Chapter Thirteen
With evil trolls drilling into her skull and her tongue plastered to the roof of her mouth, Olivia pried her eyes open. Sunlight scorched her retinas and she winced. Moaned.
Clothing rustled. “Hebe. Welcome back, little red.”
She moaned again and squinted at Nakos. “Hi.” Head pounding, she glanced around, trying to focus through the heavy dregs of sleep. Her bedroom. Okay. How’d she get here? Why was she in bed? “What time is it?”
“Noon.” The mattress dipped with his weight. Sitting by her hip, he swept his concerned gaze over her. “You’ve been out cold for a couple days.”
“What?” She tried to sit and a wave of nausea churned in her belly.
He set a hand on her shoulder, heavy and warm, easing her back. “Relax. You’ve got eight stitches in your head and finally broke a fever last night. That’s not accounting for the concussion.”
That’s right. She’d hit her head by the creek. She had a vague recollection of Hank visiting, plus a steady stream of Aunt Mae, Nakos, and Amy waking her repeatedly. But...two days?
She eased onto her elbows. Her limbs were dead weight and her back ached. “I need to sit.”
Cupping her shoulders, he helped her up. “Doc said you could have Tylenol when you woke.” He passed her two pills and held out a glass of water.
She forced the medicine down her dry throat, relishing the water. Lord, she was thirsty. “Thanks.” She blinked, still a little foggy.
He set the glass on the nightstand and sighed. “You’re a sight for sore eyes. You gave everyone quite a scare.”
“Sorry.” She pressed a hand to her forehead and tentatively touched the bandage by her hairline. “Could we hold the lecture until the room stops spinning, please?” Knowing him, he’d reiterate, ad nauseum, how she shouldn’t have ridden alone. The fact he was right was beside the point.
Her skin felt sticky and her pajamas were plastered to her body. That must’ve been some fever. Who did she have to threaten to let her bathe? She could only imagine what she looked like. Nakos, of course, was dressed as always in a tee under a flannel and jeans. He was sans a cowboy hat, though. His black hair was pulled into a low ponytail as he stared at her. Hard.
“I’m not going to lecture you.” He took her hand and pressed it between his, the darkness of his olive skin a stark contrast to her fair tone. “My world would cease to rotate without you in it. Plain and simple. You’ve been my friend as long as I can remember and I think I cared about you before we ever met. You’re family.”
Lord. Sinuses prickling, she attempted to blink back tears. “Nakos—”
“Not done.” His dark eyes zeroed in on her. “So imagine how it felt when you didn’t answer your radio and we had to desperately search for you in the dark, in the cold, praying you were alive, only to find you bleeding, unconscious, and freezing to death. Another thirty minutes out there, and you’d be right next to Justin in the cemetery.”
Hot tears clung to her lashes and dripped onto her cheeks. Guilt and shame coagulated in her belly as her chest cracked open.
“No, little red. I’m not going to lecture.” He squeezed her hand. “I’m going to make you a promise. If you ever do something so stupid and stubborn again, I will hog tie you and throw you in the barn for all eternity. Understand?”
Nodding frantically, she collapsed against his chest and fisted his shirt. “I’m sorry.”
He ran his hand down her hair. “I know. Stop crying. You’re already dehydrated.” His chest rose and fell with a deep breath. “Since my chat is out of the way, you should prepare yourself for when Nate realizes you’re awake.”
Lord, poor Nate. He’d pulled her out of the creek and put his own clothes on her to keep her warm. Again, he’d come to her rescue. And by what little she could remember, he’d been distraught beyond measure.
“He’s mad, too, huh?” Sniffing, she straightened and wiped her cheeks.
“Mad’s not the word I’d use.” He handed her the water glass and nudged his chin in a silent order to drink. “He spent the first twenty-four hours in that chair right there by your bed, refusing to eat or sleep. On day two, we talked him into showering, but he only agreed if he could use your adjoining bathroom. Heaven forbid he move more than thirty feet from you. This morning, he finally crashed after Mae forced him to eat, but the couch is as far as he’d distance himself.”
Nakos jerked a thumb over his shoulder and she glanced out the open bedroom door to the giant man on her living room sofa.
