Page 23 of Wild Rose (Blue River Springs #1)

Ginger shakes her head, like she remembers the wild accusations. “Their property is bigger. And their business was always better.”

“I’d never compete with that,” Connor agrees. “But I can’t help if the river isn’t big enough for it. My ranch is smaller because I took it into consideration from the start.” He takes a sip of water. “And I sure as hell wasn’t about to sell my land for them to expand.”

“He tried to get you to sell?” I ask.

“Came in acting like he was doing me a favor, taking it off my hands. Things spiraled out of control after that. We had spies, break-ins, damaged property, and riled-up livestock. He’d hit every season.”

“Is it .?.?. still going on?” I think about the kind of stress this must put on Wilder, on top of everything else he’s dealing with.

Mr. Thorne shakes his head. “Nothing since his kids took over a few years back. Dusty and Ricky. There’s been plenty of mishaps on Blue River Ranch since, but nothing ties back to them.”

“How do you know? What if they’re really good at covering their tracks?” I don’t know why I’m so invested. But it just seems strange not to have answers. Like, how did the barn fire start where Millie was killed? What happened to Carrie Thorne?

The man across from me considers this, scratching his well- groomed beard.

“Well, take a recently stolen golf cart, or a bush fence left a tangled mess.” He pins me with those blue eyes that match his son’s.

“Callahans could have been Wilder’s first guess.

” He perks a brow at me but it’s an amused one with a hint of a smirk. “But was it them, really?”

I roll my lips. “Right.”

His chuckle is lighthearted. “Other than .?.?.” he flicks his wrist in my direction, “recent events, most of the incidents on our ranch have been tied to either recklessness from inexperienced staff or just nature.”

It was kind of him to leave me out of the inexperienced staff example. But I don’t say as much. “Is there a way to make peace?”

“Would be nice, I suppose. But it’s not my decision to make.”

“Well, thanks for the background, Mr. Thorne. And for lunch.”

“It’s Connor, and it was a pleasure. Your brother is like one of my own, so you’re part of the family.”

My cheeks warm from his tenderness and it’s nice to be welcomed—despite myself.

They both walk me to my golf cart parked a few blocks down. Connor has my bags in one hand and Ginger’s arm in the other.

I’ll have to find out more about these two .?.?. and a few other things.

12.45 a.m.

Willow: Get anything cute?

I sigh. Bet she set her alarm to check on me at this hour.

Stubborn woman. I send her a picture of my boots.

Willow: Oh, cute boots. I’ll look good in those when I borrow ’em. You up?

Rose: Nope, sound asleep.

Willow: Hey, I’m allowed stupid questions once in a while.

Rose: Go to sleep, Wil, I’m good.

Willow: Love you.

Rose: Love you more.

I’m painting in the living room. But tonight, I’m not trying to keep my mind from replaying a nightmare from two years ago.

OK, so maybe there’s a little bit of that—old habits die hard.

Tonight, my mind’s on Wilder.

I’ve been more than curious about this grumpy cowboy since the day I walked onto his ranch and locked eyes with him.

And now, I’ve not only kissed him, I let myself get absorbed in the heat of it. In the way his strong arms pulled me close like he had every right to. His lips didn’t just claim mine, they gave the promise of claiming all of me.

For those few powerful moments, he was staking his territory, like I already belonged to him.

I’ve never felt so desired, so incredibly turned on. His touch hit differently. Those calloused fingers against my skin, stroking so tenderly. Nothing like the way his demanding lips possessed me. It was intense and unraveling.

But after my brother left, I knew it was over. I knew Wilder was going to say goodnight. Even if his eyes were saying something else. That he wished we were under different circumstances where I wasn’t his best friend’s sister.

Because obviously, you don’t one-night-stand your best friend’s sister.

And that’s all I’d be.

Wes said since Bonnie, he’s never seen him with the same woman twice.

I’d be no exception.

When the paint strokes start to drift off the canvas, I know it’s time for bed.

I move to the door, securing the lock as if it weren’t already fastened. Then the windows, reminding myself that this is Blue River Ranch.

Not crime central.

No one’s after me here. I’m safe.

That mantra didn’t work the first week I was here. It’s not going to work my second.

Not even in this pretty house.

I brush my teeth, apply some night cream, and slip into a black cotton nightgown. Willow bought it for me last Christmas. It lands just above the knee and is super soft.

That girl would do just about anything to help me sleep better. She’s even invested in some expensive memory foam pillows for me.

