Page 14 of Shadowed Rubies
It was a significant hike back to civilization and my aching body was letting me know that I had overdone it. Being hogtied in a cave, without my usual snacks that I nibbled throughout the day or my giant water bottle that I constantly sipped, was taking a toll on my tired body.
Looking for inspiration, I trained my eyes on Molly. She seemed to have plenty of pep in her step, despite the head injuries she had suffered from Kevin. Although he’d had me longer, she definitely got the worst of his abuse. If she could manage to make it out of this forest, then so could I.
When we finally emerged from the woods and the parking lot came into view, I was stunned by the sight of the gathered crowd. Half our town must have stopped what they were doing to come out and help search.
We were greeted by a loud “whoop” of excitement and clapping as if we were returning heroes as we trudged up to the parking lot. It was a moving experience to realize so many people had been worried and willing to come out to help find us.
My brother rushed forward with Jaxson strapped to his chest in a navy-blue baby carrier. Dean pulled me into a hug that was so tight, I feared we might be squishing the baby. When I tried to lean back to mention that, he kept his close grip on me.
In the next moment, Dean’s fiancé, Josie, appeared and wrapped her arms around us. Dean and I both moved to engulf her in our hug.
It was wonderful to be included in their little family, but I couldn’t help thinking that I wanted this for myself. My brother cared about me, but it wasn’t the same as being someone’s special person who mattered above anyone else.
I found myself longing for a family of my own. It had always seemed like I would have plenty of time for that, but now my brother and best friend had both found their significant others. I was the lone wolf, who had focused on her career. Suddenly, I wondered if that decision had been a mistake. My medical degree wouldn’t keep me warm at night.
In the next moment, my mother rushed forward, and all thoughts of what I might be missing out on drifted away. She sobbed as she held me. I rubbed her back, trying to convince her that I was truly okay. She’d had such a rough year, with the quick progression of my father’s disease.
Now, she was trying to find her way through her life without the man she’d been married to for over twenty-five years. Losing me would have likely tipped her over the edge of the cliff. As she shook in my arms, I thanked our lucky stars that she didn’t have to go through that right now because I didn’t think she would have been able to handle it.
“Thank God they found you,” she whispered near my ear as I felt her heart hammering against my chest.
I squeezed her tight and cooed, “I’m okay. Everything’s going to be fine.”
When the murmurs of the gathered crowd silenced and my mother stiffened in my embrace, I knew they must have emerged from the woods with Kevin.
For some strange reason, my gaze darted to Max. The fury emanated off him in almost-visible waves. Seeing his barely-contained rage made me realize it was probably a good thing for Kevin’s sake that he had remained unconscious during the trek back to civilization. Max looked like he would gladly rip the other man’s head off and bowl with it if given the slightest provocation.
Mom and I separated slightly as the tired foursome carried the large, unconscious man to a waiting ambulance. I kept my arm around my mother’s shoulder as a silent reminder to her that I was safe.
Although my eyes glanced toward Kevin several times, they were pulled back each time as if magnetized to Max. His jaw was working back and forth as if he was gritting his teeth together because it was taking all of his restraint to keep from attacking our captor.
Deep down, I knew he was so angry because Kevin had abducted his sister, but it was fun to imagine that he was that worked up over me. Dean was angry on my behalf, but it was nothing like the pure alpha male, visceral reaction bubbling behind Max’s angry glare. The fireman was huge and probably should be frightening, but I couldn’t seem to resist gazing at him like he was a chocolate-filled cake pop with sprinkles on top.
Once they deposited Kevin on the stretcher, I watched Max’s bulging bicep tense and release as he walked over to rejoin his sister. My tongue flicked out to wet my suddenly-parched lips. Max couldn’t be more masculine and ripped if he were carved from stone.
I knew before my gaze travelled up to his that he had caught me gawking at and lusting after him. I quickly looked away, but not before I saw one side of his mouth tip up into a cocky grin.
Dammit.He already knew he was incomparably sexy and utterly irresistible, and I had just non-verbally confirmed it.So much for playing it cool.
17
Max
There was no denying my body’s immediate reaction to discovering Dr. Danica Waters checking me out. I had to shift back and to the side to make sure my partial erection wasn’t visible through my jeans. Since I had an arm casually slung around my sister, that would look beyond inappropriate––even though it obviously had nothing to do with her.
Not wanting my cock to spring to full attention over Dani’s open perusal of my flexed muscles, I turned my attention back to Kevin Durley. Thinking of the audacity of the jerk and his abduction of three women in our close-knit town was a better boner-killer than picturing Grandma Malone asking me for a kiss on the cheek with her avocado facial mask smeared over her wrinkly skin.
My instinct was to lunge out at the man and strangle the life out of him as his stretcher was lifted into the ambulance. He had hit my sister’s head and taken her captive against her will, so it felt unfair for him to receive medical attention. I wanted him to suffer for what he had done to Molly––and Dani.
It surprised me how protective I felt over Dani. I’d known of her my entire life, but she’d been a couple of years ahead of me in school, and we’d never exactly hung out in the same crowds. I’d taken plenty of notice of her, but she always had her nose buried in a book, while I’d preferred playing football and acting like a tough guy.
Although she’d always been on my radar, she felt completely out of my league. I’d dated plenty of beautiful women, but never any that were beautifulandbrilliant, like Dani. When I’d confessed my secret crush on her to my friends, they’d laughed in my face and asked what I could possibly have to talk about with such a smart girl.
I’d assumed they were right and convinced myself that Dani would find me to be simple-minded and boring. She deserved to be with someone high-brow, who could discuss Dickens and Thoreau without looking like a moron. I’d tried reading both to impress her, but quickly realized I was in way over my head.
I was a dumb jock, and she was destined to become a brilliant doctor. There couldn’t be a worse match. But I’d never been able to get her completely out of my head, despite my best efforts to the contrary. Any time a girl I was dating said something inane, I would find myself comparing her to what my imaginary version of Dani would say.
Chances were high that the real woman was nothing like the one I had created in my mind, but even that knowledge didn’t stop me from wishing I could be with her. She was the one that had always been just out of reach for me, and it was time for me to admit that and move on. If only I could get that message through to my stupid head––both of them.
