Will brought me to eat at a Chinese restaurant. I wasn't extremely familiar with the menu, so he ordered for me. I did enjoy what I ate and he seemed really pleased that he had picked well for me.

He had movie tickets ordered for us already, and hadn't consulted me about what our options were. It was an action movie, and while I didn't hate it, it was a bit gory and violent for my taste.

I considered what Jake had said about Will thinking this was a date but I wasn't sure I saw any signs of that perspective from him. He had always opened doors for me, and I also observed him doing so for strangers, so that didn't necessarily mean anything.

He hugged me when he dropped me off, but we had always hugged, so that didn't necessarily mean anything.

I got ready for bed, laid down, and thought.

My conclusion was that Jake was hypersensitive and looking for the worst in Will because he didn't like him.

I turned off the lamp, shut my eyes, and tried to sleep. There was no way. It was too quiet, too empty without Jake, and for whatever reason I had ordered a latte at supper, so I was completely wide awake.

I threw the covers off, found the VHS tapes my grandparents had in stock, chose 'Wizard of Oz', and tucked myself in on the couch to watch.

Maybe not quite halfway through the movie, I thought I heard something. I paused it and listened, heart pounding hard.

It was the wind. There had been none prior. In fact, the air had been still and thick the last I was outside. Now it was whistling through the trees and my chimney.

I resumed watching the movie.

About thirty minutes later, a gust of wind blew down through the chimney so violently, old ash exploded out of the chimney all over my living room!

I shrieked and leapt from the couch.

Then there was a giant CRASH from outside, almost immediately followed by the power going out.

"What on EARTH?!?", I squealed out loud.

I had a lightweight robe on over my pajamas. Luckily, it had pockets, and luckily my phone was in one. I snatched it out and tried dialing Jake. It wouldn't ring. The call wouldn't go through. I looked at the screen.

No service.

A blinding and audible CRACK of lightning followed by an almost simultaneous BOOM of thunder so loud the windows rattled spurred me into action. I turned on the flashlight on my phone, ran to the front door, put my shoes on, unlocked it, and opened it.

My heart started pounding hard. It was torrential raining, like buckets being constantly poured down from heaven. It sounded terrifying. I didn't want to go out there. How could I go out there? It looked and sounded like the end of the world with the wind and the rain, the lightning and thunder. I was getting sprayed with water simply standing inside the screen door. I peered up at his cabin. It was dark.

I can't get to Jake any other way.

I checked my phone again. No service. No way I could call him.

What if he's sleeping? Drunk? If he doesn't even know...

I made a decision. I had to go to him.

The lightning was happening so frequently, I didn't need my phone light to see. I turned the light off, tucked it into my bra where it would hopefully stay dry, and stepped onto the porch, pulling the wooden door shut behind me.

It had been almost hot earlier but now it felt cold. It had dropped probably twenty degrees since Will dropped me off.

I said a quick prayer for God to give me courage and took off.

I leapt off the porch and hit the ground at a run. I was instantly as soaked as having stood underneath a shower fully clothed. I made it to the start of the little hill between our properties before the wind hit me.

It literally knocked me right off my feet!

I hit the ground on my side, completely sprawled out with a jarring thud.

"Ow!", I cried out in fear and frustration, but the wind was so loud I could barely hear my own voice.

I got to my feet as quickly as I could, my already injured knee crying out in protest. This time I stayed crouched as I proceeded up the hill, moving slower than before, fighting the wind all the way. At times when it hit me, the impact was so great, my breath was literally knocked out of me.

Wouldn't it be ironic if I had been watching Wizard of Oz during a tornado, I thought morbidly.

It felt like forever but I got to Jake's porch, grasped a firm grip on a post, and hauled myself up. The wind took the slippery wood slats right out from underneath my flats and I landed hard on my right hip. Jake would be thoroughly disappointed in my choice of shoes.

I managed to get up with tears stinging my eyes, got the screen door opened, and tried to open his wooden front door.

It was locked.

...........................................................................

Jake was dreaming about Riley. She was in trouble, stuck beneath a waterfall, calling for him. He was drowning himself and unable to get to her.

He woke with a groggy start, gasping for air.

He could still hear her calling for him.

Wait!

His ears un-muffled themselves. She was really calling for him.

And pounding on his front door!

Confused, half asleep, and still half in the bag, he groaned and heaved himself up from the couch.

