in color with tiny white spots.
“Help me keep them warm,” he handed her a blanket. “Where are those fucking Apaches? These guys won’t last long in this condition.”
They wrapped the fawns in comforters from his bed and sat on the floor, holding them on their laps.
“Nobody dies, right?” His eyes met hers. Not a hint of recognition shone in those questioning brown eyes.
“Nobody dies,” she said.
Less than an hour passed before activity could be heard outside. Mason placed his fawn on her lap and belly crawled to the door. Once convinced the area was safe, he stood up and peeked out the door.
“In here, guys, I have two men down.”
Sydnie recognized the same State Trooper from her incident with Ben. A wave of embarrassment washed over her. What will he think this time? I’m in a different house with the same man, only this time I’ve got two baby deer on my lap.
“We’ll take them from here,” the trooper told Mason, then he approached her. “I’ve known Mason a long time. We graduated together. I’ll take care of these deer. The game commissioner is waiting outside. We didn’t want to rush the place and set him off.”
“I take it that you’ve been called here before.” She gently laid the babies in his arms.
“Many times.”
“Thank you.” She whisked tears from her cheeks.
“I saw the truck. Are you okay? Do you need medical attention?”
“No, thank you. I was wearing my seatbelt.”
He gave her an approving smile, then walked past Mason with a nod before leaving the house.
Sydnie collapsed into a chair and sobbed. No force in nature could have held back her tears this time. With her head in her hands, she wept uncontrollably. After the vehicles outside drove away, Mason closed the door and came to her side.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” he knelt beside the chair. His delusional state evidently passed by the seeking tone in his voice.
“What’s wrong? What’s wrong?” She stared in disbelief. “I’m not cut out for war.”
“Hey,” he said in a soft voice while petting her hair. “Every soldier has a bad day. But we never quit and we never accept defeat.”
She brushed his hand away and stood up. “Well while you’re in a sober and sane state of mind, think about that the next time you go on a suicide mission!” With that, she stomped across the room and out the door.
This was the most hellish night she’d endured since her marriage. Despite her strong feelings for this man, she simply did not know if she could take anymore.
Sunlight flooded the room before Sydnie was ready to face the day. Before falling into bed the night before, she’d showered and left a message on her boss’s voicemail to request some personal time off. She’d have to work extra on her freelance jobs to make up for the missed pay, but she knew she could do it. Her traumatic night with Mason left her utterly sapped and out of touch. She had no desire to deal with people anytime soon.
She wondered if this is how he felt every day. The hell he lived in became very real to her. Is great sex worth all of this? Yet in her heart, she knew it was more than fabulous sex that drew her to the man next door. Even now, those warm caring eyes haunted her mind. She couldn’t seem to get him out of her head. He’d made a lasting imprint on her soul that she’d never forget even if they went separate ways.
If only he’d quit drinking, she thought. Maybe his meds would actually work. A chime on her phone interrupted her thoughts. She read the text.
Hey, baby doll, I’m sorry about last night. I called my buddy on the police force. He said the deer survived the night. I wanted to know if you’d ride up with me to see them. I’ll be back later. I’m going up to get an insurance estimate on the truck.
She sighed and rolled onto her stomach, burying her face in a pillow. What should I do?
Chapter Six
“I’m glad you decided to come.” Mason looked over with an engaging
“Help me keep them warm,” he handed her a blanket. “Where are those fucking Apaches? These guys won’t last long in this condition.”
They wrapped the fawns in comforters from his bed and sat on the floor, holding them on their laps.
“Nobody dies, right?” His eyes met hers. Not a hint of recognition shone in those questioning brown eyes.
“Nobody dies,” she said.
Less than an hour passed before activity could be heard outside. Mason placed his fawn on her lap and belly crawled to the door. Once convinced the area was safe, he stood up and peeked out the door.
“In here, guys, I have two men down.”
Sydnie recognized the same State Trooper from her incident with Ben. A wave of embarrassment washed over her. What will he think this time? I’m in a different house with the same man, only this time I’ve got two baby deer on my lap.
“We’ll take them from here,” the trooper told Mason, then he approached her. “I’ve known Mason a long time. We graduated together. I’ll take care of these deer. The game commissioner is waiting outside. We didn’t want to rush the place and set him off.”
“I take it that you’ve been called here before.” She gently laid the babies in his arms.
“Many times.”
“Thank you.” She whisked tears from her cheeks.
“I saw the truck. Are you okay? Do you need medical attention?”
“No, thank you. I was wearing my seatbelt.”
He gave her an approving smile, then walked past Mason with a nod before leaving the house.
Sydnie collapsed into a chair and sobbed. No force in nature could have held back her tears this time. With her head in her hands, she wept uncontrollably. After the vehicles outside drove away, Mason closed the door and came to her side.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” he knelt beside the chair. His delusional state evidently passed by the seeking tone in his voice.
“What’s wrong? What’s wrong?” She stared in disbelief. “I’m not cut out for war.”
“Hey,” he said in a soft voice while petting her hair. “Every soldier has a bad day. But we never quit and we never accept defeat.”
She brushed his hand away and stood up. “Well while you’re in a sober and sane state of mind, think about that the next time you go on a suicide mission!” With that, she stomped across the room and out the door.
This was the most hellish night she’d endured since her marriage. Despite her strong feelings for this man, she simply did not know if she could take anymore.
Sunlight flooded the room before Sydnie was ready to face the day. Before falling into bed the night before, she’d showered and left a message on her boss’s voicemail to request some personal time off. She’d have to work extra on her freelance jobs to make up for the missed pay, but she knew she could do it. Her traumatic night with Mason left her utterly sapped and out of touch. She had no desire to deal with people anytime soon.
She wondered if this is how he felt every day. The hell he lived in became very real to her. Is great sex worth all of this? Yet in her heart, she knew it was more than fabulous sex that drew her to the man next door. Even now, those warm caring eyes haunted her mind. She couldn’t seem to get him out of her head. He’d made a lasting imprint on her soul that she’d never forget even if they went separate ways.
If only he’d quit drinking, she thought. Maybe his meds would actually work. A chime on her phone interrupted her thoughts. She read the text.
Hey, baby doll, I’m sorry about last night. I called my buddy on the police force. He said the deer survived the night. I wanted to know if you’d ride up with me to see them. I’ll be back later. I’m going up to get an insurance estimate on the truck.
She sighed and rolled onto her stomach, burying her face in a pillow. What should I do?
Chapter Six
“I’m glad you decided to come.” Mason looked over with an engaging
Similar Books
