Erin's Way (12 page)

Sam frowned. He’d wondered before if she had vision problems, but he’d never noticed Erin having any difficulty with any outside tasks, in fact, with anything other than reading.

His hand hovered over the mouse as images came back to him of a little girl who was constantly on the move and constantly in trouble at home and at school. He remembered her frowning concentration over the Sunday comics, then how she ignored his note to move the livestock, and finally the way she intentionally spilled coffee on the forms he wanted her to complete—then tried to give him that haughty attitude of how she wasn’t filling out any forms.

Not because she wouldn’t, he decided, but because she couldn’t. Because she couldn’t read. There could be no other logical conclusion. The idea floored him…and shamed him.

Sam closed the Internet and looked at the programs on the laptop. He really shouldn’t be snooping, but he needed to know. If he was going to keep her safe, he needed to know what she was hiding.

Her computer contained all the usual programs he’d expect, plus a couple he found interesting. One was the reading and voice recognition writing program that was incorporated into everything on the computer, and the other was a remedial reading program. When he opened it, he saw she’d been working in it.

Sam closed the programs and left the room. He felt a twist of guilt. She would be beyond furious if she knew what he’d discovered. Merciful heaven! It boggled his mind to think of how she had gotten through school. Just functioning day-to-day had to be a challenge to whatever coping skills she’d developed. He slipped down to his room, changed into jeans and a sweatshirt, and wandered into the kitchen to fix something to eat. He missed the meal she would have had waiting for him.

How did she learn recipes? As he thought of all the things her obviously severe reading disability affected, he was more and more amazed at what she had accomplished. The most amazing thing of all was how she’d kept it a secret. He wondered if that was what Jenny had meant.

Erin thought she was stupid. She said it often enough. Had said it just this evening. Only this time that she was
not
stupid. He shook his head. She had figured out how to pull the calf from the pictures.

He wanted to wake her and ask her how she’d done it. Then he realized something else. As closely as she guarded this secret, she would be humiliated if she realized he knew. Between her and Stoner, he had never seen two more stiff-necked, proud people.

He checked on her before he called it a night, and she still slept soundly. As he studied her face, serene and relaxed in sleep, he wondered just what other secrets she had.

Sometime in the middle of the night, he thought he heard talking, but he’d already discovered that Erin was a restless sleeper who often talked in her sleep, so he ignored it. He awoke the next morning with a vague feeling that it was later than usual. When he came out of the bedroom, he found homemade cinnamon buns still warm in the oven. He wolfed them down along with a mug of coffee, pulled on his coveralls and boots, and headed for the barn.

She wasn’t there. The animals had all obviously been taken care of, but there was no sign of Erin anywhere. He stomped back out into the cold rain and saw faint tire tracks. Beginning to feel alarmed, Sam strode into the house and bolted upstairs. Her computer was up and he accessed her e-mail, relieved to find she’d left herself logged in.

Hi, Sweet Cheeks! Did what you suggested. We’re at the motel next to the truck plaza. Sorry you got the parental boot. Pick you up Saturday AM, and we’ll have a lost weekend together just like old times. Nothin’ like a girl pillow! Matty sends his love.—Rick

A lost weekend? Had she taken off to be with her lovers? Sam’s fists clenched at his sides and he ground his teeth wordlessly. His first inclination was to run after her, but what right did he have? She had done her work. She wasn’t his prisoner. She was an adult, and he had absolutely no claim on her.

The problem was that at the moment, the need to yank her back home, put his own brand on her, and never let her leave again overwhelmed him. Instead she was with two men. In a hotel room. Sam knew that just as soon as he could get some support, he would go after her, claim or no claim.

Rick and Matty showed up just after dawn. Erin hugged them both and happily hopped into the back seat. This was just the break she’d needed. After breakfast at the truck stop, they drove back to Rick and Matty’s room. While Erin sat cross-legged on the bed, Rick lay with his head in her lap, and Matty stretched out beside her.

“So are you seriously playing farmer Bob’s wife?” Rick asked in amusement as he passed the joint he’d lit up over to Matty. He took a deep toke and handed it to Erin. She had no desire for it, but it was there, and she took a big hit before passing it off again. She finally exhaled the smoke, already feeling a faint buzz.

