“No, I’m not okay! I had to track you down in the middle of a snow storm because you don’t listen.”
“Here we go,” I hear her say. I know she’s talking to herself now. “I’ll see you in the kitchen.”
I let out a sigh. She has no idea that this is King’s room and I’m in his bathroom wrapped around him naked. If she did, she’d either kill him or I’d never hear the end of it. I’m not sure which way it will go. Hell, I’m not sure if I want to kill King or keep on clinging to him. I figure I don’t really have to make the choice right this second.
“I got you wet.”
“It was only fair. I got you wet, too.”
My mouth falls open. He always has the better comebacks. I turn, stomping toward his closet. I stop when I realize that I need a towel. I stomp back to him and he hands it to me, smiling the whole time.
“Stop smiling. I’m mad at you.”
“No you’re not.” He follows me into the walk-in closet. I watch as he pulls off his shirt, letting me see that body of his again. I’ve seen many shirtless cowboys in my day and not one could hold a candle to King. Before I can ogle him too much, he puts on another shirt.
“I’ll go greet your sister.” He leans down, giving me a quick kiss before I know what he’s doing and he’s gone. I hurriedly get ready because King knows a lot more about what’s going on with my sister than I do. I find my stuff put away like he said. I pull my hair down and give myself one last look in the mirror to make sure I’m put together enough. I put on a pair of blue jeans and a sweater that falls off one shoulder. I grab some of King’s thick socks, putting them on my feet to keep my toes warm as I head toward the sound of voices.
“We want you to stay as long as you like. We know you’re here to lie low but we could use someone like you around. We’re not the only ones in need of a doc. The town could use one too.”
“Your closest hospital is over an hour away without weather issues,” I hear my sister respond.
“And we always have those,” King says as he looks up to see me entering the kitchen where he, Cyn, and my sister are talking and drinking coffee.
“Hay bales!” Danny jumps up, running over to give me a hug. “I told you not to come.”
I hug her back. “How could I not come? I’m here to take you home.” I bury my face in her neck for a minute. Her being here reminds me how much I miss her. I knew I did, but seeing her in person really brings it home for me.
“We’ve talked about this. I’m not going back there.” She pulls back to look down at me. Danny and I look a lot alike in the face but she has a good four inches on me. She is tall and thin where I am a little thicker and on the shorter side.
“You don’t even like it in the city. Not really.”
“I don’t like it back home either.” She reminds me. “Not sure why you’re hanging on to it so much either.” She raises one of those eyebrows at me like she knows something I don’t.
“It’s home.”
“Home isn't a place.” King says from behind my sister.
“I like him.” Danny smiles. It’s soft but her eyes don’t light up like they normally do. Reminding me of the reason she’s here to begin with.
“He’s a bossy know it all.” I let my sister know. She’s my sister so it’s only right that I warn her about King. What I don’t say is that I like that he’s that way. She doesn’t need all the details.
“That’s not true, Slick. I don’t even know your name.”
Danny starts to open her mouth but I put my hand over it.
“Do not tell him my name.” I slowly drop my hand from her mouth.
“Is something going on here?” She looks between King and I.
“These two are love birds or something.” Cyn says as she takes a drink of her coffee.
“Where’s Jake?” I ask Cyn.
“She’s feisty as shit.” Cyn looks to King as she says it.
“Fits right in.” He agrees with a smile.
eleven