by Elle Aycart
The roads had grown progressively smaller and rougher the farther she drove into the mountains. She wasn’t sure how she got there, but she arrived at Marc’s farm. She’d been aiming for NoName’s Main Street, and more specifically a watering hole where she could drown her sorrows and her anger at Alec, but Marc’s place would have to do.
“Hi,” she said as Marc came out to see who’d driven in. She plastered a big smile on her face and tried to pull off the perky act. “I’m here to visit Elastigirl.”
By the looks of Marc, the act didn’t fly. Kudos to him though; he just nodded.
“Great.” She turned to the barn, then turned back to Marc. Better safe than sorry. “Could you please not call Alec and tell him I’m here?”
He nodded again. For once she appreciated that Alec’s crew were not the chatty kind.
Elastigirl and Fiona were out of the birthing pen and mingling with the rest of the cows. The calf seemed to run to her mom now and then for reassurance, but for the most part she was having a ball. Megan stretched out her hand, but they all ignored her, even Elastigirl.
“You’ll have better luck with these.” Marc was walking towards her, apple and knife in hand. He cut the fruit in quarters and gave one piece to Megan. “They love apples and pears. They won’t turn down veggies, but my cows love fruit.”
He was right. Once the first apple was gone, Marc produced another from the pocket of his overalls. They stood in silence, feeding the cows and then just watching them.
“So, what did the asshole do?” Marc finally asked.
She let out a soft laugh. “Long story.”
He didn’t insist. “In my experience, he’ll come to his senses. You can always try punching him to speed up the process. I’ve done that a couple of times,” he said, massaging his jaw. “Still hurts, but he’ll never put a finger on you, so you have the advantage.”
She smiled at him but said nothing.
“I’m alone today,” he continued. “Would you like to help out? Dealing with livestock is a great way to clear your mind.”
Why not? She might as well do something productive while she was moping. One thing had to be settled first. “Which barn do you keep the bugs in? I’m not putting a foot in there.”
“Stick to this barn and the next one over. Now,” he said, “get your gear from that corner. You can water the cows first. Same for the pigs. Think you can handle it?”
“I think so.”
“Good. I’ll go do my shit in the creepy-crawly section. I’ll come to pick you up when I’m done and we’ll go to the greenhouse. We have some replanting to do.”
She gave him a military salute—well, her version—and went in search of rubber boots.
After an hour she was sweaty, muddy, and rather tired of maneuvering around large animals. On the plus side, she hadn’t thought about Alec or her wretched luck even once.
“You done?” Marc asked, walking up to her. She nodded. “How did they behave?”
“I’m sure they didn’t appreciate me as much as they appreciate having you around.” She’d accidentally dumped water several times, and the fresh straw had gone all over the place. The pigs… too fast and too interested in running circles around her. She’d noticed a chicken coop at the far end, but Marc hadn’t mentioned it, so she’d steered clear. The hens had been very quiet to begin with. Now, though, they seemed worked up. No way was she going in there to get eggs or whatever the daily routine was.
“They’re happier once the snow melts and they can forage outside. We have to milk Fiona; she produces more milk than Elastigirl can drink.”
“Never done that,” Megan admitted.
“There’s a first time for everything.” He brought in a stool. Fiona, not happy at being tied in a milking stanchion, stamped and lowed. He talked to her in a soothing voice until she was calm enough to milk. After a few draws, he said, “Your turn now.”
It didn’t go as smoothly as it had for Marc, but she managed it, and soon the milk was coming steadily. “This is fun. Any more cows to milk?”
He laughed. “No, we don’t give them hormones, and we don’t make them have calves just to get more milk. Let’s go to the greenhouse.”
“How about the chickens?”
“I took care of them this morning. We only have four.”
Four? From the sounds of it, she’d have said there were ten times as many.
Marc took the bucket of milk and left it on a counter by the barn door. “You want to stop for a cup of coffee or to rest a bit?”
