Page 10 of Burning Escape (Chasing Fire: Alaska #3)

FIVE

Oh, he was in big trouble.

Standing in the middle of the commune with the low sun shining down on Tori’s blonde hair, the feel of her slender arms under his fingertips as he tried to comfort her, had Orion forgetting all about the agony of his shoulder and the throbbing in his head. He just wanted Tori to feel safe.

And it would be for the best if he could forget that pesky kiss they’d shared on the night they’d met.

Tori never seemed rattled to jump out of a plane at three thousand feet or to face down a raging fire. But in this backwoods community, even now, knowing they were a peaceful group, she was more spooked than he’d seen her.

Maybe it was just the thought of pretending they were married.

Which weirdly didn’t freak him out like it probably should.

If Orion were ever to marry, it would hopefully be to someone as strong as Tori, with her tantalizing mixture of fun and fierce.

But it needed to be someone who shared his faith too.

And Tori had made it clear that she didn’t.

So he really needed to watch himself. Especially when all he wanted to do was hold her in his arms again. And here, like the couple across from them at dinner had shown, everyone would probably cheer them on.

“Come on, let’s get settled for the night. I’ll sleep on the couch, and you can have the room.”

And maybe he should dunk himself in the cold river first.

As they walked to the cabin, others milled around in the evening breezes.

The Alaskan summer sun wouldn’t set for quite a while.

Everyone seemed to enjoy the fresh air. Kids ran around, playing and giggling.

A few couples sat in the grass, watching them.

No one was in a hurry to turn in. But Jeremiah stood on the porch of the dining hall, leaning against the log post and staring at them.

Staring at Tori.

Orion would definitely be locking the cabin door and checking the windows.

In the little log cabin, Tori brewed an herbal tea from a mix Mara had given them.

Orion found a stash of quilts in a closet.

He took one of the pillows from the room and made himself a bed on the couch of the of the small living area while Tori left to use the outhouse one more time.

Orion wished he could light a fire in the stove that nestled in the corner between the living area and bedroom.

The air was already chilly. Maybe he could?—

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

Shoot. He grabbed the pillow and blankets he’d just laid out and threw them into the bedroom. If it was Mara, she would want to come inside.

But it wasn’t Mara. Instead, Amos stood at the door with another man and a young teenage girl. “Sorry to bother you, Orion, but this here is Hiram and his daughter Abigail. They came back earlier than we expected.”

Hiram? Oh. “This is your cabin.” Orion backed away from the door to allow them in. “We can go somewhere el?—”

“No need.” Hiram smiled through his bushy beard. His eyes crinkled in the corner, giving him a jolly Santa-like appearance. “I would bunk with the bachelors, but there really isn’t a place for Abigail and my wife to stay. My wife is just catching up with Hannah. She’s here too.”

Tori came in the back door and walked over. Orion made introductions and explained the situation.

“Orion and I can sleep on the floor somewhere. Even the dining hall if needed.” Tori leaned on the chair closest to the door, staying off her sore ankle. Even though she smiled at Abigail and Hiram, it wasn’t nearly as bright as her usual grin. She had to be tired and in pain.

“My wife would skin me alive if she found out I put a young couple like you on the floor. She won’t hear of it, and neither will I.

” Hiram pointed to the loft area above the living room couch.

“If you don’t mind, Abigail and Belinda can sleep up there in the kids’ room.

I can make a pallet on the floor with them. Then you two can have your privacy.”

“Looks like it’s all settled, then.” Amos clapped Hiram on the shoulder and left.

What were they supposed to say?

Fatigue and pain were getting the better of Orion. It made for a good excuse to suggest he and Tori turn in early. After awkward goodnights, he and Tori slipped into the bedroom.

She sank onto the bed and carefully stretched out her foot. She closed her eyes tight, pain etched into her features.

“How’s the swelling?” Orion laid out one of the quilts on the floor. Thankfully, a rug would provide some cushion and warmth. The chill in the room had him wishing for a roaring fire in the stove out there.

“It’s actually going down. I mean, it hurts, but it’s already getting better staying off it today and having it wrapped.”

“Hopefully we can convince them tomorrow to let us go to that homestead and call the team.” He fluffed the pillow and laid it on the floor next to the quilt he’d found.

“Ry, come on. We’re adults. We can both sleep on the bed. I promise I won’t make any moves on you.” Humor tinted her voice. It was nice to hear her sounding more like herself finally.

