Dollie
disappears. The men follow, and find signs that she's marked the way
for them.
They
had gone another half mile or so when they saw a figure in the woods
ahead of them. The moon filtered through the trees, giving the figure
an eerie glow. It huddled and shivered under a tree. When they got
near, they saw that it was Dollie. She launched herself toward
Lucius, kissing him furiously.
"You're
all right?" His hands examined her carefully. "He didn't
hurt you when he took you?"
"Goodness
no, he didn't take me. I followed him when Patty fainted. He came in
the bedroom window, I left the same way. I lost him though, about ten
minutes ago, I think."
"Lord
have mercy, Patty!" Will took off the way they'd come.
Lucius
and Dollie followed more slowly. Luke gave her back her shoe, which
she gratefully put on. He helped her as she limped down the rough
slope. The terrain was good for goats and men in hiking boots, not
girls in tennis shoes. When they got to more level ground, Lucius
picked her up and carried her quickly to the girls' dorm.
When
they arrived, they couldn't find Will and Patty in the apartment.
Luke left Dollie to make coffee and headed toward the room the
brothers had shared. It didn't take a genius to know what was
probably happening. The sounds coming from the locked room confirmed
his suspicions and he wished like hell Dollie was the kind of girl to
give him a tumble. He needed one badly.
He
hurried back to the apartment. With a screwdriver from Dollie's tool
chest, he fixed the door, locking it. He then inspected the bedroom
windows. All were secure, though the screen needed replacing on one
of them. Feeling slightly better, he went back to the kitchen. Dollie
had set out their coffee and a plate of cookies. Luke attacked the
food like a starving man.
Dollie
got out bread and cheese, putting some of the leftover barley soup on
to heat. Luke drank his coffee and she poured him more. It was
partially the fact he'd hardly had any solid food for three days, and
partially the excitement and exercise running around the valley. It
was also the fact he had to keep himself occupied or he was going to
concentrate on how good Dollie looked, even though she was dirt
streaked in a torn robe. The gown was slightly damp from her
nighttime tromp in the woods and the sheer fabric clung to her
luscious curves in a way that invited a man to consider clinging to
them the same way.
"So,"
he said, his voice louder than he intended. "He got in through
the window."
"Yes.
I couldn't see him well at all. Just this big, huge dark spot lit
from behind by the moon. Patty screamed and fainted. He turned and
ran, hopping through the window like Old Scratch was after him. I
followed."
Luke
chuckled. "In a way, Old Scratch was after him. Remind me not to
make you angry, Dollie. You'd likely half kill me."
Dollie
giggled, tossing her hair over her shoulder. It fell in damp waves, a
halo of blue-black around her head and shoulders. Luke wanted to bury
himself in her hair. The urge to kiss her was stronger. She smelled
like outdoors and sweat and a little fear. The combined scent excited
him.
"Why
did you follow him, Dollie? Patty thought he'd taken you."
"I
imagine he would have if we'd been alone. I think that was his
intention. He didn't expect you and Will to be here. I guess
following him was pretty stupid."
"He
could've kilt ya, Dollie."
Shivering,
she put her cup down, her hands shaking uncontrollably. "I
didn't think. Oh, Luke!"
He
took her in his arms, holding her close. She continued to shiver and
shake, harsh sobs wracking her slender frame. He lifted her easily,
carrying her to the couch where he wrapped her in an afghan. When
that wasn't enough to stop the shaking, he held her on his lap,
cuddled up like a child.
Dollie
clung to him, sniffling and crying. Soon, the shivering subsided. She
rested her head on his shoulder. She was still so long, he thought
she might be asleep. Lifting her gently, he carried her to the bed
and set her down. When he stood to go, she held him.
"Don't
leave me!"
"I
won't, darlin'. I'm here. Lemme get my shoes off and I'll lie down
with ya."
He
took off his shoes and socks. When he looked at his pants, he
realized they were both filthy.
"You
need a bath, Dollie. We both are dirty as all get out. I'm gonna take
you to the bathroom and wait right outside."
"What
will I do while you bathe?" Her eyes grew wide with fear.
"Reckon
you can sit on the commode if you think you can handle seeing me...."
Could
he?
He doubted it. Just knowing she would be in the bathroom with him
while he was naked filled him with an almost overwhelming lust.
Dollie didn't bother to comment. She got her clean clothing and
brought him some of his clothing she'd laundered. He didn't even know
she had it.
"Ladies
first."
She
was quick, barely ten minutes. Luke's turn came all too fast. He got
in the shower, drawing the curtain, before he undressed. He dropped
his things out the back. Dollie picked them up and put them in the
hamper. When he got to his boxers, he was embarrassed. Instead, he
wadded them up in the back of the shower and started the water, glad
the pipes were warm.
©
2019 Dellani Oakes
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