“You know me, Rick,” she said with a giggle. “No sex, but I look after the farm and cook the meals.”

Matty shuddered. “That is just too domesticated sounding for the original wild child.” He rolled over onto his stomach and propped his face in his hands. He was such a girl. “Come with us, baby. We’ll have a great time, and you don’t have to worry about some man hands on you. They can have me instead.” He laughed.

Erin blinked at him. Was that eye shadow on his lids or just her imagination? Matty always had been a bit more out there than the rest of them. While most of the crew could pass as just regular guys, Matty was a real queen. Still, he was sweet and wide-eyed enough that he was usually the darling of any older women on board. They surely knew he was gay, and maybe that was part of the reason they loved him. They could simply be themselves with no pressure.

Rick shook his head. “Seriously, girlfriend, you are wasted here on the farm. Do you know, once I got you hooked up with that software to read to you, your investment advice turned me into a millionaire in six months? Let’s set ourselves up someplace sunny and warm and you can make us all a pot load of money.”

Erin grinned and took another hit. If she left with Rick and Matty, she could be herself. No pretense. They knew exactly who and what she was. She didn’t have to live up to some blueblood, by-the-book life that required the right education followed by the right marriage. Best of all, they demanded nothing from her. God! It was so tempting.

Except she wouldn’t see Sam. Erin pushed that thought away. Sam didn’t want her. He’d told her over and over. Was she so weak and pitiful she would stick around to have him kick her like she was some unwanted stray?

At some point, Matty broke out a bottle of rum. They played strip poker and did shots between hands of cards.

“My two pair beats yours because I have jacks high and you only have tens!” Erin told Matty. She slammed her shot glass down and waved her hand imperiously. “Off with your shirt!”

Matty stood up and made a production of unbuttoning his shirt and letting it slide slowly from his shoulders as he shimmied back and forth. While he looked at Erin, the show was really for Rick’s benefit. Erin laughed, stuck her fingers into her mouth, and let out a loud wolf whistle. She smacked him on the ass and winked at Rick.

“Hands off the merchandise,” the captain drawled, a twinkle in his eyes.

They were all completely smashed and down to their underwear when the pounding started on the door. Rick picked up Erin. As she giggled and squirmed, he dropped her on the bed beside Matty, who had already passed out.

“I’ll get it.” With one last look at Erin, who was laughing at him, he weaved to the door. Even though he was over forty, Rick’s body was lean, muscled, and tanned. His sun-streaked hair fell around his shoulders, and he had tiny gold hoop earrings in each ear. Erin grinned. All the women loved Captain Rick.

He opened the door just a crack. Over his shoulder, Erin saw two dark-haired giants looming outside the door, one lean and sardonic looking and the other about the size of an angry grizzly with an expression equally welcoming.

“We’re looking for Erin Richardson,” her brother said.

Rick swayed a bit. “And whom shall I say is calling?”

“Her brother,” Evan growled.

This was not going to be good. She should probably get up, but it was more fun to snuggle in the bed and watch what was happening.

Rick, with years of experience bluffing his way out of tight places, looked to Sam, who was doing his best grizzly bear imitation. “And who might you be?”

“Castle County Sheriff,” Sam said in a voice as fierce as his expression.

Ohhh. Sammy sounded mad. He seemed to react that way around her a lot. Maybe it was just her who made him angry all the time, but Erin shoved that thought away. She wanted only happy thoughts.

“She’s indisposed at the moment. Perhaps you could come back later?”

Erin couldn’t suppress a giggle, thereby ruining the excuse. Over her shoulder, she watched Matty, who had come back to life, pick up her poker hand. She swatted at him ineffectually.

“No cheating!” she scolded.

“You are such a wicked girl,” Matty purred. “Of course your jacks and aces will beat his hand and he’ll lose his boxers. Maybe you can get the two hunks at the door to play too.”

“I doubt it.” Erin laughed as she heard Evan say, “Now Sam…”

She turned back to the tableau at the door just in time to see Sam’s fist smash into Rick’s nose, followed by the door slamming backward against the wall. Sam stomped into the room, his eyes going even blacker when he saw Erin next to Matty in just her underwear. Something tugged at her consciousness. What, Erin wasn’t quite sure, but she scrambled from the bed and bent over to search for her shirt under the bed.

