Cassie wanted him in bed? He grinned. “How’d you know my given name was Lucas?”
“Just a guess.”
No doubt she used his formal name hoping to place more distance between them. Still, he didn’t mind hearing her call him that. Not as long as she let him call her whatever he wanted to.
Cassie came through the doorway from what must be the kitchen. The smell of strong coffee reached him. Damn, he needed that—but not yet.
“I need to use your phone.” He reached for the doorjamb with both hands when his legs began to wobble.
“You need to be in bed before you pass out.” She walked toward him and placed the mug on the coffee table. “Who do you want to call?”
Cassie glanced down at his boxers, and he realized that’s all he wore. She’d probably taken his pants to dry them out. As if realizing where her gaze was focused, she averted her eyes quickly. Knowing she stripped him out of his clothes, well, most of them, told him the woman didn’t mess around when dealing with hypothermia, despite clearly being uncomfortable in the presence of a nearly naked man.
The chill in the room made him cold again, his abs aching from many prior bouts of shivers that must have assaulted his muscles. This whole cabin was awfully damned cold. No wonder she had to wear a woolen poncho in here. He glanced over to find a fire burning in the fireplace insert, but heard no motor running the fan to put out heat. How did she survive the winter up here? Either the fire wasn’t burning hot enough or the blower was broken. He’d have to check on it. Later.
His focus returned to Cassie. “Listen, I need to check on my horses and find someone to go to my ranch to take care of them.”
“They are fine. Adam and Kitty spent the night there after the aval—”
“Kitty?”
“Sorry, Karla. I knew her as Kitty in college and the name stuck, although she did not let anyone call her that but me. Anyway, I called her a little while ago to let her know you were conscious and doing better. She said one of Angelina’s brothers—I forget which one, Matteo maybe—moved in at the ranch until you can return home.”
Luke hadn’t relied on anyone to take care of his commitments since the day he’d lost Maggie. Those horses were his responsibility. Sure, Angel’s brothers, Matt and Rafe, knew a lot about horses, but his animals had special needs.
“They won’t take too kindly to strangers. I still need to check in on them.” He realized it sounded like he planned to put a call through to the horses. He leaned his shoulder against the doorway and ran his hand through his hair, hating the feelings of helplessness overtaking him again. “Look, I need to talk with someone down there.” His raspy voice sounded barely above a whisper to his ears. He’d never felt so weak.
Trying to take command of the situation while fighting to remain upright, he held out his free hand palm upward. “I need to use your phone.” She stared him down, silent and unrelenting. “Please. What would you do if it was your alpacas in the hands of a stranger?”
Her features softened. She sighed and pulled a cell from the pouch in the front of her poncho. “But I insist that you sit down before you fall over.”
He walked up to the fireplace instead. Maybe being closer to the flames would stop his body’s incessant shaking. As he leaned his shoulder against the mantel, he accepted her phone and then stared blankly at the buttons. He had no clue how to reach any of the Giardano brothers. Glancing back at Cassie, who stood with her arms folded over her chest, he asked, “Do you think Adam’s still at my place?”
“No. Adam took Kitty home yesterday. She’s been having some back pain, and he wanted her in their own bed last night.”
Not that he could remember Adam’s number, either, but his or Karla’s contact info would be on Cassie’s speed dial. Dammit. Luke couldn’t think straight. He took a few steps toward the coffee table and reached down to pick up the steaming mug, but must have tripped over something and lost his balance. He pictured himself about to be sprawled out on top of the table.
“Luke!” Before he landed, Cassie ran around the table and grabbed him around the chest, surprisingly quick and strong for such a little thing. She helped set him upright again.
The room continued to spin. “Sorry, darlin’. Got a little dizzy.” When he patted her shoulder to convey that he was okay, she stepped away from him abruptly, forcing him to steady himself on the arm of the couch. He drew in a deep breath.
Fear. He saw genuine fear in her eyes, much like he saw in his horses. Why would she fear him?
