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“Jude.” Shocking as it seems I swear in the dim light, it looks like he turns red. The big, tough, scruffy-looking man blushes.
“That’s a nice name. I think I’ve seen you at the farmer’s market, haven’t I?”
It feels strange to talk to a man I barely know while he carries me like he’s carrying his bride over the threshold into their new home. But it feels nice. I never felt this comfortable with my ex. It always felt like I had to pretend to be something that I wasn’t to keep him happy. From the time we started dating, it felt like I was always on stage, performing for him, giving him everything that he wanted. I’ve always been kind of wishy-washy, so when he’d say that he liked something and didn’t like something that I usually did, I changed it. To keep the peace and make him happy.
He nods his head slightly but since I’m so close, I can feel the air shift and see the bare movement. “Yes, I’ve seen you there as well. You were always busy when I saw you though… so I didn’t want to disturb you.”
I nod my head and shift in his arms which makes my side flare with pain.
“Shit!” The pain is like a hot poker to my side.
“What happened?” he asks me, his eyes concerned.
“My side hurts.”
“I saw that you had blood on your coat. How did that happen?”
“I’m not sure.”
He nods his head, but frustration makes me want to scream. I can’t remember how I hurt myself or why the hell I’m out here so far from my home.
“Don’t worry about it, you’ll remember. You just need to get inside, get clean and dry and warm and you’ll start remembering everything. So just sit still and I’ll get you to my cabin and taken care of.”
“Is it the ranger station?”
“Yeah. I’m the only one up here, at least as far as the rangers go. It’s a small town so we only need one guy right now. The other guy retired, and they never replaced him. The cabin is actually my home though.”
I nod and lean back into him, closing my eyes. I’m so damn tired.
* * *
“Hey,sleeping beauty? Wake up. I just need you to help me get you out of this stuff.”
I barely blink. The room spins around me and my tongue feels thick. I lift my arms and feel rough hands jerking on my wet clothes.
“Wh— what?” I ask softly, surprised when the word come out garbled.
A rough yet gentle hand caresses my cheek, pushing my hair out of my face. “Shhh. It’s alright, angel. Don’t worry. I’ve got you.”
My head is killing me and it feels like I’m on fire. I can’t think, can’t breathe and when the clothes start to come off, my sweater sticks to my side. I hiss in a sharp breath when that same gentle hand touches my side.
Cursing under his breath, he holds me gently against him. “Shit! I hate to do this, angel, but I need to get this cleaned out. I think you’re getting an infection.”
Shaking my head, I struggle to move my tongue, to say anything at all.
With gentle hands, he tugs at the bottom of my sweater, jerking a little harder when it sticks.
Pain lances through me when cool air finally brushes my skin. I burn and ache and everything swims around me except for his face when I open his eyes. His olive-green eyes stare at me, so intent that I can’t look away.
He continues to talk to me but it’s all just background noise as warm water touches my side and the sudden zap of pain steals my breath, my brain.
Then he sighs and reaches for something just out of my sight. He holds something white in his hand and then excruciating agony streaks through me and I scream, everything finally going black.
CHAPTERFOUR
JUDE
I sit backand run my hands through my hair after I finally get Treaty’s wound cleaned up and closed. It’s a lot deeper than I thought it was and I had to draw on some of my old emergency medical training from the military to clean it, stitch it closed and cover it.
