by Barb Han
“Don’t worry about it.” Focusing on the past wouldn’t get them back on track with her healing. Once she got her memories back she wouldn’t want to have anything to do with him again. “The most important thing for you to focus on is healing.”
“Guess work can’t come between us now,” she said, referring to the fact that she was being forced to take time off until she got medical clearance.
“True,” Austin said. He meant to smile but couldn’t seem to force it.
“What are you really worried about? The ranch? Is it really that bad there?” she asked. “And don’t say it’s me.”
“We’ll figure out what’s going on with the calves. What makes you so sure I’m concerned about something other than your health?” He took a seat on the edge of the armchair and sipped his coffee.
“You always get this line across your forehead. It’s deep because that’s the way you care about things. Your eyes widen just a little and your irises get bigger, the opposite of what happens to most people,” she said. “And you don’t look me straight in the eye when you talk to me. All other times it’s like you’re seeing right through me and I can’t stop wondering what happened to make it go away.”
* * *
MARIA COULDN’T IMAGINE what had transpired between her and the handsome Austin O’Brien to make things seem so awkward at moments. But it had to be something serious. And he was covering up whatever it was. Maybe they were in the middle of a fight and he didn’t want to bring it up or stir up negative memories? It would’ve had to be something bad for him to react to her so stiffly. She feared there was a whole lot more to the story of her moving into the loft. All of that was frustratingly patchy.
Even so, that’s not what she remembered most about their relationship. There’d been a physical attraction, sure. His emerald green eyes, strong squared jaw and black-as-night tight-clipped hair were the first things she’d noticed about him. What had kept her coming back for more was his laid-back laugh, that infuriating sparkle to his eye that had melted her heart every time she looked at him and been so good at seducing her. And then there was the way it was so easy to be around him.
From the moment she’d met Austin, he just felt like home. And that was weird because she couldn’t remember the last time she truly felt at home anywhere or with anyone before him.
And now it was just...off.
They’d shared so many similar interests in music and books. And then there was the way he made her laugh no matter how hard her day had been or how sour her mood when she walked through the door. Within minutes of being around him, her entire disposition changed. The stress of the day would disintegrate and a sense of calm, of being right where she was supposed to be, would settle over her.
Those were the things she remembered about being with him.
Another feeling was present now and it had nothing to do with the handsome, virile cowboy.
This was the sensation of someone or something lurking in the shadows, just out of sight, waiting...
She couldn’t shake the hairs-standing-up-on-the-back-of-her-neck feeling no matter how hard she tried.
And she’d tried.
Chapter Four
Austin was hiding the truth from Maria. Her memories might be patchy but she knew him well enough to know that he’d been tap-dancing around something since the first day they’d come home from the hospital. He’d looked around the loft as though he’d never seen it before, which struck her as odd. Adding to her confusion, he’d insisted on checking out the bathroom before giving her access. He’d seemed so relieved when he turned from the doorjamb and told her it was clear. Clear from what?
Then, there were the sleeping arrangements. He’d said that he slept like a tornado and didn’t want to risk rolling over onto her in the night. So, he’d taken the couch since they’d arrived, which was three nights ago.
Fast-forward to today. Austin was out picking up dinner and Maria was grateful that he’d left. He was probably just worried about her but he kept watch over her like she was a China doll about to tip off the top shelf and shatter. He was just worried about her, she reasoned. That had to be the reason that he hadn’t made an attempt to touch her...right?
Because she remembered that the heat between the two of them could’ve melted a glacier and now all she got was a cold shoulder.
Maria leaned her head against the rolled-up hand towel as she stretched out her sore legs. The bathwater was the perfect temperature and the jets pulsed at just the right speed to untangle her tense muscles. Another twenty minutes of this and she’d be good to go.
Maria glanced at the clock. Austin should be back soon. She’d spent an extra ten minutes soaking and was starting to feel human again thanks to the pair of ibuprofen she’d swallowed before getting in the water. She turned off the jets and then opened the drain.
The tile floor was cold on her bare feet and a chill raced through her. Her clothes were in a pile on the floor in front of the sink. She had to step over them to reach her towel. As she lifted her right foot, she heard a sizzling sound. It was like droplets of water on a hot griddle.
Her gaze flew to the spot where an accompanying hissing sound vibrated. Her T-shirt moved and that couldn’t be a good sign. Something was underneath there. The bathroom walls seemed to shrink as the sizzling sound grew louder. She withdrew her foot and hopped back into the tub immediately. She slipped, almost bit it, and had to regain her balance by grabbing hold of the sides of the tub.
She froze as a diamond-shaped head with a pair of beady eyes and a forked tongue peeked out from underneath her T-shirt. The second it made eye contact her pulse raced and the sizzling noise vibrated. One strike could cover the distance between them, and she’d be dead before Austin could bring her fish tacos back from her favorite restaurant, Pescado.
Maria had never been terrified of anyone, not even the boogeyman when she was a little girl. But she was deathly afraid of snakes.
