Her arms came around his lower back and she cuddled against him. Greer closed his eyes and rested his cheek against her soft curls, savoring this moment like she’d tried to get him to savor every meal they’d eaten today. He smiled to himself. He could definitely savor holding her.
She pulled back slightly and blinked up at him. Greer’s breath caught. Was this the moment to kiss her?
He started leaning toward her, but there was something in her gaze.
She was afraid. Of him?
He stopped and asked, “You okay?”
She bit at her lip and shook her head. “I don’t know. I’ve had this same nightmare every night since …” Her eyes widened and she ducked out of his arms, scrambled the opposite way across the bed, and stood.
Greer stood as well, turning to face her, the mattress a barrier between them.
“Sorry,” was all he could think to say.
“Not your …” She stopped and then she stared at him.
Greer was almost certain she was going to say it wasn’t his fault, but she’d been screaming her brother’s name. If she knew Greer had killed him, then she couldn’t really say it wasn’t his fault, could she?
He’d chased down and killed bears, wolves, and coyotes who were killing his calves and cows. He’d been trained to fight and protect his family by his Papa and his dad and uncle, the best fighters he’d ever known. Greer thought of himself as brave, but at this moment … he was a wimp. He should try to talk this out with her and tell her what had happened from his perspective and beg her to someday forgive him.
But he couldn’t do it. So he turned and walked toward the bedroom door.
“Greer.” His name was beautiful on her sweet lips.
He turned back. “Yeah?”
“Thank you for waking me up from my nightmare. I know I said I want to give my vocal cords a workout, but …” She bit at her lip again and he barely held his ground. He longed to run toward her and pull her close. “I hate the nightmare.”
He wished he was some verbose guy who could ask her about the nightmare and help her through all of this, but it was pretty twisted. He’d caused her nightmare in the first place, and now she was thanking him for waking her up from it.
Instead of saying anything, he tilted his chin to her and walked out, shutting the door behind him. He walked back to his room, responded to Papa’s phone call with a text of,Everything’s okay, then leaned against his wall and banged his head back against it. Everything was so far from okay. How could he be falling for Emery Reeder? At the same time, how could he not? He’d never met such an incredible and appealing woman.
He groaned and sank to his knees. Prayer was the only answer he had right now. Not just for himself, but for Emery.