Smoked

Siren wasn’t on my bed, but I saw the door of the bedroom where she’d slept the night before we went to Asheville was closed. I couldn’t help but see it as a bad sign.
Siren slept through the night; I knew because I’d checked in on her several times, and when I did, she was softly snoring.
I was more disappointed that she didn’t want to sleep in my bed than I was about us not having sex, given the doctor’s permission we could. A couple of times, I considered lying down beside her, but if she’d wanted to sleep with me, she would’ve gone into my bedroom instead of the one she was in.
I left my door open throughout the night and slept only off and on, in case she got up and needed anything. When the sun rose, I got up to check on her again.
“Good morning,” I said when I eased the door open and found her sitting up in bed. “How did you sleep?”
“Like the dead,” she murmured, her voice hoarse. “I’m sorry.”
“What for?”
“I only intended to rest a short while.”
“Your body needed more.”
She held her hand out, and I sat beside her.
“I feel muddled,” she said.
“Understandable.” I looked out the window and saw Zeke talking to Jack and one of the other hands. None of them looked happy.
“Do you need to join them?” Siren asked, following my line of sight.
“Not yet.”
She pushed against my stomach with her hand. “Go. Find out what’s wrong.”
The expression on Zeke’s face was worrisome enough that I knew she was right. Something was seriously wrong. “I’ll be right back.”
“Hey, boss,” said Jack when I came out the front door.
“Gentlemen, I sense there’s something you need to tell me.”
Zeke held up his phone without saying a word. What I saw, enraged me. “They just left them for dead?”
He nodded. “Forty down so far. I’ve got the crew out doing head counts.”
Forty head of cattle, slaughtered. Rustling, I understood, even though I hated it. This was something else entirely. This was evil and despicable.

14
Siren
With every step Smoke took to where the three men stood talking, I could see his body grow increasingly tense. When one man handed him a mobile, even from a distance, I could see how upset he was. Whatever had happened was something horrible.
When he came inside a few minutes later, I was waiting for him.
“I’m sorry, Siren.”
“What for?”
“Things have escalated with the rustlers. We’ve lost several more head of cattle.”
“There’s no reason to apologize to me.”
“Until I can get a new security system installed, the guys and I are going to be out, patrolling twenty-four seven.”
“Do what you need to do, Smoke. You have to protect your ranch.”
“I may have to have one of the ranch hands take you into Asheville on Monday.”
“Let Maureen and I sort that out.”
He leaned down and kissed my cheek.
“Let me know what I can do.”
He wrapped his arm around my waist and nuzzled my neck. “Know that every minute I’m out there, I’d rather be in here with you.”
I felt my cheeks flush but loved his open display of affection. As with everything else, I couldn’t remember whether he and I had been in the past. Or even if I was that kind of person. Probably not, given when he’d kissed me so passionately at the winery, I was as flushed as I was now.
When Smoke went back outside, I went into the kitchen. Ms. Wynona was sitting at the table with her head in her hands.
“Are you all right?” I asked.
She looked up, brushed away her tears, and stood. “Yes. Of course. What would you like for breakfast this morning? More oatmeal?”
I walked closer and took her hands in mine. “I want you to sit back down and tell me what’s wrong.”
“Pay no mind to me, Ms. Gallagher.”
“Please call me Siren, err, Siobhan, or whatever you want to call me other than Ms. Gallagher. And I’ll warn you, I’ll not eat even a speck of food until you tell me why you were crying.”
“Did Mr. Smoke tell you what happened with the cattle?”
“Only that things escalated.”
“They were slaughtered and left lying on the ground.”
I gasped and put my hand in front of my mouth. “How cruel.”
She shook her head, pulled a tissue from her sleeve, and wiped her eyes. “Poor, innocent animals.”
“Who would do such a thing?”
“Evil people who care only about money.”
“But why would they just leave them for dead, then? It doesn’t make sense.”
Ms. Wynona stood and tossed her tissue in the trash. “I’ve said too much as it is. He’ll be upset with me if I don’t make sure you’re fed.”
“I sense Smoke would never get upset with you about anything, and I can make my own breakfast.”
She cupped my cheek with her palm. “Child, sit yourself down and let me do what Mr. Smoke pays me to do.”
I didn’t see Smoke for the rest of the day, even from a distance. When it grew dark, I went into his bedroom instead of the one I’d been staying in and saw packages sitting on the bed.
“I forgot all about those.” I jumped when I heard Smoke’s voice from the doorway.
“What are they?”
“For you.”
“All of this?”
He nodded, walked over, and stretched out on the bed.
“You need rest. I can do this later.”
Smoke fluffed two pillows, put them behind his head, and twirled his finger for me to get on with it. “Start with the purple bag.”
I picked it up, set it on the end of the bed, and pulled out several lace brassieres, all in various shades of blue.
“Can you tell what my favorite color is?”
“Pink?” I asked, holding up one of the sheer bras. “I don’t think this will cover much.”
“That’s the idea.” Smoke sat up. “Let me see it on you.”
“What, now?”
He nodded.
I chose a set and was off to the lavatory.
“Where are you going?”
“To change.”
Smoke shook his head. “I want to watch.”
“Close your eyes.”
Smoke laughed. “Then, I can’t watch.”
“Just for a minute.”
When