Sally didn’t budge. She stood at the door of the SUV next to Jenna, who stared down at the dog.
“Go on, girl. Go to the truck.”
Sally refused. Ornery, she sat on Jenna’s feet.
“Sally, come on. Get in the truck.” Jack let his impatience tinge his voice. He wanted to get Jenna to the cabin and off her feet. She wouldn’t be standing much longer in her condition.
“Jack, if you don’t mind, she can ride with me. It’s no trouble.” Jenna opened the door and Sally jumped in.
Jenna carefully raised herself into the high driver’s seat. He wondered what her clothes were hiding. The cut and bruises on her face were probably not her only wounds. The way she moved indicated her back bothered her and the limp pointed to an injury to her leg. The skirt went down to just below her knees. Her thigh or hip must be injured.
His anger simmered and a knot fisted in his stomach. He wanted to kill whoever did this to her. He wanted to take her in his arms, kiss every inch of her, and take all the hurt away.
Nice, Jack. Real nice. She’s hurt, and you’ve got her undressed to tend a hell of a lot more than whatever wounds she’s hiding.
Alone for a long time, too long maybe, he preferred it that way these days. Didn’t he? His last relationship ended in disaster when he finally closed his wallet and asked to share something more than his credit card. He wanted what his sister had, love, a family. Instead, he got a woman who took and gave nothing back. Jenna didn’t seem that way. Shoot, she’d left Mary a fourteen-dollar tip on a six-dollar meal just because Mary was nice to her. Now, that’s saying something. Reminded him of his mother, her warmth and kindness innate. He found it rarely in the women he dated, but seeing it in Jenna . . . well, it made him want to break his dinner-for-one streak and ask her for a date. His mother once told him after a particularly bad breakup that true beauty shines through from a warm heart.
Jenna leaned over the console, wrapped her arms around Sally, and hugged the dog close. Her eyes closed when Sally nuzzled against her neck, offering the comfort Jenna so obviously needed and wanted. Funny, he wanted to give it to her.
Well, she is staying at his ranch for the next several months. Plenty of time to get to know Jenna with the sad green eyes.
Chapter Four
* * *
JENNA HARDLY NOTICED the dense woods, the pungent smell of pines, the green grass, or brilliantly blue sky. She concentrated on the two-lane highway and the silver truck in front of her. Whenever her eyes drooped, Sally barked.
“What a smart dog you are, keeping me awake.” She gave Sally a nice pat on the head and rubbed behind her ears. Sally wagged her tail and kept an eye on her as she drove.
They turned off the main highway onto a deserted road that wound up through the hills and down into the next valley. A huge ranch with green pastures filled with horses spread out before her. The main house sat off to the right of the property with several cabins tucked behind the huge white barn. The barn looked new, and from what she could see, well maintained. Jack, obviously, ran a tight operation.
Across a large pasture and off to the left, tucked into the trees, another cabin stood, its pointed peak reaching to the high limbs. Beautiful, all wood with large windows, rustic, but not run down. Near the cabin, a creek ran along the back side and through the far end of the pasture where it met the trees again. She imagined hearing the rushing water while she slept. She couldn’t wait to explore.
Jack headed toward the cabin, Jenna followed. The cabin’s gravel driveway split off from the main road just after the gates to the main ranch.
Jack exited his truck and headed over to Jenna’s SUV. He opened the door for her and stepped back a good two feet, allowing her to exit on her own. Barely able to move, when she stood up, she wavered. He made a grab for her arm, but she braced herself with a hand on the door and the other held palm up to stop him before he touched her.
“I’m fine. Just tired.” Sally jumped out and ran up the