Holly placed Leo in her lap and ran her finger down his back, surprised at the rough texture of his skin. Leo just sat there bobbing his head.
“Most people are a little nervous about holding Leo.”
“Not me,” she said with a grin. “He’s adorable. And he’s such a sweetheart to let a stranger hold him.”
“Leo’s an attention hound. The more he gets, the better he likes it.” Dylan’s face held a pleased expression. “Bearded dragons get a bad rap. They’re actually very gentle creatures despite their name.”
“Aw, you’re just misunderstood, aren’t you? Don’t worry, Leo. I don’t judge by appearances,” she cooed. Leo lay snuggled in her lap as if he planned to stay for a while. She wouldn’t mind a bit if he did. “I think he likes me.”
“Wouldn’t surprise me a bit.” Dylan crossed his arms across his chest and studied the two of them. The satisfied expression on his face only served to enhance his good looks. “Leo has good taste.”
Dylan’s compliment washed over her like a gentle breeze. The wind kicked up a bit, blowing her hair all around her face. As it was, it already had a habit of being on the unruly side. She didn’t need the elements to make things worse. Especially in front of Dylan, a little voice whispered. Without warning, he reached out and brushed a few strands out of her eyes, his fingers gently grazing her cheek in the process. His touch was warm and tender, making her want to burrow her face against his palm. She looked up at him, and as their eyes met, she felt something electric hovering in the air. There was a slight tension that hadn’t been there a moment ago. It crackled and buzzed around them.
Dylan took a step backward, his eyes flickering with an emotion she couldn’t decipher. “I should really be getting back to town. I’ve barely gotten settled in, and I’m supposed to be reporting to work tomorrow.”
“I’m thrilled you’ll be working at Horseshoe Bend Ranch.” She smiled up at him, hoping he felt as good about his decision as she did. “And in case I didn’t make it clear yesterday, I’m happy you decided to stay in West Falls.”
“Thanks for saying so, Holly. I’m glad to be here.” Dylan nodded his head and sent her a lazy smile before tipping his cowboy hat in her direction and turning to leave.
As he walked away, she wavered between joy and discomfort. There was no denying she felt a tremendous pull in his direction. Her insides did flip-flops whenever he was nearby. She felt breathless around him, as if she’d ridden Sundance through the countryside for a whole hour without stopping. Just one glance from him caused her to feel slightly off-kilter. It had been years and years since she’d felt anything like it, and even then, it had been nothing more than a high school romance.
On the other hand, having him nearby didn’t help get him out of her mind. And she knew the more she thought about him, the harder it would be for her when he left town. He’d made it pretty clear he wasn’t sticking around past the duration of his lease with Doc.
Even though things were now way more complicated between them, he was still there, firmly rooted in her heart. Over the past year, she’d read and reread his letters, almost to the point of memorizing every word and detail. In her mind, there had been an unspoken closeness between them, one that hinted of a future together. Somehow, their physical separation had allowed her to forget the wide chasm between them and all the reasons why they were so very ill suited for one another.
Every time she glanced in his direction, it became even more crystal clear. Dylan was the embodiment of the perfect male specimen. Tall. Rugged. Muscular. The personification of health and good living. Although she’d gotten used to being different a long time ago, those differences were magnified when she was side by side with Dylan.
She couldn’t remember ever feeling such an intense longing for someone, one that reached all the way down to her toes. It was an exhilarating, breathless feeling. And as much as it excited her, it also frightened her. She’d been without male companionship for so long that she’d convinced herself she was fine without love in her life. With his piercing green eyes and laid-back demeanor, Dylan was quickly showing her how wrong she’d been in her thinking. Just fine wasn’t enough. She wanted more than that. Dylan’s presence in West Falls was igniting a whole new world of possibilities. For the first time since she was a little girl, she was dreaming of happily ever afters.
And she had the feeling, if she wasn’t really careful, that in a few months’ time, Dylan was going to leave West Falls with her heart firmly nestled in the palm of his hand.
