Wolf Haven

“I was a first lieutenant in the Navy.”

Griff looked at all of them. “Now I’m feeling left out. I’m the only one here who hasn’t been in the service.”

Gray patted his shoulder. “You’ll get over it, Griff.” And the two men traded grins.

Val patted Sky’s hand. “Listen, we must get together. Okay? We’ll do lunch over at Mo’s Ice Cream Parlor. Best food in town. I’d love to hear about your military experiences.”

Sky’s smile faded a little. “I’d love to, Val. Maybe when I get my feet under me with my new job over at the ranch?”

“Of course,” Val said. She gave Gray a teasing look and then whispered in her ear so everyone couldn’t hear, “He’s single....”

Sky wanted to melt into the floor and disappear. “I figured he was since he’s living at the employee house like I am,” she said.

Val nodded sagely. “You two would make a lovely couple. Well, gotta run! I’m going to be late for my ob-gyn’s appointment if I don’t get these veggies to the cash register. Gray, see you later.” And then Val gave him an evil look. “And you be nice to Sky. No pranks.”

Gray managed to look puzzled at her assumption. “Yes, ma’am,” he teased back, leaning down and giving Val a swift kiss on the cheek. As Gray straightened, he patted Griff on the back. “Hang in there, McPherson. Two more months...”

Sky watched the warm and affectionate banter among the three of them. Gray’s guard had gone down when Val and Griff arrived. They were clearly good friends. She hoped Gray would be that relaxed around her, one day soon. When he looked at her, she felt as giddy as a teenage girl swooning over the football captain who gave her a glance.

Sky wasn’t sure what was going on, so many different impressions hitting her. With the PTSD, every sense was heightened, even her intuition. It was almost too much busy activity with Val coming in like a tornado out of nowhere. She saw Gray’s smile dissolve and concern appear in his darkening hazel eyes that turned more brown in color.

“You okay?”

Sky collected herself and said, “Yes.”

“Iris said you had PTSD like me.”

Her stomach tightened. “Uh, yes, I do.” Please, God, don’t let him ask me anything about it. Please...

“Val is high energy,” Gray told her in a quiet tone. “And people with PTSD feel like they’ve been blasted by a bomb around a person like that. You’re looking a little exhausted.”

Rattled by his insight, Sky grimaced. “God, am I that readable? I hope Val didn’t notice. I really like her, and she was very nice.”

Without thinking, Gray placed a thick strand of hair behind her ear. It had been an unthinking reaction. An intimate act between a man and woman. He cursed himself because no woman had drawn him out like this since Julia. What was it about Sky that invited his touch? His fingers fairly itched to feel that thick, loose, shining hair of hers. He wanted to smell it, run the strands against his cheek and feel the silkiness of it, of her. He saw the shocked response in her expression after his hand fell to his side. Her eyes went huge, and her lush lips parted.

“Sorry,” he muttered, frowning. “It won’t happen again.”

Sky’s ear tingled in the wake of his touch. Her heart was thudding in her chest. Her lower body flexed. Sky knew what that meant. Before her capture, she’d had two other healthy relationships in her life. She enjoyed sex immensely and had grieved over the loss of it later.

The look in Gray’s eyes had warmed as he’d caught the strand on his finger and eased it behind her ear. She felt him wanting her. Man to woman. And he looked properly sorry that he’d done it when she’d overreacted to his gesture.

“No,” Sky whispered quickly, “it’s not you, Gray. It’s me. I’m just jumpy when someone makes a fast move toward me with their hand.”

Now Gray felt like a jerk. She was tortured, you asshole. He had no idea what had been done to Sky. He had to be careful with her.

“Listen,” he said, holding her gaze, “I am really sorry, Sky. I didn’t think. I’ll try and watch myself so I don’t accidentally scare the hell out of you.”

“No...it’s me. It’s okay. I—I just have to learn to not overreact like this, that’s all.”

Nodding, Gray forced a slight smile to help her defuse her wariness. Sky was so readable, unlike SEALs, who had the best poker faces in the world. “You got a deal.” He had no desire to push her about her experience. In time, maybe she’d trust him enough with that volatile and terrifying ordeal. Until then, he was going to try to make damn sure he never startled her as he just had. “So,” he said, trying to sound light and teasing, “do you have enough vegetables now? The fridge is only so big.”

Sky managed a slight smile. “Yes, I’m done shopping.”

“Would you like a bouquet of flowers?” Gray wondered as they walked toward the front of the store. “Kind of a welcome to Elk Horn Ranch?” He noticed how she gazed longingly toward the area where the bouquets were kept.

“No...not right now. I’m really short on cash at the moment. Maybe in a few weeks.”

