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  “It’s me,” I answered when he picked up.

  “Oh. My. Gawd,” he replied dramatically. “There you are! I’ve been calling you all night!”

  “Sorry,” I started, but before I could offer more, Dax was on a roll.

  “I was about to drive to the forest and look for you myself! Which meant I’d have to rent a Rascal to roll my fat ass up those hills, so you’re lucky you finally called me or you’d owe me a rental fee. Now, tell me what was so damn important that you forgot to call. You better hope you either have broken limbs or are shacking up with a hot park ranger.”

  Phoenix’s eyes were large, telling me he’d heard everything my loud, snarky friend just said. “Um...it’s kind of both,” I whispered into the mouthpiece. Whispering didn’t do me any good; Phoenix scrubbed a hand over his mouth, unsuccessfully hiding a smile.

  “Bullshit,” Dax spat. “I’d know if you broke a bone because I’d better be your emergency contact. And my sweet, virginal Roar wouldn’t shack up with anyone.” I desperately punched at the volume button, trying to lower Dax’s voice so Phoenix wouldn’t hear it, but his eyes were wide again. Thanks a lot, Dax. “So, stop trying to make this dramatic and interesting and just tell me you forgot to call.”

  “I didn’t forget to call,” I argued. “I had an accident. I fell off of a small cliff and banged myself up. A few...park rangers?” I looked to Phoenix for confirmation, and he bounced his head back and forth again. Close enough. “Rangers found me and one brought me to his cabin to look after me.”

  “Are you serious?” Dax asked with concern in his voice. “Is that where you’re calling from? I didn’t recognize the number.”

  “Yeah, his name is Phoenix and he’s been taking care of me all night.”

  “Holy shit,” my friend breathed. “I’m sorry I snapped at you. Jesus, Roar; are you okay? What do you mean you banged yourself up?”

  “I’ve just got a few bruised ribs and a concussion.”

  “Just? Just?” He sounded like he may explode. “You don’t just have a concussion, Roar. That’s serious. You’re gonna be laid up for a few days. Do you need me to come get you? I have to work tonight, but you can stay here with Justin. I’m sure he’ll look after you.” My lip curled at the thought. Phoenix surprised me by holding his free hand out for the phone. Though I was confused, I handed it over.

  “Hello, Dax. This is Phoenix. I’ve been looking after Rory and I’d feel better if he stays with me so that I can keep an eye on his progress. My friend lives next door and is a doctor-” he did that head bobble thing again, “So he’ll be looked after. I don’t think he should be moved right now and he needs his rest. I’m happy to help him with anything he needs.” A slow smile crossed Phoenix’s lips at whatever Dax was saying. “No, I’m not an axe murderer.” I rolled my eyes, but stopped when colors burst behind them. “No, I’m not a sexual predator either.” Phoenix barked a laugh. “No, not even if he asks nicely.” I hid my red face behind my free hand. “I promise I’ll take good care of your friend. Okay, yes, your best friend. And I promise to call you if he gets worse. Thanks, Dax. Okay, just a sec.”

  Phoenix handed the phone back to me. “Yes?” I asked into it nervously.

  “Once your brain gets better, you better bone that.” Once again, I pressed the volume button. “Wait, is he hot? Someone can sound hot over the phone but look like a bag of potatoes in person. Please tell me he’s hot.”

  “He is,” I barely whispered.

  “Okay then, go for it. This is high quality porn material right here!” Dax turned on his movie announcer voice. “An injured virgin. A hot ranger. All alone in a cabin in the woods. Can he be healed with his dick? We’ll find out in-”

  “Okay, goodbye.” I hung up the phone and handed it back to Phoenix, who was once again scrubbing a hand over his mouth. “Sorry about him. He’s a little…” My bruised brain couldn’t come up with a word better than “Weird.”

  Phoenix chuckled. “He seemed nice. And he obviously cares a lot about you, so he’s okay in my book.” He squeezed my hand which he was still holding and I smiled.

  “Like I said, he’s my family.”

  “What about other family? Is there anyone else you need to call?”