As he got closer, he could hear her shrieking from the other side of the door. She sounded completely hysterical...and what was that other noise?

He opened the door and she fell directly into his arms.

"What in tarnation?!?", he sputtered. "Why ya all wet?"

"Why was your door locked?! What do we do!? The fireplace exploded all over my living room!" Her words came out in a panicked rush.

"Woman, what're ya goin' on about?", he asked, completely bewildered.

"Oh, you're...", she had her palms against his chest. She pushed against him to back away a step. "You probably want a shirt", she said awkwardly.

He couldn't see her face and hadn't released her arms.

Why's it so fuckin' dark in here?

"Why? For what? I'm a little drunk and a lot asleep so I need ya to spell it out for me, kid", he replied, reaching around her for the light switch.

Nothing happened when he flipped it.

Suddenly, there was a simultaneous flash of blinding light and deafening thunder so fierce that he couldn't see and his ribcage rattled.

Instinctively, he grabbed her and hit the ground with her underneath him, covering her head with his hands, shielding her body with his own.

By the time the thunder stopped, he still couldn't see, but he was up to speed now and feeling pretty damn sober.

"You okay?", he asked with his mouth next to her ear.

"Yes, but I'm a little blind still".

"Why the fuck aren't you in the storm shelter?!?", he suddenly growled at her. His body was already sopping wet simply from coming into contact with hers.

"What? I don't know...what is that? I don't have one".

"Yes, you do", he said, standing and yanking her to her feet all in one motion.

He shoved his feet into his boots, grabbed his lined flannel hanging next to the door with one hand, her upper arm with the other, and pushed the screen door open.

As he was pulling the wood door shut behind them, the wind took the screen door from him, slamming it against the side of the shack, bending the hinges backward and destroying the catch.

Just fuckin' fixed it...

He didn't even have time to fully form the irritated thought when the wind abruptly changed direction, sending it back into them. He tried to catch it, and did catch the brunt of the blow with his forearm, but Riley got hit a bit also.

FUCK!

He wrapped his uninjured arm around her and half carried her off the porch and around the side of his house. He could hardly walk against the strength of the wind and was instantly soaked.

She got over here by herself... in this?

At his storm shelter, he removed the latch, fighting against the wind with every muscle he possessed to open one of the doors. Without speaking (because she wouldn't have heard him anyway), he picked her up and dropped her in. He sat himself on the other door, grabbed the inside handle on the open one, and with much effort pulled it shut with him as he jumped inside, using his weight to pull it shut. Once in, he latched the handles together with the clasp that had been on the outside. It was much quieter in here but the sound of the wind and rain was still intense.

"Riley!", he called out sharply in the dark, and her cold hand immediately grabbed his bare upper arm.

"Here", she said in a wavering voice.

"You got yer phone?"

"Yes, but there's no service. I tried calling you".

Poor thing, she had to be petrified. Her voice was shaking.

"Turn on the flashlight", he instructed.

After a moment it went on. He took it from her shaking hand and propped it up on the shelving unit he had in there. The shelter was directly dug into the ground, barely taller than him, and about the size of his bathroom. He had a few supplies and a cot.

"Where'd the door-?"

He had started to ask where the door had hit her as he turned, but the trail of blood down the side of her head answered that question.

"Stay calm for me, darlin'", he said in what he hoped was a reassuring voice. She was visibly shaking and pale.

"I am", she answered as he grabbed the tote of first aid supplies from a shelf and started rifling through.

He found what he was looking for, then turned on his battery powered lantern which provided some more light.

"Sit", he said, guiding her to the cot.

He used the flannel he had brought out to mop the blood off the side of her head. The cut wasn't long but it was deep. Thankfully it was along her hairline so hopefully it wouldn't leave a noticeable scar. He had an inkling she'd feel some kinda way about that.

He cleaned it out and put butterfly stitches on it, which was a difficult task considering how badly she was shaking.

"Gotta calm down, sweetheart. Yer safe now".

"I know. I am calm", she replied through chattering teeth.

"No, ya ain't. Ya goin' into shock?", he asked, taking her chin and peering into her pupils. "Yer shakin' somethin' fierce".

"I'm freezing!", she replied emphatically.

Oh.

"Really?", he asked.

"How aren't you?", she asked in disbelief.

