Just a Kiss in the Moonlight: Georgia Moon Romance Book 2 (15 page)

He helped Taylin stand up, and she felt the first drop of rain hit her cheek. Putting on his cowboy hat, Luke quickly grabbed the emergency blankets and wadded them up. “Can you store these in your backpack while I get the rain ponchos?”

“Sure.” She stuffed them in the backpack, wishing she’d remembered to bring her denim jacket.

Luke handed her a yellow colored poncho made of thin plastic. “Put this on. We’re about to get wet.”

She slipped it on, not caring how unflattering it looked with the hood covering her head. With Luke’s help, she mounted Starlight. Thunder rumbled overhead, and seconds later, the sporadic drops of rain turned into a downpour.

Keeping her head down, Taylin followed behind Luke and Princess. The poncho kept her relatively dry, but it did nothing to combat the cold seeping into every bone in her body. It was a good thing the horses knew the trail, because it soon became unrecognizable from the mud and puddles of water.

A loud rumble of thunder sounded overhead, followed by a flash of lightning. Starlight jumped, and Taylin gripped the horn on the saddle to keep from falling off. Her frozen fingers hurt as she righted herself.

She glanced up and saw Luke coming toward her. “You okay?” he asked, pulling up alongside her.

No. She was terrified of the lightning and freezing. “Yes,” she said, unable to hide her chattering teeth. “Let’s keep going.”

The brim of his cowboy hat shadowed his face, but she could still read the concern in his gray eyes. He nodded his head and took the lead again. The wind whipped at Taylin’s thin plastic covering, and she prayed it wouldn’t rip. The journey back seemed to take forever. Hopefully the storm would move on as quickly as it had hit. In order to keep going, Taylin imagined submerging herself into the large Jacuzzi tub in her suite. She might even sleep in there.

They couldn’t have traveled for more than ten minutes when the rain turned to hail. The pea-sized chunks of ice stung when they hit the exposed flesh of her hands. Starlight didn’t like being struck anymore than Taylin did. The horse tried to increase its pace, but the muddy ground impeded its attempts.

Suddenly, a low rumbling noise shook the air, and Taylin waited for the flash of lightning to follow. But the lightning never came, and the rumbling steadily grew until it sounded like a roaring freight train.

Something large hit her shoulder, and she jerked her head up to see what it was just as Starlight reared back on her hind legs, throwing Taylin from the saddle. She hit the ground hard, scrambling out of the way of the horse’s frantic hoofs. She called out to Luke and watched in horror as a large pine tree uprooted in front of his horse.

Taylin cried out again when Princess’s legs buckled and the horse rolled over on top of Luke. The horse flailed on the ground and then clambered to its feet before galloping away. Taylin crawled on her hands and knees over to where Luke lay on the ground not moving.

“Luke!” she screamed, grabbing onto his arm. He didn’t respond, and Taylin crawled around to get in front of him. She was vaguely aware of the chaos around them. Another tree ripped from the ground, and a large branch landed a few inches from Luke’s head.

“Luke, we have to get out of here.” She shook his shoulders. “Come on, Luke. Wake up.”

Although his cowboy hat was gone, the hood of the poncho still covered his head. With trembling fingers, Taylin pushed back the plastic material and gasped. Luke’s ashen face had rivulets of blood running down the side.

Inside, Taylin was frantically screaming, but her subconscious remained calm as her medical knowledge kicked in. Moving her fingers along his whisker-covered jaw and down his neck, she felt for a pulse.

She thanked God when she felt the evidence of his beating heart against her fingertips.

T
here was
a good reason why Luke didn’t drink. The morning after the party was never worth it. His head ached like someone had taken a two by four and whacked him a few times. He tried to move, but the pain shooting through his entire body made him stop.

“Luke! Oh thank goodness you’re awake.”

He forced his eyelids open, and the moment his gaze landed on Taylin, everything came back in a rush. At least the blow to his head hadn’t affected his memory. That had been one wicked storm. Luke was fairly certain they’d just experienced a tornado.

