Cougar attacks were rare—hell, she’d never heard of one happening locally before.At least not for decades.That didn’t mean it hadn’t happened though.She stepped forward and took his coat then set the gun against the wall.The healer in her always got the best of her.“Where are you hurt?”
He coughed.“Everywhere.”He swayed on his feet and she caught his arm.Deep ravines of stress creased the skin around his eyes.She positioned her shoulder under his arm.He didn’t lean on her, but his steps were less cautious.One glance at his scruffy jaw revealed blood on the side of his neck.Her pulse kicked up a notch—he could have been killed.While she loved living with the majestic creatures in the mountains, the fear of their power never left her.
She dropped her gaze and took in his jeans, which were soaked to the knees.God he was big.If he lost his balance, they’d both topple over.She led him through the entryway that opened into the combined living room and kitchen.Her bedroom and the only bathroom lay down a short hallway.
“Sit,” she said, gesturing to her grandfather’s old rocking chair.
He sat and moaned.“Thanks for letting me warm up.If you don’t mind stopping at my truck on the way into town, I can grab my wallet and pay you.”
She propped her hands on her hips.“Sorry, no can do.My car won’t run in this.Even if I can get it to the road, the tires are practically bald.”
His head jerked up.“We’re stuck here?”
She snorted.“Happens a few times a year at least.I stock up when I hear storms are coming.I don’t like to get out too much anyway.”
He coughed into his sleeve and straightened.“Shit.Does your phone work?I couldn’t get a signal when my truck broke down.”
“Nope.And the landline went out earlier when I was talking to my mom in the city.If the snow lets up, they’ll have it up and running tomorrow.”
“Fuck,” he breathed.
Fuck was right.She couldn’t exactly send him on his way after he warmed up, not in his condition.And she sure wouldn’t sleep easy with him camping out in her living room.Oh well, there wasn’t much help for it.She’d check out his wounds and worry about the rest later.Morning was only a few hours away anyway.
His hand pressed the side of his neck and she inched closer.The scent of sweat and fear emanated from his pores.
“Let me see.Did it bite you?”She leaned closer to his shoulder and cringed at the sight of the thick red liquid coating his skin.
“I think it struck me.”He blinked several times and hung his head.“Shit, I don’t feel so good.”
McKenna straightened and caught his chin in her palm.“What’s the matter?”The skin beneath his half-inch-long scruff scorched her hand.Unfocused green eyes glazed with concern sat deep in his graying skin.His chest rose and fell in a broken rhythm.
Panic ricocheted through her senses as he went limp in the chair.
CHAPTER 2
Jaxon snapped openhis eyes.The sharp crackle of a flame made him jump, but warm, confident hands pressed against his bare chest, stilling him.His skipping heart rate regulated as he stared into McKenna’s eyes—the darkest blue he’d ever seen.Could they even be called blue?Jesus, they were damn-near violet.Enveloping.Anchoring.
Heat flared in his body.“What happened?”If he’d passed out like a pussy, he’d go outside and tackle that wildcat just to prove he wasn’t a complete loser.
McKenna dropped to the ottoman his legs were stretched out on.He shifted in his seat, and the blanket tucked around his middle fell.His stomach clenched.“Why am I naked?”Had he missed something?No.If anything had happened between them, he sure as hell would have gotten her naked first.
She tilted her head and scrunched her nose.Cute.In a Samantha fromBewitchedkind of way, only without the wiggle.
“You’re running a fever and nodded off.Probably exhaustion, shock.You were only asleep a few minutes.I took your shirt off so I could make sure there wasn’t a larger wound.And your pants...well, they were soaked.”
He snorted.“I don’t have a fever.”
Her lips flicked into a grin.“One hundred and two point seven to be exact.”
He coughed.God, what was wrong with his chest?He dragged his feet off the ottoman and pressed them into the carpet.His thighs trembled and dammit he wasn’t even standing.The tremors shook their way up his spine and goosebumps formed in their wake.“I haven’t had a fever since I was a kid.”
Her smooth, pale cheeks dimpled.“It’s not a bad thing, you know.Fevers protect the body.If it weren’t for the cough, I’d say it was due to shock from the attack.”
He pressed his back into the chair to prevent the room from spinning.“I’m fine.Haven’t been sick in years.”The second part was true, but he definitely wasn’t fine—not that he’d admit it.If he hadn’t gotten out of the cold, no doubt he’d be half dead in the snow.
An impish smile stretched her lips and then vanished.“Fine, you’re not sick.”She tucked the earpieces of a stethoscope into her ears and breathed on the metal diaphragm.
He scowled.Of all the contraptions he’d expected the town hippie to have, a stethoscope wasn’t one of them.“Where’d you get that?”