"Dunno. Probably still got enough whiskey in my blood. Speakin' of...".

He was pretty sure he had a full bottle down here. He stood and looked on the shelving unit.

Yep.

"Here ya go", he said, unscrewing the cap. "Just like we practiced".

"Ew", she said. "No".

"It's high quality whiskey!", he replied, offended. "Much better than that stuff of yer Gramps'!"

She wrinkled up her nose, her large eyes simply starin' at him.

"It'll warm ya up and take the edge off the pain. It'll help. Promise".

"I don'...think...I like...whiskey", she answered haltingly through chattering teeth.

"Now yer breakin' my heart", he said, squatting next to her and handin' her the bottle.

She sighed and took it from him.

She took a big swig, swallowed, took a breath, and made a face, but at least she didn't cough.

"Atta girl", he said proudly, patting her knee, which was bare and like ice to his touch.

"Ouch", she breathed softly, flinching that leg away out of his reach.

He snatched her phone off the shelf and shone the light on it. It was her right knee. The bandage was gone and half of the wound had popped back open, blood streaks trailing down her calf.

"Shit", he said.

He got her knee re-bandaged then asked, "Where else ya hurt?"

"I'm sore all over but only my head is really hurting", she replied.

"Ya fell?", he guessed, checking her other leg. He didn't see any more blood.

"A few times, yes. The wind was very strong".

"Why didn'tcha just stay inside?!?", he suddenly snapped at her.

She flinched slightly.

"I didn't know what to do", she said in a tiny voice. "The only thought I had was to get to you".

He felt himself soften toward her immediately.

"You can't do shit like that", he said quietly. "Ya coulda been hurt bad tryin' to get over here. Next time ya just stay put, hear?"

"But you were sleeping", she pointed out. "What if-?"

"You don't worry 'bout me!", he said sternly. "You don't never worry 'bout me!"

She didn't respond, simply sat there shivering.

"Clothes off", he said, standing.

"What?", she asked, a crease popping up between her eyebrows.

"Don'tcha know basic survival?", he asked. "Get yer wet clothes off".

He didn't wait for a reply. He draped the wet flannel he had used to mop up her blood across the shelving unit, pulled a blanket out of a zippered plastic bag, then pulled off his pants, hanging those up as well.

She was still sitting on the cot when he turned around but now she had her head in her hands, elbows resting on her knees.

He snagged her underneath her arms and lifted her to her feet.

She met his gaze with large startled eyes.

"Ya wanna get hypothermia?!", he scolded harshly, frustrated because it was a realistic possibility that she didn't seem to be taking seriously. "Do it!"

"I...can't...", she replied, seemingly near tears.

"Ya can an' ya will", he insisted.

She shook her head no.

She was barely wearing anything anyway.

"Ya got on underwear? A bra?"

She nodded.

"Leave those on. It's like a swimsuit. No big deal".

He grabbed the soaked thin robe and pulled it off her shoulders.

"Start here", he said.

She reluctantly pulled her arms out and shivered more. He draped it over another shelf then spread out the blanket and laid down on the cot, covering himself with it.

"Do it, kid", he said, staring at her back. "I can't getcha down the mountain to a hospital with weather like this. I'm just tryin' to keep ya alive. Don't put yer death on me. I don't need another one on my conscience".

Would he even survive it if another woman died on him?

She looked down at him. She was nearly crying with her thin arms wrapped around herself, visibly shivering.

"I...can't. Jake, I cannot do this!"

"You got to. Yer gonna lay here and get warm or yer gonna get hypothermia. I ain't gonna do nothin' inappropriate. Here, I ain't even gonna look".

He turned onto his left side under the blanket and faced the dirt wall.

He heard nothing for several minutes.

"Kid, you do it now or I'm turnin' around an' doin' it for ya", he decided firmly.

"Fine", she said.

A couple minutes later, the blanket moved and her damp, ice cold body was pressed up against his back.

"Jesus", he breathed. "I don't understand how you possibly got that cold".

"It took awhile to get to you and then it took awhile to get you to open the door", she replied, shivering against him.

He started feeling incredibly guilty. If he hadn't drank that much, he would have either still been awake or had woken to the storm. He would have gone to her rather than the other way around.

After feeling her shivering for several more minutes, he couldn't take it anymore. He quickly rolled over, slid an arm underneath her, wrapped his other around her, and enveloped her against his chest.