“Nah, I’ll be fine down here. Besides, I bet you’re a bed hog. I’d probably end up down here anyway.” No need to let her know that it wasn’t her restraint that he questioned.

It was evening, but the sun still shone in the window, lighting the room. Orion moved the thick curtains over the opening, darkening the room instantly.

Tori’s light gasp stilled him.

“You okay?” he asked her.

“Yeah, I guess I didn’t realize how dark it would get in here.” Her chuckle fell flat.

Without asking, Orion cracked the curtains so a sliver of light showed. He’d prefer it pitch black, but something told him Tori would rest easier this way.

“Thanks,” she whispered.

“No problem. Sweet dreams, Tori. Don’t worry. We’ll get out of here soon.”

“G’night, Ry.”

He must’ve fallen asleep in a flash, because he awakened suddenly, a strange sound rousing him. A whimper came from the bed.

“Tori?” he whispered. He sat up, but she didn’t respond.

The room was completely dark now, which meant it had to be between midnight and four a.m. He was about to lie back down when Tori cried out.

Orion jumped up, barely making out her silhouette as she sat in the middle of the bed.

“Hey, you’re okay.” He moved to sit next to her. She crawled into his arms and nestled there, shivering. He pulled the blankets and tucked them around her. Orion could feel her rapid heartbeat. What was going on?

He smoothed the hair off her forehead and leaned against the headboard. He didn’t know what had freaked her out, but he whispered into the darkness, “Tori, it’s all right. I’m here.”

“It’s all right. Everything’s fine.” Her shaky voice repeated his words a few times until her breathing slowed to a normal rhythm. Eventually, her death grip on his shirt loosened, and she sat up on her own.

Orion found her hand and gently stroked her long fingers, hoping his presence would bring her a sense of calm. “You okay?”

“I am now.” She squeezed his hand. “Sorry to wake you.”

“What’s the use of having a fake husband if he can’t be useful once in a while?”

She released a breathy chuckle. “Right. But I don’t think you signed up for this. To help me fight my demons.”

“Actually, I think that’s what fake husbands are best at. At least, the ones that are friends too.”

“Yeah.” She leaned against the headboard next to him. “The dark…it just gets to me sometimes.”

Orion didn’t say anything.

Eventually Tori rested her head on his shoulder. “When I was little, I would sleepwalk and get night terrors. I’d wake up in strange places. Usually it was just the hallway or the kitchen. But once I woke up in the neighbor’s yard.”

“That had to be freaky.”

“I was so scared. I’ve never known darkness like that. It was too dark for me to recognize where I was.”

“Were you far from your own house?”

“Three houses away. In a backyard I’d never seen. I have no clue how I got there. All I know is I went to bed in my own room and woke up to pitch blackness and strange sounds, and I was outside.”

“What did you do?”

“I cried. I prayed so hard for my dad to find me and take me home.”

“Did he?”

“No.” She choked on the word. “I sat there in the dark. Alone. For hours. I was paralyzed with fear. It felt like that night was never going to end.”

He pulled her in closer, thinking of the lost and terrified little girl, praying for a rescue that had never come. The image sent a pang through his chest. “How did you get home?”

“Eventually daylight came, and I found my way to the front yard and back to my own house.”

“You were gone all night? My mom would’ve freaked. What did your parents say?”

“My mom died when I was a toddler. I don’t remember her.

” Tori sniffed. “And my dad didn’t say much.

He was barely around. He did add some high locks to the doors outside, though, after my sister Penny yelled at him.

But ever since, I’ve hated the dark. I’ve never been able to shake off the terror of that night. ” Her body shuddered.

Orion wrapped his arm around her. “Well, no wonder. I can’t imagine being lost in the dark like that. I probably slept with a nightlight until I was in high school.” He tried to lighten the mood with a quiet chuckle.

“You can make fun of me. I know it’s silly, a grown woman afraid of the dark.”

“It’s not silly at all. You’re one of the bravest people I know. I mean, look at what we’ve already come through.”

She didn’t say anything, but she relaxed against him, the tension in her posture melting away.

“Ry?”

“Yeah?”

She paused. “Would you stay here? Just for the night.”

“I’m not going anywhere. Go ahead and try to get some sleep if you can.”

She mumbled something that sounded like “Okay,” and fell asleep quickly.