“I know.” Jason drew her into his arms, held her, stroked her hair, the heat of his body chasing away the chill inside her, the strength of his embrace soothing.
Chapter 9
While Winona madeher rounds at the clinic, Jason loaded her bag and backpack and his duffel into his truck and went to get gas at Frank’s Pump ‘N’ Go, the only gas station in Scarlet Springs. He paid inside, tossing a pack of condoms on the counter.
What are you doing, man?
Hell, he didn’t know.
He climbed into his truck and shut the door—a bit too hard.
He was out of sorts this morning, on edge. Listening to Winona talk about her ordeal had triggered something in him, a sense of protectiveness mingled with rage. He’d done his best to comfort her, but he knew nothing could take away the horror of what that bastard had done.
God, she’d felt sweet in his arms.
Holding her had done nothing to curb his growing infatuation with her. In fact, it had made things worse. He’d wanted to kiss her, but that would have made him a world-class asshole. She’d bared her soul to him. She’d been vulnerable and upset, her face wet with tears, her body shaking. The last thing she’d needed was him coming onto her.
No matter what he’d like to believe, his dick wasn’t magic. It couldn’t heal that kind of pain.
That’s why you’re going to keep your junk in your pants.
He found Winona locking up, the bright smile on her face, a strange tenderness for her blossoming in his chest. “Ready to go?”
“Let’s hit the road.”
Jason knew the way now and followed the signs toward the Peak to Peak Highway. “It’s beautiful up here.”
“I’m sure it’s beautiful in the desert, too.”
“It’s a different kind of beauty.”
“Tell me about it.”
Jason searched for a way to put a lifetime of experience into words. “The colors are always changing depending on the light. In the mountains, you can see the different geological strata—dark gray, red, white, tan. In spring, the land explodes with life. Prickly pear and giant saguaro in bloom. Tadpoles in every puddle. Tiny yellow flowers on the greasewood trees. A sky that goes on forever. You can see a rainstorm coming from miles away, ghost rain falling like a gray curtain, evaporating before it hits the ground, the sky purple.”
“It sounds amazing.”
“Maybe you can visit and see for yourself one day.”
“I’d like that. I…” She seemed to hesitate. “I wanted to thank you for your kindness last night. I feel a little ashamed that I fell apart like that.”
“You shouldn’t. We’re friends, right?” It was too damned bad they couldn’t be more than that. “What you went through would give anyone nightmares. Look at who you are and all the good you do. You should feel proud of yourself.”
“Thanks.”
“It’s the truth. I’ve never been through anything like what you experienced, but I’ve been shot. I’ve witnessed a lot of violence and seen more than my share of dead and decomposing bodies. I have nightmares, too.”
“You do?” She seemed genuinely surprised by this.
He couldn’t help but laugh. “Hell, yeah.”
“Do you ever cry all over your guests?”
“I haven’t cried since the day we buried my parents.”
She rested her hand against his arm. “That must have been so hard.”
“Yeah.” It had been hell.