Winter Harvest by Susan Jaymes Read Free Book Online Page B

myself at you again. I'm not a child."
    "Then quit acting like one."
    "I will." She pursed her lips and managed to step past him, thankful she didn't fall.
    He stared at her. "What are you doing?"
    "I believe it's called the walk of shame, only without the sex. Not my most glorious moment, so let me leave with what dignity I have left." The rustle of movement signaled to her that he'd gotten to his feet.
    "You can't leave in this storm."
    "Oh, yes, I can." She grabbed her jacket from the floor and didn't bother to put it on before she reached for the door, knowing he wouldn't let her walk out. The cold air cleared her fuzzy head the minute she opened the door. Intoxicated or not, she couldn't stay here. Not after this humiliating wakeup call.
    "Victoria, don't. Let me at least make you something to eat, sober you up some."
    "I'm not your father." She turned toward him with the snow sweeping in at her feet. "You don't have to take care of me."
    "Oh, really? Because right now, you're sure acting like him -- minus the abuse, of course."
    "You ass." She spun and stepped out the door into the cold snow. With the stinging flakes hitting her in the face, she couldn't see what was in front of her, let alone tell where one step began and the other ended.
    "You're not going anywhere." He rushed out the door and reached for her.
    Victoria took a chance and stepped down.
    "No," he cried, his fingers just grazing her arm. "Get back in here."
    She'd judged wrong and caught the end of the step. Her knees buckled, and she pitched forward. Her hands found only thin air. The hard wooden steps bruised her body as she tumbled down in a heap. A sharp pain pierced her left temple before her world went black.
     
    *****
     
    Traye wrung out the wash rag and rushed back to Victoria, who was unconscious. A trail of blood trickled down her cheek and dropped onto the white pillow case. The bruise on her face already had a purple tint to it and had started to swell.
    "Damn it, Victoria. Wake up."
    No response.
    Her stillness brought back the memory of the many days, nights, and weeks Traye had helped his father conceal his drinking until he'd pass out like the dead. Many times, he'd struggled between wishing it were so and fearing it was.
    As he washed Victoria's wounds, he wished she'd wake up so he could take her in his arms and never let her go. Her pale skin made the blood appear darker.
    "Come on, sweetheart. Are you trying to prove a point?" He kissed the top of her head. "Okay, fine. You mean more to me than any one night stand could satisfy."
    Her eyes fluttered, and a weak groan escaped her lips.
    "That a girl. Open those pretty eyes and give me your most aggravated death stare."
    "What happened?" Victoria obeyed, and her hand flew to her head. Her body shook, and her teeth chattered. Her big eyes settled on his face. "Ouch. Why am I so wet and cold and sore? Everything hurts, especially my head."
    He opened his mouth to speak, but she put him off.
    "Is that blood?" She spotted the washcloth, and her eyes grew wide.
    "Yeah," he said. "You fell down the steps outside."
    "Oh. I remember. I was trying to get away from you and your nasty insinuations." Victoria tried to push herself up, but fell back down. She closed her eyes tight. "I need to get out of here."
    "You can't. The storm is too bad, and you're hurt. I think you might have a concussion. The wound by your eye should be okay. The bleeding is subsiding. I've done this before many times. Let me take care of you until the storm lets up."
    "Will you stop comparing me to your father? I'm not a drunk."
    "I know you aren't, and I wasn't implying that you are."
    "Oh, no." Her complexion turned a weird shade of green. Again she tried to rise, but couldn't. "I think I'm going to be sick."
    Traye wasted no time in picking her up and running to the bathroom. He planted her in front of the toilet. The instant she knelt down, she gagged and threw up.
    Although she wasn't a pretty sight at the moment,