Rescued By Her Bear by Felicity Heaton

Chapter 9

The smell of frying bacon drew Cameo up from a deep sleep. She yawned and stretched, grimaced as her leg hurt and the wound on her left arm throbbed a little. She sank into the soft mattress, rested her hands on her stomach on top of the fur that covered her and stared at the pitched wooden ceiling as she listened to Lowe moving around below her.

He was humming a tune.

She wasn’t sure what it was, but it was strangely comforting, warming even, to hear him going about his life as if everything was normal. Last night, she had felt sure that he would want her as far away from him as he could get her, that she would wake with an air ambulance waiting to cart her away from him. It had surprised her when he had reiterated his vow to protect her and hadn’t seemed at all worried that there were men after her—powerful men. Men with guns.

She supposed that living up in a remote valley had probably hardened him in ways she couldn’t understand, stripping away his softness, just as it had with his body.

Cameo squeezed her eyes shut and told herself not to think about his body.

A woman could go a long time without seeing such a body in the flesh though, could reach a point where she started believing that men like that didn’t really exist, that they were purely in magazines and other more adult things.

“You’re up!” Lowe’s deep voice rocked her, had her gasping as it shattered a fantasy building in her head, replacing imaginary Lowe with the real thing.

She snapped her eyes open and looked at him, knew how startled she had to look when he rubbed the back of his neck and glanced down the stairs behind him.

“Didn’t mean to scare you.” He scratched his lightly stubbled jaw. “Just wanted to see if you were in the mood for breakfast? You must be starving.”

She nodded, her fantasy of Lowe becoming a fantasy of him draped in that crispy, tempting bacon she could smell. She wanted to eat it off him. That thought startled her more than he had, had her cheeks flaming and her eyes darting to the dark covers and furs on his bed.

His bed.

She grew painfully aware of him as he stood there staring at her, waiting for an answer she couldn’t give him while her mind was racing, throwing wicked images at her that she was in no position to be entertaining, and that she certainly would never actually attempt to do.

Her stomach squirmed a little. He was being the perfect gentleman, was taking care of her and making sure she felt comfortable at all times, wasn’t being forward with her or making advances, and here she was mentally undressing him and picturing him in compromising positions with her.

Cameo risked a glance at him. Her gaze collided and locked with his, and the banked heat in his blue eyes said that maybe she wasn’t the only one indulging in fantasies this morning. She shivered as he stared at her, that heat in his eyes building into an inferno that scorched her, had her aching all over and wanting to reach for him.

She wanted to make him come to her and kiss her. Just a kiss. She swore she would stop at that, wasn’t in any condition to be wanting anything else from him. A lie. If he offered her more than a kiss, if he wanted more, then she wouldn’t be able to stop herself.

Cameo rolled her eyes closed and fought to master her own body. This wasn’t like her. She gripped the front of her cream sweater and pulled it away from her chest, needing some air. Maybe her injured leg had given her a fever and she was delirious.

Maybe she was just attracted to Lowe.

Who wouldn’t be?

The man looked like a blond Henry Cavill.

“You feeling all right?” Lowe stepped closer to her and she pulled down a steadying breath, opened her eyes and looked up at him.

“Just a little warm, and I think I slept too long.” She grimaced as she sat up, and thanked him with a smile as he rushed to help her, gently took hold of her arm and eased her upright.

He chuckled, the warm sound rolling over her, sending tingles racing through her as it drew her gaze to his face. Blond Henry Cavill. He was gorgeous, especially when he smiled as he was now, forming those little dimples in his cheeks.

Lowe pressed his palm to her forehead and she almost groaned as she felt the coolness of it. “You are a bit warm. You know I had to have the door open half the night to cool down the cabin. You probably just got a little overheated up here. I’ll get you some water, coffee and food and you’ll feel better.”

He didn’t sound as if he really believed that. He sounded worried again, which made her worry too. What if her leg was infected?

He dropped his hand to her cheek and stared into her eyes. “You’re fine, Cameo. If you’re worried, we should call the air ambulance.”

She quickly shook her head, the thought of leaving sending a jolt of fear through her. She felt safe here, with Lowe. As much as she didn’t want to get him into trouble, pulling him into her problem, she didn’t want to leave him. She looked straight ahead of her at the window that revealed part of the cabin that stood in the middle of the clearing and the world around it. A peaceful world. An uncomplicated world. She liked it here.

