His voice was soft in a way that tugged at something deep inside her.His old habits of care resurfacing like they’d never left.
She nodded jerkily.
“There’s some towels in the tack room, Axel.And a pair of oversized dry coveralls that might fit you on a hook.There’s also socks in a cubby hole shelf just inside the door.Not sure if the boots in there will fit you.”She didn’t tell him those coveralls and boots had belonged to Tim.
He nodded and headed for the tack room.
There was no electricity in the loft.She’d figured it might have something to do with it being a hayloft and fire.But they’d rarely used it at night anyways, so she’d had no reason to have it updated.
Quickly she headed to the stairs, switched on the lantern, and ascended the steps, the scent of hay drifting through the air.She remembered being here just last night standing on these steps in the darkness spying on the two men.
Her pulse quickened.The images were too vivid, too intimate, impossible to shake.
Heat fused through her quaking body at the memories of Axel standing naked in front of Nick, with Nick’s mouth taking Axel’s cock down his throat.And of what Axel had done to her this morning.
Heavens!Those two men were going to be the death of her.
Quickly she undressed while listening to the rain pummel the old barn roof.She was glad the storm hadn’t chased away the warmth up here from the day.It was nice and toasty.
Hurriedly she located the towel and dried herself, then wrapped her hair with the towel.She routed through Axel’s duffel bag and immediately found the flannel shirt.She slipped it on.
The shirt dwarfed her, but the material was soft, warm and it embraced her skin like an old friend.It smelled of Axel and his scent wrapped around her like a memory she wasn’t ready for.Warm, masculine, and achingly familiar.
Now that she was feeling so much better, and had stopped shaking, she sure wasn’t going to put her wet underwear on.Her skin felt too sensitive, too alive, the thought of cold fabric against her made her wince.
So she removed the towel from her now damp hair and bundled her wet clothing into the towel and left it near the top of the stairs.
He’d said there were socks in the duffel bag too.She paused for a moment and smiled as she looked at the blankets and the sleeping bags laid along a bottom portion of the hayloft.She had to admit; the guys had made their bed look quite cozy and inviting.
She dug through the contents of Axel’s bag looking for the socks he’d mentioned when her hand settled on what appeared to be a large amount of paper envelopes tied tightly together at the bottom.Her fingers paused.The bundle felt heavy, important, like a secret she wasn’t sure she had the right to touch.
She almost pulled them out to see what they might be, but then the warmth of a pair of rolled-up fluffy socks pressed against her hands, and she dragged out the roll.
A moment later one pair of fleece socks were loving her feet, and she felt much better.
She wandered to the window of the hayloft and looked out.The rain blurred the world into silver streaks, matching the swirl of thoughts she couldn’t quite settle.The downpour didn’t prevent her from seeing she’d left the kitchen lights on.
Good security.
It was a good thing they’d locked the doors and the windows too because she wasn’t about to dash through this downpour and get all wet again.
Overhead the rain pummelled against the roof and she thought she felt the slightest drop of water on her neck.
Oh dear.She’d have to ask the guys if they had leaks over their bed.Any leaks would have to be fixed.
In the meantime, it was best if she went down to help Axel with the horses.She had an old pair of boots in the tack room that she could use for herself.She realized too that if these duffel bags contained all their possessions, she’d have to buy them some work clothes, cowboy hats, socks, and those steel belted boots.
How had she forgotten to buy boots for them when she’d been in town?They’d been working everywhere in their prison issue running shoes.That was too dangerous.She’d have to get on that the next time she went to town.The realization pricked her.She should have thought of all this sooner.The men were her responsibility now, whether they were here for a long stay or a short stay.
Chapter Twenty-One
Jenna blew out a breath, grabbed the lantern, and descended the stairs.Her heart thudded faster with each step.She wasn’t sure if it was the storm or the thought of seeing Axel again.
Since the electricity was still on, she turned off the lantern and hung it back on the hook at the base of the stairs.
As she entered the main area of the barn, she found the horses gone and the doors were locked so no one could get in without a key, and the only keys were on her and Tim’s truck keychains.
Gosh, Axel worked fast, she’d have to hustle to keep up to him.