“How long have I been out?” Feeling the hard, wet ground beneath him, Luke wanted to sit up, but the old injury to his shoulder radiated pain down his arm and made him stay put. His ribs were tender too and he wondered if he’d broken a couple of them.

“Too long for my liking.” Taylin bit at her bottom lip. “I’m not sure what knocked you out. It could’ve been when you hit the ground or when the horse rolled over you. Probably both.”

That part he didn’t remember. It was no wonder his entire body ached. He hoped both of the horses were okay. He glanced up at the sky and, for the first time, noticed the emergency blanket sheltering them from the rain. Ingeniously, Taylin had used the broken tree limbs scattered around them to hold up the blanket. The other blanket was draped over his torso.

“Nice shelter.” He tried to smile but knew it came off more as a grimace. He was becoming increasingly aware of other possible injuries as a throbbing pain pulsated in his left leg. “I can’t believe you were able to move me all by yourself.”

“I didn’t move you.” Her teeth chattered, and he could see her visibly shaking. “I tried, but you’re a big guy. How much do you weigh anyway?”

“Probably twice your weight.” He couldn’t help smiling. “Sorry, I hope you didn’t hurt yourself trying.”

She shook her head. “No, but we both must have guardian angels lookin’ out for us because not one tree branch landed on us, only around us.”

“Wow, the way my head feels I was sure a tree had to have hit me.”

“You had me worried.” Taylin reached out to touch the side of his head. Her fingers were like ice. “The bleeding was pretty bad when I first found you, but it’s only a small gash.”

“You’re freezing,” Luke said as he reached up and took her hand. He wished he could do something to help her, like warm her up. Unfortunately, the poncho was cold and wet.

“I-I-I-I’m okay,” she said, her teeth rattling so violently she could hardly talk.

Luke let go of her hand and grabbed the tinfoil-like cover from his chest. “Take the blanket.”

She shook her head. “I’m not the one in shock.”

He lifted a questioning brow. “Taylin, you may not be injured, but we just survived a tornado. I guarantee you’re in shock too.”

“Please,” he said when she still hesitated.

Her hands shook as she accepted the blanket. “Okay, but if you start shivering, I’m giving it back.”

“Okay,” he said, feeling his own muscles start to tremble. He knew the reaction wasn’t just from the cold, but more from the traumatic event they’d just experienced.

Taylin wrapped the thin covering around her shoulders. “I will never take a warm, fuzzy blanket for granted again.”

Luke smiled. “Give it a few minutes, and it should at least take the edge off.”

The inside of the makeshift shelter grew lighter, as if someone had just turned up the dimmer switch on a light bulb.

“Hey, I think the sun just came out.”

Taylin tipped her head back. “I think you’re right. And it sounds like the rain has stopped.”

She rose up on her knees and reached for the corner of the blanket closest to Luke’s head. She jiggled it loose, and Luke sucked in a quick breath when a few drops of water hit his face.

“Sorry about that,” Taylin said. She got up on her knees and pushed the blanket back to avoid dripping any more rain water on Luke.

She quickly removed the rest of the covering and the two of them stared at the destruction surrounding them.

“Oh wow.” Taylin’s voice was barely a whisper. “I… how did we not die?”

Luke fought through the pain in his leg and sat upright. “I honestly don’t know.”

He clutched his tender shoulder with his other hand and scanned the demolished area. Branches, leaves and even whole trees that had been completely uprooted surrounded them. The entire forest was eerily quiet.

“How are we ever going to get out of here?” Taylin asked.

Luke had no idea. Navigating the wreckage would be difficult by itself. His injuries would make it impossible for him to get out on his own.

“I’m not sure,” he said, sensing Taylin’s rising panic. He was battling his own feelings of claustrophobia. “But I’m sure Harmony Springs will send someone out to look for us.”

“I don’t even see the trail.” Taylin stood up and searched all around. “There’s nothing but trees and branches. It will take them weeks to clear a path.”

“Hey,” he said, hoping to keep her calm. “My brother was part of the search and rescue team for my hometown. Those guys are trained for everything and will have helicopters at their disposal.” Truthfully, it was going to take several bulldozers to clear the debris.