  “I don’t have anyone else,” I shrugged. “When I turned eighteen, my parents kicked me out. They’d completed their duty and didn’t want anything more to do with a gay son. That was four years ago and I’ve not heard a word from them. And I don’t have any siblings, so it’s just me and Dax. He had a hard time growing up too, and I guess we bonded over it. We’ve been best friends for over a decade.”

  Phoenix gave me a sad smile. “I’m so sorry about your parents, but I’m glad you had someone to look after you.”

  “Thanks. So what about your family? I mean...if that’s not too personal.” Shit. He had a legitimate reason to ask about mine, but I had no excuse besides curiosity about my sexy savior.

  “Of course not. You can ask me anything, sweetheart.” My heart fluttered at the endearment, but I tried not to read too much into it. Maybe he was one of those people who called everyone sweetheart or honey. “I lost my parents many years ago.”

  “I’m sorry,” I offered, squeezing his hand.

  “Thank you. They were good people; my father was fair but firm, and taught me what it meant to be a great man and leader. My mother was very kind; she never met a person she didn’t like, and did so much to help our community.” Phoenix’s gorgeous green eyes shimmered as he remembered his folks, who he obviously adored.

  “They sound wonderful.”

  He lifted my hand to kiss my knuckles and my breath caught in my chest. He whispered “Thank you” again before sighing. “I also have a brother, but we don’t speak.” I was curious as to why, but felt it wasn’t my business to ask. I figured maybe it was a matter of them drifting apart after the trauma of losing their parents. It was sad, but it happened sometimes.

  Phoenix shook his head. “Anyway, like I told Dax, I’d like for you to stay here so that I may keep watch over you. My friends Rowan and Stone are close by and will help in anyway they can. Is that okay with you, Rory? I want you here, but I would never force you. Do you feel comfortable staying with me?”

  The hope in his eyes nearly killed me. Phoenix wanted me here; I could feel it. I knew I shouldn’t be alone until I was fully healed, but did I feel comfortable enough to stay with him? He’d been nothing but kind and patient since I woke up, and he obviously took great care of me when I was asleep; he even carried me halfway across the park! Plus, he did live on state land, so his job here was probably through the government. That meant he would have been background checked and vetted to the extreme. But even if I didn’t know any of that, the feeling I got when I was near him was enough to tell me I was safe by his side. He’d look after me and care for me; I knew it instinctively. Besides, the thought of leaving him made me sick to my stomach again. So did the thought of staying alone with Justin.

  “If you’re sure you don’t mind, I’d like to stay here with you. You’ve taken such good care of me and I can’t thank you enough for that.”

  Phoenix’s smile lit up his face. “You don’t need to thank me. It’s my pleasure to take care of you. I’ll do everything I can to make you comfortable and happy.” He kissed my hand again and I had to remind myself to keep breathing. Then, a knock sounded on what I assumed was his front door. “That will be my friends. Are you sure you’re okay with meeting them?”

  I nodded. “Especially the one with pain killers.” Phoenix chuckled as he tucked the blankets around me tighter, covering me all the way up to my chin.

  “Come in,” he said in a voice that wasn’t much louder than the one he’d been using to speak to me. I didn’t think there was any way his friends could hear him, but I was surprised by the sound of a door latch opening. Maybe his front door is just on the other side of the wall. I hadn’t seen any of his house except for his bedroom.

  Phoenix smiled over
his shoulder at the door to his friends, whom I still couldn’t see. “You may enter.” His friends must have been waiting for permission to come into his room, which I found a little odd. Dax made himself at home when he came to my place. He’d even go in and raid my fridge when I wasn’t at home.

  Two men walked into Phoenix’s bedroom and my eyes widened at the sight of them. They were both well over six feet tall. One of them looked to be built strong and fit like Phoenix. He had dark brown hair, a smooth face like me and pretty ice blue eyes. The other had a shaved head, a scruffy grayish black beard and light green eyes that were lovely, but nowhere near as captivating as Phoenix’s. The man also looked like he was smuggling bowling balls under his t-shirt. I’d never seen someone so muscular.

  All three men were sex personified. I wondered what in the hell was in the water around here and if I could buy it by the gallon. But as gorgeous as the other two men were (which was pretty freaking gorgeous), I had no interest in them. My eyes had wandered over their bodies for a moment, but were drawn back to Phoenix. He was truly the most handsome man I'd ever seen. Beyond that, when I looked at him, my soul settled.

