Page 9 of Beyond the Rules
I was a little stiff in his arms and not a little anxious, but I had eyes and I wasn’t dead, so I couldn’t help but notice that he was a very fine ride indeed. His chest felt like a granite wall against my shoulder. My forehead rustled against the prickle of his stubble and my lungs were full with the scent of pine forests. His lush, brown curls were trapped in a tail at the base of his skull and his worn T-shirt and torn-at-the knee jeans gave him a classic shabby chic look. He was totally attractive, in a hot Jesus kind of way, and when he smiled the quiet hunk in him came outtoplay.
“How are you feeling?” Tanner asked, shufflingbehindus.
“Feeling good, minus the hands. That’s going to be a royal pain intheass.”
“You can borrow my hands,” Aidenputin.
“Are you sure you want to volunteer?” Iaskedhim.
“A hundredpercent.”
I flashed him a crooked smile, because I came from a place where nobody gave a rat’s ass about anyone else. This guy didn’t know squat about me and yet he seemed totally sincere in his offer to help me. Plus, he listened toGlobalMayhem.
Don’t like him, Nina. Don’t like any of these guys. You’re in no position to trust anyone. And whatever you do, don’t get them killed. Move on.Quickly.
The problem was, I already liked these two and I was having trouble fighting my instincts. They were telling me that these guys were not like the rest of the world out there. My stomach squeezed around a solid ball of nerves. My instincts tended to override my brain sometimes, an MO that had nearly destroyed my life. I couldn’t afford anothermistake.
“How long was I out?” I askedcautiously.
“Two whole days,” Tanner said, “almostthree.”
“Three days?” I didn’t have that kind of time to waste. Dimayev’s thugs were likely to barge in any time now. I had to find Ulyssesandsoon.
“You were exhausted,” Tanner said. “You needed time to rest and recover. Try to relax. We have time to hash this out and you’re saferightnow.”
I wasn’t so sureaboutthat.
“Nobody will find you here,” Tanner added as if he could read my thoughts. “You havemyword.”
His word? What an old-fashion concept. And yet, somehow, as we entered the stunning bathroom, Ibelievedhim.
The bathroom was huge, built straight into the cliff with the rock face serving as back wall and the floor tiled with the same deeply veined slate. A pair of enormous glass doors showcased more stunning views of thecanyon.
“This house is amazing.” I took in the enormous walk-in shower carved into the rock wall and the four sinks chiseled into the granite counter. “One huge bathroom foreveryone?”
“It seemed like the most efficient use of space,”Tannersaid.
“You guys designed thishouse?”
“We did,” Aiden said, seemingly startling Tanner. “While deployed. Then webuiltit.”
It was all very impressive. I wanted to ask more questions, but Tanner opened one of several doors and Aiden deposited me in front of a toilet as carefully as if I were an expensiveporcelaindoll.
“Holler when you’re done,” Tanner said, closingthedoor.
I sat down and let my water flow like a freaking geyser. My mind spun. I had trouble making sense of things. I had to get to Ulysses, but I was also totally intrigued about the remarkable men who’d come to my assistance. They seemed so capable, so ontheball.
Take a chill pill, Nina. Get your game on.Don’t get these guys killed fornothing.
When I was done, I lingered in the bathroom, staring at my bandaged hands. How the hell was I going to find Ulysses if I couldn’t even take care of my privateneeds?
Tanner knocked on thedoor. “Done?”
I couldn’t avoid him forever, so I stoodup. “Yup.”
He opened the door and stepped in. Unbidden, he grabbed a piece of toilet paper and queried me with his eyebrows. Geesh. Nobody had ever done this for me, not since I was a toddler, some thirty years back. But I didn’t really have a choice and, having spent a lot of time with my mother’s “free” people, I wasn’t super modest. I widened my stance; he reached between my legs and pattedmedry.
“Thanks,” I said. “That was like, above andbeyond.”