Leaving the bathroom, he turned out the light and went back down the hall. Axel greeted him happily from the big sitting room where both Jordan and Caitlyn watched the box the girl had called a TV. Jordan looked him up and down.
“The pants didn’t fit?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“Come in and sit down. Want a beer?”
“Sure.”
She rose from the sofa, lean and graceful. “We ate dinner in town, but if you’re hungry, I can fix you something.”
Neil was, in fact, quite hungry, but he didn’t want to be a problem for her. “If it’s no trouble.”
“Not at all. Make yourself at home.”
Sitting on the sofa, he felt no small shock when Axel leaped up to lean against him, his jaws wide in what Neil thought was a dog’s happy expression. Then he licked Neil’s cheek. “Uh, is he supposed to do this?”
Caitlyn looked around at them. “He likes you.”
“I suppose I like him, too.”
But when Jordan appeared with a plate of food and two bottles, she ordered the dog down. “Leave him alone,” she scolded while Axel, his expression hurt, flopped down next to Caitlyn and put his head on his paws. “Is he not allowed on the couch?” Neil asked as Jordan handed him the plate and a bottle.
“Not while you’re eating,” she replied and sat down on the other side of the couch. “He’ll be in your face, begging.”
Sure enough, the dog’s deep brown eyes watched Neil eat every morsel of the sandwich and chips. He chuckled at the creature’s mournful expression. “He sure knows how to work those eyes,” he commented.
“Knox tended to spoil him,” Jordan explained. “Give him treats at every meal. I’ve had to work hard to fix his bad habits.”
“I don’t know much about dogs.”
Jordan offered him a small smile, and Neil hoped she was losing her suspicion about him. “All you need to know is they’re loyal, devoted, protective, and easily spoiled.”
Finishing the meal she fixed him, Neil set the plate on the table beside him. “That was delicious. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. In a little while, I’ll get you a pain pill and show you the guest room.”
“Its very kind of you to bring me into your house like this.”
“Well, I sort of did run you over.” When she grinned, it was the first genuine warm expression Neil had seen from her thus far. “I believe it was more my fault than yours.”
“Just remember that when you’re tempted to sue me.”
Chapter Three
Gradually losing her worry over having this big handsome stranger under her roof with her five-year-old daughter, Jordan tried not to stare at him. She had nearly panicked and told him to leave when Axel reacted the way he did upon meeting Neil, for she was certain the rottweiler had sensed something evil about him.
Now, she was certain he was the furthest thing from evil, and Axel’s continued fascination with him proved it. When Axel jumped onto the couch and put his head in Neil’s lap, Jordan was certain of it. She had learned to trust animals’ instincts a long time ago.
“You don’t have to put up with that,” she said while Neil’s hand stroked down Axel’s short fur.
Neil’s sweet, almost shy smile emerged. “Why not? Caitlyn says he likes me.”
“That may be true, but he can be a pest to those he likes.”
“I don’t mind.”
Axel breathed in a deep sigh of contentment, and Jordan almost laughed. “We have to go back into town tomorrow,” she commented. “We can stop by a store and get you clothes.”
Neil glanced down at his ripped jeans. “Yeah, I think I’ll need them. These are a mess.”
“I fear we’re up awful early in the mornings,” she went on. “Chores and the like.”
“I can help.”
“You’re a guest here. You don’t have to.”
Utterly fascinated with his pale eyes, almost the color of honey, Jordan forced herself to look away from them. And he’s far too good looking for words. But in shunting her eyes away, she glanced at his heavy biceps, and his chest under the too-tight shirt and recalled the power in them as she cleaned his road rash.
“I don’t mind,” Neil replied in that odd accent. “I wish to repay your kindness.”
“I owe you for hitting you with my truck.”
Uncomfortable under his steady gaze, his sweet expression, Jordan stared blankly at the television. Caitlyn had turned on the Disney Channel and watched Pocahontas with the same rapt fascination she had the first dozen times she had seen it.
“Caitlyn, time to brush your teeth and get into your jammies.”