Lowe sighed. “At least let me get someone to take a look at it, although I’m not sure that she’ll help. Maybe the Hippocratic Oath will make her help. Doctors still swear by that, right?”

“There’s a doctor up here?” Her eyes widened.

Lowe scratched behind his ear and grimaced. “Not here. She lives just south of here with her ma… man. Husband.”

Why had he stumbled over the word man? Had he intended to say something else? She wracked her brain, trying to think of other words that started with ma.

Lowe distracted her by sitting beside her and touching her knee. “I can ask her.”

She looked into his eyes and caught the nerves in them. For some reason, he was worried about asking this doctor for assistance, and some foolish part of her leaped on that, said that he had fallen out with the husband over her. She shoved that thought aside. Lowe didn’t strike her as the sort to go after another man’s wife. The attraction she felt to him was making her look for reasons they couldn’t be together, had her hunting for flaws that weren’t there, and she wasn’t sure why. Was she trying to stop herself from wanting him?

It was the most reasonable explanation for her behaviour. She didn’t want him pulled any deeper into her mess and getting involved with him would drag him as deep as he could get. It was better that they remained as they were—friends of a sort. Not lovers.

“You don’t have to.” She eased the blanket off her legs. It cooled them a little, but she was still too warm. Removing her salopettes would go a long way towards fixing that, but the thought of stripping her legs bare in front of Lowe unsettled her, had that heat flaring hotter again. When he looked as if he might touch her overheating cheeks, she rushed out, “I’m being a burden, and I really don’t want that.”

He pushed to his feet. “It’s really no bother.”

“It is… I am.” She looked out of the window again, at the peaceful world out there, one she felt sure she was close to ruining. “How long have you lived up here? I can’t imagine what it must be like to live up here in winter.”

Lowe glanced at the window and pulled a face. “A while. Saint owns the land. We all pitch in to take care of things, whether that’s repairing the cabins or hunting, or hitting the nearest town for supplies. I know it’s not the most modern of places, and I wouldn’t say no to running water and power, but I love it here. Everyone up here just wants a quiet life.”

“A quiet life,” she murmured.

A life she was in danger of ruining.

“Hey now.” Lowe eased to a crouch beside her and looked up into her eyes. “You’re awfully down this morning. You definitely need a pick me up. Fresh coffee and bacon sandwiches sound good?”

She nodded, but couldn’t stop her mood from spiralling downwards. She didn’t want to wreck this slice of heaven that Lowe and the others had made for themselves, didn’t want to pull them into danger, and she was going to do just that if she remained here.

Lowe’s voice gained a hard edge as he placed his hand over hers, curled his fingers around and held it. “Don’t think for a second that you’re endangering us or that you’re better off leaving… sneaking off or doing something crazy. I can handle this trouble for you. We can handle it. After all, we’re used to dealing with trouble. You should meet our neighbours.”

“There are others up here?” She frowned at him.

He had mentioned a doctor to the south, but she had thought perhaps he had been talking about the nearest town.

Lowe nodded. “Whole pack of people a little south of here, closer to the trailhead. Pains in my ass.”

He didn’t seem to like his neighbours.

He squeezed her hand again. “I’ll get you breakfast, and then I’ll see about asking the doc to look at you.”

When he went to stand and she didn’t release his hand, he turned and looked down at her.

“I’d like to come down too.” She shifted her gaze to the staircase. Her leg was feeling slightly better this morning, but tackling the staircase yesterday had been close to terrifying and she didn’t want to do it again.

Plus, Lowe was right. It was better she rely on him for some things, and asking for his help didn’t make her weak or a burden. He wanted to help her.

He smiled and twisted towards her, scooped her up into his arms as if she really did weigh nothing more than a feather. She looped her arms around his neck and settled her head on his chest, relaxed against him as he carried her downstairs, carefully navigating each turn. When he made the final turn, he froze. Cameo looked up at him, wondering what the problem was, and then looked in the direction of his gaze.

She tensed too.

A man stood near the open door, dressed head to toe in black weatherproof gear, his crystal blue eyes stormy as he stared at Lowe and then her.