Chapter Five
Twenty-four hours had passed since her riding lesson, and Holly found herself gritting her teeth as she battled waves of pain. She maneuvered herself over the threshold of her house, then quickly wheeled herself down the ramp and made her way over to her van. She paused for a moment, gritting her teeth against the ripples of pain threatening to overwhelm her. The sensations pulsating through her body were agonizing. Her legs were tingling as if they were on fire. Her arms were burning. Sucking in a deep breath, she reminded herself to breathe.
She didn’t have time for this, not when she was supposed to be at Main Street Church in fifteen minutes, speaking to the youth group about distracted driving. Her motivational-speaking gigs were very important to her. As well as providing her with independence and an income, it gave her an opportunity to give back to the community she loved so much. At the moment, the chances of her making it to the church on time were getting smaller by the second.
She inhaled, slowly breathing in through her nose. There were so many ups and downs with her pain levels. Yesterday she’d felt fine. She’d even made her way over to Cassidy’s house to apologize for her careless words. Over chamomile tea and shortbread cookies they’d shed a few tears and hugged it out. Now, less than twenty-four hours later, her body was racked with pain.
“Hold it together. This too shall pass,” she whispered, willing the agony to disappear. As it was, she could hardly focus, and there was absolutely no way she could lift herself into the van. She just didn’t have the strength to push past the pain. Tears pricked her eyes as she imagined having to call Pastor Blake and cancel her speaking engagement. She’d fought so hard to not be limited by her disability, and yet here she was, sidelined by it. She shared a very special relationship with Pastor Blake. Not only was he Cassidy’s father but he was also the one who’d led her back to her faith after the accident. The thought of disappointing him left her feeling dispirited.
“‘Fear not, for I am with you.’” She repeated the words over and over again, firmly shutting her eyes to try to assuage the pain.
“Is everything okay over here?” Dylan’s voice washed over her, making her forget for a moment about the agony coursing through her body. She heard the crunch of his cowboy boots on the pebbled driveway right before he popped into view. Dressed in a pair of dark jeans and an olive-colored T-shirt, he was a welcome sight.
Holly grimaced as waves of pain enveloped her. As much as she didn’t want Dylan to pity her, she couldn’t hide that she was hurting.
“Yep, everything’s fine.” Somehow she managed to choke the words out.
Green eyes skimmed over her like lasers. “No, it’s not. Something’s wrong. You’re all tensed up. You’re suffering, aren’t you, Holly?”
Dylan was frowning at her as if he knew she was trying to pull the wool over his eyes. Despite everything, he still connected with her so well. He was so in tune with her that he sensed something was amiss. Although it felt good to see that their connection hadn’t been severed, it was a little unnerving at the moment to meet his probing gaze head-on. His eyes emitted such intensity. It felt as if he could see much more than she wanted to reveal. She broke eye contact, not wanting him to see the distress radiating from her eyes. If she could just have a moment to herself, she could dig in her purse for her medication, then call Pastor Blake and cancel her spe
aking engagement. The last thing she wanted was for Dylan to see her as a helpless invalid.
“Just having some nerve pain. I’ll be all right.”
The only thing she could do at the moment to alleviate the pain was to massage her legs and take another pill. Despite her inability to walk, she still had sensation and partial movement in her legs. Earlier this morning she’d taken her medication, but it seemed to be having no effect on her symptoms. She began kneading her legs with her fingers, willing the pain to go away. This harrowing side effect of the accident was unpredictable and jarring.
Dylan frowned. “It looks pretty bad. I can tell by the way you’re clenching your teeth.”
He got low to the ground so he was sitting on his haunches. Dylan reached for her hand, clasping it firmly in his. His touch felt comforting, like an infusion of warmth invading her body.
“Tell me what I can do. There must be something, Holly. Anything,” he said, his tone urgent.
