“A storm?” Alexa asked in a panicked state as Chad grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the truck.
“We’ll be fine, Alexa. Let’s get into the truck.”
They quickly gathered their things and headed across the park and to the parking lot in the center of town. She immediately noticed many people heading for shelter and closing up the storefronts.
“What’s going on?” she asked, immediately sensing the intensity of the situation. Something told her this wasn’t a simple storm.
“Come on.” Chad easily lifted her up into the truck and jumped in beside her just as Michael did on the driver side. She was close to them and had the urge to hug one and close her eyes. Outside the wind picked up. The sky grew darker and darker as they headed out of town.
“I don’t like this. We need to get to the closest place for cover,” Michael stated while Chad looked at the radar on his phone.
“What’s that red thing on the top that’s flashing?” Alexa asked, as Michael turned left instead of straight. Chad looked past her at Michael.
“Severe thunder and lightning storms and tornado watch.”
“What?” she practically screamed. Oh God no. Why now? Why while I’m with them on our first date?
She closed her eyes and tried to calm her breathing. She couldn’t let them know how scared she was. She felt the hand on her thigh and knew it was Chad. He gave her leg a squeeze just as Michael abruptly turned the truck to the right and then the left. Her shoulder hit his side and Chad pulled her back next to him. Opening her eyes, she saw the rain coming down, the wind sending tree branches into their path on the road.
“We’re going to our place. It’s closer and the weather is getting bad quickly.” Michael continued to drive toward their home. He was a great driver. She knew immediately as he avoided further debris that got in their way. It seemed like it took extra long to get to their place, but the
y finally arrived and Michael parked the truck right outside the porch steps. Their home was a very large log home with the thickest logs she had ever seen on a place. They must have custom built it. It seemed odd for two brothers who lived alone to have such a large place of their own. There was even a five-car garage separate from the house and done up like the log home they were about to enter.
“Okay, are you ready to run?” Chad asked as he took her hand. She heard the rain as it pelted the truck making a lot of noise.
She nodded her head and they exited the truck and ran for the house. The rain was coming down hard and fast. They were soaked as they reached the front door. As they entered, she stopped short, immediately taken aback by the gorgeous, upscale log home. The ceilings were cathedral with custom log beams and cedar wood covered the walls. There was a gigantic fireplace at the center wall with large, high windows surrounding it. A bolt of lightning struck and then thunder blasted around them. She let out a scream and covered her head with her soaking wet sleeves. She was dripping.
“You really are scared of thunder.” Chad pulled her into his arms and hugged her to him.
She pulled away.
“I’ll get you wet.”
He gave her an odd expression. “I’m already wet, baby. Look at me.” She took in the sight of him. He was drenched, too. She felt the hands on her shoulders and then Michael pulled her back against him.
“I’ll get you some dry clothes to put on,” Michael whispered as Chad began to walk away pulling his shirt up over his head. She nearly fainted from the sight of his gorgeous body. Muscles were everywhere as well as some intricate design on his shoulder. She shivered. He certainly wasn’t shy. She felt her belly tighten. She was alone in their home during a possible tornado.
“Let’s get these wet things off of you.” Michael took her hand and led her through the living room and toward the kitchen. They passed it and continued down the hallway to the laundry room. As she stood there watching, Chad rummaged through the basket for a dry shirt. He pulled it on then searched through the other things. Michael lifted his shirt up over his head and she nearly moaned. He was just as built as his brother and he had a tattoo of a large gun and American flag on his left shoulder. She swallowed hard and lowered her eyes as Chad looked up toward her.
He chuckled as he approached.
“Let’s take off that wet shirt and you can wear this one.” He held an olive green shirt in his one hand while he reached to help her remove her wet shirt with the other. She stopped him. “Is there somewhere I can change?” Her question seemed to shock him and his cheeks turned red.
“Sure. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…here, I’ll show you.” He stopped what he was about to say and led her to the guest bedroom.
“You can change in here and then we’ll throw on the dryer so you can wear your shirt home.”
“Thank you,” she whispered as another bolt of lightning illuminated the house. Thunder soon followed it, and she quickly removed her shirt. Just as she was about to pull the dry shirt on, an alarm started to wail and the door burst open. Michael and Chad were there.
She covered her ears as the thunder rumbled like nothing she ever heard before, and instantly she knew that the tornado warning was for Delite. She clutched the shirt to her chest.
“Let’s go, baby. We have a shelter downstairs.”
She pulled the shirt on as they hurried down the stairs to the basement.
Michael lit some lanterns they had set up. The room was made for emergencies just like this one.
He glanced at his cell phone.