  "Sweetheart, I'd like to introduce you to my friends," Phoenix announced and my heart stammered again at the term. It was like he was laying claim to me in front of these other men. That, or I was blowing this way out of proportion. I'll listen to what he calls them to see if the word is just for me. "This is Rowan," he said, pointing to the clean shaven man, "And that's Stone." His finger pointed to the ball smuggler.

  "Nice to meet you," I replied, looking between the two men. "Phoenix told me you two helped save my life. Thank you so much."

  "Don't mention it," Stone replied with a shrug. It almost sounded like a threat coming from the beefy man.

  "I'm just glad Phoenix found you when he did," Rowan replied. He stepped to Phoenix's side and held a hand out to me. "Rory, it's so nice to meet you. How are you feeling?"

  I unburied my arm from beneath the covers to shake Rowan's hand. When I did, the corner of the blankets fell down, exposing one side of my chest. Phoenix was quick to cover it back up, making Stone snort a laugh. I didn't see what was so funny; I thought it was sweet that he was making sure I was warm.

  "I feel like I fell off of a cliff," I replied, making Rowan smile. "My side's hurting a lot and my head is killing me."

  "I brought something that I think will help." Rowan lifted his other hand, producing a bag which he placed on the bed. He stuck his hand in the top and pulled out a small ceramic pot. "This is an ointment I made for you to help with your pain. It contains capsaicin and peppermint oil.” I immediately understood Phoenix’s earlier head bobble; Rowan wasn’t a doctor, he was some sort of holistic healer. I didn’t care; at this point I’d take a shaman shaking a turtle shell at me if it helped.

  Rowan turned to Phoenix and handed him the pot. “Rub it on his ribs and temples three times a day.” Phoenix nodded and placed the jar on the nightstand. I won’t lie; I got a thrill thinking about Phoenix rubbing his big hands over my body while tending to my injuries. Rowan turned his attention back to me. “It may tingle or even burn a bit,” he said with a pained expression. “But it will help. The spices work on nerves that carry pain signals.” I’d take a tingle over the misery I was feeling any day.

  Rowan reached into his bag again and produced a thermos. “This is tea brewed with ginger and tumeric. It will help settle your stomach plus work as a pain reliever and anti-inflammatory.” He handed the thermos to Phoenix, who then gave the mug to me.

  “Thank you for all of this,” I told him seriously as I wrapped my fingers around the warm cup. “I really appreciate it. And I never knew herbs could be used like this.” I’d heard ginger ale could settle stomachs, but that was the extent of my knowledge. I took a long drink of the tea, which warmed me from the inside out. The slightly spicy flavor tingled on my tongue. “This is delicious.” Definitely better than any medicine I’d tasted. “Thank you.”

  Rowan’s lips stretched into a wide grin. “It’s no trouble. I love being able to help out when I can.” I could already tell Rowan was a sweet soul from his earnest words and kind eyes.

  “Thank you for everything,” Phoenix told his friend, patting his back. “Would you mind examining his injuries now?”

  “Not at all.”

  I took my cue and pushed the blankets off of my chest, letting them pool around my hips. Rowan and Stone quickly turned their backs to me and I looked to Phoenix in confusion.

  “It’s okay,” he told Rowan with a touch to his shoulder. His friend slowly turned around to face me again.

  “I’ll wait in the living room,” Stone announced before stepping out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

  “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to make him uncomfortable,” I said quickly. “I figured it wouldn’t matter since we were all men.” I looked to Rowan. “I’m wearing underwear.”

  He gave me an adoring smile and Phoenix stepped to my side, taking my hand. “No sweetheart, you didn’t do anything wrong. Stone just left out of respect.”

  “It’s okay; he can come back in if he wants,” I offered.

  Phoenix looked torn, and I wondered if it wasn’t just me Stone was respecting. Rowan spoke up. “This will only take a minute.” Phoenix took my thermos and a step away from the bed to allow Rowan to slide in closer to me, but he didn’t drop my hand from his large palm.

  “May I sit?” Rowan asked, pointing to the bed beside me.