Gray cursed silently. He was like a bull in a china shop with her. If she was looking for a job, she probably had very little money, if any, to live on. “Well,” he told her sternly, pulling out his wallet, “you’re not paying for any of this.”

“But—”

Gray flashed her a dark look. “Listen, consider this a celebration gift that you got a job.” He slid the bills into her hand and said, “I’ll be right back.”

Shocked again over his generosity, Sky had purposely chosen only rice, beans and vegetables because she couldn’t afford expensive meat. She had only twenty dollars left to her name. And a maxed-out credit card. As she got in line at the cash register, she watched Gray walk into the flower section. He moved through the pails of flowers like a cougar hunting prey. Finally, he chose a large bouquet and turned, walking toward her. The look on his face showed her he had his game face on once again. As he drew closer, however, the hardness in his eyes thawed, and she saw that gold-and-green warmth shining in them again. For her.

“What do you think?” he asked, handing her the bouquet.

Sky was dazzled. The flowers were pink and white oriental lilies, yellow Asian lilies, fragrant white roses and red Gerbera daisies. Seeing the price, she said, “They’re beautiful, Gray, but they cost too much.”

“I’m buying,” he informed her. “Do you like them?” He held her upturned gaze. Her mouth was driving him crazy. Her lips were full, soft, and God, he wanted to taste them beneath his mouth.

“Are you sure?” Because since being discharged by the hospital, she’d not been able to keep a job, and her nest egg was dwindling away as she had to buy a car to get around in, pay for insurance and buy food.

“Listen, you’ve been going through a rough patch. The least I can do is something that will bring that beautiful look to your eyes.” He lowered his voice, and it turned gritty and intimate. “I want to see you smile again, Sky.”

Their last stop was the Horse Emporium. Gray introduced her to Andy, the owner. It was a busy place where ranchers bought their hay, straw and grain. Sky found the women’s section in the clothing area of the main store. Gray was shooting the breeze with Andy at the counter, catching up on what was going on in the valley.

She looked at the price tags on the sale jeans. She simply didn’t have the money. Feeling shame, Sky worried her lower lip. Gray had already sprung for food, and she wasn’t about to ask him for any more money. Nor did she expect him to pay for her needs. She’d just have to wait.

“Problem?”

Sky sucked in a quick breath, hearing Gray’s low voice nearby. She snapped her head up, and he was standing across from where the women’s jeans were hung on the rack. “You scared the hell out of me!” she whispered, giving him a distraught look. Blinking, Sky placed her hand against her throat, trying to control her reaction.

“Bad habit,” he said apologetically. Gray looked toward the counter. “I saw you standing over here, and you looked upset.” He met her wide, fearful gaze. “I’ll make you a loan so you can buy what you need, Sky.” He held up his hand when she started to protest. “Look, we all need help every once in a while.” He dug into his wallet. “I’ll put it on the credit card. It won’t be due for thirty days. Iris pays us every two weeks, so you can easily pay me back.” Gray searched her tense features. “Okay?” He said it softly. With understanding.

He watched as she battled back tears. Gray cursed inwardly. He was a sucker for any kid or woman who cried. Sky had turned away, taking a sharp swipe at her eyes. Moving around the rack, Gray gently laid his hands on her tense shoulders, not wanting to scare her again.

“Sky, it’s okay. What are friends for? If we can’t help one another out in bad times, what does that make us?” He gently turned her around, her eyes downcast, her hands knotted against her heart, knuckles white.

“I—I’ve just never been this poor,” she uttered, unable to look at Gray. His hands were so warm and large on her shoulders. They felt good. Steadying. When he laid his hands on her, a soothing calm overtook Sky. “I—I just don’t know how to thank you, Gray.”

“You can pay me back by buying everything you need, Sky. I make a very good salary, and I’m not hurting for money, so use it. Okay?”

Sky wished she wasn’t so emotional. It just wasn’t like her. All her calm, cool collectedness was gone now, it seemed. In its place were razor-sharp emotions, many of them tearing her inwardly apart. She felt Gray’s care, his strength and something else. Something she couldn’t define even though she wanted to. His mouth was so strong, and his lips were pulled into a faint smile. The tenderness he exhibited surprised her. She just wasn’t used to someone caring for her like this.

“Okay,” she said, her voice strained. “I’ll pay back every penny. I promise.”

“I have no doubt, Sky. So, go ahead and buy what you need.” Damn, he wanted to touch Sky everywhere. He wanted to smell her, taste her, touch her, love her. Gray knew he could give Sky the security he knew had been destroyed within her by the torture. And God help him, his protectiveness was at an all-time high with her. He’d confront anyone who got near her with any intent to harm her. That was the SEAL in him, a part of him that would always exist regardless of whether he was out in the civilian world or not. Once a SEAL, always a SEAL.