Reckless(52)

I’m about to tell her that yes, the coast is clear, when I catch a glimpse of the eight-legged suspect.

Wow. That is a big motherfucker. She’s not gonna like this.

“Sweetheart, don’t freak out.”

Tori goes stock still, her eyes widening as I lean closer to pluck the bastard out of the hair draped across her shoulder.

“What. The. Fuck.”

The look of terror on her face is punctuated by another shrill scream and more hopping, except she bumps into me as she’s jumping around, and I drop the damn thing. It goes scooting over her bare foot and five hot-pink toenails on its way toward the drain.

With a pained cry, she leaps out of the shower and into my arms.





29





Ethan





At first, I think she’s laughing. Because, yeah, this whole situation is pretty crazy. I chuckle too, not caring that my clothes are drenched and I’m standing in a puddle of water the size of Canyon Lake.

I lean back toward the door and peer through her dimly lit room and into the dark hallway beyond. As loud as Tori was a few minutes ago, I think the sound machines in the kids’ rooms probably kept them asleep.

After closing the bathroom door with one hand, I caress her wet hair. It’s only then that I realize she’s not laughing.

She’s crying.

My heart seizes at the panic in her eyes and the fear fluttering her pulse at the base of her throat.

“Darlin’? Hey, it’s okay.” She’s shivering so hard, her teeth chatter.

Worse, though? She doesn’t respond. Just trembles in my arms and sniffles.

My eyes dart around the bathroom and stop on the robe tucked through a towel rod. Grabbing it with one arm, I shake it out and drape it over her slender shoulders before I set her on the edge of the counter. When I realize how threadbare the robe is, I snatch a thick towel and wrap her in it before I tuck her icy-cold body to me.

It’s a long, quiet minute before she says anything. “I’m so sorr-rr-rry.”

“No need to apologize,” I mutter softly in her ear, but the fear in her voice is still so stark, I realize I’d do anything to make her feel better.

With a gentle touch, I run my hand along her back. “It’s not every day a beautiful woman in distress needs me to rescue her. I like to think I bring my A-game. Ethan Carter at your service, ma’am. Rascally vermin are my specialty.”

That earns me a laugh, and I smile against the silky, wet skin of her neck.

I reckon a lot of people have phobias. My brother loses his shit any time a snake slithers around here. But I don’t tell her that because I’m not sure if her fear extends to all creepy-crawlies or just the arachnid variety, and I’d rather not point out the wide assortment of pests native to South Texas.

Anyway, it’s no hardship to hold her right now, so I can’t complain.

“I’m still sorry I freaked out there.” She sniffles and snuggles closer. “Thanks for not dropping me.”

“I would never drop you.”

Burrowing against me, she shakes her head. “I had a bad experience as a kid with spiders.”

“I’m sorry, honey. What happened? I mean, if you want to talk about it. You don’t have to.”

“It’s so stupid.”

“I’m sure it’s not, babe. Trauma that happens to you when you’re a kid can stick with you long after the scars on your skin have faded.”

She sinks into me and sighs. “I was playing with my neighbor. Her older sister babysat us while my grandmother worked, and I made the mistake of hiding in the shed along the back of the property. My friend must’ve gotten bored and stopped playing, so she didn’t hear me yell. Didn’t know I had gotten stuck and couldn’t get out.” Her voice is nearly a whisper when she says, “There must’ve been dozens of spiders in there, crawling all over me. I had bites everywhere when they finally found me late that night.”

“Oh, shit. That had to be terrifying.”

“I had nightmares for years. But the part that always crushed my stupid little heart was how embarrassed I was.”

“Why were you embarrassed?”

Groaning, she shakes her head. “I felt so forgotten. My friend forgot me. Her sister didn’t care that I had taken off. My grandmother didn’t realize I wasn’t at the neighbors’ until several hours later, so she didn’t know to look for me.”

That would hurt any kid. “Where were your parents?”

Shrugging, she gives me a sad smile. “Not sure. They traveled a lot when I was young. They were migrant workers. So I’d stay with my grandmother for months at a time.”

“What about your sister?”

“I’m guessing with my parents. I was probably around Mila’s age, so I don’t remember all the details. Just being trapped and bitten and freaked out.”

The thought of my daughter being in a similar situation nearly steals my breath. A confusing mix of rage and helplessness swirls in my gut, making me wonder what I’d do if that ever happened to Mila or Cody.

Fuck, I’d wanna kill someone.

I squeeze her tighter. “I’m so sorry that happened to you, sweetness. That I couldn’t be there for you.”

Another sniffle escapes her. “Pretty sure if we’d been friends when we were kids, I’d have made you eat mud pies, so count yourself lucky.”