That’s it, I’ve had it, I’m going to kill Pearson.” Who leaves the water running in the bathtub and just disappears? Besides the embarrassment, Kelsey is probably thinking Boone is a lunatic. “She’ll end of wishing that I’d left her in her car.”

“No I don’t.”

“Shit, you scared me.”

She ran to his side and touched his arm. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. I just wondered who you were talking to.”

“Myself, it’s a common thing. Oh, hey look, you cleaned up your cut.” He brushed the brunette strands from her forehead and ran a finger across the butterfly bandage she’d applied.

“Yeah it hurts a little, how did I even get that?”

“Well I didn’t really take too much time to look at your car but I think you hit your head on the drivers’ window.”

“Oh gosh, my car, what will happen to it. On second thought, I don’t care. I’ll just get myself another, one that I like this time.”

“Let me guess, your dad again?”

“Long story, and one I just don’t want to even think about.”

“Well how about after all these storms are gone, I can drive back out there and see if it’s still there and we’ll bring it back here if you want.”

“If it’s in one piece I can always trade it in. You have a car dealership in town, right?”

Before Boone had a chance to answer, the lights flickered in the house and they promptly went out.

“Shit, not again. These breakers are driving me nuts. I’ll be back, I’m going to run downstairs and check the box again.”

“If it’s ok and your truck is unlocked, I’m gonna run outside and get my bags.”

“It should be but here ya go just in case.” Boone dug into his pocket and tossed Kelsey a set of keys. “Be careful with the barn door, it sticks a little.

“Thanks, I’ll be right back in.”

He gave her a last glimpse as she went out the front door. “She’s a cute little thing.” Then the little green monster in his head reminded him that he didn’t need any sort of romantic distractions in his life and to stop thinking about how her butt filled out her jeans so sweetly. He grabbed Pearson’s flashlight that he’d left on the kitchen counter from the last outage and headed down the staircase to flip a few switches.

“Hey brother, where you been? I thought you got caught out at mom’s and stayed there.”

“Dammit Pearson, quit sneaking up on me like that.”

“I didn’t sneak, I was just sitting here. Isn’t this where you’re supposed to go during a tornado?”

“What tornado, it’s already passed us. And why did you leave the water running upstairs?”

“Haven’t you been listening to the scanner?”

“No, I’ve been a little pre-occupied.” Boone played with the toggle switches in the breaker box but none of them were connecting to make the lights come back on. “Dammit, I suppose I’ll need new fuses now.”

“I don’t think that’s the problem Boone, can’t you hear the wind outside? The power lines are probably down somewhere. There’s two more headed this direction. Biggest system they’ve seen in twenty years. No way are you catching me outside of this house with all those trees you have. Scanner says we’re to get sixty-mile-an-hour winds and hail the size of golf balls. Hope you parked your truck in the barn at least.”

“Shit Kelsey’s in the barn, I have to go after her.”

“Who’s Kelsey?”

Boone didn’t stick around to answer his brother’s questions, he’d already rescued that poor woman from one traumatic event. If a tornado hit that barn, it would either chop her to bits from all the tools or carry her away from the strength of the thing. He could still hear Pearson yelling after him but at that moment, she was more important.

* * *

Kelsey made her way to the barn with a little bit of trouble. The wind had really gained strength since they’d arrived at Boone’s place. She’d even had to stop half way there to take a breath before walking the rest of the way. Between the door sticking and the wind holding it shut, she’d almost not made it into the barn at all.

She hit the unlock button on the remote keychain and grabbed her suitcase and purse from the backseat of the truck.

“At least he thought to grab my things from the car before we left it there.” Boy would her dad throw a fit if he knew she’d just left a vehicle along the side of the highway, with the keys in it, for anyone to take. Not that anyone would be out there.

After she locked the truck again, she sat her bags on an old table and looked through her purse for her phone.

“Where in the world is that thing.” She thought back to the last time she’d used it.

“I had it laying on the seat after I’d listed to dad’s voicemail. I bet it’s still in the car somewhere.”

She wasn’t having very good luck with this brand-new start to her life. On the other hand, she did get rescued from a horrible tornado by a pretty good looking guy. From what she’d seen so far, didn’t look like he had a wife but there could always be a female friend waiting in the wings.

“Not like it matters, I can barely take care of myself right now, I don’t need a man to complicate things. Even if he is sweet and easy on the eyes.”

The wall she was standing by started to shake and she could feel the cool gusts sneaking in between the barn rafters.

“Not again?” Maybe she needed to rethink her desire to live in the west. She hadn’t even been there forty-eight hours and almost been swept away by a tornado. From the sounds of it there was another one coming.

The wind was really whistling loud and she could hear the barn roof being pelted, which was probably hail. But she also heard a faint voice, just couldn’t make it out. Then the barn door swung open and Boone ran inside.

“Thank god you’re okay.” He scooped her up in his arms and held her tight. Oh, boy does he smell good.

“I’m good but what’s happening? It’s so loud in here and the wind is horrible again.”

“There’s another twister coming and we need to get out of this barn. There’s a stone well house out past the barn. It’ll be closer to go there than back into the house.”

“Are you sure we should be outside?”

“We don’t have much choice now; this old rickety barn is not the place to be. To many things could fall apart, I don’t want to take any chances with it.”

“Alright, I trust you. Lead the way.” She smiled at Boone but didn’t feel as confident as she sounded. She did however, feel safe with this man she’d only just met.

“I’ll carry your suitcase if you take your purse.” He took a firm grasp on her hand and led them to the door.

“Now, when I open it, the wind is gonna hold it open and I’m gonna run out the door. Are you good with that?”

“Let’s do it.” Good thing she’d put on her running shoes this morning before she left the hotel.

Boone grabbed the door handle, then glanced back at her, giving a reassuring squeeze and a smile. A girl could get lost in those eyes.

“Here we go.” He pushed open the door and they both took off at a dead run, letting him lead the way.