“Mommy,” she protested. “I’m watching this.”
“You’ve seen it before. And I’m sure you’ll see it again.”
Pouting as she usually did, Caitlyn rose from the floor with a huge put-upon sigh and stomped her way toward her room. Neil watched her go, and naturally, Jordan’s thoughts turned to worrying that she had brought home a pedophile. But this time he didn’t comment on how cute she was as Jordan expected.
“She’s such an obedient child,” he remarked. “I don’t believe I was when I was young.”
“Nor was I,” Jordan admitted. “But even if Knox spoiled Axel, he was a good father and refused to spoil Caitlyn. We both agreed on our discipline of her.”
“Where is this Knox?”
“In town. He works for a construction company.”
“Does he treat you well?”
Jordan shot him a glance and observed only mild curiosity and interest in his expression. “We do not get along anymore,” she replied. “But he is good to Caitlyn, and that’s what’s important.”
“Yet, I sense animosity in your voice.”
Hesitating over whether or not to tell him, she shrugged inwardly, not seeing any harm in telling Neil her troubles. “Knox is fighting me for custody of her,” she said, her tone neutral. “And I’m a little afraid he will do something bad to get her.”
Neil said nothing, and when Jordan glanced at his face, she saw him staring down at the dog. “Will he hurt you?” he asked softly without looking up.
Surprise by the question, Jordan answered honestly. “He’s capable of it.”
“A male who would harm his mate, or even a former mate, should be castrated,” he said, his tone deadly soft. “Where I come from, harming a female is not tolerated.”
Axel lifted his head to stare up into Neil’s face. His hands stroked the dog’s ears and neck, and a moment later, Axel put his face back down in his lap. Slightly shocked by his tone, Jordan swallowed hard.
“No violence is tolerated here, either,” she replied. “However, a victim of violence has to go through the courts to get justice. And it's not always served.”
“That’s a shame,” Neil replied, still petting Axel. “Justice for violence against one’s own kind should be swift and sure. Death comes to those who break the laws among my people.”
“Just where do you come from?”
Neil smiled. “A place far to the north. We sort of live by our own rules and laws there.”
“I didn’t think there was any place like that,” Jordan told him, trying to watch the movie. “Even countries in Africa don’t simply execute for every infraction.”
“That may be true,” Neil said. “But our laws are simple—never harm another. We don’t have many other rules besides that one.”
Jordan returned her gaze at him, astounded. “You don’t have laws against theft, or adultery, or causing pollution?”
Neil shrugged. “No. Because we never do any of those things.”
She turned back to the show. “I think I’d like living among your people. Sounds easier than here.”
“We are a peaceful people,” he said, his tone soft.
“And you don’t get, er, divorced and fight for custody over your children?” Jordan couldn’t help the scoff that entered her voice and regretted it immediately.
&
nbsp; “We don’t get divorced.” If he was offended, his smile didn’t show it. “We can be very possessive of the ones we love.”
“Possessiveness can get old if you ask me.” Jordan stared at the TV screen. “And a powerful cause for divorce.”
“That may be true among your people,” he replied easily. “But among mine, well, it’s desired.”
Caitlyn came in, dressed in her Winnie the Pooh nightgown, her golden hair brushed. “And your teeth?” Jordan asked.
In reply, Caitlin bared her teeth. Without speaking, she went straight to Neil and lifted her small arms for a goodnight hug and kiss. Startled, as she had never done that with strangers, Jordan watched as Neil grinned, and hugged her, then kissed her cheek.
“Goodnight, little one,” he said.
“Night night.”
Caitlin came to Jordan for her goodnight hug and kiss, and in lifting her, Jordan scented her minty breath. “Want me to tuck you in?” she asked.
“No. Axel, it’s time for bed.”
Axel lifted his head at the sound of his name and gazed at Caitlin lazily, but didn’t move. Neil gave him a small shove. “Go sleep with the little one,” he murmured. “Protect her.”
