Evans Creek Book 2: In Good Hands

Chapter 30

Rowdy stoked the fire in the living room and stretched out on the couch to catch a few more chapters of his Jack Rollins book. The hero was in the middle of a fire-fight when he heard Brody woke up.

"Hey little man." He chuckled, setting his book aside. Upstairs, he laid Brody on the changing table and didn't even flinch at the messy diaper.

"Let's get you cleaned up so you can go see Mama."

"Mama." Brody laughed, grabbing at his toes.

Rowdy made short work of cleaning the boy off with the baby wipes while Brody chattered his happy baby babble. Diapered and dressed in cute little footie pajamas, Brody continued his babble all the way downstairs. Rowdy set him on the couch and turned to Winchester.

"Make him stay on the couch, boy." Rowdy pointed at Brody as he turned to stoke the fire and make sure the fire-screen was in place before he let Brody down.

When he finished, he turned and saw that Brody and Winchester made a game of it. Brody tried to get down and Win pushed him back on the couch with his nose. Brody laughed, crawled over a bit and tried again.

"You two are just to darned cute." Rowdy shook his head. "Okay Win. Let him down."

Brody slid down and the two of them played tag around the living room. Once Brody got too close to the hardwood and his little footie feet slipped. He landed on his bottom with a plop. He puckered up. Rowdy stood, ready to grab the baby but instead of crying, Brody laughed.

Win gave a soft little woof as he plopped his tug of war toy in front of Brody. Rowdy watched as Win patiently taught Brody how to play tug of war.

"Too darned cute." Rowdy shook his head and went off to make a cup of coffee.

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Suzie lay awake, listening to the happy sounds of Brody and the dog playing in the living room. She could hear Rowdy moving around in the kitchen, and whatever he was fixing smelled delicious. She turned on the lamp and reached for her book. Five minutes later she tossed it aside and groaned in frustration.

Four nights at the hospital. Three more days at home—and still it hurt like heck to laugh, move, or even breath on some days.

Panties felt like barbed wire pressing on her bruise. Her bra, even the sports bra, squeezed her bruised ribs like a python and made breathing a burning torture.

On the first day at home, Ebony offered a pair of boxers and a button-up dress shirt. Much to Ebony's consternation, Suzie refused until Ebony pointed out the alternative: to allow Rowdy to see her bare ass when he helped her to the restroom after Ebony had gone. With the assist of a few well-placed safety-pins, the boxers sat comfortably at her waist, above the bruising.

If Rowdy noticed that Suzie had pilfered his clothing when he first helped her, he made no sign of it. Suzie watched his ears color, but he rather valiantly pretended to be completely unaffected.

Unfortunately, that particular humiliation was just the beginning. Without help, Suz couldn't get dressed, bathe, or even brush her hair. At least she managed to brush her teeth—after someone helped her to the sink and loaded the brush with paste for her.

Speaking of...

"Rowdy?" She called, feeling a bit like a child.

Each day Suzie made the effort to do more than she had done the day before. But she couldn't even stand up straight. Well, she could, but she couldn't breathe when she did. It hurt so bad she wanted to cry, and that scared everyone, including herself.