Page 147 of Rocky Mountain Home

Dare nodded, not meeting his eyes.

“Hey.” He pressed his fingers over her cheek. “I’ll be right back. I promise.”

He worked quickly, needing to be with Dare, but refusing to leave his animal uncared for after the hellish ride Danger’d been through.

Soon as he could, though, Jesse was back in the house to discover Dare all wrapped up in an oversized robe, fuzzy slippers on her feet, making cups of tea for them.

The smile she offered this time was far more real. “I’m okay. Go have a shower and warm up yourself. Then we’ll talk.”

As much as the shower had helped, the water had only washed away the surface cold. Maybe it didn’t make any sense, but Dare knew exactly what had driven the ice from inside her heart.

Making love with Jesse.

She grabbed the fixings for grilled cheese sandwiches and got them cooking while Jesse showered and dressed. Putting food on the table was a nice distraction from letting her mind linger on what had been haunting her since the early afternoon.

From the moment the first snowflakes began to fall and the sky clouded over, an inkling of fear had strolled in like it owned her ass. It’d been a long time since the nightmares had been so real, but she’d been attempting to nap on the couch when the storm started in earnest, and somehow the wind and blowing had just been enough to take her back in time.

In spite of being warm through and through, another shiver struck.

Jesse was there, rubbing his hands down her arms and pressing a kiss to the side of her neck. “Let me take over. You go wrap yourself up again.”

She shook her head, “I’m okay, really I am. Get yourself a drink, and I’ll have the sandwiches ready in a minute.”

He kissed her again before taking off to follow her instructions, topping up her cup of tea before settling into a chair at the kitchen table.

She slid a full plate in front of him, then pulled her chair so she could sit beside him.

Jesse laughed softly. “Good thing I know how to eat one-handed.”

He squeezed her fingers.

She hadn’t even been aware she’d grabbed hold of him. Whatever. She wasn’t going to apologize for it. “I’m glad you made it back safe.”

“It wasn’t that bad,” he insisted. “I just didn’t want to take any chances.”

Oh boy. “That’s good. No chances is goodness.”

He leaned forward and looked up into her face. “What happened? I didn’t know you were scared of storms.”

“I’m not,” she insisted. “It’s stupid, because it’s not even like there’s any real connection…”

“Oh.” He held her hand a little tighter, stroking his thumb against the back of her knuckles. “Your family.”

A deep sigh escaped her.

Jesse hesitated. “You know, you never did tell me what happened. You don’t have to, but if it would help, I’m here for you.”

“I know. And I’m glad.” She examined his face.

It truly wasn’t the storm’s fault. It was all about suddenly feeling very alone—and that sensation she wasn’t strong enough to take.

“Ginny and I had a science fair in Calgary. Provincial finals, and everyone drove out to cheer us on. At the end of the day Ginny and I went home with our classmates on the school bus—legal liability and all that stuff. My family and her parents drove home together, but outside of Calgary a storm came rolling in, so they stopped in a motel. It was the responsible thing to do. Avoid winter driving conditions because who knows what could’ve happened, right?”

He didn’t speak, just put his arm around her and pressed his lips to her temple.

“We got home on the bus fine. The next morning, they checked out of the hotel to head home and some asshole who’d been out all night drinking swerved into their lane. I waited and I waited, but they never came home.”

“Jesus, Dare. I’m so fucking sorry.” He pulled her body against him, holding the back of her neck. The two of them tangled together. “I’m sorry you were scared today. I’m sorry being late reminded you of what you lost.”