Page 34 of Meant for Her

A smile lit up her face. “Good to know.”

Ryan returned, for which Luke was thankful. He didn’t need this conversation.

“Ready to call the sheriff?” Ryan asked, seemingly oblivious to their discussion, though he most likely had heard what they’d said.

“Yes.” Malia pulled out her phone. “Do you know the number?”

Ryan stood. “I’ll find it.” His laptop was on the kitchen table. He carried it back and searched for the sheriff’s department’s information. Once he located the number, he gave it to her.

Malia called, and from what he could tell, the sheriff wasn’t in, but the deputy was. She explained that the sheriff had wanted to interview them, but they weren’t well enough at the time. She nodded. “Yes, both men are resting. Ryan can’t get up and down the stairs, but you can speak with him in his room.” She listened for a moment. “Yes, the Circle L Ranch. Uh, huh. Now is fine.”

Luke and Ryan both stood. “We need to get ready,” Luke said. “I take it we’re good as long as Ryan’s in bed and I’m on the sofa?”

“Yes, but you ought to put on pajamas or something.”

Luke laughed. “If I owned pajamas, I’d oblige, but I’m a sleep-naked kind of guy.”

Her cheeks heated, and he smiled. Malia actually averted her gaze.Interesting.

She turned to Ryan. “You need to go upstairs.”

“Will you tuck me in?”

“I don’t trust you to keep your hands to yourself, but I do need to know where your room is.”

He grinned. “Let me show you, m’lady.”

Since Luke needed some bedding, he followed them upstairs. He also wanted to make sure his brother didn’t try to seduce Malia.

Once in his room, Luke undressed, listening to what was going on in the room next door. If Ryan kissed Malia, it would be difficult to explain her puffy lips. Luke, too, had to remember that fact, because the urge to take her again was causing all sorts of havoc to his body. He couldn’t imagine what would happen if he reacted to Malia with the deputy watching. Whatever it was, it would have dire consequences.

He put on a T-shirt and a pair of ratty shorts. It was the best he could do at the moment. On the way out, he grabbed his pillow and a blanket and found Malia standing in the hallway waiting for him.

“Is Ryan ready?” he asked.

“He will be.” She waved a hand. “You might want to put on a long-sleeved shirt. That way the wound on your arm won’t be visible,” she said.

“You mean the wound I don’t have won’t show.” That was smart on her part to think of that. “Can you hold these?”

“Sure.”

He handed her his bedding and went back into his room to change. It only took a second to throw on a different shirt.

When he returned, she smiled. “Much better. Be sure to keep the blanket over your legs so he won’t notice the lack of a wound in your leg.”

“I figured out that much. What about Ryan’s right wrist? He has to keep it hidden.”

“He knows.”

“Great. Let’s go downstairs.” He inhaled.

You can do this.

Once in the living room, Luke placed his pillow at the end of the sofa and dropped down. He then pulled the blanket over him. “Should I act weak or something?” He was being sincere.

“The wound to your arm wouldn’t have bothered a human all that much. As for your thigh, you’d only have a limp. I’d say you can act naturally, but don’t jump up and offer the deputy a beer.”

“Got it.”