Quinn I (Undaunted Men #1) (8 page)

I quietly sniffle and look over at Quinn, the moon outlining his masculine profile. It was perfect timing when he and Kimber showed up, because I was fixing to have both a nervous breakdown and no fire. Aside from the fact he's a complete stranger, he somehow makes me feel unusually safe. It doesn’t hurt that he is off-the-charts ruggedly handsome either. He has this absurd amount of animal magnetism rolling off his person, and his almost translucent, bright blue eyes are spellbinding. He's been nothing but a perfect gentleman to me the entire evening.

When the ranger mentioned bears, I thought I was going to have a stroke. With all the troubles that had been on my mind, I hadn’t even considered bears. Granted, my friend had packed pepper spray for me, but I’m not sure how I would’ve reacted in the face of a bear. What if I misfired the spray, or what if it wasn’t enough to stop it, and what if I only succeeded in pissing him off more?
 

Needless to say, I felt this huge weight lift off my shoulders when Quinn said he’d stay the night. He’s been very kind and helpful, and he seems to like me enough, because he’s been very attentive to my every need. My lips lift in a slight grin, thinking of Kimber’s and the affection she's shown me. She totally digs me, and with me missing the unconditional love of my horse, Kimber gave me hers freely. It was almost as if she could sense my loneliness and despair.

After dinner, Quinn and I combined all our foods together, and then he wrapped everything up in a canvas sack he had brought. We walked the food about a hundred yards away from our campsite until he found a high enough branch he was happy with. Throwing the rope on the other side of the tree limb, he hoisted the bag high off the ground, and then tied off the rope to the trunk of the tree. I would’ve never known to do that. A shiver rolls through me, thinking of a bear entering my camp to forage for food, all because I didn't know you were supposed to keep those scents away from camp.

When we came back from securing our food from potential midnight bear invasions, we straightened up our little camp, getting ready for bed. After we both brushed our teeth, he gave me some privacy to change my clothes. I was surprised when he came back and laid out his sleeping bag right beside mine, leaving only two feet between us. I would've thought he'd taken the far end of the shelter. It's not like there's a lot of floor space, but there's enough space to put more distance between us.

So here we are, snug and safe for the night, or so I hope. My feet are sore and stiff, and I’m scared to see what they look like. I was too embarrassed earlier to pull my socks off in front of Quinn and assess the damage to my feet. What I wouldn't give right now to have some hot water to soak them in.
 

Quinn’s deep voice cuts through the thickness of the night, interrupting my thoughts. “What are you thinking about so hard over there?”

“Bears,” I reply without hesitation.

He bursts out with laughter, and the buoyant sound he emits makes me smile. I love the tone of his deep, rich laugh; it’s infectious. “I don’t feel sorry for you. You’ve got one of America’s finest protecting you. I can’t believe my own damn dog left me high and dry.”
 

I try to stifle a giggle, but fail. He’s right. She has snuggled up right beside me, keeping me company. I look down at Kimber and, at the same time, she peers up at me with the most innocent eyes. I can’t help but smile at her. I rub the back of her neck, her mahogany coat soft to the touch. I bend down and give her a gentle kiss on the top of her head, and her fuzzy hair tickles my nose. I never would’ve pegged her for a military dog, simply because she is super sweet and cuddly.

Besides Kimber, I can’t believe how well Quinn and I have hit it off. He’s so easy to talk to, and his sense of humor is wicked. I love that he’s always smiling. He has this unexplainable energy vibrating off him when he’s nearby, and I find I'm drawn to him like a magnet.
 

He must be hot, because he sits up and grabs his t-shirt by the back of his collar, peeling it up and over his head in one swift motion. I can’t seem to breathe properly. I’m being asphyxiated by testosterone and muscles galore. I can clearly see the muscular outline of his broad shoulders and back against the moonlight, and if it were a little brighter, I would be able to see each individual muscle flex as he moves. He’s more than well defined; he’s the very definition of muscle, strength, and manliness, all wrapped up in one.
 

I watch as he settles back down into his sleeping bag and tucks his arms underneath the back of his head. His bronze chest is exposed to the open air, rising and falling with each breath, and my heart flutters. He lets out a long-winded sigh as he looks out into the distance, toward the sky.

I tilt my head to the side, peering out underneath the roof's eves, following suit. I look at the stars at this angle, trying to see what he sees. I think about Vince and wonder if he's seeing the same set of stars as I am right now. He's put me through hell over the past twenty-four hours, and I'd like to see him get his own due.

Without thinking, I blurt out my own thought. “Quinn, do you believe in karma?”

“Baby,” he says, turning his head to face me, arching his brow while wearing a sly grin, “I am karma.”

I burst out laughing, smiling from ear to ear, shaking my head at his silliness. His lips twitch as he asks, “And why is that so funny? You don’t believe me?”

“Somehow, I believe you're telling the truth.”
 

He then gives me a flirtatious wink. “Damn straight I am.” He smiles back at me, his white teeth glistening against the moonlight. I stroke Kimber’s back, soothing her back into a peaceful sleep.
 

“Quinn,” I whisper into the night.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for staying with me.” I don’t know why I get a sense of peace when I'm with him, but I do. I can tell by his mannerisms and the way he loves his dog that he’s a good man. With the moonlight reflecting off him, I can make out every sexy, handsome feature of his face. I don’t even think he knows how striking he is, and if he does, he doesn’t act like it. “I feel safe with you guys here.”

