Chapter 15
Aiden held Dez against his chest. For fifteen minutes she’d refused to be carried, but when her legs had given out, he’d scooped her up.
The guys led the way, and damn was he ever fucking grateful they were his friends. He might not have made it out of the river if Quin, Jaxon, and Wes hadn’t shown up when they had.
“I think I can walk now,” she said, every inch of her vibrated with tremors.
He flicked an amused gaze her way. “Hush. You’re frozen. Plus, the exercise is keeping me warm.”
“Well, then.” She snuggled in closer and pressed her fingers to the column of his neck. Hypothermia was a risk. The nights in the mountains were cold when the sun went down, but at least it wasn’t a colder month. Then he’d be really concerned about the temperature of her hands.
“Not much farther,” Wes called out.
Aiden lifted his gaze. Sure enough, he spotted police-car and ambulance lights flickering through the trees. He picked up the pace.
Dez relaxed in his arms. “Thank god.”
Five minutes later they closed in on the team waiting for them. Before the group had even made it out of the forest, paramedics rushed in to help with Dez. He let them move her to a stretcher and followed.
His wet T-shirt clung to his torso in the chilly air, pulling away whatever warmth his body created. With his arms now free, his muscles no longer generated heat.
Hank approached with an emergency blanket and draped it over Aiden’s shoulders as he continued to walk behind the stretcher.
“Thanks.” He pulled the material around him, and some of the shivers slowed. He stopped as they helped Dez into the ambulance. He could hear her stating she didn’t need to lie down. Of course she’d fight every inch of the way.
Knowing she was in good hands, he turned to Hank. “You got Meredith?”
“Yeah.” Hank lifted his hat and scrubbed his free hand over his gray hair. “She was in a rough state. Bleeding a lot from the leg. She came clean with a confession pretty quickly. Got her to the hospital, and the last I heard she was stable.”
Aiden nodded slowly, letting the information register. He didn’t wish death upon anyone, but he felt a fury toward her that made his flesh burn. At least she’d be in jail. “Did she say why she did it?”
Hank sighed. “Seems like she’s had a rough time with men. Just from little things she said, all men are alike and have hurt her. You were supposed to have been different. She also has this firm belief that Ms. Zimmerman is some kind of sorcerer or something that deserved punishment.”
Aiden scoffed. “That couldn’t be farther from the truth.”
Hank clapped him on the back. “You did good. Desiree is a sweet girl and I’m glad she’s okay.” He paused. “I’m glad you both are.”
Some of the tension left his body at Hank’s words. It was easy to get caught up in day-to-day work life, but he cared for the sheriff and was glad the feeling was mutual.
“Between you and me,” Hank said, leaning in. “Are things serious between you and Desiree?”
Aiden didn’t stop his smile. “If I have my way they will be.”
Hank laughed. “Good. It’s about time you settle down. Now get yourself home once you’re both cleared. Take the rest of the week off and I’ll see you Monday.”
A paramedic came up to Aiden and he let himself be fussed over, but he barely took his gaze off Dez, afraid she’d somehow poof into thin air. Shit had happened so damn fast outside her shop. Even though Meredith was in the hospital and police custody, he wouldn’t be at ease until she was charged.
He just needed to get Dez home. Hold her. See for himself that she was okay. Only then could he let his guard down.
Twenty minutes later, Dez stood from the ambulance.
He reached for her elbow and walked her to his vehicle, carrying his sopping-wet sweater and her cardigan.
Her body leaned into his, her frame seeming so much slighter than usual.
Her shoulders were hunched forward, probably due to the cold.
He opened the passenger door and she lowered herself inside.
He quickly rounded the vehicle, got in, and cranked the heat.
She sighed as she extended her hands toward the vent then greedily punched the seat warmer. He reached into the back seat for the extra sweater he always kept on hand and passed it to her. She’d already removed Quin’s sweatshirt, since it’d absorbed most of the water from her body.
He pulled away from the scene as everyone was packing up. It felt weird to not be involved in that part—usually, the only time he was at an emergency scene was for work.
“How you feeling?”
She moaned and wriggled his sweater over her dress. “Better now, but I don’t know if I’ll ever shake this chill.”
He glanced at the clock. It was almost 4:00 a.m. Pretty soon the sky would turn from black to peach.
He steered down the hill. When he reached the bottom, he’d have to turn right for his house or left for hers. Did she want to return to his place? It was almost morning, and surely she wanted her own bed and things, especially with Meredith now caught.
