When he placed two steaming bowls of chili on the table, she still sat in a near stupor. Silently berating herself for not helping him fix dinner, she reached for her spoon.
"Shall I pray first?" Daniel dropped into his chair after placing crackers and canned oranges on the table as well.
Riley nodded and bowed her head.
Daniel's heartfelt prayer brought tears to her eyes. The thanks he gave for their safety and the comforts of the cabin and the food they were about to eat were sweet, but it was the words he said on her behalf that were her undoing. "Father, please bless Riley that she can have peace and comfort here tonight. Bless her in her struggles to trust the people around her, and help her recognize that they care about her. Help her to heal from the things she's experienced and feel your love for her."
Riley couldn't even say, "amen" when Daniel ended the prayer, because a golf-ball-sized lump filled her throat. Blinking away the tears, she kept her eyes downcast as she ate, but she could feel his gaze on her.
He tried a couple times to make conversation, but when she didn't respond, he went quiet too.
She appreciated that he didn't feel the need to fill the silence in the small cabin with chatter. He deserved an explanation for why she'd treated him so horribly these past few weeks, and after everything he'd shared with her this afternoon, she wanted to give him one, but she didn't want to relive the ordeal with Collin.
She was almost done eating when he said her name.
"Riley?" His quiet voice brought her head up. "I don't want to be pushy, but..." He jerked a hand through his hair. "I could be a lot more supportive if you help me understand what you're going through."
A small smile lifted her lips. "You're very supportive, considering you don't know."
"Unfortunately, I think I have an inkling, but I'm trying not to jump to conclusions."
Of course, he knows. How could he not with the way I freak out every time he gets close?
Like Emily, he probably thought she'd been raped. Which wasn't far from the truth, but wasn't it better to tell him the truth than to let him wonder and worry? No matter how much she hated talking about it.
She looked out the window. The rain had slowed to a drizzle, but it was almost dark now. No way could they safely make their way home. She was stuck here for the night with Daniel. Wasn't it best to prepare him in case she had a nightmare tonight?
She shoved the last of her oranges into her mouth then picked up her bowl and Daniel's empty one. "You cooked, so I'll wash the dishes."
"Riley." Frustration and disappointment filled Daniel's voice.
Turning to face him, she braced her hands on the counter behind her. "I want to tell you, Daniel. No, I don't want to tell you, but I will. I need a few minutes. Please?" Unable to look at him any longer, shegrabbed the hot pad to fetch the kettle of water from the hearth to wash the dishes.
A few minutes later, Daniel stood from the table. "I'm going to check on the horses and bring in more firewood." He slipped out the door.
CHAPTER 12
Riley sucked in a deep breath.
I can do this. I can tell Daniel what happened, and I can spend the night here with him.
If there was anyone she could trust, it was Daniel. Her mind flashed back three years ago. Even though they'd admitted their feelings for each other and shared several passionate kisses here in this cabin, Daniel had been the perfect gentleman that night.
As soon as she finished the dishes, she made a quick trip to the tiny bathroom off the kitchen that consisted of a toilet and a sink. She expected to find Daniel back in the cabin when she came out of the bathroom, but the room was empty.
She loaded more wood on the fire, kicked her wet pants off, and hung them over a chair to dry. Then she darted to the bed on the left, straightened the blanket Daniel had pulled from it, and climbed in. She sat with her back against the wall with her legs hugged to her chest and waited for Daneil to return.
She jumped when the door finally opened.
Daniel set the firewood near the hearth, then froze when he spotted her jeans hanging over the chair. His gaze darted to the open bathroom door.
"I thought maybe you'd decided not to come back," she said quietly from her corner of the room.
He jumped and turned her direction. He must not have seen her when he glanced around the room.
"To be honest, I wasn't sure if I should." He shrugged, but there was a slight tremble in his hands as he wiped them on his jeans. "Thought it might be easier for you if I spent the night with the horses."
She gave a tight smile that could be mistaken for a grimace. "There's no room out there."
