Once Bitten: Twice Mad

Chapter Thirty-eight

As always, Colt seemed to sense that she was there before she had time to alert him and he leaned against the shovel before swiping his forearm across his face and smearing the sweat and black soot across it.

"I come bearing food." Evangeline stated as she held up the biscuits and coffee. She studied Colt's face, praying that she would not see the anger that she knew she deserved.

Relief flowed through her when his firm lips curved in a slow smile. "Well then let's go eat."

Evangeline followed after him to the room they had spent much of the last few days in together. Colt took a large bite of the biscuit that Evangeline handed him and Evangeline tapped her fingers on her knees as she stared out the window.

"Colt—I'm sorry for the way I acted before."

"I won't apologize for killing that man, Evangeline. Leaving him alive that way would have been the cruel thing to do." Colt stated unapologetically before taking a sip of coffee. "Those monsters would have ripped him apart and if they hadn't, he would have turned and become one of them. I won't leave anyone else to that fate, Evangeline. Not again."

Evangeline nodded, understanding dawning as she gazed out the window. Of course. He had left his daughter as a rabid after she'd been bitten. Colt had been unable to bring himself to shoot her and end her suffering and he blamed himself terribly for that and remained full of guilt. It only made sense that he would be determined to keep anyone else from suffering the same fate that his daughter had. He had more than likely felt as if he was atoning for the past when he had ended that man's life.

"And I was bothered by it, Evangeline." Colt added unexpectedly. "I risked my life to save that damn man and I was too late. I'm always too late."

Evangeline heard the pain in his voice and suddenly she forgot all about her own insecurities. Colt was hurting and all she wanted in the world was to help take away his pain.

Colt let out a disgusted groan and shoved himself to his feet, laying his coffee and biscuit down on the window sill and yanking off his hat. He shoved his hand through his thick dark blond hair and stared hard out the window. "What is it about you that has me feeling so goddamned turned inside out and vulnerable?"

"I make you feel vulnerable?" Evangeline asked with surprise.

"Yeah and I don't like it." Colt grumbled, scratching at his still bare torso and causing Evangeline's eyes to be drawn to the tight muscles of his stomach. "I don't open up, Evangeline. I never have, not to a single other person in my life."

"I don't believe that." Evangeline countered.

"It's the truth." Colt vowed firmly. He tossed his hat in the corner and rubbed at his chin. "I never had family, the men I was friends with weren't the kinds you wanted knowing your inner thoughts and feelings and...." He paused. "...I reckon it became a habit to keep it all locked up. Hell I never even opened up to my wife."

Evangeline felt both surprised and flattered by his admission and her heart soared. He said he wasn't yet ready to talk about love and yet he had just admitted that she made him feel turned inside out and vulnerable, and that he was able to open up to her when he had never done so with anyone else. To Evangeline that sounded very much akin to love.

She got to her feet, laying her biscuit beside his, and pointed back at his chair. "Sit down." She ordered.

Colt looked at her, his brow rising nearly to his hairline as his lips curved with amusement. "What?"

"There was no stutter or mumble in my words, Colt. You know full well exactly what I said. Now do it."

Without a word, Colt sat down in the chair, appearing very amused at being bossed around. Evangeline took a deep breath to still the dancing nerves in her stomach and then very quickly sat herself down in his lap.