Titus: Book Two of the Cantrell Brothers Series

Chapter Ten

Utensils and appliances clinking against cutting boards and plates, she and Titus were busy making a lunch of chili, french bread, and cinnamon rolls that would probably be eaten during dinner. Anna continued stirring the boiling chili, making sure that none of the ground beef got stuck at the bottom.

Titus was chopping peppers right next to her, humming quietly to the country song playing from the radio. Torn jeans adorned his long legs, the bottom of his cutoff t-shirt concealing the defined, muscular waist underneath. Corded with muscle that could only have come from working twelve, hard hours every day, his arms were bared to her; and although it was no different that how he always dressed, the view almost had an effect on her.

Shaking her head to clear the strange, foreign thoughts, Anna slid a pepper onto the cutting board, inhaling the scent of the spicy vegetable. The knife glinted in the noonday sun, her pale hand connected to the sharp instrument. That was when the smell really hit her. Still wafting into her nose from having been cut, the pepper's scent sickened her stomach until she just couldn't take it.

The knife fell to the table with a sharp clang just as Anna began sprinting for the downstairs bathroom. Stomach roiling and feeling as if it might empty before she made it to the blessed destination, she heaved in a few heavy breaths and all but kicked open the bathroom door. She cringed at the sound of it slamming against the white wall but didn't care, for she made it to the toilet just in time.

The liquidy remains of breakfast came up as she hurled it all into the toilet. Her stomach still felt sick, and she knew that it could only mean more was going to come up. It did. The vile taste entered her mouth just as soon as it evacuated, leaving her gasping in rancid breaths that made her feel all the more sick.

Warm, large hands rubbed her shaking back, gently pulling the hair away from her face and running reassuring hands up and down her neck and back until she had enough energy to try and get up. Strong arms pulled her up, and she could only lean on Titus's chest, willing herself not to cry.

Now was not the time to be weak. She was stronger with Titus here.

“Thank you,” she finally mumbled into his shirt, discreetly inhaling his comforting scent – a scent that didn't cause her stomach to go bad. “Thank you so much, Titus. I don't know what I would do without-”

“Well, you got me, Anna. I'll always be here, okay?” He slowly pulled back, blue eyes concerned as ever.

He was always either concerned or happy about something. Nothing could ever break Titus down, for he was both physically and emotionally strong. All through her entire life, she had never seen Titus cry and had never, ever seen him quit or give up on something. He had that tenacity that couldn't be found in most people today, and it was just another reason why she was so glad to know him.

Titus Cantrell was her rock. Without him, she wouldn't be here right now. She'd be back at home, crying into her pillow and debating whether or not she should just quit right away instead of having to face the embarrassment of getting fired. But she wasn't. She was here with him, taking vitamins and taking all of the necessary steps for the baby's health; and it was all because of him.

Him. The man who had made her french toast this morning before working the ranch, had cleaned out Salt and Pepper's litter box, and who was currently rubbing those slow circles along her sore back. It didn't take long before she felt more relaxed, and she owed it all to Titus.

“C'mon." He eventually pulled away, tugging her into the kitchen where the chili was still boiling and the french bread was cooling on the wooden counter. “You gotta eat something.”

Anna shook her head, hating to be so difficult, but her stomach would not have it. “I'm not too hungry right now.”

“Anna,” he began, his tone not scolding but light, “you should-”