Chasing the Wild (Crimson Ridge, #1)

by Elliott Rose

That’s enough for me to toss the bag aside and with my free hand, I take one of hers and then the other. Massaging the tense muscles, I help her fingers to straighten out. As I do so, I feel her stiff frame ease slightly beneath my palm. Guiding her by the shoulder, I press a little, encouraging her to shift her body more upright. “Count to four while you breathe in.” Her eyes won’t meet mine, and I’m not surprised. It was the same for me. Afterward was always somehow worse. Confident that she’s somewhat out the other side of it, I get up and head over to grab a glass of water from the kitchen. While there, I swipe a bag of gummy worms from the back of the pantry. Returning to the lounge, I crouch down on my haunches, holding out the water. “Can you take a sip of that for me?” Nodding, she clutches it in two hands, bringing it to her mouth, grip more than a little unsteady. “Good. Now eat these …” Removing the water, I offer an exchange and hand over two worms, setting the glass down on the coffee table beside her. “And don’t think about moving.”