Chapter 2

• Dade glanced again at Cora reclining in the passenger seat. “You need me to stop, honey, so you can get out and stretch a bit or anything?” He wanted to cry every time he looked at her.
• Cora smiled at him. “No thank you, Dade. I’m just going to lie back and close my eyes. I suspect Leena drugged me heavier than needed for the trip.”
• Dade glanced in the mirror to see Steven grinning in the back seat. “On Doctor’s orders, Cora. Sorry, but the jarring on the trip home would not be very comfortable.”
• Cora laughed softly. “Well I’m floating with the van, so it’s all good, Doc.”
• Dade grinned at the singsong tone of her voice and then looked in the rearview mirror. “Never heard her so sweet and agreeable. What tincture is Lee using?”
• Steven laughed. “Sorry, privileged information.”
• “Cora has the right idea actually.” Rachel said with a yawn. “I need a nap.”
• Steven reached over and popped her seat belt undone. “I volunteer to be your pillow, my lady.”
• Rachel smiled then leaned down to rest her head in his lap. Grinning to herself, she rolled to face him, bending her knees up to rest against the seat, and snuggled her face into him, repeatedly. Feeling his reaction, she grinned and then closed her eyes. She knew she was only fooling herself, believing she could have some contact yet stay out of his bed. It was going to be hard but she knew she had to, she couldn’t bear to lose Steven.
• Running a hand into her hair, Steven gently massaged her scalp. He rested his other hand on her rib cage and watched her until her breathing settled.
• Lifting his head, he caught Dade’s knowing look in the mirror. He glared at him for a moment. Steven spoke as quietly as he could without disturbing the women, but loud enough for Dade to hear. “I can’t believe not one person at the camp had any scratches on them.”
• Dade raised his eyebrows at him in the mirror and smirked.
• Steven closed his eyes realizing he was thinking of the marks on his own sides. “How is that possible?”
• Dade sobered and shook his head. “I have no idea, but all of us walked around enough today to see every person there. And it’s hot enough, meaning there was enough skin exposed to check.” He wiggled his eyebrows at him in the mirror.
• Steven shook his head and bared his teeth at him. Getting him to stay quiet wasn’t going to be easy. Rachel nuzzled into him and he immediately looked down at her. Her dark eyelashes against the pale skin looked like crescent moons. The decision came to him. If she thought she was going to just walk away and forget about their four days together, she was in for a surprise. He planned to remind her every chance he got.
• “I’m going to take them to Owen’s first and get Cora settled, then I’ll drop you off.”
• Steven looked up when Dade spoke. “Sounds good. I want to check Cora’s side after the trip anyways.”
• Dade nodded and kept his eyes on the road.
• “What do you mean I can’t go to work? I sit in a chair most of the day, how will that hurt me?” Cora demanded from Dade.
• Dade watched her pull her shirt back into place as the Doc finished replacing the bandage. “You should wait until you’re healed.” He said quietly looking at Steven.
• Steven shrugged. “It looks good, no bleeding.” He sat down and looked at her. “It’s up to you really, but if you take a day or even two and rest properly it’s going to heal cleaner and there will be less scaring.”
• Dade stood there trying to keep silent.
• She looked at her side and then up to Dade. “I’ll stay home one day, that’s it.”
• Dade grinned. “I can take part of the day off and keep you company, if you’d like.”
• Steven got up; left them to sort the day off between them. He wandered through the house trying to find Rachel. He found her in the kitchen on the phone, and he watched her expression as she spoke. She was concerned but it wasn’t a child on the other end of the phone.
• “Hold on he’s here, I’ll ask him.” She held the phone against her chest.
• Pleading brown eyes turned to him, she could ask for the moon and he’d do all he could to bring it to her.
• “Steven, I’m talking to Connie, she’s Ricky’s foster mother. He’s really listless today. Would you be able to come with me to see him?”
• He studied those eyes and then glanced at the clock. “I want to go home to shower and change and then I’ll go see him before I call in.”
• She smiled at him then lifted the phone. “We’ll be over once we get cleaned up a bit. No problem. I’ll see you soon.” She hung up the phone and turned back to him. “Thank you.”
• Steven’s only thought was to grab her and kiss her. Knowing Dade was close by was the only thing stopping him at this point, regardless of their agreement. Her agreement, he quickly corrected the thought, he never said he agreed. He cleared his throat. “No problem.” He turned. “I’ll go get my stuff out of the van and you can take me to my place to clean up.”
• She nodded. “I’ll go see if Dade and Cora are fighting yet, and tell them I’ll be back later.”
• Rachel paced around his house while he was in the shower. He had invited her to join him and now, all she could think about was climbing in with him. Shaking her head, she scolded herself. Gathering is over. We’re home. Hands to yourself, you greedy witch.
• “That looks like a pretty serious internal discussion taking place.”
• She jumped and turned, only to see him standing across from her, grinning. “It’s always difficult to come back to reality after the freedom of a gathering.” She perched on the edge of the chair.
• Steven nodded. “I think this one might be a little more difficult to settle down from.” His eyes searched hers as he spoke softly.
• She smiled. “Maybe. You could try not looking so good standing there, it would help.” She playfully whined.
• He laughed. “I plan on making this as difficult for you as possible.” He glanced at his watch. “Shall we go, before I try to persuade you otherwise?”
• Nodding, she got up and picked up her purse. “Yes, I’m anxious to see Ricky.” She grinned at him when they reached the door. “And I’m driving.”
• He laughed. “Is that a warning to be prepared before we reach the car?”