“I can’t let you take the wheelchair—” the orderly started.
“I won’t need it.” Rex bent and scooped Kimo up in his arms. The back of her hospital gown did little to cover her nakedness. The warm skin of her legs and back seared the nerves of his arms as he carried her out into the parking lot.
“Hey,” she said, tugging the gown over her thighs, her cheeks flushing a pretty pink. “I can walk.”
“Could you not argue for one minute?” he said. “It’s faster this way.”
Her lips formed a tight line, and her brow wrinkled. “Are you always so bossy?”
“Only when I need to be.” He came to a stop beside a shiny black pickup. As he neared it, the doors automatically unlocked. Swinging her legs around, he reached for the doorhandle, pulled it open and unceremoniously deposited her into the passenger seat.
After closing her door, he hurried around to the driver’s side and slid behind the wheel. “Where to?”
“I need clothes,” she said. “My place.” She gave him directions. Thankfully, her cottage was on the same side of the island as the hospital. They were there in less than fifteen minutes, as the pre-sunrise turned the night into a gray precursor to brilliant sunshine.
Before Rex could come around to her side of the truck, Kimo pushed open her door and slid out. Rex cursed beneath his breath and reached for her as her knees buckled. He caught her around her waist and steadied her. “Stubborn woman.”
“Bossy man,” she countered. “I can walk.”
“Save it for when you have real clothes and shoes.” Once again, he swept her up into his arms and carried her toward the little house.
“Shoot. My keys were in my purse on the boat the attackers took.”
He climbed the steps and stiffened. “I don’t think you’ll need the keys.”
“Why?”
Rex’s arms tightened around her. “The door’s open.”
Chapter 4
Rex performed an immediate about-face and hurried back to the truck.
“Where are you going?” Kimo squirmed in an attempt to get her feet on the ground.
“I need to get you somewhere safe.”
“But someone broke into my house.”
Rex nodded. “And might still be inside.” He dumped her into the passenger seat and started to close the door.
Kimo’s hand shot out to stop the door in mid-swing. “I’m not going anywhere. That’s my house. I need clothes and need to know what’s been taken. I have some expensive camera equipment inside worth a lot of money.”
“Is your equipment worth more than your life?” he asked, his gaze narrowing on the house.”
“Yes,” she answered too fast and came back with, “No. But it’s my house.”
Rex dug his cell phone out of his pocket. “Then call 911 and report the break-in.”
She didn’t take the device. “What if it’s not a break-in. What if I left the door unlocked, and it swung open? At least let me check it out before I involve the police.”
His gaze narrowed at her cottage. “If you stay here and stay down, I’ll clear the building. Only then can I allow you to go inside.”
Kimo bristled. “There you go again, being all bossy.”
His intense gaze met hers. “I can’t protect you if you don’t do what I tell you. As a former Delta Force operative, I’m trained and experienced in the art of clearing a building. Let me do my job, and I’ll let you into your house.”
Rather than fight a losing battle and delay entering her own home to assess the damage, Kimo nodded. “Deal.”