Indecision warred inside him. He wanted her near him. Period. The idea of her going home now felt so impersonal, and there was so much he wanted to say and sort out that—
“Aiden?” she said hesitantly.
“Hmm,” he answered, his mind so convoluted with emotions that he didn’t dare swing his gaze from the road.
“Do you mind if we go back to your place? I don’t really want to be alone, and . . .”
He reached over the console and laced his fingers with hers. Bringing her hand to his lips, he brushed a kiss over her knuckles. “I was hoping you’d want to do that.”
Her arm went lax in his hold and a deep calm settled over his body. They’d been through so much, but they were really only at the beginning.
A beginning that he needed to grow.
* * *
Dez’s flesh tingled as she stepped into the warm bath at Aiden’s. She lowered herself into the water. The cold that clung to her bones like a second skin slowly disappeared, from the outside in. She stretched out her body and got as low as she could, nearly tucking her chin beneath the surface.
It was practically morning, and her brain buzzed with fatigue, threatening to shut down at any moment.
But there was no way she could have crawled into bed with the rancid stench of fear still stuck to her, along with the dirt and grime from the river and the overall grungy sensation of being hunted by Meredith.
Her mind replayed the feeling of the river tossing her around as if she were a lone sock in a washing machine. She’d been so cold. So helpless. A situation that was almost entirely foreign to her. The only other thing that compared was having someone stalk her and vandalize her store.
But it was over now. She inhaled deeply and let out a sigh. She couldn’t live in the past. Even if the most haunting, traumatizing thing that had ever happened to her had taken place only hours before. It was still in the past.
All that was guaranteed was this moment. Here at Aiden’s. She brought her mind to the present and let go of all that had happened. Part of her instinctively wanted to venture into the future and obsess over what would happen between Aiden and her down the road, but that wouldn’t be useful either.
Yes, she wanted to be with him. But maybe he didn’t feel the same. In the car he sure seemed to want her close, but that didn’t necessarily mean he wanted her forever. She closed her eyes.
Just this moment, Dez. This is the only moment that matters.
She woke a little while later to her arms twitching.
The water had cooled down. She’d either dozed off or fallen into meditation.
She pulled the tub stopper, grabbed her towel from the counter, and stood.
After drying herself off, she took out the warm leggings and long-sleeved shirt she’d packed and pulled them on.
She brushed her teeth and scrubbed the remnants of makeup from her cheeks, then exited the en suite bath and stepped into Aiden’s bedroom.
He sat on the bed, his hands clasped in front of him. He glanced up when she came closer, and his hands parted, gesturing for her to come to him. Without hesitation, she rested her hands on his shoulders.
He’d showered. Dry clothes covered his body and his hair was fanned out a bit, unstyled and unruly.
“You could have gone to bed,” she said, her voice soft.
He shook his head, and his fingers flexed on her hips. “I needed to see for myself that you’re okay.”
She chuckled and lifted her hand to drag it through the strands of his hair. “Of course I am. Thanks to you.”
He snorted. His eyes met hers, the most luminescent green. “All I did was go for a swim with you. If you hadn’t spotted the low branches, we might not have made it out.”
She placed her palm flat against his cheek as annoyance flared inside her. “Are you kidding me? If you hadn’t taken down Meredith, she probably would have shot me in the water.”
A muscle jumped in his jaw. “I’ve never felt so crazy in my life. Her holding that fucking gun to your neck . . . Christ. I wanted to kill her with my bare hands.”
She pressed her lips to his, to anchor him in the moment. “Thank you for getting there when you did. And for jumping in the water. When I saw you dive in, I knew we’d make it back out.”
His arms circled her waist, hugging her. His cheek rested against her chest. She embraced his shoulders and toyed with the hair at the back of his neck. After all that had happened today, the last thing she’d expected was to be comforting Aiden. But it felt so good seeing this side of him.
He cared.
What that meant wasn’t important right now. All that mattered was that they were here for each other. “Let’s go to bed,” she whispered against his temple.
He nodded and dragged her onto the bed beside him. “I can’t let you go. Not yet.”
She giggled and tucked herself against his side. His arms stayed wrapped tightly around her. “I’m not asking you to.”
He reached over and clicked off the lamp and darkness filled the room. In seconds she fell asleep to the sound of Aiden’s breathing.