because of a baby.
“Can you blame her? She’s been through hell,” said Emme. “Can you imagine being at someone’s mercy like that?” She shivered. “I think she’s having PTSD episodes.”
That caught his attention, and a tendril of guilt uncurled in his stomach. Had he really been that rough with her? Examining the first time he’d taken her, he squirmed with the realization that he had hurt her badly. He’d let his anger at Lia influence him, and then when she’d tried to stab him…well, that had almost unhinged him.
“What makes you think that?” asked Kelly.
“She’s jumpy and nervous. Have you noticed she hardly eats? A few weeks ago, she was in my room, and she just sort of disconnected.” Emme sighed. “I don’t know how else to describe it. She kind of collapsed to the floor and rocked herself. When I called her name, she didn’t answer for the longest time.”
“She was just ignoring you,” dismissed Lia.
Emme scowled. “No, it was like she couldn’t hear me. She was there one minute and gone the next. It scared me.”
“Why didn’t you say something sooner?” Shane squeezed his hands into fists as he asked the question, summoning all eyes to him. He was uncomfortably aware of the assessing look in Lia’s, and the puzzled one Coop wore. “I mean, we could have watched out for her. What if she had an episode with one of us?”
Emme shrugged. “I’m sorry, Shane, but it was family business.” She reached over to pat Coop’s hand. “I told Coop, of course, since he’s her usual partner.”
He wouldn’t be surprised to find he’d dug his fingernails into his palms so deeply that he was bleeding. To be dismissed as not her family, and then to know Coop had been informed, pissed him off to the point where he wanted to punch something. Still, he managed to sound pleasant when he said, “I see. Well, perhaps we should reconsider what is family business, since we’re all living so closely together.”
Winn nodded. “He makes a fair point, Emme. If someone is ill or otherwise…indisposed…it’s good for all of us to know. That way, we have several pairs of eyes on her. Or anyone,” he hastily amended.
Emme nodded, though she didn’t look directly at Shane. “Well, everyone knows now.” She stretched, groaning. “That seat beside Mina’s bed sucks.”
“It sure does. I’m not looking forward to my shift,” said Kelly.
“I’ll sit with her for a while,” said Shane in what he hoped was a casual tone. “It’ll be a nice change from milking the goats.”
“Really? Thanks.” Kelly bounded from her seat. “I’m going with Coop then. He’s planning to hunt this morning.”
“Maybe we’ll find some turkeys before Thanksgiving , since we still have a couple of weeks,” said Coop with a small smile.
He didn’t seem to mind Kelly inviting herself, but it was obvious he wasn’t excited either. Now, if Mina had been the one going along… “You should be careful out there, Coop. You never know what could happen.” As much as he hated to consider it, he was starting to think he’d have to deal with Coop, especially since her family seemed to think he had a more prominent role in her life than he did.
Shane deserved the recognition of being her partner, not Coop. The other man had never kissed or caressed her and had never spent the whole night searching for all the places that made Mina moan and whimper with need. He had no claim to Shane’s woman. Maybe it was time to make that clear. If that failed, he might have to take steps.
Chapter Seven
Shane’s words proved to be prophetic, though he had nothing to do with what happened to Coop and Kelly. They came back near sunset, both worse for wear. Kelly was leaning heavily on him, her ankle a raw mess. “Help,” called Coop. As Shane came running, he nodded to Kelly. “Can you carry her? I would, but my ribs are bruised or broken.”
Shane scooped her up, heading straight to the house. Coop
“Can you blame her? She’s been through hell,” said Emme. “Can you imagine being at someone’s mercy like that?” She shivered. “I think she’s having PTSD episodes.”
That caught his attention, and a tendril of guilt uncurled in his stomach. Had he really been that rough with her? Examining the first time he’d taken her, he squirmed with the realization that he had hurt her badly. He’d let his anger at Lia influence him, and then when she’d tried to stab him…well, that had almost unhinged him.
“What makes you think that?” asked Kelly.
“She’s jumpy and nervous. Have you noticed she hardly eats? A few weeks ago, she was in my room, and she just sort of disconnected.” Emme sighed. “I don’t know how else to describe it. She kind of collapsed to the floor and rocked herself. When I called her name, she didn’t answer for the longest time.”
“She was just ignoring you,” dismissed Lia.
Emme scowled. “No, it was like she couldn’t hear me. She was there one minute and gone the next. It scared me.”
“Why didn’t you say something sooner?” Shane squeezed his hands into fists as he asked the question, summoning all eyes to him. He was uncomfortably aware of the assessing look in Lia’s, and the puzzled one Coop wore. “I mean, we could have watched out for her. What if she had an episode with one of us?”
Emme shrugged. “I’m sorry, Shane, but it was family business.” She reached over to pat Coop’s hand. “I told Coop, of course, since he’s her usual partner.”
He wouldn’t be surprised to find he’d dug his fingernails into his palms so deeply that he was bleeding. To be dismissed as not her family, and then to know Coop had been informed, pissed him off to the point where he wanted to punch something. Still, he managed to sound pleasant when he said, “I see. Well, perhaps we should reconsider what is family business, since we’re all living so closely together.”
Winn nodded. “He makes a fair point, Emme. If someone is ill or otherwise…indisposed…it’s good for all of us to know. That way, we have several pairs of eyes on her. Or anyone,” he hastily amended.
Emme nodded, though she didn’t look directly at Shane. “Well, everyone knows now.” She stretched, groaning. “That seat beside Mina’s bed sucks.”
“It sure does. I’m not looking forward to my shift,” said Kelly.
“I’ll sit with her for a while,” said Shane in what he hoped was a casual tone. “It’ll be a nice change from milking the goats.”
“Really? Thanks.” Kelly bounded from her seat. “I’m going with Coop then. He’s planning to hunt this morning.”
“Maybe we’ll find some turkeys before Thanksgiving , since we still have a couple of weeks,” said Coop with a small smile.
He didn’t seem to mind Kelly inviting herself, but it was obvious he wasn’t excited either. Now, if Mina had been the one going along… “You should be careful out there, Coop. You never know what could happen.” As much as he hated to consider it, he was starting to think he’d have to deal with Coop, especially since her family seemed to think he had a more prominent role in her life than he did.
Shane deserved the recognition of being her partner, not Coop. The other man had never kissed or caressed her and had never spent the whole night searching for all the places that made Mina moan and whimper with need. He had no claim to Shane’s woman. Maybe it was time to make that clear. If that failed, he might have to take steps.
Chapter Seven
Shane’s words proved to be prophetic, though he had nothing to do with what happened to Coop and Kelly. They came back near sunset, both worse for wear. Kelly was leaning heavily on him, her ankle a raw mess. “Help,” called Coop. As Shane came running, he nodded to Kelly. “Can you carry her? I would, but my ribs are bruised or broken.”
Shane scooped her up, heading straight to the house. Coop
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