She shook her head, walking with him out of the barn. “No. I’m surprisingly okay. Hadn’t had time to think.”
“I know. When I decided not to re-enlist after my third tour, I was restless as fuck. Angry too. Missions don’t always run smoothly. Almost never, in fact,” he explained as they entered the greenhouse. “I was a ticking bomb, afraid of being around people. Alec must have seen it in me when I came to visit him, because he brought me here and said, ‘Old Matthews can’t take care of his farm. You do it.’ And dumped it on me.
“The farm wasn’t like it is now. It was traditional. By the time each day was over, I was so beat I slept like a baby. Never slept so soundly in my life. This farm kept me sane and my mind empty. Alec used to help out, but we never talked about anything that wasn’t farm-related. We didn’t have the strength.”
“I believe you.”
“Okay.” He surveyed the greenhouse. “Transplanting. Those seeds have germinated.” He pointed at some small plastic pots. “We need to transfer them to that strip of soil.”
She stared at the plants. “Man, it takes so much care and time before they give their fruit.”
“Everything that’s worth a damn in this world takes time.”
Yep, exactly what she didn’t have. “What if you don’t have time?”
“You do your best with what you’ve got, I guess.”
Alec hurried to Marc’s after his friend left him the message. He’d all but gone crazy, wondering where Megan was this whole time. He’d checked all of NoName and phoned everyone she knew in town—not that many people, but still.
Marc hadn’t answered his calls. Alec had figured Marc was busy, so he hadn’t given it a second thought. What were the chances Megan could even find his farm? Very high, as it turned out. Then he’d gotten the message: ‘Your woman is passed out on my sofa. Come pick her up.’
He’d broken the speed of light getting there, never mind the speed limit.
“Oh Jesus.” Marc hadn’t been kidding. Megan was passed out cold on the sofa. “What the fuck, man?”
“She’s a lightweight, your boss. I gave her a beer and she was out like a light.”
“After you worked her to the bone, I imagine.”
Marc crossed his arms. “That trick I learned from you. She spent the bulk of her time transplanting in the greenhouse. Exhaustion is good, given that she was fuming when she arrived. You should be thanking me, my friend.”
“Why didn’t you call me right away?”
“Please. You would have stormed in here. My animals need tranquility, not the third world war. They’re sensitive. Even the insects.”
Right. Alec noticed that Megan was again wearing one of Marc’s flannel shirts. “And why the fuck do you keep giving my woman your clothes?”
“Because it pisses you off?” At Alec’s murderous stare, Marc rephrased his answer: “When she took off the overalls and cleaned up, she was cold, so I gave her my shirt. Why? What’s it to you?”
“She’s everything to me, asshole. I fell in love almost the second I saw her again.”
“I think you never fell out of love with her in the first place,” Marc observed.
Probably. She’d worn her heart on her sleeve when they were kids, which had totally disarmed him. She’d smile at him and his heart would burst from his chest. He’d whined and bitched about her bossing him around, but he’d gladly done whatever she wanted. She’d been the only good thing in his life, his pe
rsonal angel, sparkling so bright, she’d blinded him. But his angel had her own scars and her own story now. She was closed off like he’d been at fifteen, full of harsh angles. It didn’t matter to him. In his eyes, she shone even brighter now. Although he wasn’t appreciating the stubbornness.
“What exactly did you do?” Marc asked, interrupting his thoughts.
Been the voice of reason? He’d had time to mull it over during the afternoon, and he got her point. Accepting it was another matter altogether.
“Nothing I can’t fix,” he stated. He wrapped her in his jacket and lifted her in his arms. “Thanks for everything. I’ll take it from here.”
She must have totally exhausted herself, because she didn’t wake up—not on the way back, not when he laid her on his bed, not when he took off Marc’s shirt, not when he tucked her in and spooned her.
Now that she was safe in his arms, he could fall asleep. The moment Megan stirred, though, he woke up. He tightened the grip he had on her. “Please don’t go. Please stay.”