I return her text from a few minutes ago checking on me and snap a photo of my bed.

Willow: Wow. And it’s not even two yet.

Willow: Sweet dreams.

Rose: Stop waiting for me to go to bed.

Willow: Never.

Shutting off the light, I slip into the comfy bed, taking deep breaths as I close my eyes.

It’s not long before I hear the noise.

It’s different though. Like footsteps on gravel rather than hardwood.

My eyes fly open.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

Someone’s outside.

I jump and quickly slide on my slippers. Racing to the living room, I move to the kitchen and grab a pan off the stove, then turn the light on.

The moment I do, the crunching stops. My heart pounds against my chest. Stupid.

I turn the lights back off and listen. Still no sound. Maybe it’s Wesley again.

Maybe it’s not.

If there’s someone outside this door, I’m going to find out who it is.

Or I’ll never sleep again.

This is what you do, Rose. You face your fears. You don’t cower. Now open that door and confront.

Swallowing hard and prepared to attack, I unlock the door and leap forward at the hazy, silhouetted body in front of me.

“Whoa, easy, Rose, it’s me.”

Wilder .

His strong hands grip my wrist to stop me. I’m breathing so hard, I don’t say his name out loud. All I hear is the pounding against my chest.

He mutters a curse and shoves us into the house before lifting the pan from my fingers and setting it aside.

“Wha—what are you doing .?.?. here?” I manage.

Blue eyes rake over me in horror. “You’re shaking.”

I stare at him like he’s the crazy one—not me. “Gee, I wonder why.”

Without a word, he lifts me off my feet and carries me to the bedroom, then deposits me onto the bed. He turns the lights on to a dim setting and closes my curtains.

Finally, he turns to me.

“What are you doing here?” I ask again.

He blinks, gathering his thoughts. “I was curious about something.”

“You prepping for a fright fest or something?”

“You’re up late. It’s not an occasional instance. It’s every night, isn’t it?”

I slide under my covers. The therapist in me would claim I feel seen, but I’m not a therapist tonight. I’m a girl who doesn’t know how to answer that question.

“I took a walk over here to check. Saw your light on and waited for a bit. Then when I saw your lights go out, I started to leave. I think that’s when .?.?.”

“I heard you .?.?.” I finish softly.

“I didn’t mean to scare you.” He sits on the far end of the bed and I’m oddly relieved he’s not leaving. “You know, they have over-the-counter stuff for that.”

I nod, adjusting against the headboard. “Comes in gummy form too, I know.” I smile weakly, then shake my head.

“How long?”

I suck in a breath. “Since senior year of college.”

Understanding crosses his features. He’s heard this timeframe before. When I went off the rails, as Wesley calls it.

He stares hard at me, a demanding glare. “What happened?”

I hesitate. But the want .?.?. no, the need to share this dark part of me with Wilder is too strong to fight.

“You can’t tell my brother,” I start, my voice small.

“I promise.”

I sit up more against the headboard, keeping my eyes on the covers. “In college—early senior year—my roommate and I were attacked in the middle of the night.”

He stills, jaw hardening, but he doesn’t move, doesn’t say anything.

“They broke in. It wasn’t even us they were looking for. The girls they were after lived next door. Anyway, one of them stripped my friend of her clothes, laughing the entire time. But the one who came after me, he was .?.?. aggressive. Or maybe I was. Because I fought him. Hard.”

I look up in time to see a hint of pride touching Wilder’s eyes. Still, no movement and no words.

“I don’t remember how long we fought. I know I gave it all I had until he knocked me against my full-length mirror.” I swallow hard. “It crashed into pieces behind me—or beside me, I guess.” I lower the blanket to show him the scars from the cuts along my arm.

“Christ, Rose.” He moves closer, lifting it to take a closer look.

His touch sends a chill through me and he pulls a throw from the edge of the bed and wraps it around my shoulders. I expect him to step back at this point, but he stays close.

Hot tears flood my eyes and my voice breaks. “I pulled them all out myself. That’s how I knew how to take care of Dallas’s arm.”

His eyes lift to mine, his voice gravelly. “You didn’t go to the hospital?”

I shake my head. “The crash was loud enough to wake the entire floor, so they fled. We were both in too much shock to be around people or talk to anyone.” Tears stream down my face. “So we never did.”

“Rose.”

“Stupid, I know.”

“I didn’t say that.”

