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“What, I’m not allowed to be worried?” Her hands clenched on the table as she replayed images that she feared would be etched in her mind forever – a wall of flames devouring the mountain, a lone figure walking out of the barn with a dog in his arms, engulfed in smoke and fire, his jacket disintegrating as he emerged. “I watched him walk out of a flaming building while on fire. His jacket melted.”
Anna’s eyes softened. “Of course you’re allowed to worry.”
“If it were you or Zak or Ash or any of our friends, I’d still be here.”
“Okay.” Anna held up her hands. “Sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
Sasha closed her eyes and took a moment to rein in the unexpected surge of defensiveness. “No, I’m the one who should be apologizing. I’m sorry I snapped. I’m tired.”
Anna reached across the table and gave her hand a comforting squeeze. “We all are, honey.”
“There is something between Donovan and me,” she admitted with a sigh. “I just... don’t know how to classify it. And until he wakes up and we can figure it out, I’d rather not discuss it.”
“Okay, fair.” Anna pressed her lips together and made it all of two heartbeats before blurting, “But Donovan? I know he’s hot as hell, but... I mean... you know the rumors about him.”
“I’m aware.” Everybody in town knew the rumors, and everybody in town had their theories. Until the other night, she’d never really had an opinion about it. While Donovan and Darcy were in her graduating class, she’d only known them in passing. And at the time of Darcy’s disappearance, she’d been too wrapped up in her own trauma to care.
But now?
A man who would risk his life to save three dogs couldn’t also be a cold-blooded killer. Of that, she was certain.
“And what about Ash?” Anna asked. “You finally caught his eye at the fundraiser. I know he’s planning on taking you to dinner when things calm down around here.”
A sharp pang of guilt twisted in Sasha’s chest. “Ash is great, but he’s not...” She searched for the right words. He was not… what? Donovan? Well, obviously. They were two very different men. One was by the book and the other had burned the book a long time ago. “I don’t want you to think I’m leading your brother on. I’m not. When things settle down, I’ll tell him. It’s just… Donovan... he makes me...”
“Feel?” Anna suggested.
“Yes,” she breathed. “All the things.”
Anna nodded slowly. “I get it. It was the same for me when Zak came back into my life, despite all the warning bells telling me I shouldn’t get involved with him again.”
“But that turned out okay.”
“Yes, it did. After a lot of drama and other stuff. But Donovan… in a lot of ways, he has more baggage than even Zak.”
Sasha snorted a laugh. “Nobody has more baggage than Zak Hendricks.”
“Well, maybe that was true a couple years ago, but now, he’s in a better headspace than me most days. The point is, I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I appreciate that, but I know what I’m doing.” She hoped. “I can take care of myself.”
Anna grinned. “Damn right, you can. That’s one of the many reasons I love you.”
Sasha smiled back, grateful for the subject change. “Love you too, Anna. And thank you, again, for letting me take Matilda. I’ll pick her up on my way home tonight.”
“I couldn’t think of anyone better for her, Sash. And hey, like you said, we’ll rebuild. We’ll come back stronger and better than ever.”
Sasha nodded but couldn’t shake the feeling that things would never be the same. The fire had destroyed everything, and yet it seemed to have ignited something within her. The feelings she had for Donovan were more than just physical attraction that she could ignore. She cared about him in a way that she couldn’t explain. But did he feel the same way?
But for now, all she could do was sit and wait by Donovan’s bedside, hoping he would wake up soon.
When Zak and Anna left, she reached out and took his hand again. She traced the lines of his palm, wondering what he was dreaming about, and his fingers twitched beneath hers. She gasped, staring down at his hand. His fingers twitched again. She leaned in closer, watching as his eyelids fluttered.
Donovan’s eyes slowly opened, and he blinked a few times. His lips parted, and a small groan escaped him.
“Donovan?” she whispered.
His gaze fastened on her, and for a moment, he seemed to struggle to remember who she was. But then, his eyes widened with recognition, and he smiled weakly. He tried to speak, but no sound came out, and he coughed, wincing in pain.