Nate was sprawled on his back, an arm over his face and one foot on the floor as if ready to spring into action. His chest rose and fell in even, deep breathing while Bones sat at attention, staring at him.
Like Nakos, Nate was a little too protective of her. But had he really stood sentinel for two days at her bedside? Hardly eaten? Slept?
“Nope. Mad’s not the right word.” Nakos’s brows rose as she glanced at him. “Obsessed. Fixated. Concerned. Take your pick. Personally, I think crazy as shit fits.” His lips twisted. “Little red, you brought the guy to his knees. And he hasn’t gotten back up.”
She looked at Nate again, not sure what to think. Half the time, she assumed the draw for him was solely a physical one. But the more time they spent together, the weaker that argument became. Twice now, she’d pushed him, trying to get him to snap and take what he wanted. And he’d jerked the reins as if he needed to show her respect. Achingly gentle, actually. That’s what he’d been, proving size didn’t always mean strength.
Such a conundrum, Nathan Roldan. He could be sarcastically funny and equally intense. Sometimes he seemed amused by her and other instances he appeared enthralled. She swore, it was as if no one had looked at him, really looked, before her. Judging by what he’d told her, that was no doubt the truth.
Forcing her gaze away, she refocused on Nakos. “He doesn’t have any family.”
“He told me something similar the other day.”
“Honestly, I think Justin was the closest thing he had to a genuine friend.” She stared at Nate again, her heart heavy.
“If that’s the case, he probably has no idea what to do with attention.” Nakos glanced over his shoulder at Nate, then back to her. “And confused about how to handle his feelings. Good thing it’s you who got under his skin. There’s no one more patient than you.”
She smiled. “Except you.”
“He’s not my type.” Nakos flashed a grin. “You’re his type, though.” He lowered his tone to mimic Nate’s. “Olivia, baby.”
“Shut up.” She laughed, then winced at the dull throb in her head. “Ow.”
Nakos sobered. “That medicine should kick in soon. After you eat something, you’ll feel better.”
“Yeah. I need a shower first. I feel like something scraped off the barn floor.”
“Look like it, too.”
“Ha-ha.” She tugged off the blanket.
He cupped her shoulders and stood as she edged to the end of the mattress. “You sure you’re okay to get up?”
“No, but I’m doing it anyway.” Slowly, she rose on shaky legs.
The room immediately turned into a disco ball with a caffeine chaser, and she reached out for something to grab to steady herself. The edges of her vision grayed and nausea flipped her stomach upside down. She teetered.
Footsteps pounded on the floor planks and she took a face-plant against something solid. And warm. And that smelled like soap. Arms came around her and hauled her closer. She closed her eyes as the topsy-turvy sensation eased and safety surrounded her.
“Why didn’t you tell me she was awake?” The wall vibrated against her cheek and Nate’s voice filled her head. Low. Rough. Yummy.
“Because it just happened and you were asleep.” Nakos sighed. “You okay, little red?”
She hummed, more stable now. “I’m taking a shower. Be back soon.”
“The hell you are.” Nate eased her away and stared down at her, hands gripping her waist. “You can barely stand.”
“A bath, then.” At his frown, she rolled her eyes. “This isn’t negotiable.”
Jaw tight, he glared at Nakos. “Can you ask Amy to come up and help her?”
“Amy’s at an appointment with the divorce lawyer. And, before you ask, Mae’s with her since Olivia was incapacitated. Why do you think I’m up here and not working?”
Wait. She rubbed her forehead. “Amy wasn’t supposed to meet the attorney until—”
“Thursday?” Nakos dropped his hands on his hips. “It is Thursday. You’ve been out a couple days, remember?”
Right. Damn, she was supposed to be standing beside Amy through her difficult time and Olivia had dropped the ball. “I’m a sucky friend.”
“No, you’re not.” Nate tilted her chin until she met his gaze. “You are a crappy patient. Get back in bed.”
“Not happening.” She didn’t care if her ranch hands sold tickets and put stadium seating in her bathroom. She was washing the filth off. “If you insist on a chaperone, you can come in with me.”
Nate tensed, his wide gaze flicking to Nakos as if beseeching aid.
“Don’t look at me.”
Exhausted already, she snapped her fingers to get Nate’s attention. “You’ve seen me naked. Nakos hasn’t. I’m going, like it or not.”
