Page 8 of Wrecked for Love (Buffaloberry Hill #1)

ELIA

As I drifted in and out of sleep, Koda’s low woof nudged me awake. I groaned, slapping the pillow over my head. “Go back to sleep, you goof.”

He didn’t relent. His bark grew sharper.

“What now? Afraid of the storm all of a sudden?”

Koda didn’t budge, urging me to sit up. It struck me how silent it was. The storm had passed, so I had no idea what had gotten into my dog.

But then I heard it—a faint whimper, followed by a dull thump. Moments later, a series of muffled thuds echoed from down the hall.

The blanket was off in an instant, my pulse quickening. “Claire?” I called, but only the thudding answered, growing more persistent.

“Claire, you okay?” I got up. I had turned the fire low so the warmth of the fireplace didn’t quite reach the hallway, and the air bit through my shirtless chest. I approached the door at the end of the hall, the one I’d warned her not to close.

“Oh, fuck!” I groused. She had, and now it was shut tight like a clamshell.

“Claire, I’m coming in. Move back,” I said, raising my voice enough so she’d hear, but no response came.

I pressed my ear against the door. No sounds from her side, just those thudding noises.

I listened hard, trying to pinpoint her location, and I was certain she wasn’t anywhere near the door.

I had enough space to kick it open without hurting her.

With a quick breath, I kicked the door in.

“No. No. Claire!”

She was on the floor, and her body trembled violently as if she was fighting something in her dreams—something terrible. I’d never seen someone so petrified in their sleep.

“Hey, wake up!” I kneeled down and shook her by the shoulders, trying to break through whatever hell her mind was stuck in. “Claire, it’s me. Wake up!”

Her hands shot out suddenly, clutching my bare chest like she was climbing a wall, but then she shoved me away with surprising strength.

Damn. Even in her sleep, she had trust issues—and I thought mine were bad.

I knew that feeling all too well. My whole life had been one long cautionary tale.

This town had its fair share of people with scores to settle, and I had a few of my own.

The kind that kept you constantly looking over your shoulder, always questioning people’s motives.

You never really knew who was on your side or who was just waiting for the right moment to stab you in the back.

I stood up, ready to go back to sleep and let her wrestle with whatever enemy haunted her dreams. Hell, I wouldn’t want to be one of them after that push. She hadn’t asked for my help from the start, other than the gas. If she was prepared to shove me away, I figured I should just let her be.

But I barely made it to the doorway before I turned back. I wouldn’t forgive myself if she ended up getting hurt. I called out again, “Claire!” Louder this time, but I still kept my distance.

“Code!” she screamed, her voice raw. “Code! Come on!”

What the hell? Code? Was she dreaming about forcing someone to give up a code?

Her chest heaved as she woke, her eyes wide and wild with fear, gasping for air. Tears streamed down her face. Whatever she had been dreaming about, it wasn’t just a nightmare. It was something far worse.

I didn’t need to be a genius to know she had secrets—big ones. I should’ve been smart enough to keep my distance, maybe even smart enough not to let her stay here at all. But I couldn’t leave her out there in the cold. And right now, I sure as hell couldn’t let her cry alone.

So, I did the only thing that felt right. I lowered myself to the floor beside her, keeping my movements slow and careful. She sat up, her knees tucked into her chest, sobbing into her hands.

The sound broke something in me. She couldn’t have been more than twenty-one, maybe twenty-two. What kind of pain, what kind of burden, could a woman so young possibly carry to lead her here like this?

I hesitated for a second, then gently placed my hand on her shoulder. “Hey,” I said. “You okay?”

After a moment, she finally seemed to come back to the present, her eyes locking onto mine as her breathing began to slow. “Where am I?” she asked, her voice shaky and disoriented.

“You’re in my house,” I said softly. “I’m Elia. Remember?” I kept my voice calm, not wanting to push her too hard. I wasn’t sure where her mind was right now—still tangled in that dream or here with me.

She exhaled a long, trembling breath. “Shit…did I hurt you?”

“No,” I reassured her, though her push had packed a punch. “You were shaking on the floor. It looked like you were having a hell of a nightmare.”

She pushed herself aside, refusing most of my help, her body tense and closed off. I hovered nearby, unsure whether to reach out again or give her space.

Maybe bursting into her room half-naked wasn’t the smartest move.

I stood there in nothing but my pajama shorts, my chest bare, and it struck me that this probably wasn’t helping.

But hell, getting dressed had been the last thing on my mind when I heard the noise.

All I could think about was making sure she was okay.

She must’ve felt awkward, too—maybe even more so, given the way her eyes darted away from me like she was trying not to notice. I couldn’t blame her. The situation was strange enough without adding my lack of clothing into the mix.

I ruffled a hand through my hair, trying to break the tension. “Sorry,” I muttered, realizing how ridiculous this must seem. “Didn’t exactly plan on making a grand shirtless entrance.”

The faintest trace of a smirk touched her pale face. “It’s your house,” she said, her voice still unsteady. “I’m the one who should be apologizing for waking you.”

At that moment, she wasn’t Miss Chili Pepper or some hardened road warrior. She was just a woman, exhausted and at the end of her rope.

“You don’t need to apologize for that,” I replied, trying to figure out how I could protect her without coming across as the very thing I’d promised not to be—a creep.

I glanced at Koda, who was pacing outside the door. “Why don’t you let him keep you company tonight?” I suggested.

She managed a small nod, her agreement quiet but certain.

I called Koda over, and he padded straight to her and nuzzled her side. I stepped out to grab his bedding. “Just, uh…try to keep him off the bed, okay? He stays here,” I told her, tapping the spot.

Claire nodded again.

I spread Koda’s favorite blanket out, keeping the heater on, and he obediently settled in. “Good boy.” I gave him a pat, running my hand over his muzzle.

I offered her a hand as she struggled to get up.

She took it, and as she stood, her long T-shirt rode up just a bit.

I didn’t mean to look, but I caught a glimpse of her slender thighs, the faint lines of muscle there.

And, mercy on my soul, she wasn’t wearing a bra.

For a second, I felt like one of those dumb guys who needed to be reminded, “Hey, my eyes are up here.”

Damn me.

I gave myself a mental slap and forced my focus back to her face.

“Are you hurt?” I asked, having not forgotten the thudding sound I had entered into.

“No, I’m fine. Just stiff from the drive,” she replied.

“Okay. Good night, Claire. If you need anything, just holler, okay?”

She nodded. “Good night, Elia.”

Everyone in town called me El. My folks used to call me Elia, and I never gave it much thought back then.

But after they were gone, I realized how much I’d missed it.

Now, hearing my full name come from her lips?

It felt like a slow breeze carrying a secret meant just for me.

Something about it settled deep inside in a way I hadn’t expected.

I gave Claire a nod and left the room, heading back to the couch. Sitting there, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was the one caught walking through my own dream.