here alone.
Beth decided that was a battle to be faced later in the morning after she’d dealt with the more basic stuff, like getting to the bathroom. She contemplated her escape route. There was no way around it. If she wanted to get out of the bed, she’d have to climb over Conner. She eased the covers down, grabbed the first T-shirt she found and carefully knelt up.
“Running out on me?” Conner murmured as she climbed over him. He didn’t even bother to open his eyes. “Was I that bad?”
“Way to make it all about you.” Beth had known getting past a Navy SEAL would never happen and carried on moving. “I need to use the bathroom. I promise I’ll be back.”
He nodded but didn’t move, so she grabbed her backpack and hurried outside. It was way colder than she’d anticipated and completely, stunningly quiet. Loki rose to greet her when she emerged on the steps and she stopped to pet him. The sun was just peeking over the heights of the Sierra Nevadas, throwing an ever-increasing circle of light over the shadowed valley. Beth paused to appreciate the sight. Living in the town meant she rarely had such a view of nature’s amazing bounty.
She hurried into the bathroom and took a very quick shower in water that was barely tepid. She didn’t attempt to wash her tangled hair. That would take time, expensive conditioner, and an hour of combing when she got home. Her body felt different, the roughness of Conner’s beard evident on her skin, the slight bruise on her throat where he’d nipped her when he climaxed. Beth hadn’t felt so gloriously female in years.
She went back into the cabin to find Conner was up and ready to take her place in the bathroom. She smiled foolishly at him and offered her hand.
“Do you need help to get out there?”
“No, I think I’m good.” He gestured down at his leg. “If you give me the medical kit, I can take care of this after I shower.”
“Sure.” She opened up the box, found the necessary supplies and handed them over. “I’ll start breakfast while you’re out there. Do you want me to feed Loki?”
He limped over to the door and turned to look at her.
“Thanks. His food’s in the pantry, bottom shelf. Just fill up his bowl.”
After she fed Loki, Beth put on a pot of coffee. Conner was back to his gruff self, but she didn’t mind. It wasn’t as if she’d been expecting him to change overnight. They were both responsible adults who knew what they’d been getting into and could still remain friends.
She checked the refrigerator and took out some of the eggs she’d brought with her the day before. If Conner had ordered them from Maureen’s store, then he had to like them. She took a moment to wonder how Mikey and Wes were doing at home and reassured herself that if there had been any problems, Ted would’ve contacted her immediately. Just to make sure, she checked both her phone and the radio, but there were no messages or attempts to contact her.
When Conner came back and sat down heavily at the kitchen table, she offered him fresh coffee, half a cheese omelet, and some toast. She didn’t point out that the trip to the bathroom had obviously exhausted him, and concentrated on small talk about the valley and Loki as he ate his way steadily through the food. After topping up his mug for the second time she finally asked a question.
“How was your leg?”
“Much better.” He observed her over the rim of his raised coffee mug. “You can take a look if you don’t believe me.”
She shrugged. “You’re neither five nor one of my kids, so if you say it’s healing nicely, then I believe you.” She paused. “Dr. Tio will still want to see you, though, just to make sure.”
“And what if I don’t want to see him?”
“Why wouldn’t you?” She met his gaze. “He’s a good guy.”
“I don’t like being . . . fussed over.”
“I’d never have guessed that.” Beth shook her head. “I know you like your hermit lifestyle up here, but what if you don’t get yourself checked out, and you get sick again? Do I have to come up here every other day just to do a wellness check on you?”
His slow smile was a revelation. “That’s supposed to make me want to leave?”
She mock-frowned. “If you make me have to come out here, I can