“I’m out of here.” Nakos jerked his chin toward the door. “Mae left soup in the fridge for you. I’ll heat it up and leave it on the stove. You will eat it without argument. I’ll call Hank and tell her you’re awake, have her come check on you.”
“Thanks.” She slid out of Nate’s arms and, when dizziness didn’t swamp her, she made her way to the dresser at a snail’s pace.
Once the door closed behind Nakos, Nate stepped behind her. “I really wish you’d wait for Amy or Mae.”
She pulled out a pair of gray sweats and a white tee. They could be twins, since Nate had on the same thing. “It’s nothing you haven’t seen before, but stay out here if you want.” She was tired, achy, and pretty sure she smelled. The last thing she cared about was Nate’s discomfort with her body.
“Undressing you while you were partially unconscious to avoid hypothermia is entirely different than watching you bathe, Olivia.”
“Then close your eyes.” Snatching a clean pair of panties, she shut the drawer and turned. The room spun again. “Wow. It’s like being drunk, but not as fun.”
He growled and took the items from her. “Stubborn as shit woman. And you’re lucky I’m so relieved you’re awake that I’ll give you whatever you want.” He wrapped his arm around her waist. “Come on.”
They walked into the bathroom and he set her clothes on the toilet lid. While she grimaced at herself in the mirror, he started filling the tub. He studied the products on the shelf, then dumped in half a bottle of bubble bath.
He did a double-take at her grin. “What?”
“Nothing.” Adorable man. She refocused on her image and wished she hadn’t. “Lord, I look like crap.” A bandage covered a good part of her forehead, her hair was matted and stringy, and she could fill a grocery cart with the bags under her eyes.
“At the risk of sounding like a sap, having your eyes open and you out of bed is the best thing I’ve seen in days.”
“Aw. Be sappy more often.”
“Scare the shit out of me less often and I’ll consider it.”
She met his gaze in the mirror, weary and worried, and her shoulders sank. “I’m sorry. It was obviously an accident, but I’m sorry.”
Saying nothing, he stepped behind her and, with his hands on her waist, gently turned her around to face him. He raised his arms and framed her face with his bulging biceps to get at her bandage.
“Doc said this could come off, but you should try to keep the stitches dry.” Dark gaze on his task, he peeled the tape away and removed the pad. The bandage fell from his fingers into the sink and he froze. “Christ,” he muttered and, with a shaking hand, ran his fingertips over her eyebrow, gingerly inching closer to her hairline. After a moment, his throat worked a swallow and he blinked.
“You have really pretty eyes.” His lids were soft, downturned, kind of like a puppy. Sometimes, like now, the color looked like chocolate. In the sunlight, golden flecks swam in his irises. And at night, they were as dark as the sky and twice as haunting. Adding to the punch were his long, thick lashes that only managed to draw more attention to the potency. “I like looking at them.”
A wrinkle formed between his brows as he met her gaze. He swept a strand of hair from her face and let his hand linger on her jaw. “You’re one to talk. There isn’t a name in the color spectrum for yours.” He shook his head as if dumbstruck. “And it’s really good to see them again.”
Now that she got a good look at him, she realized the level of worry he must’ve been under. “You look exhausted.”
“Yeah, well, I haven’t slept much.” He skimmed his fingers down her arm and removed a bandaid on her inner arm she hadn’t noticed.
“What’s that from?”
“Doc put in an IV yesterday. Fluids and an antibiotic.”
Lord, she had been out of it. “I don’t normally get sick. Must’ve been a doozy.”
“Falling in a creek and spending hours in the elements will do that.” His gaze flicked to hers as he tossed the items in the garbage. When he looked at her once more, there was utter submission in his eyes. “You spiked a temperature we couldn’t bring down. One hundred and four at its worst.”
Wow. “I—”
A knock came at the door. “Olivia? It’s Hank. Can I come in?”
Nate leaned over and shut off the bathwater, then opened the door.
Hank eyed Nate and flung her long black hair over her shoulder. “Nakos said you were up and at ‘em. How are you doing?”
“Good. Better, thanks.”
Nate leaned against the doorjamb and crossed his arms. “She can barely stand. Got dizzy and almost went down.”
