To find Abby standing on the other side, a smile on her face and a large casserole dish by her feet. Mari’s eyes widened. “Abby?”
“Marisol! I was starting to wonder if you were here. I mean, Kent said you were and I didn’t think you could go anywhere. Unless you went down to the stables, I guess. Or for a walk.”
Marisol just stared at her.
“Urgh, I’m sorry. I’m babbling. Kent told me you were staying with Linc, so I thought I’d do the neighborly thing and bring you some shepherd’s pie.” She crouched down and picked up the dish.
“Shepherd’s pie?”
“Yes. Oh no, you do like it, don’t you? You’re not vegetarian? Oh no, you’re vegetarian and I brought you meat. Shoot. I knew I should have gone for cookies. Everyone likes cookies.”
“Actually, I’m not a vegetarian so shepherd’s pie is great.”
“So I did good?” Abby’s face filled with relief.
“Would you like to come in?” It felt a bit awkward to invite someone else into Linc’s house but she couldn’t leave her standing out there after she’d brought over food.
“Oh yes. I can’t stay long, though. I just told Kent I was going to bring this down and come straight home. He’s in a meeting so I have a few minutes to spare. But if my butt isn’t home and lying down within the next forty minutes, I’m in trouble.”
Abby followed Marisol through the house into the kitchen. She set the casserole dish on the counter with a sigh.
“Trouble?” Marisol questioned worriedly.
“Yes. Kent’s very protective. All the men on the ranch are. He thinks I exhausted myself helping with the wedding and now I’m supposed to take afternoon naps until my energy is back. He’s worried about me.”
“Oh. That’s actually quite sweet.”
“Isn’t it?” Abby said with a sigh. “I mean, sometimes his overprotectiveness will make you want to slap him with a wet sock in the face while he’s sleeping, but mostly it just makes me all gooey inside.”
Marisol grinned. She got it.
“Of course, you’ll find that out for yourself now that you’re living with Linc. He’s just as bad as the rest of them.” Abby gave her an interested look.
Marisol found herself blushing. “It’s not like that. I’m staying here because Linc is protecting me. There’s this asshole who thinks I’m his. We’re not sure whether he’s going to try and find me.”
“Oh, Marisol.” Abby came forward and to her shock, took Marisol’s hand in hers. “I’m so sorry you’re going through that.”
Her too. It kept coming back to her during the day, catching her by surprise, the memory of his threatening her, strangling her had threatened to make her panic. She’d reached for the phone so many times to call Linc then pulled back.
He was working. She shouldn’t bother him.
That was part of the reason she’d taken to cleaning the house as well, to keep her mind busy.
“I’m glad you’re here then. Kent didn’t have time to tell me much of what was going on. He just said that you were here, and that I wasn’t to say anything to anyone off the ranch. Which I wouldn’t. Kent and his guys are the best in the business. And I know Linc will take good care of you.”
“He already is.”
Abby looked around, obviously spotting the mop. “You’ve been cleaning? Was it a mess in here? Do you need a hand with anything?”
“Oh no. It was actually rather tidy. I just thought I’d make myself useful and clean. Linc wanted me to rest, but I can’t sit around all day.”
“Uh-oh.”
“Uh-oh, what?”
“Well, these guys can be rather alpha. They like to be in control. If he said to rest then that’s what he expects you to do. Just like I’m supposed to be in bed right now. I best go. But Marisol, I’m glad you’re here and that Linc’s keeping you safe. If you need anything, call me. Bye!”
She watched with a smile as Abby left as quickly as she arrived. Coming here might have been the best thing to ever happen to her.
17
Exhaustion filled him as he pulled up outside his cabin later that night.
He’d worked hard today in order to get enough work done so he could take tomorrow off to spend with Marisol. He hadn’t liked leaving her on her own today. He called her a few times on the house phone.
They had a few things they needed to deal with. Her lack of clothing. Her health. He wanted to take her to see Doc. He was prepared to help get her whatever she required to make it easier to manage her diabetes.
Thankfully, he’d managed to get some things for her today. Climbing from his truck, he reached into the back and dragged out the few bags he had stashed in there.
Linc thought he was starting to understand Marisol better. She’d never had someone she could rely on for any length of time. Her aunt might have been around, but she was verbally abusive. Neglectful. Marisol had been moved from place to place. Being somewhat introverted, that must have been so hard for her. The one person she’d formed an attachment to, she’d been made to leave and had never seen or heard from again. It was no wonder she didn’t trust that he’d stick around. Or that he’d want her to stay with him.
But he was prepared to do whatever was necessary in order to make her feel more secure. She’d spent most of her life tiptoeing around her aunt, that she’d never had a chance to be a child. To be carefree.
He wondered how she would feel if he offered her a way to just be, without all the stress, the fear. To have him take all that on so she could damn well relax.
To him, that was the ultimate. For her to trust him enough to give him complete control.
Walking inside, the smell of food hit him, making his stomach rumble. He frowned. Hadn’t she said she couldn’t cook? He’d been intending to make something quick for dinner. He hoped that she hadn’t been working hard all afternoon when he’d wanted her to rest.
Strolling into the kitchen, he saw her crouched in front of the oven, peering into the window.
“Mari-girl? Everything okay?”
She let out a screech and fell on her bottom.
“Oh, baby. Are you okay?” He dropped the bags in his hands and leapt forward, helping her stand. Tears had filled her eyes and he felt like a complete ass.
“Jesus, I deserve my butt whipped for that. I thought you would have heard me come in the door. I didn’t mean to frighten you. Is your bottom sore?”
Holding her to his chest with one arm around her lower back, he rubbed her bottom gently, hearing her moan. She sagged against him and her moans turned to whimpers. Noises that were filled with need.
Liked that, did she?
He filed that away for further thought later.
“I’m so sorry, teeny. Are you all right?”
She sniffled. “Oh yes. I’m fine. Sorry, I just got a fright.”
“Understandable. Is your bottom all right?”
“What? Hmm. Oh yes. Yes, I guess so.”
Was that a note of disappointment in her voice? Did she want him to keep touching her?
“What were you doing? Did you make dinner? I thought you couldn’t cook?”