She blinked away tears of frustration. Time was slipping through her fingers, and she was still no closer to being able to get in the van. And even if she did somehow manage to get in the driver’s seat, she wasn’t confident she’d be able to block out the pain so she could safely drive into town. Her options were rapidly evaporating.
“I’m supposed to be at Main Street Church in ten minutes for a speaking engagement, but I don’t think I can drive. I need to call Pastor Blake and cancel. He’s been so wonderful about finding me outlets as a motivational speaker.”
“There’s no need to cancel, Holly, unless you’re feeling too poorly to go. I can drive you over there. It’ll take about fifteen minutes, but I’ll get you there.”
“Can you?” she asked, relief flooding through her at the offer. With her parents in Kentucky looking at horses and Tate on the clock at the sheriff’s office, she didn’t have many options. Malachi was notorious for not owning a cell phone, so even though he was just down the road at the stables, reaching him was impossible.
“I don’t want to put you out.” If Dylan was heading into work, she didn’t want to take up his time. Under the circumstances, Malachi would be understanding, but she didn’t want to make it appear as if Dylan were shirking his duties, especially as a new hire.
Dylan’s brow furrowed. “Don’t worry. It’s fine. I was just heading back into town after working a shift when I spotted you over here. Don’t ask me how I knew, but something didn’t seem right. You were sitting there for quite a spell without getting into your van, and you were a little hunched over.” He looked down at his dirt-stained shirt and chuckled. “I’m in need of a hot shower, so bear with me.”
From where she was sitting, he looked pretty easy on the eyes, if a little rough around the edges. Having grown up on a ranch, she was used to cowboys in all their rugged glory. It would take a whole lot more than a grimy shirt and some smudges on his face to make Dylan look unappealing.
Realizing she was staring, she felt her cheeks redden. “You’re going to have to lift me into the passenger seat, then put my chair in the back.”
With a curt nod, Dylan said, “Let’s do this.” He stood up and brushed some dirt off his jeans. He went behind her chair and began pushing her toward his truck.
After pulling the door open on the passenger side, he turned back toward Holly. He reached down and placed his hands under one of her legs, then slid them underneath the other so he could scoop her up. Ever so gently, he raised her out of the wheelchair, pressing her firmly against his rock-solid chest. Slight fear kicked in. Although she trusted Dylan, being held in someone’s arms was an extremely vulnerable position to be in. There were so few people in her life whom she trusted to carry her.
“Just don’t drop me,” she blurted, giving voice to her fears.
He drew her in closer. His grip tightened. The scent of hay and sandalwood rose to her nostrils.
“Everything’s okay,” he answered, his voice soft and soothing. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Wrap your arms around my neck.”
With wide eyes Holly obeyed, her tight grip betraying her nervousness. “I’ve got you,” he whispered in her ear, his lips grazing against her skin. “And there’s no way I’m letting go.”
* * *
As Dylan walked toward his truck, his mind was racing a few paces ahead of his footsteps. He wanted to be as gentle as possible when he placed her in the passenger seat of the car. A few seconds ago she’d seemed anxious, and he wanted her to feel at ease with him. He wanted to show her that her faith in him wasn’t misguided. Even though his nerves were rattled by this huge responsibility and his breathing was a bit ragged, he wasn’t going to let Holly down. After all, trust was a precious gift.
When he lowered her onto the seat, strands of golden hair brushed against his cheek. Her scent hovered in the air—a sweet perfumed smell reminiscent of sunshine and roses. She was shivering, no doubt in response to the pain, which sent his protective instincts into high gear. Unlike the other times he’d seen Holly, she looked more professional today. She’d ditched her humorously worded T-shirts for a bright blue button-down top and a dark pair of trousers. Silver-tipped cowboy boots peeked out from under the hem of her pants. She looked beautiful.
He made sure she was safely buckled in before he put her chair in the back, moved around to the driver’s side and settled himself in. As they exited the gates of Horseshoe Bend Ranch, he shot a quick glance in her direction. “You look really nice today,” he said, trying to make his voice sound casual.