  “Of course,” I answered, scooting my legs over to make room. It wasn’t until he also got a nod from Phoenix that he sat.

  “Okay, I’m going to feel your ribs now.” He placed a big hand on either side of my chest, gently pressing his fingers into my skin and lowering them down my flanks. I hissed at the pain that spread over my right side. “Sorry.” Rowan gave me a tight smile and continued to feel. “Okay, I still don’t believe anything is broken, but I’m feeling some swelling under your skin. You’ll probably get colorful over the next few days as the bruises raise to the surface. I’d suggest soaking in a warm tub with Epsom salt to help with the bruising.” He looked to Phoenix. “I think I’ve got some at home; if so, I’ll bring it over.”

  Phoenix nodded and Rowan turned his head back to me. “Can you take a deep breath?” I tried, and winced at the pain it caused. “It’s possible you’ve bruised your lung, too. Try to work on taking slow deep breaths to keep your lungs open. We don’t want you getting pneumonia.” Phoenix squeezed my hand and I looked to him, finding his face painted with worry.

  “I know you’re in a lot of pain,” Rowan continued, “But I’m positive nothing’s broken. Still, it will be awhile before you’re feeling yourself again. Bruised ribs can take a couple of weeks or longer to heal. What do you do for a living?”

  “I stock items at a grocery store.” I blushed as I answered; Phoenix and his friends had impressive jobs with the state government. I put cereal on a shelf.

  “You’ll need to take time off. You can’t be lifting and stretching while you’re trying to heal.”

  “I can’t afford to take that much time off of work,” I replied, blushing even harder. “I don’t get paid for sick leave and if I don’t have a paycheck for three weeks, I won’t be able to afford my rent.” I worked for a small mom and pop store. I had crappy insurance and didn’t accrue sick leave or vacation time.

  Phoenix squeezed my hand again and bent down to place a gentle kiss on my knuckles. “Sweetheart, all you need to be worried about is getting better. I’ll take care of the rest.” I didn’t know what that meant exactly, but I believed him. The sincerity of his voice and the gentleness of his touch told me I could trust him to give me anything I needed. My cheeks cooled and my worry faded. I was confident Phoenix would take care of everything.

  “Thank you,” I whispered, and he gave me a dazzling smile in return.

  “Okay, let’s take a look at your head,” Rowan continued. He placed his hands around my skull an
d carefully squeezed. “You still have a knot here, but that will shrink over the next few days. I know you have a headache, but have you had any other symptoms like blurry vision or dark spots or colors behind your eyes?”

  “If I roll my eyes, I get colors, but nothing’s blurry.”

  “Good,” he smiled. “Has there been any leakage from your ears or nose?”

  “Not that I know of.” I looked to Phoenix, who shook his head no at his friend.

  “Excellent. And your speech sounds clear and not slurred, so those are all great signs.” He held my eyelids open and pulled out his cell phone. He shone the beam from its flashlight into my eyes quickly. “Your pupils are reactive, so that’s great too. I think you’re on the mend.” He smiled and patted my shoulder. “You may get headaches from time to time as your brain continues to heal. Just be on the lookout for anything strange like memory changes, personality changes and trouble speaking. Other than that, you just need rest and relaxation and you’ll be good as new. You may walk around when you feel like it, but don’t do any strenuous exercise.”

  “You’re wicked smart with this stuff,” I offered, and Rowan gave me a wide smile.

  “Thank you, Rory. I’m just happy to help.” He squeezed my shoulder and stood up, facing Phoenix. “Make sure he gets lots of fluids. He may not have much of an appetite for a few days, but he still needs to eat what he can. Fresh fruits and vegetables are best and will help his brain tissue heal more quickly.”

  “Thank you.” Rowan bowed his head to Phoenix, who turned to me. “Do you have any food allergies?”

  “Pineapples give me hives.”

  “Bastard fruits,” Phoenix grumped. “I never liked them.” I snorted a laugh and immediately paid for it with a pain in my forehead. I cradled my face in my hand and Phoenix once again squeezed my palm. “I think I need to put your ointment on now. I want you to have some relief.” I was capable of rubbing the cream on myself, but I wasn’t about to stop him.