The Ending Series: The Complete Series

by Lindsey Fairleigh

  ZOE

  MARCH 20, 1AE

  “I can’t wait to actually bathe,” I said, groaning with anticipation. We’d decided to take a fieldtrip down a deer trail to the river for some much-needed scrubbing—with the exception of Jason, who’d opted to remain back at camp just in case Dani tried to contact him again.

  Carlos barked a laugh and gently tugged Arrow’s head back up; his horse, along with most of the others, had become increasingly distracted by the wild green grasses emerging from the ground for spring. I shared in their joy, reveling in the smell of alfalfa and grass and basking in the periodic rays of sunshine. We’d had a lot of rain off and on over the past few evenings, and mixed with the sunlight, it was encouraging everything to sprout. One month closer to summer. I sighed contentedly.

  “Laugh all you want to, Carlos.” I looked at him askance, barely able to contain my growing anticipation. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for days.”

  Carlos nudged Arrow toward the river. “I’ve been meaning to tell you…you stink,” he teased.

  Sam giggled from atop his smaller palomino, Buck.

  “Really?” I turned in my saddle to face them both, tapping my index finger against my lips in mock forgetfulness. “You’ll have to remind me, Carlos, when was the last time you bathed?”

  He shook his head, not sparing me a glance as he tried to contain how entertained he really was.

  “At least I took a sponge bath the other day.” I wrinkled my nose playfully.

  Harper and Chris paused their easy conversation beside us and snickered. Everyone seemed amused, and I even thought I saw Jake’s lips curve into a slight smile as he rode past me. As usual, Cooper and Jack trotted behind him, blissfully unaware that the world had been turned upside down and that we all smelled like dirty pond water.

  Tavis’s brow furrowed, and his horse, a tall, coffee-colored mare named Mini, stopped momentarily to pull up another mouthful of grass. “What’s that even mean—‘sponge bath’? I watched you—it’s not like you actually used a sponge. People always use a rag or a towel or piece of cloth or something.” He seemed deeply perplexed, and I chuckled softly.

  “You’re funny, Tavis,” I said, shaking my head.

  “How many people have you seen take a sponge bath, anyway?” Sanchez called, looking back at us. Her tone was light, but as usual, her expression was blank. “Should we be worried?”

  Tavis grinned and rested his fist on his hip. “Alright, I surrender.”

  Up ahead, the dogs started barking, and I could hear splashing as they lunged into the water. “Finally,” I practically sang and pressed Wings on, the anticipation nearly too much to bear.

  When we reached the edge of the river, we let the horses drink before tying them up in a clearing a few yards away.

  “How’s Shadow doing?” Harper asked as I untied my bag from Wings’s saddle and carried it over to a large, lichen-covered boulder beside the water.

  “He’s okay, I guess. I wish you knew more about horses so you’d know if I’m treating his wounds the right way.”

  “You’re doing fine.” He nudged my shoulder. “And Carlos is a big help, right?”

  “Yeah, he is. In fact, Shadow’s not in as bad of shape as I thought. I washed off about seven layers of muck. Mostly he’s just scared, tired, and needs to be fattened up a bit. He finally let Carlos and me get the halter off him, and since he followed us all the way back to the ranch, I think it’s safe to say he wants to trust us.”

  “I don’t blame him for being scared.” Harper squeezed the bill of a baseball cap in his hands to shape it better before putting it on. “Who knows what they did to him.”

  “If Dani were here,” I said wistfully, “it’d be a whole lot easier.”

  “Is that what’s been bothering you, Baby Girl? You haven’t been yourself lately.” Harper quickly removed his hat and tugged off his shirt, draping it over a low-hanging branch.

  I sighed and sagged against the side of his horse. “Yeah, it’s Dani, but it’s everything else, too. Things just keep getting more complicated.”

  “Things with Jake?”

  I scoffed. “With Jake, with Jason—and then there’s my lying, deceitful family.” I groaned. “And I’ve been dreaming about Clara the last couple of nights,” I said, the discomfort in my voice too deep-seated to hide. “Why is she in my head suddenly, H? It’s weirding me out.”

