Then the dinner conversation had been strictly work-related with the men explaining what they were going to do tomorrow, which was work some more on the roof.Weather permitting, they would finish the day after.
And now as Daisy had settled in beside Jenna on the guestroom bed, her warm white body pressed against Jenna’s thigh, she felt a bit of a chill blowing in through her partially opened window.
The draft brushed her skin like a warning.A reminder that the world outside her walls was still unpredictable and sharp.A window which could only be lifted two inches high now because Axel had rigged it with pieces of wood that wouldn’t allow it to open any further which let fresh air in without her having to worry about the intruder creeping in as well.
She liked that he had thought of doing that for her.Liked that the two men had remained professional tonight, despite her hormones being all over the place and wanting to have sex with them.
Jenna released a tense breath.She should alleviate her frustrations, but with the dog on her bed, that just wasn’t happening.
A sudden gust of wind slipped through the narrow opening, rattling the old glass pane and stinging her cheeks with its crispness.It reminded her that the barn hay loft where the guys were sleeping had a lot of cracks in the planked walls which would allow plenty of wind to get in.
Would Axel and Nick be warm enough, surrounded by tonight’s chill?
They’d been so good to her.Cooking meals, washing dishes, and thankfully finally giving her space.It wasn’t right that she didn’t return the favor and look beyond herself.She hadn’t even checked if they were warm enough.
Her worries for their comfort grew and soon she made her decision.She would grab a couple of sleeping bags that were stored in this room’s closet, grab her handgun in case the intruder was watching, sneak through the darkness, and peek in on the guys to ensure they were settled.
She began to feel better as she quietly slipped out of bed, smiling that Daisy didn’t so much as budge.She pulled her robe over her nightie, grabbed her gun, a flashlight and went to retrieve the sleeping bags.
Chapter Seventeen
Moments later, a couple of sleeping bags were set beside the door outside her home as she locked the back door.Then as quiet as a mouse, gun tucked away in a pocket in her robe, and a flashlight thrust in the other pocket of her robe, Jenna stood still, allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkness.
The cool night pressed close around her, thick and watchful, every shadow a reminder of the intruder still out there.
After a few minutes, she started forward.A tinge of anxiety closed in around her as she moved quickly toward the barn.Up in the loft, she spied the tiniest bit of light in the window and her shoulders loosened.They were awake, safe, close.
She moved faster now as she was out in the open, an easy target if someone wanted to shoot her.
Moments later she breathed a sigh of relief as she quietly let herself into the barn.
She heard a couple of horses nicker back in the stalls, probably knowing she was in here.She couldn’t go say hello because then she’d never leave them, always finding some reason or another to stay and talk to them.She’d just go up to the loft and drop off the sleeping bags.
She headed for the wooden steps.She was fully intent on knocking on the wall before proceeding up the stairs, when she heard a soft moan coming from overhead.The sound froze her mid-step.It was soft, intimate, and completely out of place in the quiet barn.
She stood still, unsure what to do.
Low, guttural moans followed.Her breath caught, her pulse stumbling as confusion slammed into her.
“Yeah, just like that, Nick.Keep going,” Axel muttered.
Jenna held her breath.What were they doing?She knew the answer even before the question was finished in her mind.
Should she go up?Take a peek?
She didn’t want to interrupt.But she couldn’t resist.
She placed the sleeping bags on an old chair beside the open doorway and looked up the narrow staircase.The dim light flickered like a heartbeat up there.It drew her forward despite every instinct telling her to turn back.
Each step felt like crossing a line she couldn’t uncross, but she couldn’t stop herself.
Thankfully, as she made her way up the stairs, each step was silent.The old wood didn’t groan or squeak beneath her weight because she knew to keep to the side to prevent creaks.She’d learned to do that when Tim was up here sometimes, and she’d wanted to surprise him.
With every step, the sounds from above became clearer.She could now distinctly hear slurping noises echoing from the loft.
She moved forward, unable to resist the urge to uncover what was happening between the two men.She ascended more quickly, feeling as though she was a moth drawn toward a flame.Her heart pounded so loudly in her chest that she worried the men upstairs might hear her approach.
Reaching the top of the staircase, Jenna was able to peer directly into the loft.