“You should be in bed. Please, Lucas, cooperate with me. Make the call from there.” The plea in her voice caught him by surprise, too. Almost sounded like she cared. Well, if she didn’t, she’d have left his ass to freeze out in that newly formed snow mound. The woman was a mass of contradictions.
“Let me just call Angel before going back to bed. She’ll know how to reach her brother.” He heard her sigh as he stared at the phone a minute longer. Hell, he didn’t have a clue what Angel’s or Marc’s numbers were either. He always used the programmed contacts. Even if he did recall, the blow to his head had probably scrambled his memory.
Cassie came to his rescue, taking the cell from him. “I do not wish to bother Kitty, but Marc’s number is in the recent calls. He was with Angel the night of the avalanche and called to check on you. Maybe they are still together. If not, I am sure he will know how to contact her.”
“Good thinking.” Luke sat down hard on the small sofa, too late realizing the jarring movement would set off more jackhammers between his temples. He held his head in his hands, hoping the throbbing would go away before he had to speak to anyone.
Cassie hit the callback button and handed it to him again. When it went to voicemail, he left a brief message.
Let go. There’s nothing you can do now.
No doubt Marc had taken care of everything after hearing about the accident. The man was good at taking care of everyone’s needs but his own.
He ended the call and handed the phone back to Cassie. “Thanks. Guess I’m going to have to trust that they have things under control down there. How long do you think it’ll be before I can head home?”
Cassie shrugged and pocketed the cell again. “The road is covered with twenty feet of snow, ice, and debris from fallen trees and rocks. I would guess a couple of weeks. At least this is late April, and some snow will melt in the days to come.”
“Damn. That’s a long time.”
“Look, I did not ask for this, either.”
He shouldn’t be so ungrateful for putting her out like this. “I’m sorry. It’s just that I’m not used to lying around doing nothing.”
“But that is just what you are going to do for the next few days at least. Now, back to bed.”
He stood and swayed on his feet. Cassie placed an arm around his waist and led him back to the bedroom, piling up pillows and blankets so he was sitting up. “I will return in a few minutes with your lunch.”
With it being so dark in here, he would have expected it to be time for breakfast or supper. Much as he hated to admit it, being back in bed was just what he needed. The shaking had finally stopped, and he leaned into the pillow. He needed to regain his strength.
Cassie returned a minute later and handed him the mug of coffee. “Drink this while I prepare a bowl of soup for you.”
“Why don’t you join me?”
“It will be easier for me to eat in the kitchen.”
She probably preferred to keep her distance from him. He took a sip of the black brew. It was stronger than he made it at home, but damned good. Maybe it would clear some of the cobwebs from his brain and give him a boost of energy. Not that there was anything he needed to be doing or that she would allow him to do for a while.
Except maybe checking the blower on her fireplace insert. He made a lousy patient, but thankfully, stayed pretty healthy most of the time. Too bad Cassie would be subjected to his frustration until he was well enough to go home.
Whe
n she returned, he didn’t waste any time trying to set a different tone. “Cassie, darlin’, I’m not blaming you for my being stuck up here. It’s my own fault, but I have a lot of obligations right now. I can’t be away from my horses too long. It’s a crucial time in their recovery and training. I don’t even know what the weather’s like down in the valley. O’Keeffe doesn’t like being shut up in the barn, but I can’t leave her out in a blizzard, either.”
She sat down on the bed as far away from him as practical and traded him his mug for another filled with soup. “The storm was mostly up here in the mountains. Kitty said they only had a few inches at your place that first night.” She cocked her head. “How many horses do you have?”
He grinned. “Four at the moment. All rescued mustangs that had been abused or neglected. I’m training them for SAR work.” He didn’t want to think about the day coming when he had to turn them over to someone else, for the same reason foster parents found it hard to let the kids they cared for go.
“SAR?”
“Search and Rescue. I just transferred to the squad out of Fairchance. When these horses go to new owners, I’ll take on three more. My mustang sanctuary is small potatoes compared to some, but I can’t afford to hire a lot of hands to help right now, so three’s my limit.”