“Get up!” Sam bellowed. He hauled her to her feet where she swayed before she covered her mouth with one hand and delicately hiccupped. She smiled at Grizzly Sam. “Sammy! I love you.” She looked back at Matty. “This is my friend Sammy,” she slurred. “Do you know he didn’t want to see my tattoos?”

She tried to look over her shoulder at the one on her butt and stumbled slightly. “Matty, the one on my butt looks okay, doesn’t it? Sam doesn’t like my ass, but you do, don’t you?”

Matty grinned as he looked at her butt. “Sure, honey gir1! I’ve seen a lot of asses and yours is perfect!”

She turned back to Sam’s outraged expression. “See, Sam. Matty thinks I have a nice butt.” She giggled and fell forward into his arms. She’d caught him off guard. A series of quickly disguised emotions came and went on Sam’s face as fast as storm squalls before he glared at Matty.

“Get me a blanket and get her clothes together.”

Evan handed Rick a towel for the blood. “Pinch your nose, asshole,” he mumbled, then spoke in a voice dripping with ice and loud enough it could probably be heard through the whole motel. “She’s tried so hard to get off the booze and the drugs, and the first thing her
friends
do is get her stoned and drunk. Well, listen, you two! He’s the sheriff and I’m the fucking county prosecutor. There’s enough pot smoke hanging in here that I’m sure just a quick search would find us enough to land both of you in jail for quite a while, but I’d like to spare my sister, so when we get Erin out of here, you get dressed, check out, and stay out of this county. This ain’t your vacation paradise, and we take a dim view of strangers coming in and messing with family.”

“Is that a threat?” Rick asked.

Evan paused and stared at him out of narrowed gray eyes. “No. It’s a promise. Leave my sister the hell alone. She has enough problems.”

Matty stood with Erin’s clothes and her purse, and looked Evan over contemptuously. “It’s always looked like to us that most of her problems came from her family. You didn’t even know…”

“Matty!” Rick snapped.

Matty shut his mouth and thrust Erin’s things at Evan. “Here.”

Sam had her wrapped in a blanket from head to toe and cradled her against his chest. “Let’s get out of here.” He stared hard at Rick. “Sorry about the nose.”

* * * *

When they reached Evan’s SUV, Sam set Erin carefully on the rear seat, then climbed in after her. Evan slid in behind the wheel as Sam pulled Erin onto his lap and held her. She stirred and snuggled in closer to him with a contented little sigh. Sam found her smiling at him. “Did you meet Rick and Matty? They’re my friends. That’s Captain Rick. I love him too… and Matty. He helped me get away from Andre.”

She leaned her head against Sam’s chest. “They love me. Not like you.”

Sam’s arms tightened around her, and he stared morosely out the side window. Not love her? She infuriated him. She had knocked him off balance since the first time he had picked her up at nine years old. She fascinated him, amazed him, enthralled him, and made him want to slay dragons for her. Not love her? He’d wanted to kill those two men with her! He still did.

“Hush, baby,” he rumbled. “Whatever you say and do now will likely come back to haunt you later. We’ll get you sobered up. Then you can tell me how much you hate me.”

When Sam noticed they were not headed back to his farm, he looked at Evan’s reflection in the rearview mirror. “Where are we going?”

“I’m taking her to Jenny. She can get her showered and examine her. If either one of those assholes took advantage of her, I’ll press rape charges.” Evan snarled. “The whole situation just hits too close to home, Sam, reminds me too much of the way Jenny’s father set her up so he could break us up years ago. Jesus, what if they…”

He didn’t finish as he turned the SUV into his drive and pulled to the back of the house. Sam carried Erin inside. Jenny was in the kitchen starting dinner. When she saw Sam with a blanket-wrapped Erin, her eyes widened with concern.

“What happened to her?”

Sam frowned but was saved from explanations when Evan said, “She was in a hotel room with two men who’d gotten her drunk and stoned. I want you to examine her, Jen. I’ll press sexual assault charges if I have to.”

Jenny’s mouth tightened. “Follow me to the guest room, Sam. Let me have her clothes, Evan. I’ll take care of her if you’ll go ahead and cook dinner. You’ll join us of course, Sam.”