"What are you doing?", she asked, her little body rigid.

"I can't stand layin' here doin' nothin' with you sufferin'", he grumbled. "Relax and get to sleep".

"Sleep?", she asked, sounding horrified.

At that moment there was a sickening crack from outside and something heavy thudded against the doors.

She flinched in his arms. "What was that?"

"Branch".

"How will we-?"

"We ain't goin' out there till it stops and that storm ain't lettin' up no time soon", he said. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for ya earlier but yer safe now. I need ya to trust me, kid. I ain't doin' nothin' inappropriate. We're stuck here for a bit so ya might as well get some sleep. I'll stay awake. Nothin' for ya to worry about now. You let me do the worryin'".

"All right", she replied softly.

After a few more minutes she finally stopped shaking. A few more after that she was breathing slowly and evenly, and a while after that she was asleep, or probably more appropriately -completely passed out from stress.

Jake had to pee but he wasn't gonna move. He was gonna lay there and suffer like he deserved to. She could have died while he was layin' in a drunken stupor.

And why? Because he was salty 'bout Will takin' her on a date?

She ain't yours, he scolded himself. She ain't Will's but she shore ain't yours. Yer gettin' too damn attached to this girl and ain't no reason for it. Yer just lonely, but she ain't it. She ain't Liv. She ain't even in yer league. Yer a bodyguard to her. Leave it at that.

And stop fuckin' drinkin' so much!

He listened to the storm raging until he had chastised himself enough to feel thoroughly ashamed, then he fell asleep himself. Sometime later, when the storm had finally stopped, he woke, snuck out of the cot, and peed in the bucket he had down there. She barely moved as he climbed back in, but as he was adjusting the blanket around them, she whimpered a bit like she was in pain, and rolled over onto his chest instead.

Trying not to disturb her, he adjusted the blanket and carefully rested his hand on her waist.

Unfortunately, he had to work hard to keep his thoughts away from the body pressed up against his with so much soft skin. He did so by trying to recite all the books of the Bible until he fell asleep.

When he woke, it was daylight, and she was still breathing peacefully.

He simply laid there, feeling the pressure of her head on his chest, feeling every inch of bare skin which was touching his, and feeling the slow rise and fall of her side underneath his hand as she breathed.

She was lovely...visually perfect, sweet, kind...innocent. He had no business thinkin' the thoughts about her which snuck into his head last night and he vowed not to let himself do so again.

However, he wasn't above appreciating the moment. He hadn't slept (actual sleep) with a woman since Liv. He hadn't had anyone lay with her head on his chest since Liv.

He really missed this.

I told you she was good for you, Liv spoke up.

Wonderin' where ya been. Sorry, honey. It ain't what it looks like.

You haven't done anything, she said pleasantly, but even if you had, I wouldn't care. I want you to be happy and I'm not there to make you happy. You stick with this little gal. She's gonna be needing you, and you damn sure need her, whether you want to admit it or not.

Jake had told Riley about Hope. He could barely believe that he had but it wasn't strange at the time. He had wanted to. It felt...necessary...like he had to tell her.

The way she had responded comforted him. It tugged at his heart but it made him feel better at the same time. It was a strange experience. Riley was a transparent little thing and he knew she was fightin' back tears because she could feel what he was feelin'. She wasn't faking anything. She felt his pain. That empathy was exactly what he needed. Not sympathy...empathy.

However, he wasn't ready to go so far as stating she was good for him. He didn't know about all that.

...........................................................................

I woke to a lot of pain, all over, but mostly centralized to my right hip, right knee, and left temple. It was light out. I could see rays of muted sunlight had snuck through some cracks, but I was confused as to what I was looking at. I expected to see the entrance doors but instead I was looking at a dirt wall. I realized my left temple was protesting because it was pressed against Jake's bare chest.

Jake's bare chest. Oh my.

He had acted like it was no big deal to take our clothes off and lay down together but it was a really huge deal to me. I had never taken my clothes off for any man other than Harrison, and I was mortified. Not only was I embarrassed to do it but I was also scared that Jake wouldn't like what he saw.

Why did that matter?

I wasn't sure why but it did. I was really scared for him to look at me. Or, maybe, I was scared that he would look but not approve. I wasn't born beautiful and even the enhancements I'd made to my appearance did nothing to keep my husband's eyes and body from straying to more beautiful women. Jake was so handsome, and his wife had been gorgeous, so in no form of reality could I imagine he would be much impressed by looking at me.