  He shook his head, looking equally discomfited. “Stop dwelling on Clara. She’s long gone. Besides, your Ability’s getting stronger, so if she’s really around, you’ll know.” He snapped me with his towel. “Come on, Baby Girl. Let’s get you cleaned up. You look like a ragamuffin.” Harper winked at me, making me smile, and headed to the water toward Chris and Sanchez.

  After digging out my wash cloth, body soap, and shampoo and setting them on the waist-high boulder I was using as a vanity by the edge of the river, I stripped down to my bikini and tossed my clothes on top of the boulder as well. Slipping on my red rubber flip-flops, I crept over to the riverbank and dipped my right foot in. Big mistake. It was ice cold. I shook my head, taking a deep breath. You’ve been attacked by Crazies, almost died—more than once—and lost Dani twice. You’ve suffered worse than this, Zoe, I told myself and glared at the water.

  Cooper and Jack splashed by me, interrupting my internal pep talk.

  “Oh my God!” I cried when the water sprayed all over my already chilled skin. The brisk March air bit at my bikini-clad body, but I was determined to deal with it…as long as I could clean the lingering blood and weeks’ worth of grime off me.

  “Green togs?” Tavis remarked, wading up to the riverbank.

  I peered over at him. “Togs?”

  He gestured to my bathing suit, his eyes wide and approving.

  Unable to prevent my gaze from wandering, I appraised his disheveled hair and sinewy muscles covered by tanned skin. He wore nothing but plaid boxers, a towel draped around his neck, and a big-ass grin on his face.

  Looking around at the rest of the group, I realized I was the only one with an actual bathing suit on. Harper was shirtless, laying on his back in the sunshine, his arm beneath his head and the shade of his ball cap covering his eyes. Chris and Sanchez were playing fetch with the dogs in the water downriver, both of them wearing sports bras and gym shorts. Carlos and Sam, wearing only boxers, were skipping stones on the river’s surface. And then there was me.

  I suddenly felt self-conscious. “I guess I’m the only one who planned ahead,” I said lightly, then looked pointedly at Tavis. “At least I’m not standing around in my underwear.”

  At the sound of crunching footsteps, I glanced over my shoulder. Jake stopped a few feet behind me and started undressing.

  My heartbeat picked up, and I unintentionally held my breath. I watched as he pulled his black t-shirt off over his head, revealing the broad, sculpted chest I’d traced with my fingertips so many nights. I’d seen him shirtless in the dimly lit locker room back in Fort Knox, and I’d memorized the contours of his abs with my hands, but I’d never appreciated Jake’s mostly bare body in the sunlight—the dusting of light brown hair between his pecs and the hard muscle beneath his flawless skin…no scars. I thought back to the first time I met him, the night he’d been shot in the shoulder, but there was no mark. There were no burn scars from the fire, either.

  As he stood there, wearing only his gunmetal-gray boxer briefs, I couldn’t look away. Things had happened so fast since we’d met, and time seemed to be passing so achingly slowly, that I hadn’t realized how little we’d really seen of each other; we were always layered in clothes. I suddenly wished we’d spent more time together…alone.

  The thought of his life before I met him seemed more intriguing than ever. Although I couldn’t picture him without his reserved veneer, I assumed he hadn’t always been so impervious. He must’ve laughed and gone drinking with friends and made love to women. He must’ve lived. What would it have been like to go on a date with you, M
r. Vaughn? I couldn’t help but wonder what his type of woman was back when he actually had options. Is that all that we are? Convenient?

  Jake sauntered toward me, oblivious to my mind-wanderings, and his eyes raked over me. Narrowing, they shifted to Tavis. I blinked out of my intrigued haze and forced myself to look away. Groaning inwardly, I took a long, deep breath, inhaling the crisp, mountain air and welcoming the taunting breeze. It kept my mind from wandering…again.

  Jake cleared his throat. I was too busy not looking at him to notice what had passed between him and Tavis, but Tavis walked away toward Sanchez and Chris while I crouched down to submerge my washcloth in the frigid water. When Jake continued to stand there, saying nothing, I peered up at him. I was greeted by a raised eyebrow.

  “Nice suit,” he said casually as he bent down to snatch the plastic bottle of body wash I’d brought.