“Isn’t this romantic?” he drawled and unzipped his coat.

Cameo could only stare at him as heat climbed her cheeks and she grew painfully aware of how she was pressed against Lowe, tucked close to his chest.

When Lowe had told her that Knox was his twin, and that they were identical, she hadn’t quite believed they would look exactly like each other.

But they did.

The only difference between Lowe and Knox was the colour of their hair, with Knox’s a shade darker than Lowe’s golden blond.

And the darkness in Knox’s gaze.

He slid Lowe a look.

“Yeah, I was about to let her hobble down the stairs.” Lowe bit those words out, an uncharacteristically hard edge to his voice as he finished carrying her down the steps and strode to the couch. He gently set her down on it and gave her a worried look. “Not too warm?”

Cameo shook her head. She was a little warm, but with the door open she wasn’t in any danger of overheating.

“I’ll get you breakfast.” Lowe gave her a tight smile that disappeared, turning into a glare as he straightened and pivoted towards his brother. “You want something?”

Cameo had the feeling he wasn’t asking Knox if he wanted breakfast too.

Knox grunted as he bent to remove his boots. “All the bacon in the world and an Irish coffee.”

“You’ll get a third of the bacon and a straight coffee. It’s too early to be drinking.” Lowe glanced back at his brother as Knox strode to the armchair, peeling his coat off as he went. A worried edge entered his eyes. “You get any sleep?”

Knox tossed his coat onto the back of the armchair and sank into it on a long sigh. He shook his head.

“Saint all right?” Lowe turned to face him now, a plain white mug in one hand and a coffee pot in the other.

Knox nodded and yawned, smacked his lips together and sank deeper into the armchair. “Gods, I need some sleep.”

His dull blue gaze slid to Cameo.

“You’re pretty. He tell you that?”

Lowe glared at his brother. “Watch your mouth.”

“So he hasn’t told you that?” Knox smiled slowly in his brother’s direction.

“Actually, he has.” She had wanted to pick him up on it too. She looked at Lowe, wanting to see whether he really thought she was pretty.

He avoided her gaze, went back to pouring coffee into three mugs.

“Figured as much. We’re not going to have a problem here, are we, Lowe?” Knox stared hard at his brother’s back.

Problem? Was it that Knox didn’t want his brother getting involved with her, or that he thought his brother might try something with her when she didn’t want it?

Knox ignored the warning look Lowe gave him and his blue gaze slid to meet hers. “Lowe has too much heart, and it’s stuck together with sheer will and a lot of tape, and if you break it, so help me gods, you will pay for it.”

Cameo shrank back into the couch and frowned at him. “I have no intention of breaking Lowe’s heart.”

Because she had no intention of surrendering to the attraction she felt.

Knox grunted, “They never do.”

“Maybe I should go back upstairs.” She pressed her left hand to the arm of the couch and grimaced as the wound that darted across her upper arm pulsed and throbbed as she tried to stand.

Lowe was quick to grip her shoulder and make her stay where she was.

“You sit.” Lowe turned a black look on his brother. “You leave.”

“No.” Knox made himself more comfortable, wriggling lower in the armchair and stretching his long legs out in front of him as he settled his hands on his stomach and laced his fingers together. “As long as she’s here, I’m staying put.”

Lowe strode over to his brother, grabbed him by the front of his dark fleece shirt, and dragged him onto his feet. She swallowed hard as he pulled his brother to the door and shoved him out of it, closed it behind him and pushed Knox towards the edge of the deck, far away enough that she couldn’t hear them.

But she could see them through the window by the log burner.

Whatever they were talking about, it grew heated, had both men looking ready to throw a punch, and then Knox rubbed his dark blond hair, heaved a sigh and his expression lost its hard edge. He shrugged and said something, worry written in every line of his face.

Lowe pulled him into a bear hug.

Released him and came back to the door, opened it and stepped inside with Knox on his heels.

“He’ll be civilised now, apparently.” Lowe cast Knox another black look, one that held a warning in it.

“I’m one hungry bear this morning.” Knox smiled slightly, as if he had made a joke but it was secret, and slumped back into the armchair. He looked at her, his sapphire eyes softer now. “Sorry about that. I can get a little protective of Lowe.”