My hand was resting on his chest. I could feel soft hair underneath my fingertips. In the moments between terror, when the lightning flashed, I had caught glimpses of a very muscular and fit upper body with a variety of tattoos, one of them being a very distinct rugged cross on his right pectoral muscle.

Despite my embarrassment, I had immensely enjoyed being wrapped in his arms last night, after the initial shock wore off. I felt my face blaze into action considering everything.

"I can feel ya blushin'", his deep voice suddenly spoke up.

I groaned. "Sorry!", I said, feeling my face burn more.

"Nothin' goin' on ya need to blush over, nothin' to apologize for. Calm down. All we was doin' was tryin' to stay safe. You ain't done nothin' wrong. How ya feelin'?"

"My head hurts", I complained, raising myself on my elbow and looking into his face.

His forehead wrinkled.

"Yeah, I see it's been leakin'. You was layin' on it. Sorry, darlin'. I didn't realize. Let's get on outta here so we can fix ya up and assess all the damage".

I felt my face flame again, frozen as I considered standing upright in my undergarments.

"Go on now", he prodded, but his face was amused rather than angry, with a mischievous twinkle in his gray-blue eyes.

I took the edge of the blanket, covered his head, and stood up as he burst out laughing.

I found my lavender tank top and was about to pull it over my head when he said something that put my heart right into my throat.

...........................................................................

"Damn, girl, how'd you get muscles like that?", Jake asked admiringly. "You got some secret trainer comin' over when I'm huntin', or what?"

Riley froze, glanced down at him with a mortified expression, and said, "Jake, you said you wouldn't look!"

"When did I say that, last night?", he asked, casually sitting upright. "Can't hold me to that. I was drinkin'. Don't remember what I agreed to".

He did actually remember, but he felt like proving a much needed point this morning, so he went for it.

She quickly yanked her tank top over her head, covering a very dainty, very sweet, ivory lace bra amply curved over a seriously ripped abdomen.

She grabbed her tiny lavender sleep shorts off the bottom shelf and pulled them on, giving him the best possible view of a perfectly sculpted behind with lacy ivory underwear cut in the exact right balance between suggestive and boring.

"Seriously", he insisted, running his index finger up the side of her thigh, "how did you get muscles like these?"

"Seventeen years of ballet", she responded, her face flaming as she pulled on her robe, wrapping it around herself and not making eye contact.

"Riley", he said softly.

She glanced at him. She appeared embarrassed...but there was something else going on. He wasn't sure what.

He patted the cot next to him and she slowly sat.

"Why is this a big deal?", he asked. "Told ya, just like a bikini on the beach".

She shook her head and looked at the ground.

"Why?", he asked again.

The crease popped up between her eyebrows.

"Did I do somethin' to make ya uncomfortable?", he pressed.

"Other than now, no".

"Then why?"

She met his eyes then looked down again. "I didn't want you to see my flaws", she said quietly.

The fuck?

"Flaws?", he asked, dumbfounded. "What fuckin' flaws?"

But when she opened her mouth he cut her off.

"Wait, ya know what, don't say nothin'. I don't wanna hear it. You ain't got no fuckin' flaws. Not a fuckin' one. Look at me".

He waited until she did. It was shaded below ground but they could see each other.

"I need ya to hear this and I need ya to believe it. Riley, you are gorgeous".

She immediately broke eye contact and gave a little shake of her head like he was teasing her.

He grabbed both her shoulders. "Look. At. Me".

He waited until she did.

"Beautiful. Stunning. That's why men stare in public. That's why I worry 'bout ya. You don't see what we see. Yer not aware. That makes ya an easy target".

"That can't-".

"It is", he insisted. "Kid, do I strike ya as the type of person gonna tell ya somethin' just to make ya feel good, even though it's a lie?"

She held his gaze for a long moment. "No", she finally replied.

"Then ya gotta believe me. Fuckin' gorgeous and ya don't even know it. Unbelievable. I need ya to believe me, kid".

He waited while she searched his eyes. Finally she nodded.

"Bout time", he said, patting her cheek. He could only pray she would internalize that.

"Check yer phone. See if we got service".

He stood to find his pants.

"What was that?", Riley asked suddenly.

