Shielding Shayna_Brotherhood Protectors World by Heather Long

Author:Heather Long [Long, Heather]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Twisted Page Press, LLC
Published: 2018-06-25T16:00:00+00:00

An hour before he planned to head over to the house, he caught sight of her limping toward the barn. Grabbing his keys, he jogged down the steps to meet her. The lines of strain on her face worried him more than the fact she hadn’t changed clothes. “Hey…”

“Sorry,” she said, and her voice thick with fatigue. “Today took a lot more out of me than I expected.”

He offered his arm, and tried to ignore the thrill skating through him when she accepted his support. “Let’s get you back to the house. I can cook dinner for you.”

“I don’t want MREs.” The weak joke was still funny, and he slid an arm around her waist so she could lean on him more effectively. If she pulled away even an inch, he’d release her.

She didn’t. Fuck, she had to be really hurting. Measuring his steps, he slowed his pace. “C’mon, you know you want some basic stew and heavy gravy. It will be a masterpiece.”

Shayna didn’t disguise her vague gagging noises, then she chuckled. “Beggers can’t be choosers. Maybe we can swindle someone into delivering food. I’d offer to cook, but not sure I’m up for it.”

That admission alone had to have cost her. “How about we set you up to relax, and you let me be your hands?”

At the steps to her verandah, he let her take the steps at her speed, and only moved up one at a time along with her. “That’s a lot to ask when I wanted to buy you dinner.”

“As I recall, I’m the one who asked you out.” In the distance, the evening birdsong kicked in. Farther away, a familiar rat-a-tat-tat of a woodpecker. Had to be a big one, to sound so loud. It was the hawk’s cry climbing over all of it for a moment which captured his attention. A part of him wanted to twist to look for the bird of prey, but he kept his eye on the prize.

He had to admit, Montana was pretty damn gorgeous in the summer. Warm weather, beautiful trees, stunning landscape really—and Shayna, she’d probably make any area awesome.

“You did, but I said I was going to buy you dinner. You’re working for me, remember?” At the door now, he opened it to let her in. Her halting gait worried him.

“We can arm wrestle for it later.” The minute the words slipped out, he winced. “Fuck…”

She surprised him with another laugh, even as she pulled away to hobble over to a chair. Once she sank into it, relief crept across her face. “Don’t apologize, whatever you do. The fact you were helping me in here and popped off with a comment like that—tells me you don’t see me as a cripple. That’s something.”

Pivoting, he faced her and pinned her with a stare. “Understand something right now, Marine. You may want to adjust to your new normal and not be reminded of where you came from—fine. I’m good with that. But I do know where you came from and I know how you got here.

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