Axel yawned mightily, then oozed off the couch to stretch languidly, then ambled on Caitlin’s heels. Child and dog vanished into the hallway. Slightly unnerved by what she had just witnessed, Jordan tried to focus on the movie but kept replaying it in her mind. “Are you needing that pain pill?” she finally asked. “And another beer?”
“If it’s no trouble.”
Without answering, Jordan rose to head to the bathroom again but veered away to check on her daughter. Caitlyn lay in her bed, already asleep, Axel curled up beside her with his huge head resting on her waist. “Good boy,” she murmured, then went to the kitchen for two more beers.
Retrieving a Vicodin from the bathroom cabinet, she took it and the beer to the sitting room. “Here,” she said, handing him a beer and the pill.
“Thanks.”
Sitting back down with her own beer, she picked up the remote and flipped through the channels to find something else. Seeing an old Bruce Willis action movie, she glanced at Neil. “Is this okay?”
He shrugged. “Whatever you want, Jordan.”
It wasn’t long before Neil’s chin dropped to his chest, and his eyes drooped. Taking another pull from her bottle, Jordan stood up again. “I guess I should show you the guest room.”
“I can’t keep my eyes open.”
“It’s the Vicodin. It’ll help you sleep.”
He followed her down the hall to the guest room, and she turned on the light beside the bed. “I’ll have towels and stuff ready in the morning if you can handle a shower,” she told him as he slumped on the bed.
Neil blinked owlishly at her and smiled. “Love one.”
“Goodnight.”
Jordan closed the door, wondering again at the wisdom of having this strange man under her roof. Though not yet ready for sleep, she went to her bedroom, and pulled the twelve-gauge shotgun from the closet. Pumping in two shells from the bureau drawer, she set it beside the bed where she could get to it quickly if she had to.
Then she looked in on her daughter and hoped Axel didn’t like Neil so well that he’d permit the man to enter Caitlin’s room.
After a night of restless sleep, during which she woke at nearly every noise, Jordan rolled out of bed just after dawn. Yawning, she pulled on a bathrobe, then padded to the kitchen to put on the coffee. And stopped short.
Neil offered her that charming grin as he busily cooked breakfast, the scent of frying bacon teasing her nose. Eggs sat on the counter while he set out another frying pan and had already set the table for three. “I, um, hope you don’t mind. I’m not much of a cook, but I can do breakfast.”
Jordan opened and closed her mouth. “Uh, no, of course not. Smells great.”
“I think Caitlyn is up,” he said, turning the bacon with a fork. “Axel went outside.”
Something about him seemed odd, out of place. He moved with a natural grace as he worked the stove and the pans, pouring oil for the eggs. Then it hit her—he had no pain. Ambling toward him, she peered hard into his face. Neil blinked, his grin fading.
“What?”
“Your face.”
“What about it?” He lifted his fingers to his cheek, staring at her in bafflement.
“Your scrape,” she murmured, awed. “It’s hardly there.”
He laughed. “Oh, that. I told you I heal fast.”
Lifting his arms, he showed her the road rashes that had been torn and bloody the night before now appeared pink, as though the accident had happened a week ago, and not the previous night.
“That’s incredible.”
“Not really. It’s normal for me.”
Axel wandered in through his dog door, his stump wagging. “Um, do I have time for a shower before we eat?” Jordan asked.
“Sure.”
Walking on feet she hardly felt, Jordan went to her bathroom after discovering Caitlin yawning in her room as she slowly dressed. “Hi, Mommy.”
“Morning, sweetie. Neil is fixing bacon and eggs.”
“Okay.”
“Don’t forget to make your bed.”
“I won’t.”
In the shower, the hot spray soaking her, Jordan couldn’t stop thinking about not just how fast Neil’s injuries had healed, but how truly sweet he was. You don’t find many folks who are truly good through and through, but somehow, I think Neil is. Still, she pondered Axel’s first fearful reaction to him, and how Neil wandered the roads without clothes or provisions.
Drying her hair, Jordan decided to take him into town and let him get things he needed. Maybe even point out some apartments he could rent if he wanted to stay in Livingston. At least he’d then be out of her house, and she could cease worrying about his motivations.