Nodding, Hank kept her focus on Olivia. “That’s to be expected.” She set her black bag on the vanity and opened it. She held up a pen light and flashed it in both Olivia’s eyes. “Equal and responsive.” She checked Olivia’s pulse and blood pressure next, then took her temp. “All normal. How’s the headache?”
“It’s there. Nakos gave me Tylenol. It’s better.”
“Good. Any nausea?”
“A little.”
Hank put her supplies back in the bag. “That should resolve after you get food in your belly.” She examined the stitches. “I’ll come by next week and take those out. In the mean time, no strenuous activity for a week. Avoid bending at the waist and lifting anything heavier than a gallon of milk the next couple days. Have someone with you if you’re going to navigate stairs. Lots of fluids and stick to a light diet today. If you experience vomiting, have them call me right away.”
“Okay. Thanks, Hank.”
Nate cleared his throat. “Could you help her with...” He waved his hand at the tub.
Hank winked at him. “Sure thing.”
He looked at Olivia. “I’ll check on your soup.” He closed the door behind him, his footsteps padding away.
“Thought I was gonna need to give that guy a sedative.” Hank jerked her thumb at the door. “Climbing the walls, stalking like a caged lion. Nakos wasn’t much better.”
“I heard.” Olivia rubbed her eyes, feeling bad enough. “And Nakos always worries.”
“Not like your giant soldier. He kept saying, I thought she was dead, I thought she was dead.”
“Oh God.” Her throat closed and she choked on a sob. She had no idea it had been that bad. Nakos and Aunt Mae must’ve been out of their minds, too.
“Thought you should know.” Hank squeezed Olivia’s arm. “Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up. You’ll feel more human.”
With Hank’s help, Olivia stripped and climbed in the bathtub. She moaned at the hot water against her sore body and closed her eyes. “Heaven.”
Hank laughed and passed her a washcloth. “Put that over the sutures. We’ll wash your hair.”
After they finished and Olivia was dressed, Hank walked her out to the kitchen table and checked her vitals one more time. “All good. Mind my orders and I’ll peek in on you tomorrow.”
The doc had no sooner left and Nate set a bowl of chicken noodle soup in front of Olivia, along with one of the Gatorades he was so fond of drinking. “Eat. Drink.”
She eyed him as he sat across from her. “You should, too.”
“Don’t worry about me.”
“Someone should.” When he only gave her a blank stare, she chewed her lip. “Nakos said you refused to eat and—”
“I just had a bowl while you were in the bath. I’m fine.” He pointed to her soup.
Once she’d taken a few bites, he seemed appeased and set his elbows on the table. Head in his hands, he pressed his palms to his eyes. He had such big hands to go along with the rest of him. His tattoo sleeves moved with the shift of muscle and his fitted white shirt accentuated the hard planes of his pecs. Tension knotted his frame and, by the time he lifted his face and scrubbed his hands over his bald head, his expression was just as tight.
“I really am all right now, thanks to you.”
He rubbed his lips, studying her. His gaze darted back and forth between her eyes, the edges of concern lessening. “I didn’t do anything but stand around feeling useless.”
“You carried me out of the creek, kept me warm, and brought me back home.”
His eyes slammed shut so quick she was surprised there wasn’t an aftershock vibration. “I don’t need the reminder.” His lids lifted and he pinned her with an agonizing display of helplessness. Exposed, vulnerable, he shook his head. “Please eat. And the drink will help restore the fluid you lost, balance your electrolytes.”
There he went again, taking care of her. He was obviously crawling out of his skin, but his focus was all her. She glanced at her bowl. The sooner she did what he wanted, the quicker she could try to settle the turmoil inside him.
Finishing the soup and sports drink, she stood. “You need a nap.”
Ignoring her, he walked her bowl to the sink and tossed out the bottle. He kept busy putting the leftovers in the fridge and washing their measly couple of dishes. Then, as if hitting the end of his patience, he gripped the sink and leaned into his hands, hanging his head.
Her heart cracked in half. Nakos had been right, as were her suspicions. It seemed Nate never had anyone in his life he cared about and, when faced with genuine emotion, he hadn’t a clue how to handle it. What had happened to him, this gentle giant? How could a person go their whole life completely...alone?
Worse, she wondered how she was going to repair that kind of damage.