“But you said you have four.”
Luke smiled. “The fourth is Picasso, a gelding I plan on keeping. He was my first one and a damned good SAR-trained horse already. When Pic’s ready, he’ll be valuable in mountain rescues, but we’ll remain a team.”
Thinking about how he’d recently been rescued himself, Luke shivered and took a sip from the mug of soup—well, more like broth. Still, it tasted better than what he would have served himself from a can. The heat from the liquid warmed his insides, and he finished it off, handing her the mug when he didn’t see a nightstand nearby.
“Thanks. That hit the spot.”
She held out her empty hand, and their fingers brushed. Luke had a feeling that’s what caused her to pull away so quickly. Why so spooked? Didn’t she know he’d never hurt a flea? Even if he were so inclined, he most definitely wasn’t going to hurt anyone in his current condition.
His eyelids grew heavy.
She set both mugs on the floor. “Lean forward.” Pulling the blankets out from behind his back, she left only the pillows. “Lie down. Sleep.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
All fight gone, he let sleep claim him.
* * *
Cassie watched his eyelids droop as his body relaxed into the mattress and pillows. He looked like a little boy, but that vulnerability was only temporary because of his weakened state. When he recovered, she would need to be on her guard every moment until she could send him home.
How long would that be?
As she spread the blankets over him, her smartphone buzzed. She returned to the living room before answering quietly.
“Hi, Cassie.” Angelina’s voice conveyed worry, but not as much as she had heard the first night. “How’s he doing?”
“He is sleeping again, but he did manage to drink some coffee and a weak soup.”
He no longer needs my body heat. Thank you, Goddess.
Angelina sighed. “That sounds great.”
Cassie filled her in on Lucas’s physical condition as best she could.
“Sounds like you’re taking good care of him. I hope he’s not giving you any…problems.”
Her hesitation reminded her that Angelina had been part of the cleansing ceremony around Adam’s hot tub that night. She understood why this situation was so difficult for Cassie.
“For the most part. It seems that I am the problem more than he is. When do you think Marc and the others can start digging out from the other side?”
The pause set her on alert. “I can’t speak for Marc…. He’s…not…” Angelina’s sniffle made Cassie wonder what had happened.
“Is everything okay?”
A longer pause punctuated with more sniffles followed. “I don’t know. He’s…” Angelina’s breathing sounded shaky. “We just haven’t been able to work things out. I don’t know if we ever will, but I’m sure my brothers and their rescue squad teams will help as soon as the blizzard is over up there.”
“Angelina, what happened? You two seemed to have a lot to talk about at daVinci’s the other night.”
“I can’t talk about it right now.”
“Okay. I understand.” Cassie would never pry. There had been many times she did not wish to share her feelings, too. “Thank your brothers for me.” Normally, being snowbound made her feel safer, but with Lucas in her bed, she no longer enjoyed that sense of security.
“Listen, Cassie, tell Luke not to worry about his horses. Matt’s loving every minute of this. He’d love to have a place like Luke’s. He’ll stay at the ranch until Luke returns home and is back on his feet. Beats his tiny apartment in Leadville.”
“How can Lucas contact him to check on the horses? I know he is going to worry no matter how much we try to reassure him.” Like Lucas, she would have worried if she had been on the other side of the avalanche and cut off from her alpacas, especially with Graciela in her condition. She walked over to her desk and jotted down the number on a slip of paper.
Angelina’s voice came through the phone, stronger now. “Lucas? Surely he hasn’t forgotten his name!”
“No! It is just that…Luke seemed so…familiar. I was not comfortable calling him that.”
“How are you doing, Cassie?”
I am trying to keep myself emotionally distant despite our being thrown together like this.
Cassie cleared her throat. “I am fine, thank you. Just tired.” She had not slept much while in bed with Lucas the past two nights. Blankets and the space heater were enough to keep him warm now. She could sleep on the floor by the fire or on the nearby loveseat, which was plenty long enough for her. While the cot in her studio was much more comfortable, she should remain closer to Lucas in case he had a relapse or needed something.