He heard it. It was someone...Will...calling for her.

Fuck.

Well, it maybe wasn't all bad. He might not have been able to move the "branch" from the doors, depending on how large it was.

Riley immediately started calling back, then panicked, grabbing Jake's arm as he was removing the clasp from the interior handles.

"Jake, put your pants on!", she hissed.

"Why?", he scoffed. "I don't mind showin' Will my drawers".

Riley's face was pale and desperate. "Jake, please! He's already going to be intense about this whole thing! Please don't make this more stressful for me!"

"All right, all right", he grumbled, pulling his pants on.

"Rillian?", Will called from directly above.

"Yes!"

"Hold on. There's a tree over the doors".

"A tree?", she gasped, her eyes flicking to his.

He simply winked at her.

She sighed and shook her head.

They heard the whirring of a chain saw. A few minutes later, Will's brown handsome face was peering down at them. He had a five o'clock shadow and dark bags underneath both eyes.

"I'm so sorry", he said. "I had to deal with a fire in town from a downed power line, there were several injuries from trees falling, the Ives were trapped inside their house, and then the roads were impassable".

"We were fine", she said, "but can you get me out of here?"

"Yeah".

"Grab her arms and pull her up, but be careful", Jake explained. "She's got a few injuries".

"Are you okay?", Will asked urgently.

"Just get her outta here first", Jake snapped, annoyed.

He grabbed Riley's waist with both hands and lifted her straight up. Will caught her forearms and pulled. Jake switched his hands to her thighs and pushed. She got a foot on the side and then she was out.

For himself, he grabbed the stepstool from the corner, got his upper body through, and pulled himself out.

The destruction around them was terrible. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day, though chillier than before the storm, but there were trees down and broken everywhere. Large limbs were snapped but still attached, some trees had been uprooted but were still upright, supported by neighbors. A monster of a red pine, bigger around than him, lay between their two houses. It's trunk had narrowly missed Riley's car. One of this tree's branches had landed on the storm shelter and there was no way Jake would have been able to move it from inside.

"Thank you", he said seriously to Will, who had one long tightly knotted arm around Riley and had her squeezed up against his side.

"Welcome", he replied.

She appeared mildly uncomfortable and was clutching her robe closed with both hands.

"I need to use the bathroom", she said quietly, looking directly at him.

"'Kay, let's check mine", he replied, extending his hand to her.

She immediately reached for him but Will yanked her back.

"You check first and come back for her!", he snapped. "That structure may not be stable!"

"Dude, don't fuckin' start", Jake sighed. "You were doin' so good...".

"Be right back, darlin'", he said to Riley, starting for the steps.

There was broken glass all over the kitchen and living room from the kitchen window exploding inward, and there was quite a bit of water in the kitchen, but other than that his interior was undamaged. He used the toilet himself to ensure it flushed then stepped back outside.

They were waiting on the porch. Will was asking about her head, but thankfully, for Will's sake, he wasn't touching it.

"Everythin's fine", Jake announced. "Watch the glass on the floor goin' in".

She didn't even reply, just quickly dashed inside.

"You get cut, too?", Will asked, pointing to Jake's chest.

Confused, Jake looked down. His right shoulder and chest had dried blood all over it.

"Ah, no", he said. "That's from her head".

He looked back at Will. His face was murderous and he had gone rigid.

What the?

"Did you sleep with her?", Will asked through clenched teeth.

"Yep", Jake immediately answered to antagonize him, knowing full well what Will's question was actually implying.

Before he could add to the sentence, Will had smashed him in his face so hard he saw stars.

Damn.

"Woah", Jake said, feeling a trickle of blood starting from his nose. "You didn't let me finish. We slept on the cot together because we were soaked and she was shakin'. Ya didn't want me to let her die of hypothermia, didya?"

"Why didn't you say that then, asshole?", Will replied, still breathing heavily, his eyes wide.

Jake chuckled. He couldn't help it.

"Man...fuck you", Will said. "I'm gonna go check her cabin".

He strode off in angry, long strides, snatching up his chainsaw as he went past it.

Jake watched him go, amused. The blood running down his face was worth it to see Will react like that. Now he knew for certain how Will felt about her.

He was barely aware of Riley's return until she gasped.

"Jake, why are you bleeding?"

