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And she screamed.
Kellan came running through the door.
Tanner followed close behind him.
She couldn’t move. Her heart pounding, choking on her breath, Arien held her hand to her chest, as if that would somehow tame its wild beat.
“Are you all right?” Taking hold of her arms, Kellan shook her from her frozen state. “What happened?”
She forced her gaze to his face, her voice whisper-thin. “Someone’s out there.”
He thrust her into his brother’s arms, racing for the glass door. Cold wind and rain rushing in as he closed it behind him.
“Look at me, baby.” Tanner lifted her chin. “Slow, deep breaths.”
Keeping her close to his side, Tanner moved them toward the window. It was hard to see, but Arien could make out Kellan running along the deck through the rain, then taking the stairs down at the end of the house.
“Did you see who it was?”
“No, he had a dark jacket on—with a hood. I couldn’t see his face, but it was definitely a man.”
The rush of adrenaline wearing off, she started to shake. Tanner sat her on his lap, running his fingers through her hair. “It’s okay. You’re safe.”
“He was right there…” Arien tried to swallow, but her mouth was too dry. “…reaching for the doorknob.”
“We won’t let anything happen to you.” He kissed her forehead. “I promise.”
“Didn’t see no one.” Rainwater sluicing off his skin, Kellan locked the glass door. They never lock their doors here. There was no reason to. “You sure someone was there?”
“I didn’t imagine it and I wasn’t seeing things.”
Sunday barked in agreement. Good boy.
Kellan nodded. “Don’t leave her. I’ll be right back.”
She and Tanner were sitting on her bed with the dog when he returned thirty minutes later in a pair of dry sweats.
“What the hell took you so long?”
“Checked the house, bro. No one’s hidin’ in here, either. Made sure all the doors are locked—windows too.” He took a seat on the other side of her. “Get down, Sunday. Go on now. Scoot.”
“Who the fuck was that, Kellan?”
One of the ranch hands? A psycho serial killer?
“Dunno, but we’re stayin’ here with you tonight,” he assured her, rubbing her nape. “Don’t worry, okay?”
“Okay.”
But she did.
Rain pattering against the window, Arien lay between them in the dark, her arm around Kellan’s middle, Tanner’s curled around hers. She was reminded of the last time they all slept together, squished on an old pullout couch back in Denver.
“It’s one night, Arien. Just make do.”
Every night could be just like this. If only…
Kellan’s hand covered hers. “Shhh.”