  I held my wash cloth out and he squeezed orange-scented soap onto the wet terrycloth. I gave him a rueful smile. “I like yours, too.” I shifted my eyes to his tight underwear. His toned thighs alone made my mouth dry out, and I forced myself to swallow.

  I brought the sudsy, dripping washcloth to the nape of my neck and cringed as I began scrubbing away the grime…and the heat from Jake’s gaze.

  He crossed his arms as he watched me, which was apparently the most entertaining thing he’d ever seen.

  I continued scrubbing, first around my face and then under my arms. “You seem to be enjoying this,” I said, glowering at him.

  “Why aren’t you doing that in the water?”

  I tilted my head. “Seriously? Do you know how cold that water is?”

  He nodded and glanced over at the rest of our group, who were bathing several dozen feet downriver. “They’re handling it fine,” he offered.

  “Harper isn’t in the water,” I retorted.

  “I washed up yesterday while you guys were being assaulted by half-naked Crazies,” Harper interjected. I’d forgotten he was lounging in the patches of sun behind me.

  “Well, then I’m a wimp, and I’m okay with that.” I submerged my washcloth in the water for a rinse.

  Jake just shook his head, his sexy grin warming my insides. “You’re only prolonging it,” he said with a deep chuckle. “Just jump in, scrub, and get out.”

  “Ha! That’s easy for you to say. You have, like, no hair, and you like to pretend nothing fazes you. I, on the other hand, pretend no such thing. Lots of things faze me…like cold water.” My teeth chattered as the water ran down my body, trickling suds down my chest and stomach. I had yet to wash my hair and dreaded dunking my head into the water.

  I hadn’t noticed Carlos wade up to us. Without warning, he splashed me, and I shrieked like a little girl. “Stop it, Carlos, or I swear—”

  “You’ll do what?” He splashed me again, and I instinctively tried to block the spray with my hands.

  I gave him the evil eye, and he shrugged. “You’re no fun,” he said and called for Jack, who was drying off in the sunshine, to come back and play with him in the water.

  I returned to my diligent scrubbing. “Did I get all the dirt off? And the blood?” I asked, pointing to my face and neck. Jake nodded, and I looked down, taking inventory of my sudsy body. “I just need to wash my hair and rinse off, then I’m done,” I said, running through my list of cleansing to-dos.

  “That’s the worst part,” Jake remarked.

  I flashed him an insincere smile. “Thanks.” When he only nodded, I continued, “Are you planning on watching me the whole time, or are you washing up at some point, too?” He didn’t answer, only eyed me, a scheme clearly forming in his mind. I froze with fear and scowled at him. “What are you thinking?”

  “I’m thinking I’m just gonna pick you up and dunk you in the water…just get it over with.”

  “Don’t even think about it, Jake.” The predatory look in his eyes made me giggle. “No, seriously, don’t. Don’t!” I tried to make my voice as stern as possible.

  Despite my protests, he bent over, picked me up, and tossed me over his shoulder.

  “Seriously,” I squeaked. “I’ll never speak to you again!”

  Jake said nothing, but walked into the water, his arms tightening around my legs to hold me in place.

  “Let me go, Jake! Please!”

  I heard his rumbling laughter. “Oh, you’re still speaking to me?”

  I squealed and laughed again, part thrilled and part panicked as he stepped further into the river. “Please, Jake, I’ll do whatever you want, just don’t dunk me.” I screamed and squeezed my eyes shut as I clasped on to the back of his arm, bracing myself for the imminent cold.

  “People are going to think you’re being attacked if you keep screaming like that,” he said ruefully.

  “I am!”

  I heard the water splashing at his feet as he faltered down the rocky decline, deeper into the river. “Do you want me to put you down?” he asked. I could tell he wore a mischievous grin.

  I looked down to see the water swirling at the backs of his knees. “No!”

  With little effort, Jake repositioned me so that I was against his chest, his arms wrapped around me as I held on for dear life. At first, I considered wriggling free, but I wanted to stay in his arms a little longer. So instead, I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling myself closer to his body. Although I shrieked and screamed a little more, my rigidity dissipated and instead I felt alive, adrenaline coursing through my body as he held me against him.

  His hold loosened a little.

  “No…no!”

  Jake stepped further in, the water rising to his waist.

