Free Northern Exposure: Compass Brothers, Book 1 by Mari Carr and Jayne Rylon Page B

repeatedly in Colby’s tight heat, penetrating the ass he suspected had never welcomed a stiff cock, he tuned out the rest of the frustrated man’s rant until Colby grabbed his hair as though he might attempt to tug it out. Silas blinked, dissolving the lurid movie playing in his imagination. Torn between admitting his depravity and letting his friend assume he’d ignored him on purpose, Silas hesitated too long.
    Colby started to say something but closed his mouth, opened it again then spun on the heel of his boot. He reappeared in the doorway long enough to toss a cordless phone onto the bed. “Lucy’s one, I’m two and JD is three on speed dial. Your mom will be back from her lunch with Lydia Redmond in an hour or so. Sometimes they like to shop afterward, though I doubt she will today.”
    Colby clomped down the stairs and onto the front porch. The screen door slammed behind him. Good thing Vicky hadn’t heard it. She’d have ripped him a new one, foreman or not.
    Silas tried to doze, but the sweet oblivion of sleep eluded him. Hell, he’d spent most of the past month unconscious. His body healed exponentially now, fueling his impatience to be up and about again. Especially with the lure of Compass Ranch right outside these prison walls.
    He idled another quarter hour testing the strength in his leg.
    He’d managed to convince himself he might be able to stand without the crutches propped near the door, ten feet from his resting place, until he twisted something funny and delivered a bolt of agony up his spine. The resulting jerk of his torso tweaked his ribs. Sweating, cursing and grumbling, he resettled himself on the pillows. He couldn’t achieve the level of comfort Lucy had provided when she’d tended him.
    In an act of desperation, he stared at his laptop, willing the hunk of plastic and metal to levitate to the bed from the desk as though he’d mastered the Jedi mind trick.
    No such luck.
    The yellowed paper of Lucy’s letters scared the shit out of him and tempted him at the same time. Sort of like the woman who’d authored them. He trailed the tip of one finger over their edges, noting the dulled corners on most from his frequent handling.
    If he were honest, he’d admit he’d never opened them because he would have run straight home if she’d given him the slightest bit of hope. How stupid had he been all those years? What had really frightened him?
    Would he continue on as he had, or find the courage to do better? Suddenly, it seemed as though the only person with a problem accepting the truth was him.
    “Son of a bitch.” Silas worked the knot until the faded satin unraveled. He plucked the first letter from the stack and slid his finger beneath the flap on the back. With one motion, he shredded the seal along the top then withdrew the lined paper from within.
    Lucy’s elegant script flowed over page after page.
     
    Dear Silas,
    I can’t say how many times I’ve written that salutation yet never before have I meant it so sincerely. Today is the first day Compass Ranch is without you and the absence is horrifyingly apparent. Colby and Seth took your place, covering your chores and their own. Colby even made your run to town with the extra chicken eggs for the farmer’s market since it’s Tuesday.
    I thought Sam and Sawyer might want a cut of the responsibility, but the twins don’t seem to share the same love for this life as we do. For Colby, it’s a golden opportunity. I can see how it might be more of a burden on your brothers. At least now. They’re young and eager for freedom. Same as you, I suppose. As for Colby, well, something’s different in him already. Without you here to lean on, he’s growing minute by minute and you’d find his newfound confidence as attractive as I do.
    Oh, Silas. How can I ignore it any longer? I suppose I‘m writing to tell you how sorry I am to have stolen him from you. Please, come home. If you return, I’ll leave him to you fair and square.