“We love you for taking care of our friend. I know this isn’t easy for you.”
“I am only doing what anyone would do.”
Even if it kills me.
Something told her she would never be the same.
After saying goodbye and disconnecting the call, she stared at the open bedroom door a moment before pivoting around and heading to the kitchen. Certain he would sleep for a while, she decided to prepare a heartier soup to nourish his body—and speed up his healing.
The tactile memory of her body pressed against his sent an uncharacteristic wave of heat into her face before her stomach churned. She thought she might be sick. Even in his weakened state, the muscles under his skin spoke of strength she would be hard-pressed to overcome if she had to fight him off.
Being alone in this isolated cabin with any man other than her brother scared her beyond reason, but Lucas Denton had a charm about him that most likely weakened the resolve of many women.
Not Cassie. No man could charm her. Never again.
Lucas. Somehow calling him by his formal name made her feel less intimate with him, despite the fact they had spent two nights together in her small bed. She threw a handful of amaranth into the pot and stirred absently as she tried to shake off the memory of his body on top of hers. The smothered sensation dragged her back to the pool room at the Lima cantina. Feelings she thought she had long ago buried erupted to the surface. Raw. Exposed. Thankfully, Lucas had not taken advantage of the situation.
Drawing a ragged breath, she pulled back the curtain in the pantry and searched for the quinoa. Perhaps she would make a healthy salad for herself so Lucas could have more of the hot food. She doubted his taste went to the South American grains and delicacies in her pantry. No matter what, she needed to keep him from becoming feverish or chilled again, which would result in her returning to the bed with him.
“Maggie, no!”
The anguish in Lucas’s voice brought her hand to a s
tandstill. She set the canister down and ran into the bedroom. Lucas thrashed on the mattress, sweat dotting his forehead as his powerful hands clenched the sheet.
“God, no! Can’t reach you!”
For a few seconds, Cassie weighed whether she should try to wake him or let him fight whatever monsters invaded his sleep until they passed. The suffering on his face made her cross the room and touch his shoulder, hoping to pull him back to the conscious world.
He grabbed onto her arm. “I have you! Don’t let go!” He yanked her arm, and she lost her balance, tumbling into the bed on top of him.
A scream reverberated in her mind. Lucas opened his eyes, and she realized the scream had not been a silent one. Breathing hard, she pushed off him, but he stared at her with unseeing eyes and placed his hands on either side of her head, pulling her toward his face as if he intended to kiss her.
She fought to escape him. “Let me go! I am not your Maggie. I am Cassie.” She pried at his hand, attempting to loosen his grip as bile rose in her throat. Her mind flashed back. The way they sneered their words in her native language and the sounds of their voices made her lose the love that she had for Spanish.
Cassie beat against Diego’s chest. She refused to open her eyes to see the look of triumph on his face. “Get off me, you pig.”
“She wants to fight. Que bueno. I like a chica with some fight in her.”
Her fear mounted as he undid his belt, and she pounded her fists against him again and again until her wrists ached and her hands grew numb.
“Whoa, darlin’. Wake up. You’re dreaming. Not sure what all you said, but you were screaming in Spanish.”
Her hands stilled. Even without opening her eyes, she knew that Texas drawl did not come from Pedro or his friends. She blinked several times and stared into Lucas Denton’s eyes, a mix of blue and green that looked like gray to her. What was he doing on top of her—again? Cassie shoved him away, a feat made easier when he simply rolled off her.
“Sorry if I scared you, Lucas. I am fine now.” How long had she become lost in the flashback? The two of them were a mess. She had probably bruised his chest if the throbbing in her hands was any indication of the impact of the blows delivered. She pushed herself upright and darted to the foot of the bed, gasping as she attempted to draw a deep breath. Her upper arm ached from some unknown reason.
Nobody's Dream (Rescue Me Saga #6) Page 4