direction. She signaled she heard it. A sound from behind her startled her, and Rocker grabbed her from behind. Scarlett stomped on his foot, elbowed him in the gut, and went for his junk. He swerved out of the way, laughing.
“Nice try, Sassy P. Don’t let me get close enough to grab you,” he instructed.
They continued again and again. Each time, Scarlett improved. She got into position again and waited. Sounds came from all directions and Ty’s scent gave him away. Throwing the stick up in the air, she grinned.
“You’re impressive,” Ty complimented her. “Leo called about ten minutes ago. Since we turned our phones off to practice with you, I’ll call him back.” He placed a bottle of water in her hand. “Hydrate, Sparky. We’re not done yet.”
He walked away from her, and Rocker kept her company. “You know, I gotta give it to the guy, he has a point. When he first suggested this, I thought him crazy. You’ve grown more confident with each turn,” he said.
“I gave him grief about it, but it can’t hurt,” she said, twisting the lid off the drink and guzzling it.
“He seems to care about you. Sledge told me you’re getting close. It’s a damn shame he resembles Quasimodo.”
Scarlett spit out her water and punched him in the arm. “Shut up,” she said, shaking her head. “I seem to recall a few of the barflies you took home. Besides, I know he’s not ugly.”
Rocker grunted. “You hit like a mosquito. You need tostart working out again. How do you know what he looks like?”
“He let me touch his face,” she admitted.
Rocker paused. “You serious about this guy, Sassy P?”
Scarlett bit her lip. “I like him a lot. He’s funny, you can’t beat his cooking, and he cares about his community.”
“I’ve known you long enough to hear the ‘but’ in there,” Rocker murmured.
“I’m blind. It’s new and I come with a lot of baggage. Why does a man like him want someone who clearly has issues? He can have anyone, and yet he’s opened his house to me. Ty makes me feel safe. How do I know I’m with him for the right reasons? It’s not like I can see his face and realize he’s attracted to me or flirt with him. What if it’s me wanting it to prove I can still get a man?” Scarlett asked him earnestly. “I don’t trust myself or my instincts these days.”