She stilled for a second, then turned around and faced him. “I wasn’t running away. How did I get here? Did Marc give me away?” At his nod she smiled. “It was a miracle he held himself in check that long. Thanks for coming for me.” She kissed him, her hands traveling down his body.
“Wait, boss. We need to talk.”
“I don’t want to talk,” she whispered against his chest, her sweet little fingers moving south. “And this”—she patted his crotch—“doesn’t seem to want to talk either.”
He put his hand on top of hers. “I don’t like this.”
“You don’t like getting your cock sucked?” She looked up, a foxy smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
He needed to stay firm and gave her the sternest of stares. “No, I don’t like you trying to distract me by giving me head. When you finish, I’ll still be asking the same questions.”
“Not if I take your breath away.”
She had a point there, damn her. “I’ll recover sooner or later.”
She breathed deep. “I don’t really have later, Alec. We don’t have later. We just have now.”
He jumped from the bed and walked to the window, looking outside. So many emotions were wreaking havoc inside him, he didn’t know how to organize them. “Don’t say that.” His voice was shaky.
She hugged him from behind, buried her face in his back. “What?”
“Please don’t speak like that, like you don’t have a future. Like we don’t have a future. We don’t have to throw in the towel yet. There’s still a chance.”
She turned him around. Whatever she saw in his face must have been bad, because for a moment she looked so sad, it broke his heart. And yet she didn’t cry. She was so strong, his woman. Even in the face of the worst of adversities.
She cupped his face, caressing his stubble. “Please understand. Don’t be mad at me. I made the decision a long time ago. It’s what I want.”
He couldn’t answer. He could say that he’d respect her wishes, but he knew it would be a lie. He was in love with her; he couldn’t let her go.
He closed his eyes and tried to put those feelings into the deep freeze. Then maybe he could breathe again. Yeah, right. Fat chance. But he had to chill or he’d scare her, so he forced himself to unclench his jaw.
“I love you, boss, and I hear what you’re saying. I understand your position, but you can’t ask me to accept it. I can’t watch you die and do nothing when there’s still something to be done.”
“Alec—”
He stopped her with his hand on her lips. “I promise I will not kidnap you, throw you into the trunk, drive you to Seattle, and drag you into the hospital.”
“Thank you.” She gave a ghost of a laugh. “I’m honored.”
“But I will keep on trying to convince you to change your mind and get treatment. You have to give me that, baby.”
“Fine. You’re welcome to try.” By the look on her face, it was going to be a fruitless endeavor. She didn’t know, though, how persistent and convincing he could be.
“Now, how about we seal our deal?” she proposed, pulling his pants down and kneeling in front of him. “Let me give you pleasure.”
“You don’t need to be on your knees sucking my cock to bring me pleasure. Looking at your smile does that.”
She frowned. “Does that mean you don’t want a blowjob?”
He pulled her up and brought them to bed. “I didn’t say that.”
Chapter 11
Alec had been running errands in town all afternoon. Now that he had someone waiting for him, he realized how time-consuming NoName could be. There was always some emergency or other, and it seemed the whole town had his number on speed dial. He’d always enjoyed the hecticness of the place, still did, but he couldn’t wait to get back to Megan.
She’d wanted them to stay the night at Fergus’s cabin, because so many of her things were there, and he’d agreed. Today, though, he was gathering all her stuff and moving it permanently to his place. And he was going to convince Heather to rent the cabin to someone else right away, just in case, because damn, his boss was headstrong.
After a quick stop at the diner, he hurried back with supper. He hadn’t warned her he was bringing food, but Megan was not a wizard in the kitchen, and supplies on hand were limited.
When he reached the cabin, the lights were off. Had she fallen asleep already? It wasn’t even seven o’clock.
“Boss?” he hollered as he opened the door. He turned the lights on. The cabin was eerily silent.
His neck prickled. Something was very wrong. “Boss? Where are you?” he said urgently, his calm gone.
