Chapter 13
Spike was having a hard time controlling himself.
But even though he might be desperate for Reese, he wasn’t going to act like a neanderthal.
When she’d arrived home from her shopping trip, she seemed…
shy. As much as Spike wanted to drag her to his room and finally, finally, join her in his bed, he forced himself to greet her with a long, slow kiss, then turned his attention back to the dinner he’d begun cooking.
The cabin smelled delicious, like bacon. The meal he’d made could in no way be called healthy, even though it included baked chicken. The heavy cream, bacon, and cream of mushroom soup made sure of that.
It was obviously the right call not to jump her bones the second she walked in the door, because Spike could see her relaxing as the evening went on.
Besides, he wanted to talk to her about her future first. Specifically, finding a job in Los Alamos.
And since Woody would be emailing her a link to the job he’d found at the laboratory in the morning, he wanted to be very clear where he stood before she received it.
They sat down to eat, and Reese leaned in and put her nose over the steam rising from her plate, inhaling deeply. “This smells so good,” she told him with a smile.
“It totally does,” he agreed as he picked up his spoon. He’d cut the chicken into bite-size pieces, and it had ended up more like a creamy soup than chicken with sauce over it, but he didn’t mind. He took a taste, and Reese did the same thing.
She closed her eyes as she chewed, moaning deep in her throat.
And just like that, Spike’s cock hardened. Reese had no idea how sexy she was. It was taking every ounce of his discipline not to leap across the table and say to hell with the food.
“I assume it’s good?” he asked with a grin.
“Good? Gus, this is amazing.”
Spike didn’t know what it was about her insistence on calling him “Gus” that affected him so much.
Maybe it was because it separated him from his military persona.
It wasn’t that he wasn’t proud of what he’d done, but there were times when all the shit in his head was just too overwhelming.
The use of his name reminded him that he was someone before the military, and he was still that person after. Or at least, he could be.
And he liked that Reese, herself, was mostly separate from that part of his life.
They made small talk as they ate, but there was an undercurrent of sexual tension. Reese kept sneaking looks at him under her lashes, and when she licked her lips, it was all Spike could do to stay in his seat.
When he was finished with his meal, Spike pushed his plate aside and rested his elbows on the table and leaned in, keeping his gaze fixed on Reese.
He hadn’t thought much about his small kitchen table.
It was round, and pretty much only big enough for two people.
He was across from Reese, but they were as close as if they were sitting side-by-side at the huge table up at the lodge.
She took the last bite of her meal, then looked over at him. Spike reached out a hand and she took it without hesitation.
“I was talking to Woody today,” he started…then lost his train of thought as Reese ran her thumb over the top of his hand. Her fingers were soft and warm, and he had a sudden vision of his cock in her fist as she caressed him.
“Yeah?” she asked with a raised brow.
Spike cleared his throat and forced himself to concentrate. The faster he got through this conversation, the faster he could get Reese to his bed. “We were talking about him going back to Kansas City after the wedding.”
“Yeah, he’s mostly healed up, and since we haven’t heard anything from your friend Tex about the cartel still looking for him, he thinks it’s safe to go home.
I know he wants to get Isabella settled, and see about finding Angelo a job to keep him busy.
It’s obvious he’s still struggling hard to acclimate, but he seems to be making more of an effort lately. ”
“Yeah, I’ve noticed that too,” Spike said. He didn’t completely trust the kid, but he was trying harder to fit in. It made Spike soften toward him a little bit.
Then he took a deep breath and stopped beating around the bush.
“I want you to stay,” he blurted, continuing before she could say a word.
“I know you’ve lived in Kansas City for a long time, but I don’t want you to go.
I’ve gotten used to you being here, and I already can’t imagine waking up without you.
Woody looked into jobs at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and he thinks there are a few you’d love.
He’s going to send you a link tomorrow, but I didn’t want you to get it and wonder where I stood about you staying.
I’m all for it. One hundred percent. I’d move to Missouri to be with you, but I’m not sure how that would work with ownership here at The Refuge. ”
Reese squeezed his hand, and Spike shut up. He was rambling anyway. He practically held his breath to see what she thought.
“I’ve already looked at the lab’s website,” she admitted with a self-conscious shrug. “My boss back in Missouri said he’d give me a glowing recommendation…and I’ve been working on my resume.”
“You have?”
She nodded.
“So you want to stay?” Spike asked, needing to hear the words from her mouth.
“Yes.”
Spike stood so fast, his chair teetered on two legs and would’ve crashed to the floor if he hadn’t grabbed it at the last minute with his free hand. He didn’t let go of Reese’s as he stepped around the table and pulled her to her feet. “The dishes can wait. I can’t,” he declared.
He heard her giggle, but more importantly, she didn’t protest when he started toward the hallway, practically dragging her behind him.
Before he’d made it two feet into the hallway, though, his phone rang in his pocket. He was going to ignore it, but he didn’t get a lot of calls. When he did, they were usually important.
He stopped walking and took a deep breath before looking behind him at Reese. “I have to get that.”
She nodded.
Without letting go of her hand, Spike reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell. He saw Brick’s name on the display.
“What’s up?” he asked in lieu of a greeting.
“I’m sorry to interrupt you, but we have a situation. One of the guests had a flashback and took off into the woods in a panic.”
“Shit,” Spike swore.
“Owl, Pipe, and Tiny went after him, but a few of the other guests are unsettled now. They’re worried, talking about heading out into the woods to help look for him. I really need you up at the lodge, helping to keep everyone calm.”