She turned toward him, her cornflower-blue eyes widening at the compliment. It made him wonder if she wasn’t used to receiving them or if she was just surprised he’d commented on her appearance. The corners of her perfectly shaped mouth turned up, instantly transforming into a glorious smile. Since he was so close to her, he got a good look at the light freckles scattered across her nose and cheeks. “Thanks,” she said, smoothing down the front of her shirt. “Most of the kids come to this program after school, so I try to make an effort, even though I’m more comfortable in a T-shirt and jeans.”
“Nothing wrong with that. It’s my unofficial uniform,” he said with a chuckle. “So how did you get started as a motivational speaker?”
“Well, I’ve kind of grown in to it. Right after the accident, I was pretty messed up.” She darted a quick glance in his direction. “Emotionally, I mean, not just physically. I was angry at God for not sparing me the loss of my legs, so I floundered for a while, both spiritually and socially. Cassidy had been my best friend for most of my life, so when she left town without warning after the accident, I didn’t have anyone to lean on. My family was wonderful, but sometimes you just need your girlfriends.”
The roses. The tight circle Doc had mentioned the other day at the diner.
Holly continued, “Jenna and Regina are two of my friends who were in the car wreck that night. Afterward they both retreated into their own shells, no doubt because of the circumstances of the accident. It was traumatic for all of us. There was so much fear and secrecy. It was the end of our innocence.” She let out a deep sigh. “Our immaturity cost us all so much.”
“You most of all.” There was no question in his mind that Holly had paid the highest price of anyone. Everyone else had been able to carry on with their lives without permanent scars. Except Holly. Her injuries would last a lifetime.
“Most would say that, but I wasn’t wearing a seat belt the night of the accident, Dylan. I’m embarrassed to admit that I was hanging out the window at the time of the crash.”
Dylan tried to shutter his expression so Holly wouldn’t see the shock roaring through him. Hanging out the window of a moving vehicle? He cleared his throat. “That doesn’t sound like you, Holly. If you don’t mind me asking, what made you do such a thing?”
She bowed her head. “No, I don’t mind you asking. And you’re right. It�
��s not something I would do at this point in my life, but at eighteen years old, I was a bit of a risk taker, a free spirit of sorts. I was the one in the group who was always pushing the envelope.” She shrugged. “You never think anything bad can happen to you when you’re that age. You think you’re invincible.”
“You’re right,” he agreed, as images of his own youthful foolishness raced through his mind. “Been there, done that.”
She let out a deep sigh. “My girlfriends and I were enjoying a fun night out on the town when we ran out of things to do. I guess we were bored. We’d played this game before called chicken, where whoever was driving would mess around with the car and veer into the other lane. I’m ashamed to say we thought it was entertaining. Cassidy was driving, and I was in the front passenger seat. I remember taking my seat belt off so I could hang out the window and feel the rain pour down on my face as I let out a few screams of frustration.” He darted a glance at her, aching a little as he saw the bleak expression on her face. “My parents were really strict about my curfew, so I was chafing against their house rules. I thought they were treating me like a child. The car hit a slick patch in the rain and we crashed. Since Cassidy was driving, she bore the brunt of the blame and responsibility. We vowed among the four of us we’d never tell about our reckless behavior. It’s only recently that we began telling the truth about that night.”
Although Holly’s tone was matter-of-fact, the actual details of the accident and its chilling aftermath were anything but routine. He couldn’t seem to wrap his head around how quickly things had changed for Holly, how irrevocably her life had been transformed in a matter of minutes.
“And as a result, life as you’d known it ceased to exist,” he said as a gnawing sensation tugged at his stomach. “You were forever changed.”
Holly turned toward him, the corners of her mouth hinting at the beginnings of a smile. “That’s true. Nothing has been the same since that night. But believe it or not, I’m one of the fortunate ones. I could so easily have lost my life when I was ejected from the car. God was watching out for me even though I failed to watch out for myself.”
Heart of a Soldier Page 7