For the Love of Anna (The Town of Pearl 1)

God, he was handsome in his own unique way.

He reached out to her, and she flinched before hiding her face against Charlie’s chest.

She heard him swear under his breath, then place a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“I would never strike a woman, and I sure as hell would never strike you.” His voice was firm and deep. He was so close to her she felt the warmth against her hair.

As Anna peeked up at him, turning her head across her shoulder, her lips hit his hand, and her insides quivered. It was like an electric shock against her skin.

He brushed a thumb across her cheek and stepped closer to her.

Holding her gaze, he asked her again.

“You’re afraid who is going to come here looking for you?”

She found herself answering his question.

“The men…the men who hurt me.”

His thumb paused a moment at her lips, and she wished they hadn’t. It felt so good to feel his touch. She noticed his jaw tighten, and nervously, she licked her lips. Both men seemed to shift.

“Why would they come here? What more do they want?” he asked as he held her chin in place.

She hesitated a moment and took an uneasy breath. The dark look in his eyes told her he always got the bad guy to confess. She was no match for his interrogation.

“Me,” she whispered, and her voice cracked.

A tear rolled down her cheek.

“Aww, honey,” Wyatt whispered. He brushed the tear away with his thumb then held her cheek in his hand. She leaned toward his warm touch, closing her eyes, letting the tears flow.

“We won’t let them hurt you, Anna. I swear, my brothers, cousins, and I won’t ever let them near you again.”

Charlie pulled Anna into an embrace, and Wyatt placed a kiss on the top of her head.

She felt safe in their arms, and she felt an attraction to both of them. She was definitely one screwed up individual.

* * * *

Anna looked out across the small river to the fields of wildflowers in full bloom. It was peaceful there and private. Anna and Stacy sat side by side in chairs along the river’s edge, neither of them speaking a word. They just enjoyed one another’s company and nature.

Time seemed to slow down, and Anna felt at peace for the time being. It gave her strength and a bit of hope. She watched the birds land, find some worms, then take off again. She tried to see exactly where their nests were, and she wondered if there were babies there.

Taking a deep breath of fresh air, she allowed herself to feel safe and free.

“It’s so quiet, Stacy. I never thought it would be possible to hear grass grow.”

Stacy chuckled.

“You get used to it, Anna. Life here is so different from the hustle and bustle of the city. There’s no need to rush, no need to ignore the simple things in life. I love it here. It calms me and makes me feel like I have my own piece of heaven.”

Anna smiled. “A piece of heaven… I like the sound of that.”

“Well, take your pick, honey. There are acres and acres of Cantrell land around these parts.”

Anna smiled, thinking if it could only be that easy.

As she looked around her, absorbing the scenery, she thought about her life, the pain and the time she wasted. All she knew was that, at this moment, she could breathe without feeling pain or anxiety in her chest.