“I’m on my way,” he said without hesitation.
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
“No thanks necessary. See you in a minute or so,” Spike told his friend before clicking off the connection. He took a deep breath. Then another, before turning to Reese.
“What’s wrong?”
“There’s an issue with one of the guests, and I need to go up to the lodge.”
She frowned. “Are they okay? What can I do to help? I can go with you.”
Spike didn’t really want her around any potentially volatile guests. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust the men and women who were there right now, but anyone could be a risk if their PTSD got the better of them.
He tried to remember what the stories were behind the men and women currently booked at The Refuge.
Three combat veterans, one woman who’d been robbed and raped in an alley, another who’d had the shit beaten out of her by her husband, a guy who’d been carjacked…
And he couldn’t remember the stories of the others.
He didn’t know what the history was of the man who’d run into the woods, but the last thing he wanted was Reese in danger.
“They’ll be okay, and I’d prefer you stay here. You can package up the leftovers and put our dinner dishes away. Then relax. Hopefully, I won’t be too long.”
“Okay,” she agreed immediately.
Spike closed his eyes in gratitude that she was being so amenable.
As if she could read his mind, she said, “I would never want to be in the way. You and your friends know much more about this kind of situation than I ever will.”
“You aren’t in the way,” he protested as he stared down at her. “I’m just frustrated that we were interrupted.”
Reese smiled and stepped into him. Spike’s arm immediately went around her waist and pulled her closer, until she was plastered against him from her hips to her tits. His cock twitched, but he ignored it.
“There’s no rush. I’m not going anywhere. Tonight, tomorrow…after my brother’s wedding.”
Fuck, this woman. “I wouldn’t be upset to come home and find you naked in my bed,” Spike blurted.
She grinned seductively, but didn’t agree or disagree. She merely leaned in and kissed him. Spike forced himself to end the kiss before it got out of hand. Brick and the others were expecting him, and he couldn’t let them down.
“I have to go,” he said reluctantly.
Reese nodded and tried to step out of his embrace, but Spike tightened his arms around her, not letting her escape just yet.
“This isn’t exactly the most exciting place to live,” he said, feeling the need to warn her. “I don’t want you to decide to stay then regret it.”
“I won’t regret it,” she insisted. “While I enjoyed living near a big city, I’ve loved being here just as much.
People in town already know me. They smile and wave when I drive by.
The cashier in the store today even asked how I was acclimating, and when Isabella and I were talking about visiting the thrift store in town, she told me the best days to go because she knew when they put out new stuff.
I love that she made me feel like a local. But beyond all of that…you’re here.”
Damn, with every word out of her mouth, Spike wanted to stay even more. He settled for kissing her hard, then physically setting her away from him. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Okay.”
He forced himself to back away, not wanting to take his gaze from her for even a second.
Then, knowing if he didn’t leave now, he wouldn’t leave at all, Spike spun and headed for the door.
“Lock this behind me,” he ordered. He had no idea where the guest was who’d run off into the woods, but he didn’t want to chance him circling back and maybe thinking Reese was an enemy and coming into the cabin to hurt her.
“I will,” she said without protest.
Taking one last look at her, Spike opened the door and left.
Eight long hours later, Spike let himself back into his cabin.
He was tired. Bone-deep tired. He hadn’t expected to get back this late.
It was three in the morning, and the guests were finally all safe and sound in their cabins.
The man who’d run off into the woods had thought he was being chased by terrorists intent on recapturing and torturing him.
Spike had joined the search for him in the woods, and it had taken hours to finally track him down.
Then it had taken another hour to talk him down, to convince him that he wasn’t in danger.
The guests had been spooked and didn’t want to go back to their own cabins until the man was found. Spike couldn’t blame them. No one wanted to come face-to-face with a man who’d temporarily lost his grip on the here and now.
Henley had come up to the lodge to talk to the man, and was still there. Tonka was staying right by her side to make sure she was safe.
It had been an exhausting night for everyone, and Spike was more than glad that everything had turned out all right and no one had gotten hurt.
After locking the door, he looked over and saw that Reese had left a light on in the living area for him.
He stood there staring at the simple gesture for a long moment.
This was the first time in his life that he’d come home, from a mission or otherwise, and someone cared enough about him to make sure he wouldn’t trip over his own feet when he arrived.
He was starving, but he needed to see Reese more than he needed to put something in his belly.
He turned and headed for the bedroom. He pushed the door open quietly and saw that she’d not only left a light on in the living room, but the en suite light was on too.
He could easily see Reese in his bed, under his comforter.
She was on her side, clutching one of his pillows in her arms.
He wanted to slip under the covers with her, pull her into his embrace, and finish what they hadn’t even had a chance to start earlier. But it was late—or early, whatever—and he didn’t want to disturb her obviously deep sleep.
Sighing heavily, Spike closed the door, leaving it open a crack, then turned to head to the smaller bathroom in the hallway.
The shower wasn’t nearly as nice as the one in his room, but he didn’t want to risk waking Reese.
He needed to get the stink of the night off him, then get some sleep.
There would be plenty of opportunities to make love with Reese.
He wanted the moment to be right. Wanted to take his time.
Make sure she knew how much he respected and admired her.
He wanted them both to be wide awake for their first time.
Thoughts of Reese in his head, Spike showered in minutes and was asleep and dreaming, almost before his head hit the pillow on the full-size bed in his guest room.