Wolf Haven
Flustered, Sky saw the intense look he gave her. She might be all of twenty-six, but she knew when a man was appreciating her as a woman. For a moment, she was tongue-tied, which wasn’t like her at all before her capture. Since then, broken psychologically by the torture, she’d become shy and unsure of herself, her old self murdered by the Taliban. “Just call me Sky.” She stepped aside and gestured him into the well-appointed room. “I have one suitcase.”
Gray nodded deferentially and entered the room, feeling the woman’s nervousness. She wore the same pantsuit, looking quietly elegant. He watched as she quickly closed the door, noting her hands trembled. Purposely backing up so he wasn’t crowding her, Gray couldn’t stop liking what he saw. The sunlight was pouring into the window, and her ginger hair shone with gold and red highlights. It swung clean and shining across her shoulders. “Iris said she’d have me pay for the room. She doesn’t want you paying for it.”
“That was very kind of her. Thank you.” Her heart was going crazy in her chest. Gray McCoy reminded her of a lethal snow leopard, never hearing him come until it was too late. He had that distinctive SEAL walk, one of complete silence. Sky hadn’t been interested in a man for a long time. Now her body was behaving as if it had a mind of its own. She could feel her breasts tightening, feeling the heat of his gaze.
What was wrong with her? Was the stress too much? And yet, Sky didn’t feel anxious. Oddly, she felt protected by Gray. It was a sense, an energy. Nothing overt or obvious. Maybe it was the care she saw burning in his hazel eyes that missed nothing. She noticed how he gentled his tone of voice, as if dealing with a hyper wild horse. On some days, that was exactly how Sky felt. Bad days. On good ones, she was emotionally stable. But not today.
“Here,” he said, stepping forward, placing his hand around the handle of the suitcase, his chest barely brushing her shoulder, “let me get that for you.”
Sky stepped out of the way, her shoulder tingling wildly in the wake of Gray accidentally brushing against her. He smelled of sunshine, pine and a hint of sage that grew so prolifically in other parts of Wyoming. A man’s smell. Masculine. It made her ache. Sky hadn’t felt sexual in such a long time. She’d thought the capture had killed her femininity. Apparently not. At least, not with Gray McCoy, who stood patiently waiting with her suitcase in his hand. As a nurse, she was good at small talk. Now words just jammed up in her throat, and she couldn’t get anything out of her mouth. Sky missed that ability because in the past, she’d been able to gently communicate with men who were in excruciating pain and calm them with her voice and touch.
Picking up her purse, she said, “I’m ready.” When he smiled a little, one corner of his mouth hooking upward, his green, gold and brown eyes soothing, she felt a sheet of heat wind through her like a warm spring day.
Gray opened the door and stepped out, holding it for her. “Do you, by the way, have any jeans or work clothes with you?”
“I don’t.”
“No worries,” he assured her, shutting the door. “We’ll stop by the Horse Emporium on the way out of town. They have men’s and women’s work clothes. Iris wants you to start the day after tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.” He looked down at her. “That work for you?”
“Yes.”
Gray saw her hesitate, sort of looking like a deer in headlights, paralyzed. He knew PTSD could do it to a person when they were becoming overwhelmed with too much information, and they couldn’t process it as quickly as other people. “What would you like to do first?” He knew how important it was to hand back the control to her. It would ease her anxiety.
Sky gave him a look of apology. “I’m sorry. I’m just stressed. I wasn’t really thinking I’d get the job.”
Gray smiled. “Iris knows what she wants. And she likes you a lot. Had nothing but praise for you when she told me she hired you.” He watched her begin to relax, some of the tension leaving her face. Did Sky know how beautiful she was? Was she in a relationship? Iris never said.
“Thanks for understanding.”
“Follow me,” Gray urged quietly, heading down the hall toward the elevator.
Sky felt pleasure watching this man walk with such silent grace. The breadth of his shoulders, his well-sprung chest narrowing into a flat, hard belly and narrow hips. The Levi’s hugged his long, thick thighs, telling her he spent a great deal of time in the saddle. As they waited for the elevator, she said, “Iris mentioned you were in the Navy like me.”
“I was a SEAL.”
“What team?”