Caitlin already sat at the table with bacon and eggs in front of her while Neil continued to cook at the stove. “Sit down,” he said with a quick glance at her. “Yours is ready.”
Axel lay on his rug by the door, watching every forkful that went into Caitlin’s mouth. Jordan sat at her usual place and was immediately served with a plate of fried eggs, hash browns, bacon, and toast. “How’d you manage all this?” she asked.
“I can do breakfast, but for any other meal, I’m rather useless,” Neil replied, turning back to the counter to get the coffee pot and pour her coffee.
“It’s fabulous.”
Not used to much for breakfast except a few slices of toast on the fly, Jordan ate with enthusiasm. “You’re going to spoil us.”
“Mommy, can I ride Jumper today?”
“We’ll see,” Jordan replied, watching her daughter munch the crispy bacon. “Maybe after we get back from town.”
Neil sat at the table with his plate and cup of coffee. “You mentioned chores?”
Jordan peppered her eggs. “Yeah, feed the horses and cows. Caitlyn feeds the chickens and collects the eggs.”
“The chickens peck me,” Caitlyn complained. She raised her hand to Neil. “See?”
He inspected the clean pale arm with a small smile. “That’s naughty of them to peck you,” he commiserated.
“Yeah.” Caitlyn leaned her head on her hand, her elbow on the table, picking at her eggs.
“Elbow off the table,” Jordan ordered.
Caitlyn straightened up. “I want to ride Jumper.”
“We have to take Neil into town. After that, we’ll see.”
Caitlyn leaned toward Neil conspiratorially. “Jumper is my pony.”
“Is he a nice pony?”
“Uh, huh. He doesn’t buck or nothing.”
“He’s too lazy for anything dramatic like bucking,” Jordan said, observing the small flash of confusion that crossed Neil’s face. “We got rather lucky with him; he’s got an excellent temperament, which many ponies don’t.”
Neil grinned at Caitlyn. “I can’t wait
to meet him.”
While Neil went to shower at her insistence, Jordan cleaned the kitchen. He returned just as she finished loading the dishwasher, his red-gold hair damp yet neatly brushed. Caitlyn ran forward to grab his hand. “Come on,” she ordered him, dragging him toward the door. “We have to do chores.”
Neil grinned, eyeing Jordan sidelong. “I take it she likes doing chores?”
“Not always,” Jordan replied, unable to stop her own grin in reply. “I think she just wants to show off her pony.”
With Axel trotting ahead, Jordan and Neil, with Caitlyn skipping along behind the dog, walked across the yard toward the barn and the corrals. Several horses whinnied at the sight of them, demanding to be fed this instant. She caught Neil gazing at them curiously, as though he had never seen a horse before.
“These are my saddle horses,” Jordan explained as they drew closer to the corral and the stacked bales of hay. “My breeding stock are in the barn.”
“That’s Jumper,” Caitlyn exclaimed, running ahead.
“Which one?” Neil began, following her.
Instantly, as though a bomb had been dropped among them, the horses panicked. The three geldings and the pony bolted to the far side of the corral, running madly in an effort to escape the large pen. Jordan felt her jaw drop. “What the hell?”
Caitlyn paid no attention to the galloping horses and went straight for the rails to slide in between them. “Caitlyn, no,” Jordan yelled, her panic rising. “Stay out of there.”
Neil moved fast for such a big man. He leaped forward, and caught Caitlyn around her waist with his arm, and scooped her out from between the rails. Axel added to the chaos by barking and jumping on him, but he didn’t try to bite. He thinks it's all in play.
With Caitlyn safe in Neil’s arms, Jordan yelled, “Axel, quit. Get down.”
Axel obeyed and sat on his rump, gazing up at Neil and Caitlyn happily. Turning her attention back to the horses, she saw them clustered together in a tight bunch, snorting, their eyes wild. They stared at Neil. “Why are they so scared of you?” she asked, bewildered.
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