Her face was pale, her light green eyes wide and shocked. Her robe was now tied around her slim waist. Jake noticed that light purple color was real pretty on her.

"I tripped", he said.

"What did you hit your face on?", she asked, eyes scanning the ground.

"Will's fist".

Her eyes turned back to his and the crease popped up between her eyebrows.

"What on earth would he do that for?"

Jake felt himself smiling. "He asked if we slept together and I said yes".

If it were possible, she became more pale, and her mouth dropped open.

"Oh, but Jake, he must have been asking-".

"I know exactly what he was askin'. He didn't give me time to finish my sentence".

"Oh my", she said, her cheeks turning bright red. She pressed her hand against her mouth. "Are you all right?", she asked suddenly, taking his arm. "Let's get you some ice".

He let her lead him back inside but he wouldn't let her in the kitchen.

"You stay there", he said, pointing to the doorway. "Don't want you gettin' cut".

He grabbed a washcloth, shook it out thoroughly, grabbed an ice pack from the freezer, wrapped the cloth around it, and held it against his nose.

Riley was standin' where he left her, arms folded over her abdomen. She was watching him.

"I need to explain", she said, flushing. "I don't even want to have that conversation with him but I don't want him to think...".

"Why's it matter?", Jake asked, suddenly feeling insulted as he approached her, his hiking boots crunching over glass. "It ain't non'a his business whatcha do. Unless ya wanna make it his business? I thoughtcha didn't feel that way".

"I don't. I don't think he does, either, but I think he's protective, like a brother. I'm sure he's upset".

He read into her beautiful eyes. She was tellin' the truth. There wasn't anything there for her with Will, but unfortunately she didn't see what he saw.

"Darlin', that man's in love with ya. Ask him. I bet he'd tell ya. He's probably dyin' for the chance".

He watched the stress flood her face and decided to take pity on her.

"I already explained it", he admitted, "after he hit me".

Relief flooded her features. "Thank goodness".

Jake had been staring at her face since they had emerged from the shelter, and something felt off that he couldn't quite grasp.

It finally clicked. Her hair was different. It was hanging in loose, quarter inch, soft spiral strands from scalp to tip.

"That's what's different", he mused out loud. Intrigued, he gently took several strands in his hand and ran them across his palm. It was soft and springy, shiny and auburn.

"Oh, sorry", she said, flushing again. "It got wet. I'll fix it as soon as I can".

His eyes snapped to hers. He was still holding the strands.

"Fix it?!?", he asked, dumbfounded. "Why'd ya wanna do anythin' to it? This is beautiful, perfect, just the way God made ya. Don't you dare go changin' to be in my presence, woman. I prefer yer hair like this. Yer off yer damn rocker!"

"What?", she asked, eyes wide and face bright red. "You like my hair like this?"

"I prefer it".

He had a thought. "Is this one o'them flaws you talkin' 'bout?"

She squirmed a little. "Yes", she replied timidly.

"Who told ya they didn't like it?"

"Mother and Harrison".

As he had suspected.

"Yer ma and Harrison are assholes", he instantly replied.

She laughed lightly, thank goodness. He wasn't sure if she would approve of the comment.

"Bathroom", he said. "Lemme rebandage yer head and then we gotta get some clothes on ya".

"What about you?", she asked. "You're completely covered in blood".

"Ain't nothin' new", he said gruffly and she laughed lightly again.

Jake knew head wounds bled a lot and typically appeared worse than they were, but he had to admit he was toying with getting her checked out at a hospital. It was bruising somethin' fierce in addition to being deep and wide open.

"How bad this hurt?", he asked, peering into her little face which was almost level with his as she sat on his bathroom sink. "You be honest with me now", he cautioned severely.

"It hurts a lot".

"Ya feelin' lightheaded, dizzy, nauseous?"

"No".

He brought his face closer, took her chin in one hand, and covered one of her eyes with the other, then uncovered. Her pupil had a normal reaction as far as he could tell.

He found himself transfixed by those eyes- clear, light green, large, and framed by long, black lashes. He still had her chin. She hadn't moved. The moment stretched out as she patiently stared back at him.

Jake heard Will's chainsaw rev into life next door and the spell was broken.

He released her chin and straightened.

"What's he doing?", she asked, hopping down from the sink.

"Dunno".

He caught sight of himself in the mirror. He really looked like shit. He had fresh blood all over his face, in his mustache and beard, and her dried blood all over his bare chest. He ran a hand through his hair.