  “Please take me back to the riverbank, Jake. Please?” I gazed into his eyes, a desperate, innocent expression on my face. I felt a thrill of excitement as he eyed me. I lifted my eyebrows, hopeful.

  Jake shook his head, and a genuine, make-my-heart-flutter smile spread across his face. “You’re always doing things the hard way.” He took two more steps, holding me tighter against him.

  “Okay, okay! Wait!” I peered into his eyes. “Wait until I say, okay? Let me just think for a sec.”

  “You can’t think about it. It only makes it worse…like tearing off a Band-Aid. You’re horrible at this.”

  The gang was cracking up behind me, and I wanted to flip them off and laugh with them at the same time. I smiled at Jake instead, taking a deep breath, and then nodded.

  I let out an exhilarated scream and felt the icy water sting my body as he submerged us both in the river. The moment he let me go, I bobbed back up to the surface. The cold water felt like razor blades cutting my skin. I gasped and cursed as I struggled to stand.

  Jake emerged beside me, wiping the water off his face, and then wrapped his fingers around my wrist to pull me back underwater.

  I screamed again, invigorated and awakened in a way I hadn’t felt in a long time. Laughing, I splashed him. The water was so cold that I began to feel numb.

  He splashed me back before he stood up. “Sanchez,” he called, and a bottle of shampoo was flung into the air. Jake caught it with his left hand and looked down at me. “Come here,” he said huskily. “Let’s get your hair washed so you don’t die of hypothermia.”

  I stepped closer to him in the chest-deep water and steadied my feet on the rocks at the bottom. Jake’s fingers hurriedly kneaded my prickling scalp, and I couldn’t let it go unnoticed that he was shaking too.

  “I thought you could handle the cold water?” I asked, unable to resist a smug smile.

  “I can. Notice I’m not whining, like you.” He gently tugged my head back down into the water to rinse again. He twisted the water from my dripping hair, and as I clumsily made my way up to shore, he swatted me on the butt. “You can shoot and stab people, cuss like a sailor, and knee a man in the groin like it’s nothing, but water horrifies you?”

  “Cold water, Jake. And it doesn’t horrify me. I just—I hate it. I wish it was summer all year long,” I said through chattering teeth
. Forcing my feet to work, I scrambled for my towel.

  Jake finished bathing quickly and joined me on dry land. He picked up his towel, which had been draped beside my dry clothes, and began wiping the droplets of water off his body.

  I dried my feet and slipped them back into my flip-flops. “I can’t believe you did that to me,” I muttered. “Traitor.”

  Jake took a step toward me, and his body was suddenly so close that his heat enveloped me, warming me more than the damp towel I’d wrapped around my waist. He glanced around before he reached behind me and untied the back of my bikini top.

  “Hey!” I screeched, my hands flying up to my chest.

  He said nothing, just stared into my eyes, letting his hand linger on the skin of my back.

  “You should probably get changed,” he said, his voice thick with desire.

  I nodded dumbly. “Hold the towel up for me?”

  Jake unwrapped the towel from around my waist and held it up, blocking me from everyone’s view, never taking his eyes off mine.

  I removed my hands, untying the final tie around my neck, allowing my green bikini top to fall with a soggy splat onto the rocks at my feet. Jake’s eyes flicked to my chest for only an instant, but I could feel his increasing arousal infuse with my own.

  I was too busy battling our mutual desire to feel the least bit self-conscious as I stood in front of him—in only my bikini bottoms and a mess of scraggly hair hanging over my shoulders. He handed me the white tank top I’d tossed on the tall boulder beside him.

  “You should probably put this on.”

  ~~~~~

  By late afternoon, we were approaching camp. I spotted Jason in the distance, pacing back and forth in a clearing behind the stable. Each step was deliberate and intense. What the hell?

  “What’s he…?” Carlos started to ask.

  I peeked back at Chris, who looked as clueless as I felt. Suddenly fearful something horrible had happened in our absence, we urged our horses forward. An endless cycle of what-ifs looped through my mind.

  I drew Wings to a halt mere feet from the matted line of weeds Jason had trampled before I dismounted. “What’s wrong?” My eyes shifted over his body, taking in the bandaged crossing his face. He looks okay…