Taylin turned and met his gaze. “Maybe I should try to hike back to the spa to get help.”

“Not a good idea,” Luke said. “We need to stay in one place and let them find us.”

At first, she looked like she might bolt on him. If she did, Luke wouldn’t be able to run after her. Something was seriously wrong with his left leg. At last, she closed her eyes for a few seconds and took several slow, deep breaths. When she opened her eyes again, Luke noted a look of determination had replaced her earlier panic.

“Okay. I’m done freaking out.” She tucked a strand of her tangled hair behind her ear and knelt back down in front of him. “First we need to figure out what injuries you have.” She pointed to his right side. “How’s your arm?”

Luke tested out his shoulder. It was sore, but didn’t seem to have been seriously damaged.

“Well?” Taylin asked.

“I’m good.” He touched his lower ribcage and winced. “My ribs are tender, though.”

She pursed her lips together. “Bruised or broken?”

“Probably bruised,” Luke said, trying to think positively.

“Okay, what about your head?”

“It hurts, but I’ll live.”

“I’m sorry.” A look of distress crossed her features. “I wish we had at least one of the first aid kits in the saddlebags so I could give you some Tylenol.”

“Oh man,” Luke said as the realization hit him they were left without any of the emergency supplies the horses had carried. “My phone was in there.”

“Mine was in my back pocket.” She reached over and grabbed her backpack, pulling out her phone. “The screen shattered when I hit the ground.”

Luke narrowed his eyes. “You were thrown from your horse and you weren’t hurt?” He kind of felt like a wimp for being knocked out.

“Yes, but the horse didn’t roll over on top of me, either.”

She had a point. Still, Luke was a Montana boy and should be tougher. Hoping his leg was okay, he attempted to get to his feet. A stab of hot pain shot through his limb and stopped him. He ground his teeth together, biting back a curse word as he clutched his left leg.

“What is it?” she asked, placing her hand on top of his. “Do you think your leg is broken?”

As some of the pain receded, Luke pinpointed the origin. “It feels like my knee.” His jeans had ripped at the knee, and Luke pulled the fabric apart to get a better look at the injury.

“Oh, Luke,” Taylin said, as they both stared at the obvious dislocated kneecap. “That has to hurt.”

It did. Now that he could see the injury, it was like his pain receptors were on high alert. He ground his teeth together to keep from groaning out loud. He knew from experience the kneecap needed to be pushed back into place before the swelling became too great to even splint his leg straight. His bull riding days hadn’t always affected his shoulder. He’d also sustained several knee injuries before, including a dislocated kneecap. So he knew what needed to be done.

“I need to try and reduce the kneecap back into place.”

Her eyes widened. “Without pain medication?”

It wasn’t his first choice and made him think about the many women who refused his services at the hospital during childbirth. “Trust me, I’d take the epidural if it were available,” he said, truly wishing he had that option. “But it looks like I’m going natural.”

Taylin shook her head. “I’d laugh it if weren’t the truth.”

He shifted slightly, and a sharp pain made his breath catch. He closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing. He had a completely new respect for women who labored without meds. After a few seconds, he met Taylin’s worried gaze. “I’ll need your help.”

She licked her lips and nodded her head. “Okay, but you’ll have to tell me what to do.”

Luke explained what her role would be, and Taylin moved to his foot, ready to pull on his ankle when he was ready. He took several slow, deep breaths in through his nose and out through his mouth.

“Pull slowly when I say go.” His hands shook as they neared his knee. “Now,” he said through clenched teeth as he laterally shifted the kneecap back into place while Taylin simultaneously tugged his ankle to straighten his leg. His breath quickened as he stifled a guttural moan and felt the kneecap pop back into place.

“Okay,” he said, panting. “Just hold my leg straight for a second.” He worked hard to slow his breathing down. While the stabbing pain had dissipated quite a bit, his knee felt heavy and thick.

“Sorry,” Taylin said softly.

