Willow looked up into those sympathetic eyes and felt her throat thicken. Something about this woman made Willow want to sob in her arms. Blaming it on exhaustion and a real fear of what waited for her in sleep, Willow gave Kaylie the name of the medicine she was almost out of, the one that kept the nightmares at bay.
Mostly.
“No problem. I can get that for you tomorrow.”
“I’ll take it to her,” Ben interjected, clearly eavesdropping.
Willow bit her bottom lip, embarrassed that this big, strong, sexy man overheard her weakness. She didn’t want to be thought of as pathetic. Then with a mental shrug she let it go. “Thank you.”
Ben rose with fluid grace, skirting the coffee table to crouch in front of her. He took her hand in his. “You need anything at all, Will, you let me know and I’ll get it for you.” His promise, the sincerity that glowed in his eyes, caused Willow to blink in surprise.
It also had her looking at his left hand. Ringless.
“Jack just sent a text. The cabin’s ready. Heat’s on, Rome,” Caleb made a mocking jab at the agent still ensconced in his cozy chair by the fire like a king on a throne and slid a small black cell into his pocket. “He also stocked the place up with food.”
Willow glanced over at a grandfather clock, shocked to see nearly two hours had passed since she first stepped in the house.
“You must be tired,” Ben’s eyes crinkled as he smiled at her. “Since the cabin’s ready, I’ll take you up there so you can get comfortable.”
“Sounds lovely.” Willow allowed Ben to pull her to her feet, his hold sliding so his fingers folded tight over the back of her hand, now resting on his chest, his thumb a light caress on her palm. It seemed too possessive a hold, the whisper of his touch on her soft flesh too intimate for a practical stranger.
She was about to tug her hand away when Rome suddenly appeared behind Ben, looking far from sleepy. “Not having this conversation again.”
“Then don’t.” Ben dismissed the agent without a glance, then winced as a light breeze tickled Willow’s face and hands. She lifted her eyes up, looking for ductwork, thinking the heater kicked in.
“Gentlemen,” Dean said, his tone low and unyielding, arms folded casually across his chest as he approached the tableau. “I believe Miss Yancy is exhausted. Ben will show you the way to the cabin, Rome, and remain the rest of the evening. Outside,” he stressed the last word, wringing a resigned sigh from Ben, “as added precaution while we finish formalizing our plans.”
Willow thought Rome muttered something like, “maybe it’ll cool him off,” but she wasn’t sure. To her thinking, no one should be outside in this weather. It was freezing. But since she didn’t really know these people she kept mum, and quickly found herself hugged by Kaylie, bundled back in her coat and boots, then spewed out into the night in a flash.
Willow almost chuckled, thinking. Here’s your hat, what’s your hurry?
Chapter Five
Once back on the main highway, Rome and Willow followed Ben’s black truck, keeping the taillights in sight as they turned onto a road that climbed high and winding up the mountain. After several minutes Rome spoke. “So?”
Willow turned in her seat to look at him, the dim interior throwing deep shadows on his face. Not for the first time she sensed there was far more to Rome than what he presented to the world. It was akin to what she felt at the mayor’s home, only several times over.
Secrets, she thought. It was like a roomful of secrets. “So. What?”
He cleared his throat. “You feel okay with this?”
Uh, no. “Not sure, Rome.”
“Overwhelmed?”
She snorted. “Overwhelmed? I think that’s putting it lightly.” Facing forward she tried to straighten her knee, hoping to alleviate the slow burn. Fearful of becoming dependent on pain medication, like her mom had depended on alcohol, Willow always pushed until it was almost too late. Except at night. Then she willingly took the muscle relaxants and the occasional Demerol.
“I think,” she paused, catching herself subconsciously massaging her hip. Maybe a warm bath would help.
“Yes?”
“I think I’m just tired. And overwhelmed. And just need to get some sleep.”
“Well it looks as if we’re here so you’ll soon get your wish.”
Willow squinted out the window. With the moon roughly three-quarters full, a light glow shimmered over the land, tinting the white snow-covered ground and trees with a bluish hue that twinkled with cold fire. Beyond the headlights an area much less populated by the dense growth of pines came into view and they turned into the clearing. Rome braked behind Ben as they pulled up to a cabin.