Free Big Sky Eyes by Sawyer Belle Page A

rather not see what approached
since she was powerless to stop it.
    Again, she began shaking. Her entire body racked steadily as
if from the cold, but she was perfectly warm. It was fear shivering through her
blood and before she could stop it, tiny teardrops formed in her eyes, slid
over the bridge of her nose and dropped onto the ground. She closed her eyes,
summoning any amount of courage she still owned to combat this weakness.
    Suddenly, she felt a pair of strong arms lifting her up
until she sat with her back against Brent’s torso. He wrapped his arms tightly
around her and rubbed his hands up and down her biceps. His cheek was pressed
into the side of her head, his lips hovering just above her ear. He whispered
to her that she would be all right, that she was safe with him and other words
she could not discern. She believed him and let his warmth flood through her and
the fear left with each contented breath.
    After a while, his words stopped and there was nothing but
peaceful silence in the air and a wonderful heat surrounding them. Mackenna
savored every detail, the hardness of his chest rising with his breaths behind
her, the gentleness of his embrace, the mingled scents of horse, sweat and gun
powder drifting from him. With a final sigh before fading into sleep, she
closed her eyes and knew that she was falling in love.

 
    Brent held her until Ty returned. The horses had begun to
stamp and whinny, but it was not out of fear or warning. They whickered in
recognition of the familiar sputters and roars of the Thing’s engine. Brent
heard it shortly after they did and the sound was soon followed by bits of
white light pulsing through trees like a strobe. As the jeep rolled onto the
edge of the meadow, its headlights landed right on them and Mackenna stirred
against the brilliance of it.
    Ty was driving and Kelly was standing up in front of the
passenger seat, leaning out of the roofless vehicle and onto the metal braces
that completed its frame. Mackenna’s eyes fluttered open and she turned her
face away from the bright light and buried it into the crook of Brent’s arm.
Only then did she realize that she was still in his arms and she sat upright,
staring shyly up at him. He smiled warmly back down at her.
    “Told you we’d make it,” he said, then patted her shoulder.
“Now, up you go. Time to ride.”
    She had nearly forgotten the situation, lost as she was in
his arms. The second she moved her leg, a burning pain raced outward from her
knee in a starburst. She winced and Brent frowned at her.
    “What’s up?” he asked.
    “Nothing,” she answered too quickly and then panted a bit.
“My…uh…leg must have fallen asleep. You know, the
whole pins and needles thing.” She tried to laugh it off and Brent seemed to
accept her explanation. “I’m going to sit for a minute until the feeling comes
back. You go help Ty with Katie.”
    Brent left her and soon Kelly was at her side. On her face
was a mixture of concern and barely restrained anger. The intensity of it was
so strong that Mackenna flinched when she saw it.
    “What?” Mackenna asked with concern.
    “Sorry to interrupt your evening,” Kelly spat and Mackenna
knew that was not anger. It was pure jealousy. She rolled her eyes, not in the
mood or physical condition to indulge such ridiculousness.
    “Don’t worry,” Mackenna returned icily. “Next time, you can
hang out with a hysterical, injured woman for six hours while being stalked by
a grizzly.”
    Kelly’s eyes widened and all anger vanished. Mackenna nodded
in acknowledgement of the wide-eyed stare.
    “Yeah, so if you don’t mind, I’d like to get out of here,”
she continued. “Help me up, will you. My leg’s gone stiff.”
    Kelly did as asked and walked along Mackenna as she hobbled
toward Sass. Ty and Brent had Katie in the back of the Thing and were propping
her ankle up and securing it so it wouldn’t jostle too much on the ride back.
    “Sorry, kid,” Kelly finally