Then he realized the place was too empty, too clean. Her things were gone. On the coffee table, beside the key to the cabin, was a book—a romance. He opened it. There was something written on the first page: Thanks for everything, but it’s time for me to go. I will never forget you. Megan.
His heart was pumping so hard, the roar of blood in his ears was deafening. With shaking hands, he tried to call her. The call rang through to voicemail. Feeling as if a bomb had gone beside him—which it had—he went outside. Her car wasn’t there. How had he missed that?
He should never have left her alone. He should have stuck to her like glue.
“Megan!” he yelled with all his might.
No answer. Only the echo.
Then a thump. That was his knees hitting the ground.
He kept calling her name, again and again…
Alec woke up with his heart clenched as hard as a fist.
It had been a dream. Thank fucking God. Megan was sleeping by his side. He brought his hand to his chest and massaged it. Fuck, that hurt. He hugged Megan, sinking his nose into her hair, breathing her in. She mumbled, probably some complaint about how hard he was holding her, but he didn’t care. He couldn’t make his muscles relax their grip.
No fucking way was that dream coming true. No fucking way.
“What are we doing here?” Megan jumped out of the cab, glancing around. The lakefront was deserted.
He walked up to her. “Put this on. It’s the smallest size I could find.” He gave her a plastic bag full of black, rubbery stuff. Clothes? Jeez, these people liked to dress up. Halloween here must be a ball. “There is no dressing booth around here. Just go behind the truck. I promise not to watch. And holler if you need help.”
O-kay. It took a while before she figured out how to get the gear on, so much so that Alec ran out of patience and helped her finish. “I’m not sure about this, Bonehead.” Megan was wearing a full-body neoprene suit—hood, gloves, and socks included. She looked at herself, covered in black from head to toes, only her eyes visible. “I think I preferred the sperm outfit. If I’m supposed to be Batman, I’m missing the cape.”
No response was forthcoming. She lifted her gaze to find Alec shedding clothes until he had only his boxers on. “What—”
He grabbed a towel and a wooden pole from the bed o
f the truck. The pole had a huge metal tip, which he pointed at the lake. “You wanted to try ice swimming, right? Let’s go, before I completely change my mind.”
It took a second for his words to sink in. Then she threw herself at him. “Really?”
He lifted her in his arms and kissed her. “Yep. Hold tight to my neck, boss.” He shifted her onto his back, and they walked toward the big hole in the ice. “I bet no one in your K-dramas was ever given a piggyback ride by a half-naked guy while wearing neoprene.”
She pondered for a second. “Not that I’ve ever seen. We’re the first.” In the whole history of piggyback rides, probably. “Is the spear to catch fish while we swim?” Talk about a twofer.
He chuckled. “It’s an ice spear.”
Like that meant something to her. When they arrived at the opening in the ice, Alec put her down and proceeded to break the thin layer that had frozen over in the night, clearing out the pieces.
“How many laws and regulations does this ice hole break?”
“All of them, probably. Ice swimming is done this way in Scandinavia even today, so that’s where we got the inspiration. Told you; crazy Nordic people. You add that to the prepper gene, and mayhem ensues.” He glanced at the wooden stairs on one side of the opening. “Nah. It’s just going to extend the agony.” And jumped into the water.
He resurfaced almost immediately, letting out a long string of curses that made Megan giggle. “Cold?”
“Come on, boss, your turn.”
She considered the stairs too. Nah. She jumped in right next to Alec. The water felt cold, but it was bearable—until it touched the exposed part of her face. That was frigging cold.
Alec caught her right away and pulled her up. “You weren’t supposed to get your face wet, baby.”
“You never mentioned that,” she said, sputtering water. “I was just following your example.”
“I should’ve brought the diving goggles.”
Right, because she didn’t look ridiculous enough. She took a deep breath, the cold air almost hurting her lungs. If she hadn’t been so happy at that moment, she’d have been bothered by it.