Her body ached from crouching low. It was the same defensive maneuver she would use in any threatening scenario, put as much mass between her and the enemy as possible. If that double-eyed monster made a move, at least the bathtub was between them save for half of her head.
Her tired legs might give out and she didn’t dare move an inch or risk agitating the creature. This was the perfect time to remember that her gun was in the other room, she thought as she rolled her eyes. Even if she had her weapon she couldn’t just randomly shoot in the middle of her building. A stray bullet could kill an innocent person and she wouldn’t want to risk it.
Unfortunately, her cell was in the other room, too. She hadn’t thought to bring it with her into the bathroom. Then again, she hadn’t expected to need it.
Maria cursed under her breath, praying that Austin would make it home before the deadly snake launched toward her. As it was she could hear her own heartbeat pounding inside her ears.
At least for now the sizzling noises had quieted. No way did she plan to take her eyes off that thing or relax. She remembered reading somewhere that most snakes could strike at least two-thirds of their body length, depending on the type and size. Most of this one’s body was hidden, so she had no idea how long it was. She had no plans to find out or test the theory, either.
Noise came from the other room...and the T-shirt moved.
* * *
AUSTIN SET THE BAG of take-out fish tacos on the kitchen island when he heard a noise, a strangled cry, from the bathroom.
His pulse kicked up and he ate up the real estate between him and the sound in a couple of strides. As he placed his hand on the knob, Maria said, “Don’t come in.”
He started to tap on the door with a knuckled fist instead.
“Don’t make a sound, Austin,” Maria pleaded.
Didn’t that get all his warning bells flaring. He pressed an ear t
o the door to see if he could figure out what the hell was going on. At first, he didn’t pick up anything.
And then he heard something...a sizzling noise.
Austin dropped to the floor effortlessly, without making a sound. His white Stetson landed with a soft thud on the floor next to him and he bit back a curse. All he could see clearly was a pile of clothes in front of the sink. The tub was to the left and out of range at this vantage point.
And then he saw something—a snake. From the back, he could see that the head was small but marked with a prominent dark brown arrow-shape. Austin knew exactly what kind of snake he was dealing with, a saw-scaled viper. Dangerous. Aggressive. Deadly. Known for its lightning-fast strike and powerful venom. The viper was moving backward, away from the threat, and his brown body was partially covered underneath Maria’s T-shirt.
The sizzling noise made sense. This kind of viper rubbed its scales together to create a warning sound. Austin needed to distract attention away from Maria without getting himself bit. Thinking about how snakes had been her only hesitation at moving to the ranch when they’d first married, he didn’t need her panicking. Not much could rattle Maria. Snakes were her wake-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night-in-a-cold-sweat fear.
If he spoke, the snake would immediately redirect toward him, but aggravating it could prove deadly for Maria since she was trapped in the bathroom with it. He pushed up, moved away from the door and sat. What could he use to trap it?
Austin moved around the loft, searching for something—anything, making as little noise as humanly possible. He muttered a curse under his breath when he didn’t see a thing he could use. He was losing precious time. One wrong move and Maria could end up fighting for her life. Anger roared through him.
In the corner of the bedroom area, he spotted something that might work. He picked up the wicker weave laundry basket with burlap lining and then tested its strength. This should hold.
Heart in this throat, he moved to the bathroom door. Dropping onto all fours, he pressed his head to the floor. The snake was almost up against the adjacent wall. He gripped the rim of the basket tighter, turning it upside down.
Here went nothing...
In one motion, he opened the door as the snake launched. It struck the door and recoiled. Austin held steady for a three-count, stepped inside, and then closed the door.
The viper struck again and hit the inside rim of the basket.
Austin trapped the angry reptile inside the walls of the woven basket by pressing the rim against the floor. He held it down, his heart thumping in his ears, as the two-foot-long snake repeatedly struck.
“Get me something I can put on top, something heavy,” Austin said as a relieved sound tore from Maria’s throat. There was no way he was going to chance this thing slipping out of its trap.
Maria was next to him in a heartbeat, handing him full bottles of shampoo and conditioner. He piled them on top of the basket, along with a soap dispenser and lotion bottle.
“That should do the trick while I get ahold of animal control.” He turned around and his pulse pounded for a different reason. She was standing there, essentially naked, her delicately bronzed skin slick with water from the tub. The fingers on her right hand were white, clutching a towel against her chest, but the thin material fell in a straight line and water dripped from her soft curves.
Austin did his level best to force his gaze away and refocus on the basket, and failed.
She picked up on his actions. Stepping back and wrapping the towel around her, she secured the top edge. He didn’t want to notice that her pulse pounded at her throat. Or see the exposed parts that had given them both so much pleasure.
He fished his smartphone out of his front pocket and looked up animal control in Austin. He couldn’t help it that his back teeth were clenched so tight he almost couldn’t open his mouth to speak. Pretty much all of his muscles corded and his shoulders were so tense he thought his muscles might snap. A large part of that had to do with the snake. And then there was Maria. He missed her from a place he’d shut down when she walked out and for reasons so much more than just her body. Although, having her standing there naked was a sore reminder of...