“ST3.” He angled his head to see if she understood the terminology.
“I patched up a few ST3 operators the years I was at Bagram,” she said softly.
“You never saw me,” he said wryly, holding open the elevator door for her to enter first. “In a way, now I’m sorry you didn’t.”
“No, I never saw you in my E.R.,” she noted wryly. There was something about Gray McCoy that was allowing her to relax for the first time since being released from the hospital. Maybe it was his easygoing way, the warmth and care she saw burning in his eyes toward her. Or? Again, she felt him silently appreciating her as a woman. It lifted her spirits. Sky swore masculine heat radiated off his body. And she felt she could trust him. Maybe because he was an ex-SEAL? Her experiences with them had always been positive in the past. Why not now?
CHAPTER THREE
SKY WORRIED THAT Gray McCoy would ask her too many questions about her stint in the Navy. But to her relief, he didn’t say another word. He was quiet as he drove her over in his truck to Albertson’s, the main grocery store for Jackson Hole. They would pick up her SUV at the inn afterward. He walked quietly behind her, reminding her of a guard dog watching over his mistress. She pushed the cart around, gathering the food for her dinners. Like a silent shadow, he wasn’t one for small talk, but then, SEALs were a very closed-mouth bunch anyway. As she went to the vegetable section, Sky saw Gray’s face grow amused.
“Are you vegan?” he wondered, watching her put a lot of green stuff into her cart.
“No. Why?”
Shrugging amiably, Gray enjoyed watching Sky’s grace as she moved. He liked following her, the sway of her hips inciting a cauldron of heat in his lower body. She had healing hands with long, tapered fingers. “Employees have a house on the ranch. There’s a full kitchen, living room, an office with a computer, and there’s two bathrooms. Since I was the only one living there, I made meals every night.” He gave her a hopeful look. “I was going to ask if you wanted to cook, and then I’d take the next night and make us a meal.”
Sky laughed a little. It felt so good to laugh! “Let’s see if I’m following this. You’re afraid I’m going to make rabbit food when you’re a strapping wrangler who’s wanting a beefsteak instead?”
God, she looked incredibly desirable when she smiled. Really smiled. A smile that went straight into those shining dark blue eyes with huge black pupils. Those ginger lashes were long and emphasized the cobalt color of her eyes. Gray had the good grace to look down at his dusty boots for a moment. When he lifted his head, his mouth twitched with a smile. “You’re pretty good. Is that your nurse’s radar in action? Reading a patient?”
A surge of joy tunneled through Sky as she basked in the sunlight of his masculine smile. He’d hooked his thumbs into the pockets of his Levi’s, standing with his weight on one boot. He was comfortable in his skin as a man. And he was comfortable with who he was. “It’s nurse’s radar for sure. Was I right?”
“Yes, you were.”
“What do you like to eat?”
“Meat and potatoes. A salad is okay, too.”
“Where were you born, Gray?” It was the first time she’d said his name, and it rolled off her tongue like a delicious chocolate. Sky liked the sound of his name. It fit him. Gray was a color that was neutral, a combination of black and white. His dark side was as a shadow warrior in black ops. His light side? Did he have one? Sky thought he did. In time, perhaps he would reveal that side of himself to her.
“Cheyenne, Wyoming.”
“Ah, the capital of the limited palate?”
He grinned a little. “Guilty as charged.”
Sky leaned against the cart and studied Gray openly for the first time. He didn’t seem to mind her looking him over. His cheeks had turned ruddy even beneath his deep tan. There was a little boy hidden in this man’s body; she could feel it. Sky bet he had a little boy’s awe of the world and that it was magical. Maybe she’d find out later. “I’m kind of a garbage-can eater,” she confided. “I’ll eat just about anything.”
“Where were you born?” he teased.
Laughing softly, Sky said, “Casper, Wyoming.”
“Vegan city?”
“Not really. My mother’s full-blood Cheyenne, and I was raised on venison and buffalo for the most part. That and a lot of trout. My father is a gourmet chef when he gets in the mood, and growing up, he taught me about spices, sauces and gravies.”
“Gravy is definitely something I could get used to.”
“Figures. Meat, potatoes and gravy kind of guy.”
His straight, dark brows rose. “Is there anything else?”
