Part 1: No Regrets(Divine Creek Ranch 2)(98)

By the fourth week, she was getting around much better but had dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep. Her mom came to her and sat down at the kitchen table with a bottle of Tylenol PM. She showed her the label. Non-addicting.

Her mother tapped the bottle on the table. “I talked to your doctor.

You’ll take these tonight, tomorrow night, and the next night. You’ve got to get some sleep, or you’ll never fully recover, sweetheart. I think Eli is what you need now, not more sitting around,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.

“Be a good girl and do as I say, and I’ll help you pack on Friday and take you to your duplex.”

Rachel grinned and said cheekily, “Tonight, tomorrow night, and you take me home on Thursday. I want to surprise Eli, so don’t say anything to him tonight when he comes over.”

Her mom tried to hide her smile with a grimace. “Always negotiating. I think we should tell him.”

“No, I want to surprise him. Please?”

“All right. Take one now and go lie down for a nap. It’s early enough, and I’ll wake you so you don’t sleep too long.” She handed Rachel a tablet and a glass of water. Rachel smiled and took it obediently, excited at this development. Restlessness had plagued her the last few days and she knew that was because she was getting better. Rachel knew she needed Eli if she wanted to sleep. She knew he needed her, too.

She did succeed in taking a nap that morning and then applied herself into completing the novel. Wednesday night, they all watched a movie together. After taking her Tylenol PM, she laid her head in his lap, and she fell asleep twenty minutes into the movie. She woke a bit as he carried her



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gently in his arms to her room and tucked her in after sliding her slippers off her feet. She turned to him half asleep as he kissed her cheeks.





* * * *



Thursday morning, Rachel watched her mom close the backdoor on the Escalade her dad had given her as an anniversary gift a few months before.

“Grab your laptop, Rachel. I have everything else loaded. Do you need to check and make sure you haven’t forgotten anything?”

Rachel stood in the doorway. Three weeks ago, the laptop had felt like it weighed a ton. Now, she could lift it in its carrying case with hardly any effort.

“No, I already have. Let’s go.”

Her mom chuckled as Rachel carefully climbed into the driver’s seat.

“Aren’t you an eager beaver? I already stocked your kitchen with groceries, and I’ve packed some things I cooked for you, so all you’ll have to do is reheat food in the microwave. It can all go in the freezer, so you should have enough to last a week, at least.” As her mom drove down the long drive way, she looked over at Rachel and patted her thigh. “You’ll call me if you need me, right?”

“Of course, Mom.”

“I know Eli will take excellent care of you, but you can call me during the day if you need me while he’s at work.”

“Thanks, Mom, for taking such good care of me. I’m glad you like Eli so much. It means a lot to me.”

“Well, I see how happy he makes you and that he loves you, too.”

While her mom got her unpacked and settled, Rachel took a warm

shower and washed her hair. She slipped into a fresh pair of pajamas and settled into her bed, a little strung out from the move and the excitement of being home. Her mom talked her into taking another Tylenol PM and kissed her cheek. She brought Rachel her cell phone in case she needed it and let herself out, locking up behind her. Rachel cuddled up to her pillows and fell asleep.

A noise woke her later, and she sat up, feeling disoriented. The sun was gone from her bedroom window, and she realized she must have slept into the afternoon. She heard the sound again and realized what it was. Eli must



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be home because the noise that woke her was the sound of a Harley pulling into the driveway.

She stretched carefully, testing how she felt, and smiled at the butterflies in her stomach. Even though she wasn’t medically released for

“extracurricular activities” like sex yet, she was giddy at the thought of being alone with Eli. Two more weeks, the doctor had said. Torture. That’s what she thought of his recommendation. She’d be surprised if they made it two more weeks without attacking each other. It’d been easy at her parents’

house because they were never alone, but she was feeling better now, and they were so blessedly alone.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a door slamming on the other side of the duplex. Dang. She’d never noticed that before. The walls were—thin. The blood ran cold in her veins as a muffled male laugh came through the wall, followed by a feminine giggle. She fell flat on her back as the adrenaline rush slammed into her. She turned on her side, intending to go see what the hell was going on over there.