Austin planted his free hand against the wall.
“I’ll just get dressed,” Maria said.
“Fine,” he bit out a little harsher than he’d expected. Dammit. Dammit. Dammit.
Maria returned a few minutes later with her hair pulled up in a ponytail, standing on the other side of the door. She wore pale pink jogging shorts and a similar-colored tank top. He tried not to notice how much the light colors contrasted against her bronzed skin. The necklace he’d given her for their first anniversary was clasped around her neck. She must’ve forgotten that she’d stopped wearing it last year.
“Someone’s on the way from animal control,” he said, his voice a little huskier than he’d intended.
“Good.” She ran her hands on the outside of her arms with a shiver, keeping her gaze on the basket. “I can’t wait for that thing to get out of here.”
“We need to call building maintenance and let them know what’s going on,” he said, forcing his eyes away from her heart-shaped rosy lips. Sexual thoughts were out of line under the circumstances.
“Right,” she said, looking like she was trying to mentally shake off the experience. A full-body shiver rocked her as she stood in the doorjamb. “Dave will want to be informed about this, but I’m not leaving until I know that thing is gone.”
Austin knew that she wouldn’t sleep again until she had searched every inch of the place to make sure there were no others.
“How’d that thing get in here?” Maria was still shaking but tried to cover by rubbing her arms, her nervous tell.
“That’s a good question because they aren’t from anywhere around here,” he stated. Austin knew a lot about snakes thanks to his upbringing on the ranch.
“As in out of Texas or the Southwest?” Maria’s voice hitched.
“More like out of this country. I’ve never seen anything like it in Texas,” he said flatly. He pulled up the internet on his phone and input a description. “This one’s found in parts of Africa, places in the Middle East, and India.”
“Oh.” Her mind seemed to be racing, clicking through possibilities. She latched on to the question he’d been asking himself for the past ten minutes. “Why would an exotic snake be in my apartment?”
His first thought was most likely the same as hers based on her knowing expression. He rubbed the scruff on his chin. “I locked the door when I left and opened it with the key when I returned.”
“Were there any signs that it had been tampered with?” she asked.
“Nothing that was obvious to me. At least, I thought it was locked. I’m not certain.”
Her brow shot up.
Yeah. I know. He was giving away the fact that he wasn’t familiar with the loft. All this pretending was for the birds. The only thing he didn’t have to fake was his very real attraction and need to protect her. Even after all this time and heartache, that magnetic force still made the earth shift under his boots when she was close.
“There’s a chance the door could’ve already been unlocked and I didn’t catch it,” he admitted. Austin held his hand up in defense of her reaction. The place was new to him and he’d been carrying a bag of takeout, so he hadn’t listened for a click. He’d stuck the key in the lock, turned it a couple of times and walked inside. He hadn’t been sure of the direction he needed to twist in order to unlock the door and now he was cursing himself for his carelessness.
“Let’s assume it was locked for a minute,” she said. “Who else would have a key?”
“Building maintenance, for one, which is obvious.” Austin sidestepped the other apparent answer...her fiancé. Surely, the guy wouldn’t want to hurt the woman he planne
d to marry.
He started to make a move for the long table near the door to see if there was a list of neighbors or friends inside a drawer but Maria’s reaction stopped him from leaving the bathroom.
“Please stay right there until someone comes to pick that thing up.” She motioned toward the basket with a shiver.
He nodded.
“I find it hard to believe that Dave would sneak inside our house and slip a snake inside the bathroom while I was taking a bath.”
Austin tensed at the reminder of her being in this room a few minutes ago naked and in the bath.
“What’s wrong?” Maria’s forehead crinkled in the cutest way when she was concerned.
“It’s nothing worth saying out loud.” His focus needed to stay on the deadly snake and not drift where it didn’t belong, like thoughts of Maria with nothing on.
She shot him a look but he had no intention of explaining.
“We’ll canvass the neighbors. See if anyone saw anything,” she said.
“What about security cameras? Are there any in the building?” He hadn’t thought to check earlier, but then he hadn’t needed to know before now.
“Yeah, but I’ve never had luck with the images from security footage, so I wouldn’t be too hopeful. Based on the age of the cameras in the hallway I can already tell it’ll be too grainy.” Maria had regained her composure as she seemed to switch gears into investigative mode. Her ability to close off her emotions had made her great at doing her job. And now he could see that it had contributed to the undoing of their relationship, too.
Austin was beginning to have doubts that any event in the past week had been random. And that meant talking to her fiancé given that a woman’s biggest threat was the people closest to her. He would have access to her apartment. Could he want to harm Maria? Maybe he just wanted to scare her into remembering him.
Austin’s mind was going places he didn’t like. The list of people who had access to Maria’s apartment had two names on it... Dave from maintenance and the fiancé he wasn’t supposed to talk about.