Nobody's Dream Read Online Free PDF Page B

days, but alone up here on the mountain, Cassie should have a backup.
    “Lucas Denton! I want you back in bed!” She stood in a doorway across the room, a steaming mug of what he assumed was coffee in her hand. At some point since she’d left the bedroom, she’d donned a poncho to cover herself.
    Cassie wanted him in bed? He grinned. “How’d you know my given name was Lucas?”
    “Just a guess.”
    No doubt she used his formal name hoping to place more distance between them. Still, he didn’t mind hearing her call him that. Not as long as she let him call her whatever he wanted to.
    Cassie came through the doorway from what must be the kitchen. The smell of strong coffee reached him. Damn, he needed that—but not yet.
    “I need to use your phone.” He reached for the doorjamb with both hands when his legs began to wobble.
    “You need to be in bed before you pass out.” She walked toward him and placed the mug on the coffee table. “Who do you want to call?”
    Cassie glanced down at his boxers, and he realized that’s all he wore. She’d probably taken his pants to dry them out. As if realizing where her gaze was focused, she averted her eyes quickly. Knowing she stripped him out of his clothes, well, most of them, told him the woman didn’t mess around when dealing with hypothermia, despite clearly being uncomfortable in the presence of a nearly naked man.
    The chill in the room made him cold again, his abs aching from many prior bouts of shivers that must have assaulted his muscles. This whole cabin was awfully damned cold. No wonder she had to wear a woolen poncho in here. He glanced over to find a fire burning in the fireplace insert, but heard no motor running the fan to put out heat. How did she survive the winter up here? Either the fire wasn’t burning hot enough or the blower was broken. He’d have to check on it. Later.
    His focus returned to Cassie. “Listen, I need to check on my horses and find someone to go to my ranch to take care of them.”
    “They are fine. Adam and Kitty spent the night there after the aval—”
    “Kitty?”
    “Sorry, Karla. I knew her as Kitty in college and the name stuck, although she did not let anyone call her that but me. Anyway, I called her a little while ago to let her know you were conscious and doing better. She said one of Angelina’s brothers—I forget which one, Matteo maybe—moved in at the ranch until you can return home.”
    Luke hadn’t relied on anyone to take care of his commitments since the day he’d lost Maggie. Those horses were his responsibility. Sure, Angel’s brothers, Matt and Rafe, knew a lot about horses, but his animals had special needs.
    “They won’t take too kindly to strangers. I still need to check in on them.” He realized it sounded like he planned to put a call through to the horses. He leaned his shoulder against the doorway and ran his hand through his hair, hating the feelings of helplessness overtaking him again. “Look, I need to talk with someone down there.” His raspy voice sounded barely above a whisper to his ears. He’d never felt so weak.
    Trying to take command of the situation while fighting to remain upright, he held out his free hand palm upward. “I need to use your phone.” She stared him down, silent and unrelenting. “Please. What would you do if it was your alpacas in the hands of a stranger?”
    Her features softened. She sighed and pulled a cell from the pouch in the front of her poncho. “But I insist that you sit down before you fall over.”
    He walked up to the fireplace instead. Maybe being closer to the flames would stop his body’s incessant shaking. As he leaned his shoulder against the mantel, he accepted her phone and then stared blankly at the buttons. He had no clue how to reach any of the Giardano brothers. Glancing back at Cassie, who stood with her arms folded over her chest, he asked, “Do you think Adam’s still at my place?”
    “No. Adam took Kitty home yesterday.