“Well, to be honest, I’m not sure Kimber was going to give me a choice about the matter either way, but you’re welcome.” I release a light, contented sigh, I could listen to his deep baritone voice all night long.

“Do you need your baby back?” I tease.

He shakes his head at me, and I hear the smile in his voice. “Goodnight, Lexi.”
   

“Goodnight, Quinn.”
   

He rolls over, facing away from me, and then we settle back down into a comfortable silence. I’m left alone with my thoughts again, and promptly my mind veers back to the last two days. So many questions swarm inside my head, and so much of the unknown lies ahead of me. My future has literally turned to complete and utter shit. I don’t like change, and the things I haven’t had time to digest are now surfacing in the quiet of the night. All these abrupt changes are too much for me to process. I’m scared of starting a new life on my own…terrified, actually. I love my family, and my job. I can only hope that this craziness will eventually blow over, and I can go back. Surely, I can go back, can’t I?
 

A cool breeze wafts over me, and I inhale the fresh mountain air. It's soothing, clean, and wholesome. I need to force myself to focus on something positive. I ask myself, what am I most thankful for, and immediately, I come up with Quinn. I’m not alone. He's the only reason I feel safe and calm in the middle of nowhere.
 

I hold onto Kimber a little tighter and kiss her soft head. She’s sleeping so peacefully, nuzzled up against me, and I smile a genuine smile. There's an unexplainable, heartwarming feeling of completeness one gets when a dog gives of their love, both freely and unconditionally. It's as if she's already made me part of the pact, and she wasn't going to let Quinn have a say in the matter. I softly chuckle at the thought when Kimber had barreled into me earlier to Quinn's dismay. He later told me she can be very jealous of his affections. I can definitely see where any female, human or otherwise, wanting to bide for Quinn's attentions. He's too attractive and fascinating not to.

A large part of me hopes they don’t go their own separate way tomorrow. Having them here with me distracts me from dealing with reality, plus I don’t want to be out in the wilderness alone. I listen to the continuous noises of the forest as they slowly turn into a symphony of sounds, and find myself finally drifting off to sleep.

Dry barn dust kicked up under my feet as I rounded the corner to Griffen's stall. My step faltered the second I noticed his stall door had already been opened. I picked up my pace and flung open the door the rest of the way to find the majestic animal lying down on his side.
 

“Griffen?” I nervously whispered, my heart pounding in my chest. Getting down on my knees, I sidled up beside him and looked into his eyes. “What’s wrong, boy?” My eyes flicked back and forth over his huge body as I quickly assessed him. He’s distressed and breathing heavily. What the hell? When could this have happened?
 

My hands shakily ran over the barrel of his body as I looked for clues. His chest was barely moving as he struggled for each breath he took. This Arabian is my entire life. We've done so much together over the past fifteen years. We’d competed together, won ribbons, but after he turned eighteen, he had a mild stroke, and even though he'd recovered just fine, I had to retire him.

Oh, God, please tell me he didn’t have another stroke. Panic ensued as I tried to gently speak to him, thinking it was Griffen who needed the calm voice, not me. “It’s gonna be okay, boy. Hang on. I’m gonna get us some help.”

I quickly scrambled to my feet in a blurry haze of fear, and for a second, I wasn’t sure which way to turn. The barn phone came to mind, so I bolted out of the stall and turned to run toward the other end of the building in a mad dash. My heart was in my throat as I busted through the office door, and then I made a grab for the phone receiver with the intent to call the vet. Thank God, he was on speed dial. This barn hadn't changed much over the years, and it showed by the lack of technology present, but it was home to me and Griffen.
 

Taking in a shaky breath, I plucked the old handheld telephone from its base which was bolted to the wall. The cording was thick with dirt and coiled so badly, I had to tug a little to get the wiring to stretch out. As soon as I began to punch in the speed dial numbers, I’m grabbed from behind. It all happened so fast…so fast it felt surreal. Strong, muscled arms wrapped around my chest and squeezed the air out of my lungs. Reality sunk in, and I opened my mouth to let out a scream, but a heavy-handed leather glove clamped down over my mouth and muffled my shrieks of terror. Even though my nose wasn’t covered, my lungs were constricting, and I couldn’t take in a breath to save my life. My mind raced, but I had no idea what the hell was going on, or who had me.

“You can still breathe through your nose, Lexi,” a deep, gruff voice informed me in a sardonic manner, as if I didn't know. His breath fanned out over the shell of my ear, causing me to shiver. I wheezed through my nose, and then inhaled a familiar cologne. With his light Italian accent, and his one-of-a-kind cologne, I was able to put two and two together through my panicked haze. I realized it was Vince. His cologne sat thickly in the back of my throat, and I gagged against his hand. I struggled in vain to get free, but it was useless; he was too powerful.

“You gonna settle down and not scream? Be a shame not to get the help your horse needs, wouldn’t it?”

My limbs froze and my heart stopped at his words. The bastard, he did this. He did this to Griffen.

In a rush of adrenaline-fueled anger, I wrenched my face away from his hand and turned my head, snarling at him, “What did you do?!”
 

“Ah-ah-ah, now, is that any way to greet your future husband?” he asked calmly while keeping a vice grip on me.

“Get your hands off me,” I hissed between clenched teeth. All I could think about was getting Griffen help. “What did you do, Vince?”
 

A slow, evil grin spread across his lips, and I knew, without a doubt, he was indeed to blame. “What did you do to my horse?!” I yelled.
 

“I didn’t do anything, sweetheart,” he stated with mock offense. “It’s up to you as to whether or not your horse gets the proper care he needs to survive.”