I look up at him. “Well, then ask me how they broke in.”

He watches me wordlessly.

“I didn’t lock the door.”

I wait for the judgement in his strong features but there’s nothing but tenderness. He swipes his thumb against my wet cheek. “Were you hurt anywhere else? Was your roommate .?.?.?”

“No. The guy managed to strip her but nothing else happened. I think they were there to mess with us—or who they thought we were. And the cuts were the worst of my injuries. The few bruises faded within a week.”

He curses under his breath, then stands abruptly, like he’s ready for battle. “What did they want from the other girls? Did you ever find out?”

I nod. “They came back two days later. Found the right apartment that time. And they didn’t make it out of there in one piece.

The cops came and arrested them. The girl they were after was a stripper.

Turned down some guy one night and he didn’t like it.

That’s all I know. I didn’t ask questions.

My roommate and I didn’t want any suspicions.

If we’d called the police the first time, there wouldn’t have been another break-in. ”

“If you called the police, they might have gotten away and not come back,” he points out. After a breath, he asks, “So you never told anyone?”

I shake my head. “Only Willow.”

“Was she the other girl?”

“No. I barely knew my roommate at the time. Willow is my best friend. She’s been my rock over the last few years. Texts every night to check on me.”

“Why didn’t you ever say anything? Wesley could have—”

“Blamed me for moving to New York in the first place? Called me stupid for not going to the hospital or locking my door? He wouldn’t understand.”

Wilder glances at my arm, then looks at me, his voice softer now, calmer. “Have you talked to .?.?. someone?”

I scoff. “Like a therapist? Yes. For several weeks after. It was worthless. Talking in circles, repeating the worst moment of my life to someone who .?.?.” I take a breath.

“Someone who would never understand.” I close my eyes.

“It’s not like I expected the nightmares and panic attacks to stop overnight.

But I got a little tired of hearing ‘time will heal’ and it wasn’t my fault. ”

He sits back down on the bed. Staying close. “You stopped going.”

“I stopped going and I .?.?. dropped out of NYU. I didn’t want to be that person sitting across from someone making it sound like moving on is easy with a few simple steps.

” I laugh. “After a while, you start feeling pretty dumb. Like, why am I sitting in this room repeating myself and how it felt. Why is she asking the same things different ways? It’s like she wanted me to understand something I clearly wasn’t. ”

“Is that what you were taught?”

“Not really. But it’s how I felt.”

He runs a hand down his face but doesn’t stand. Instead, he takes my hand. There’s no pity in his features. He actually smiles a little, lightening the mood. “So what do we do, Blue? How do we help you get some sleep?”

“It’s better now,” I lie. “I have like seven locks in my apartment back home.”

“Like seven?”

“Exactly seven, actually. It’s overkill, I know. But it was Willow’s idea. She thinks the action of locking a door over and over again should reinforce feeling safe. Either that, or assuring I don’t get my security deposit back on the apartment.” I laugh bitterly.

After a beat, he kisses my forehead then stands, pulling his shirt off. His back is to me as he walks to the armchair, while I try not to drool as I take in every inch of muscle on this man.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

He turns like it’s obvious. “There’s only one lock on your door here.” Gently, he lays the shirt over the backrest and turns to me.

But my eyes are not on his face or his eyes, like they should be.

“Rose,” he starts as he moves back toward me. He’s about to say something I should probably hear. It may even be a question. But I can’t tear my eyes off his broad chest. He’s carved perfection. Reaching me, he lifts my chin to meet his warm blues.

“I’m not one to miss the need for a woman’s consent when it comes to spending the night.” He strokes my cheek. “But I’m not leaving you tonight.”

Warmth spreads through me and I feel my shoulders relax. I smile weakly, shifting in my bed.

He straightens, unbuckling his belt, his eyes on me until he slides his jeans off and turns, resting them over his shirt on the chair.

Is this some kind of slow torture? Or a dream .?.?.?

I wait for him to get under the covers with me, aching to feel his warmth. But he doesn’t.

Instead, he tucks me under them securely and settles next to me on top of the covers.

So .?.?. there’s no touching.

I turn to face him. “I’m not afraid to sleep alone, you know.”

“Does that mean you want me to leave?”

I shake my head.

“Good. Close your eyes.”

When I do, Wilder moves closer. It’s quiet for a moment, then a whisper, “Rose?”

“Hmm?”

“Your secret’s safe with me.” Kissing my temple, he adds, “And so are you.”