“I get that.” She smiled up at Lowe as she took the coffee he offered her and then looked back at Knox. “I was protective of my brother too.”

“Lowe filled me in on that. I’m sorry about what happened to him.”

She looked at Lowe for an explanation.

Lowe held a plate out to her, the sight of the two bacon sandwiches on it making her mouth water almost as much as he did as he gave her a soft look. “I hope you’re not mad. It seemed like a reasonable way to get my brother to behave himself and stop treating you like you’re a threat to me.”

She took the plate and held back her smile as he slid another look at Knox, silencing him just as he was about to say something.

“I’m not mad. Relieved maybe.” She hadn’t been looking forward to having to tell his brother the reason she was here.

She looked from Lowe to Knox. They were both as big as each other, both looked capable and as if they could handle themselves and any trouble that might come their way. She felt as if she could rely on these men, could trust them to help her, but at the same time, part of her still didn’t want to get them in trouble.

She ate her sandwiches in silence, sipping her coffee between bites, listening to the fire as it crackled and popped. She tried to think of something to say as Lowe sat beside her, but the thought of having to leave weighed her down, stole her voice and had a war erupting inside her. She had to go. As soon as she was able. Lowe said he could take care of things, and she believed him, but that didn’t mean she wanted him to fight her battle for her. Just the thought of him having to fight turned her stomach and put her off her food.

Cameo looked across at him, listened as he complained about the snow to his brother and Knox mused whether spring would come early this year. An ache formed in her chest, a tight knot that felt as if it would only grow worse if she left Lowe.

Just minutes ago, she had been determined to resist the attraction that blazed between them. Now, she wasn’t sure she was strong enough to fight it. She wasn’t sure she could stay here and not surrender to it, and she couldn’t bring herself to leave either.

She didn’t want to leave Lowe and it wasn’t because she felt safe around him.

She had a terrible feeling it was because she was falling for him.

He was handsome, kind and charming, and he took good care of her. He was the sort of man she had always dreamed of having in her life, and one she had never thought would actually exist. But here he was. Deep in her heart, she knew she would be a fool to fall for him with things in her life so uncertain and danger all around her.

But that same heart also said she would be a fool to deny herself something just because it had come along at an inopportune moment.

She would regret it.

Lowe was a once in a lifetime kind of man, checked every box she could think of, every one she had written down once when she had been lonely in Vancouver, mending her broken heart. It honestly felt as if fate had taken that list she had made and created Lowe just for her.

He angled his head towards her, his eyes slightly wider than normal, as if her staring had disturbed him or maybe worried him. A hint of colour touched his cheeks and he dropped his gaze to her plate and cleared his throat.

“You done?” He stood and took her plate before she could answer, set it down on his and carried them to the kitchen.

Knox gave her a hard look. She held his gaze, refusing to be cowed by him, because she intended to keep her promise—she wouldn’t break Lowe’s heart.

But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t steal it.

“Knox, we should, uh…” Lowe gave her an awkward look and then shifted his gaze to his brother. He rubbed the back of his neck. “Check on Saint. We should check on Saint.”

Cameo had the feeling that what he really wanted to do was talk to his brother about her and whatever he wanted to say, he didn’t want to say it in front of her.

Lowe topped her coffee up and set the pot back on the counter. “Stay indoors.”

As if she could go anywhere.

The furthest she could probably make it was the deck and even though the storm had cleared, it was well below freezing out there. She had no intention of making herself feel worse by standing on the deck. She was going to stay right here on the couch, sipping coffee and enjoying the fire and trying not to think about Lowe or her growing feelings for him.

Feelings that part of her said were crazy and the rest said felt right.

He was quick to shove his feet into his boots and pull his coat on, and Knox was just as quick to follow his lead and do the same. They were out of the door in under a minute and as Cameo stared at it closing, a feeling stirred inside her.

Lowe was hiding something from her and something deep inside her said it had nothing to do with her or the trouble she was in.

She pushed to her feet with effort and stared out of the kitchen window in time to see Knox glance back at her and then say something to Lowe.

She had the feeling it wasn’t just Lowe hiding something from her either.

Everyone here had a secret.

And she was going to find out what it was.