"Jake, your arm!", she gasped, catching his left forearm with both her little hands. They were still cold.

He peered at his arm in the mirror. A smattering of purple blotches ran at a slant across the length of it, concentrated about halfway down his forearm directly at the bone. He could tell the entire thing was swollen without even comparing it to his other arm.

"How did this happen?", she asked.

"Tried to keep the door from hittin' ya", he replied. "Didn't quite succeed".

"Jaaake...", she breathed, her eyes wide and staring into his again. "That could have been all into my head. You did succeed. This looks really bad. It could be broken".

"Nah".

"How do you know?"

"I can move it".

"Fractured?"

"They wouldn't do nothin' 'bout that anyway. It's fine. You wanna wait for me to shower then I'll bring ya home? I'll be quick. Don't want ya wanderin' about when I dunno what he's cuttin'".

"Yes, please".

He chuckled. "So, yer sayin' I stink?"

She flushed and smiled. "No".

"You don't touch nothin' out there", he added sternly. "Don't need ya gettin' cut".

"All right", she responded agreeably enough.

She left the bathroom and he got in the shower.

...........................................................................

After sleeping with Jake all night, and the comments he had made to me the morning after, I had to admit I had crossed over a line in my head.

I had a crush on him.

I did. I couldn't deny it at all. It was undeniably there. He was very attractive with his shirt off. He was very attractive to me in general- the way he protected me, stood up for me, spoke to me. No one had ever gone to bat for me like him before. I couldn't stop thinking about him saying I was gorgeous, beautiful, and stunning. I couldn't stop thinking about how it felt to have his strong arms around me, to fall asleep with him holding me, and to wake up laying on his chest.

I knew it couldn't go anywhere. I knew he didn't like me in that way. He was still in love with a ghost and he thought of me as a kid. He affectionately referred to me as such multiple times a day. Regardless, I was fine with that. I appreciated him in my life, even if it was only as a friend.

I was hovering near the bathroom door, obligingly trying to stay out of glass and water, when he called to me.

"Hey, kid, ya out there?"

I opened the door a crack. "I'm here".

"Canya get me some new clothes, speed things up?", he asked from inside the shower.

"Sure".

There was a door right next to his bathroom, which was the only other door, so I assumed it had to be his bedroom.  There was a small washer and dryer stacked on top of each other right inside that door and a plain wooden dresser right next to that.

I felt my face reddening as I opened drawers, found underwear, socks, jeans (I picked black jeans with holes since he would be cleaning up glass and water), and a short sleeve black t-shirt, also with small holes.

I heard the shower turn off and scooted back to the bathroom door as Jake was opening it, clothed only in a towel around his waist.

He was glistening, his dark blond hair hanging in ringlets dripping onto shoulders knotted with sinuous muscles. The thick black tribal tattoo wrapped all around his left bicep and onto his shoulder and there was a large set of deer antlers on his right upper arm, in addition to the cross on his chest I had already identified. I also noticed some cursive scrip I couldn't read across one of his left ribs. I was staring speechlessly but I couldn't help it. He was gorgeous.

I finally dropped my eyes and held everything out without looking at him.

"Oh, um, here", I stuttered, feeling my cheeks burning.

He chuckled. "Ya gotta lighten up", he said. "Twenty minutes ago ya saw me in my drawers".

He took the clothes from my hands. I kept my eyes on the ground and began to turn away.

"Ya slept on my bare chest, for Christ's sake", he said quietly. "Now ya can't even look at me?"

I stopped turning. He sounded offended...almost...hurt?

I met his eyes.

Maybe offended, definitely puzzled. I decided to be honest.

"I've taken my clothes off in front of one man", I said, so embarrassed my voice came out as little more than a whisper. "I have seen one man naked. I have slept on one man's chest, except now, two. I understand that you think I'm acting strange and that all of this isn't abnormal to you, but it is completely out of my realm of normalcy. I'm definitely not trying to be offensive. I appreciate you so much...I simply don't know how to do these things...because I don't do them".

"I'm sorry", he said quietly.

He did look it. His eyes had softened and he actually appeared slightly guilty.

"Give me two minutes", he said, and shut the bathroom door.

...........................................................................

* Wondering why Jake and Will hate each other so much? Vote, and keep reading to find out! *