He offered her a weak smile. “You did great.” He swallowed and ran the back of his hand across his sweat-dampened forehead. “We need to try and immobilize my leg.” He looked around them. “We have plenty of sticks to choose from, we’ll just need to come up with something to wrap around them.”

“Can I let go?”

He nodded. “Yeah, thank you.”

She sat back and lifted up the edge of the rain poncho to expose her white button-up shirt. The fabric was splattered with mud. “I could probably rip a few strips off of the bottom of my shirt, but I don’t think that’ll be enough.”

“Actually, I have a T-shirt on underneath my shirt.” Without moving his leg, Luke removed his rain poncho. “We can use that.”

Taylin watched him peel off his Henley. “You’ve just been dying to show off your tan again, haven’t you?” she teased, holding out her hand for his shirt.

“Don’t make me laugh,” he said, feeling a pinch in his side as he took off the undershirt. “My ribs might be broken after all.”

“Ouch, I think you’re right,” she said, staring at his bare chest.

Luke glanced down and saw the discolored mark on his right side. Whether or not he’d broken anything, he was going to have a nasty bruise.

Taylin came around next to him and lightly ran her fingertips over the area. Her fingers no longer felt like ice, leaving a trail of heat everywhere she touched. “I can’t feel any obvious breaks.” She glanced up and met his gaze. “If you feel short of breath, you need to tell me right away.”

Yeah, he was short of breath, but not due to a possible punctured lung. Attraction was a powerful antidote to pain. “Okay.”

She sat back, and he immediately missed her touch. “I think I’ve got some scissors in my backpack we can use to cut up the shirt.” She handed him back his Henley.

“You carry scissors in your backpack?” Luke asked as he gingerly pulled his shirt back on.

Smiling, she picked up the bag. “I like to be prepared.” She pulled out a small zebra striped zippered pouch that was slightly bulging. “I like changing purses, but hate transferring everything whenever I do.” She unzipped the pouch. “This makes it easier.”

She dumped the entire contents out on top of Luke’s rain poncho. He was surprised by the variety of things she had concealed. He’d expected to see an arsenal of makeup, but she only had a few basic things. She put those back inside the pouch, along with her emergency feminine products. He spotted the small foldable scissors among dental floss, safety pins, tweezers, nail clippers, and a hand mirror that might come in handy. Taylin picked up a small tube of medication he’d purchased many times for his ex-wife to help with menstrual cramps.

“Hey, I forgot about this.” She opened the cap and dumped out two of the tablets. “This can’t hurt, right?”

“Right.” He gratefully accepted the medication, along with a small bottle of water Taylin had removed from the backpack. He only drank enough water to get the pills down. Since the horses had taken off with the saddlebags, their water supply was limited to the two water bottles Taylin carried in her bag. “Thank you,” he said, handing her back the bottle.

“Do you think you can cut up the shirt while I hunt for some sticks?”

“Yeah.” He took the scissors and the white tee from her.

By the time Taylin found some branches that would work well as a splint, Luke had cut up the T-shirt into strips about two inches wide. Before splinting the leg, Taylin wrapped one of the strips around his knee to help stabilize it. Then she proceeded to apply the makeshift splint to his leg.

Luke noticed the dark clouds moving in. Severe weather would delay rescue efforts, and he knew it would be a miserable night. When the sun disappeared behind a dark cloud, Taylin looked at him with worried eyes.

“I think another storm is comin’,” she said softly.

“I know.” He involuntarily shivered when a gust of wind rushed over them.

Taylin snatched the emergency blanket before the draft of air carried it away. She handed him the blanket and quickly gathered up the items on the rain poncho, stuffing them back into the zippered pouch.

“Here,” she said, handing him the poncho. “You’d better put this back on.”

“Thanks.” The thin plastic was cold and wet, and he silently cursed himself for storing his denim jacket in the saddlebag.

Another gust of wind rippled across them. The air was heavy with humidity, and he knew they didn’t have long to find some kind of shelter before the rain came again. Knowing his knee would hinder his ability to travel, Luke scanned the immediate area for a possible place to take cover.