Western Flame

Chapter 46

Liana was in the kitchen wearing Tanner's old football jersey and a fresh pair of boyshorts underwear from her overnight bag when Peony scared the living crap out of her, sneaking up behind her. What was it about her head in a fridge that turned off her ability to sense people?

"I haven't seen that football shirt in a long time," Peony remarked as Liana rubbed the top of her head and backed out of the fridge with what looked to be a chocolate cake. God bless Jake and his sweet tooth, she needed some sugar.

"I found it in the back of his closet. A little more snug than what I remember though," Liana replied, and rummaged in the cutlery drawer for two forks. She held one out to Peony.

"Want a coffee?" Peony asked. "It's early, but we could just stay up."

"I do not want to be caught in the kitchen wearing nothing but this when his brothers troop in, thank you," Liana said, and stabbed a forkful of cake. "Tan would never hear the end of it."

"Let's take that to the back den then," Peony said, pointing at the pan in Liana's hand with the fork she'd given her. "There's only half of it left, and I think maybe we could finish it off?"

They folded up on the beat up old leather couch in the back den, the glow of the lamp along one side giving the room a cozy feel. They both dug into the pan from either side, laughing.

"Peony, can I ask you something?" Liana asked as she savoured a bite that was more icing than cake.

"Of course, my dear," Peony replied.

"When you and Brett, you know, got together, did he know about your past, like... your trauma and stuff?"

Peony stared out the window, fingers pressed to her lips. "No, he didn't. I don't think he could've approached me how he did, if he'd known. He knew I had run from something, I showed up on his doorstep with my last dime rattling in my pocket, but—"

"But?" Liana prompted.

"But I knew he would never hurt me, or do the things that Ian had done. I trusted him, and it helped us open up to one another. Both of us had been alone for a long time," Peony finished. "What's this about?"

"I am running the risk of telling you shit I shouldn't, seeing as how it is Tan we're talking about," Liana faltered. "But he's been different since the abduction. So gentle, in bed... like he's afraid to break me."

"You needed gentle at first, that arm trussed up like a pot roast."

"But I'm perfectly fine now, and he still... Augh! It's been driving me nuts!" Liana added, running her hand through her hair in frustration.

"Ahh."

"I mean today, err, yesterday now, I took the afternoon off, wore a dress I knew would get his attention, and showed up, pretty much climbing onto him in the stable. And I had to lay it out for him in black and white to get him turned on enough that—"

Liana stopped as Peony put down her fork and reached out, squeezing Liana's hand with hers.

"That man is so afraid to lose you again he would do anything to be what you need," Peony stated, and it brought Liana up short. "When you were abducted, my dear, he was beside himself and it was all his brothers could do to keep him from tearing after you himself and murdering those men if he found them before the police did. When you were dealing with the aftermath, did you know he either slept outside the door of the guest room or on the floor beside you every night you were here?"

Liana looked at Peony. No she hadn't, the pain relievers had knocked her into deep sleep those first few days. "He did?"

"Every night, honey. I would put a blanket over him when he'd fallen asleep. He didn't want to crowd you, knowing how much you needed recovery time without pressure from him or what you two had started back up. But you had nightmares, so he sat by your bed with a hand over top of the cast to keep it still because you were thrashing in your sleep. He barely got two winks those first few days."