Always Mine (Love in Eden 1)

Brooks murmured something I couldn’t hear and then tore open the protein bar and took a few bites. As he ate and drank, his arms went around himself and I felt guilt sift through me. I searched through Grover’s saddle bags and found the survival blanket. I handed it to Brooks and said, "Put this around you. It'll keep you warm until we can get down the mountain."

"Thanks," Brooks mumbled again. I didn't like this side of him at all. This quiet, confusing side. He wasn't exactly nervous or awkward, but he wasn't angry either. He didn’t look like he was ready to start screaming more accusations at me and he didn’t seem like he would take off running if I even looked at him wrong. He just seemed… broken.

I didn't like Brooks looking broken.

I told myself it was none of my business, but just as I went to get on Grover, my conscience caught up with me. I groaned inwardly and then turned around. "How are you feeling?"

Brooks nodded a little, but it wasn't really an answer. "Um, okay, I guess. More embarrassed than anything else, I suppose. Is Uncle Curtis okay?"

"He’s worried about you," I said. "We need to hurry and get back so he doesn't come up here looking for you himself."

Brooks nodded and handed me the water bottle so I could put it in my bag. He pocketed the jerky and finished the protein bar.

"I don't suppose you ever learned how to ride?" I almost added “Silver Spoon,” but I caught myself just in time. For whatever reason I definitely didn't want to think too much about, I knew it would push Brooks over whatever edge he was standing on. Maybe if I’d been sure his reaction would’ve had something to do with anger or rage, I would've done it. Because sparring with Brooks had a weird, almost fun element to it, but only when he was on equal footing with me.

Watching Brooks silently struggle with himself bothered me a lot more than I wanted to admit.

Brooks shook his head. "I can walk," he said.

I sighed, then motioned to Grover. “Come on, get on.”

I swung myself up into the saddle, then kicked my foot out of the stirrup so Brooks would be able to use it to get up behind me. I knew Grover would be able to handle both our weights. The quarter horse was bred for endurance and strength. The animal had had a long night, but I knew he’d keep going as long as I asked him to. Even with both of us on his back, he’d still get us down the mountain faster than we’d get on foot.

"No, that's okay, I'll walk." Brooks shook his head adamantly. "I really do feel better."

He looked like death warmed over. He was pale and was weaving back and forth on his feet. His body had been warm when we’d been lying together, but I had no doubt he probably still felt chilled, not to mention physically exhausted. The sun was out, but the air was brisk and the last thing either of us needed was to get wet again. I was glad he’d managed to knot the survival blanket around his neck.

"Get on the horse, Brooks," I said. I kept my voice firm in the hopes that he’d get my message. As much as I liked fighting with Brooks, this wasn't the kind of fight I wanted. Not now. Not when he was in no condition to fight back.

"Xavier," he said quietly, his eyes down. The uncertainty in his voice was killing me.

I told myself to just leave him there, to make him walk, to let him follow the horse. I wanted to yell at him that if he wasn't smart enough to realize that the horse would get us out of danger more quickly, than he wasn't smart enough to be in Wyoming at all. But that wasn't true. I already knew Brooks was one of the smartest men I’d ever met. And maybe he didn't have Wyoming's version of street smarts, but few people did. What had happened to him could've happened to anyone.

I leaned down and extended my hand. "Give me your hand, Brooks," I said, still firmly, but I kept the impatience from my voice and told him the truth. "You don't need to be embarrassed. It's just the two of us."

Brooks took a few steps forward and looked at the horse. "We won't be too heavy for him?"

"No, Grover’s one of the best horses on the ranch. He can handle us both and he'll get us down the mountain fast. There's another storm coming. I want to get you home before your Uncle Curtis gets it in his mind to get on a horse and come up here looking for you himself."