Stroke Of Fear

   “Well, I always give my lady what she wants. Let’s go.”

Chapter Twelve

Aubrey

   Someone must have taken over my body. I just basically begged Tanner to take me back to his cabin so we could have sex. I have no idea why I’m not digging a hole in the ground and burying myself in it right now.

   But I’m amped up. My blood is flowing. He spent the day with me, helping me get used to the water. Not that I actually got in it, but I was on it, and totally forgot about it. I did have a nice distraction, but it’s all the same. We’re here to help one another.

   Tanner looks relaxed driving us back to camp, but his fingers tap against the opened window. His left leg is jiggling, too.

   We barely talk on the way back. I’m scared if I say anything it’ll come out in an incoherent babble. When we pull up, and we’re both out of the truck in two seconds. Tanner’s arm wraps around me, and he nearly drags me toward his cabin.

   But, of course, we slow down once we see Mrs. Jones standing on the porch. Shit. What in the hell did we do this time?

   She’s frowning, a worry wrinkle on her forehead. Tanner cusses underneath his breath. “Hi, Mrs. Jones. What’s goin’ on?”

   “It’s Austin. He got caught”—she clears her throat—“sneaking out of a girl’s cabin late this morning. I’m afraid there was inappropriate behavior going on. I called his mother, and she said you were to take care of it.”

   “I will, Mrs. Jones. Where is he?”

   “I restricted him to his room.”

   “Okay. I’ll take care of it.” Mrs. Jones walks down the path toward her cabin. We wait until she disappears before we say anything. Tanner groans and presses his forehead toward mine. “Well, I guess I have to go take care of him. Rain check?”

   Fuck, no. I want him now. “Sure.” I frown.

   “Don’t pout, darlin’. I’ll take care of you later.” He bites my lip before stepping onto his porch. “See you in a bit.”

* * *

   Cassie is lying on her bed when I get home, reading a magazine. “Where have you been?” she asks without looking up.

   “Out with Tanner,” I say, jumping on my bed. “He went all southern on me today. He killed a snake. It was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.”

   “Um, why are you still here then?” she asks, glancing up.

   “Austin. He’s in trouble. Mrs. Jones was standing on the porch when we got to Tanner’s cabin.”

   “Ah,” she smiles. “What a pussy blocker. So, you two were going to do it?”

   I roll my eyes and toss a pillow at her. She backhands it into a vase of pink lilies, and it crashes to the floor. “Where did you…” I trail off. The flowers. Pink lilies. No. “Where did you get those?”

   “Holy shit, Aubrey,” she says, pressing her hand to her heart. “Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost?”

   “Where did you get those?”

   “They were on the doorstep when I got here. I assumed they were for one of us. I just…are you okay? You’re shivering.”

   I am. I didn’t even realize. My head is pounding, too. My chest burns. Those are the same flowers he would send to me for every occasion. They were my favorite. Sliding off my bed, I slowly walk toward the window. The blinds are opened, the woods behind the cabin clear. A shadow casts across a few trees, ducking behind them for cover. No, he can’t be here. He isn’t. He’s in jail. I’m hallucinating, again. They went away, the shadows. Why are they back!

   Fire is sliding down my throat to the depth of me. Cassie’s hand wraps around my upper arm and she turns me toward her. Her big blue eyes are wide, scared. “What’s wrong, Aubrey? Tell me. You can trust me.”

   “Cassie. I see him, but it’s not real.”

   “See who?” she asks, shaking me.

   “Sit down. I have a lot to tell you.”

   The entire time I tell Cassie the story, I’m crying, shaking, convulsing. She hugs me close to her, patting my back, and cries with me. I don’t know how long I lay in her lap, or what time it is when I hear someone knock on the door.

   I’m shifted and feel different hands on me. Rough. Hard but gentle. When I open my eyelids Tanner is staring down at me. His eyes are concerned, his body tense. “Let’s get you a shower, you need to cool down. Come on.”

   My feet drag the ground. I feel so useless—ashamed that I’ve turned into this person. Someone full of demons, and lets someone else determine their fate.

   Tanner locks the door behind us and guides me to the closed toilet. “What happened? What did you see?”

   I sniffle, my eyes burn. My throat feels like someone shoved hot coals down there. “Lilies. Cassie had lilies on her nightstand.”

   His brows pull down in the middle, and he strokes my cheek. “What do lilies mean, Aubrey?”

   “They’re the flower he always gave to me. Always. Even after our breakup, he would send them.”

   “Was there a card or…?”

   “No, just the lilies. I—I don’t know who is doing this, but I want them to stop. Just stop. It’s not funny.”

   “No, darlin’, it’s not. Have you talked to your mom recently? Or the detective assigned to your case? Has anyone tried to call you?”

   With shaky hands, I dig my phone out of my pocket. I shake my head. “I haven’t talked to my mom in a few days. She did comment on one of my Facebook posts, but she hasn’t said anything.”

   A tear slips down my cheek and Tanner wipes it away. “Then I’m sure you’re just stressed. You would be the first person to know if he was out, believe me. Just breathe. Calm down and breathe.” I take a steady inhale, and Tanner nods to encourage me. “You want to take a shower?”

   “With you?” I ask.

   The corner of his lip moves slightly. “I’ll sit right here and talk to you, but I won’t take a shower with you. I don’t need any temptations right now, Aubrey. It’s not the right time.”

   I nod, knowing it isn’t. Tanner helps me up and turns around while I undress and hop in the shower. The warm water slides over my skin, all the way down to my toes. “Do you think he could get out?” I ask, through the water on my face.

   “Sure. But, you would know if he’d escaped. They would call you, and it would be on the news.”

   It’s true, yet something doesn’t feel right.

   I finish my shower and wrap a towel around me before I step out. Tanner’s leaning against the cabinet, ankles crossed in front of him. The condensation from my shower has made his face damp. It looks good on him.

   A sexy, easy smile spreads across his jaw. “If we were under different circumstances, I’d ask you to drop that towel.”