Sky shook her head and gave him a sour grin. “I don’t mind cooking dinner every other night. The real question is, will you eat what I make or starve?”
“I won’t starve,” Gray assured her. “I probably don’t have a gourmet gene in my body, but I’ll do my best. My mother always said when food is cooked with love, it always tastes good.”
“I like your can-do spirit,” Sky teased. “Are you open to Chinese?”
“Sure, as long as there’s some meat with it.”
“Middle Eastern food?” Because it was a favorite of hers. His smile deepened.
“Yeah, I like lamb, couscous and stuff like that.”
“See? This isn’t going to be a food nightmare for you like you thought.”
Gray enjoyed their repartee. “What’s that bok choy you just grabbed used for?”
“It’s for wonton soup. The Chinese version of chicken soup. You’ll love it.”
“As long as it has a healthy amount of meat in it, I’ll survive.”
Sky smiled and continued down the row of vegetables. “Lots of chicken,” she promised.
“Gray!”
A woman’s voice floated over the veggie department, and Sky stopped the cart, looking in that direction. A red-haired woman in her early thirties smiled and came their way. Sky saw that she was decidedly pregnant.
“Hey, Val, good to see you,” Gray greeted her warmly, grinning as she walked over with her arms full of plastic vegetable sacks.
Val nodded. “Who is this, Gray?” And then she got devilry in her green eyes. “Your new girlfriend?”
Sky felt her cheeks go red hot.
Gray winced. “No. Val McPherson, meet Sky Pascal. Iris just hired her today to be my assistant. She’s also an R.N. and will be setting up a small medical office at the ranch.”
“Hey, Sky, welcome to Jackson Hole,” Val said, shifting all the veggies to one arm and thrusting her hand out toward her.
“Here...” Gray muttered. “Let me...” He took all the sacks from Val.
“Hi,” Sky said, liking the woman immediately. “How far along are you?”
Val looked over her shoulder and watched as what had to be her husband rounded the corner. She waved him to come over. He had the cart. Turning, Val placed her hands on her swollen belly. “Seven months and counting.”
“That’s wonderful,” Sky sighed.
“It is now,” Val griped. “Morning sickness sucked, I’ve got to tell you.”
Laughing, Sky nodded. “Yeah, it’s a real pain. Are you going to have a home birth or go to the hospital?”
Val raised her brows. “I want a home birth, but my husband here—” she grabbed the man’s hand and drew him to her side “—is scared out of his mind I’ll end up dying at home trying to give birth. Griff? This is Sky Pascal. She’s an R.N. and will be working at the Elk Horn Ranch.”
Griff doffed his gray Stetson. “Nice to meet you, Sky. You say you’re an R.N.?”
“She is,” Gray said, reaching over and shaking Griff’s hand.
Val grabbed Sky’s arm. “Listen, I’m all ears. What’s your speciality as an R.N.?”
“Oh, I wasn’t in obstetrics. I was an E.R. nurse. Sorry.”
“Well, no matter. Did you ever deliver any babies?”
Gray watched Sky’s face light up with unabashed joy.
“Yes, I’ve delivered about forty babies while I was over in Afghanistan.”
Val blinked. “You’re military?”
“Was,” Sky admitted.
“I was in the Air Force. An intel officer.”
“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.
* * *
EXHAUSTION WAS LAPPING at Sky as she got to see her new home. Gray unlocked the employees’ house, a two-story redbrick building with a dark green painted metal roof. Her bedroom was amazing. The East bedroom, as Iris called it, reminded Sky of the 1930s era. A rainbow quilt lay over the queen-size bed. There were brass head-and footboards, as well. The furniture was all handmade out of walnut. An air of femininity permeated the room. The cream-colored walls reflected ample light, and Sky loved it. The room was so large it contained even enough space for a desk, chair and stained-glass lamp.
Gray helped carry all her purchases from the Horse Emporium into her bedroom. And then he placed all her groceries into the fridge or the large pantry. As Sky quietly shut the door, she felt weary. It had been a long, stressful day. She didn’t even have the energy to put all her jeans and other clothing items away. All she wanted to do was lie down on that heavenly bed. And she did, promptly falling asleep.