“Speaking of brass.” Romeo spoke for the first time. “A detective named Dixon would like to ask you some questions about what happened tonight.”
Chrissy frowned. “I don’t know how much I can tell him.”
“Every little bit counts,” Romeo assured her, taking a business card out of his hip pocket. “I’ll call and let him know you’re ready, eh?”
When she nodded her agreement—she’d do anything to catch the bastards who did this to Winston—he headed toward the door to find a phone. Wayfarer Island was hell and gone from the nearest cell tower, so those who lived there had given up using the devices.
“Here.” Mia pulled an iPhone from her hip pocket. Obviously she hadn’t been on Wayfarer long enough to cancel her cellular plan. “You can call on mine.”
No sooner had the words exited her mouth than her phone chimed. Mia glanced at the screen, shook her head, and then handed the device to Romeo as the two of them ducked into the hallway to make the call.
Speaking of cell phones… Where was Chrissy’s? Someone needed to call Winston’s parents. “Has anyone told Maryanne and Curtis Turner what happened?”
“The hospital called them when Winston came in,” Wolf assured her. “They poked their head in here for a bit, but you were still out. They’re with Winston now.”
“That’s good.” She nodded, comforted by the thought. “I’m glad they’re with him.”
“And I’m glad you’re okay. When I saw you walkin’ up the dock, wet as a drowned rat and bleedin’ a river down your arm, it’s a wonder I didn’t go tits up then and there. I can’t imagine a world without you in it, darlin’. It’d be a darker place. That’s for certain.”
His expression was so raw and open. It slid past the hard shell she wore like a hermit crab and hit her smack dab in the middle of her vulnerable heart.
The truth was, despite him being a playboy, he was still a good guy. Thebestguy in many ways. Strong but sweetly sensitive. Smart without being too much of a smart-ass. Capable of acting equal parts serious and silly.
“T-takes a lot more than a little bullet to put me down.” She’d tried to sound brave, but her stammer gave her away. Heaven help her, shelikedhim. As a person. As a man. As a friend. Which made it that much harder not to want him for more.
Again, he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. This time, a chill followed the path of his fingertips. Even when he pulled back, she would swear she could feel his flesh against hers. A seductive warmth lingered.
“How are youreallyfeelin’?” His ink-black eyes were penetrating.
“Fine as a fiddle.” She mimicked his accent.
He wasn’t fooled. “You’re a terrible liar. It’s one of my favorite things about you.”
“Yeah, well, talking about how I can feel my heartbeat in my shoulder doesn’t help distract me from it, sooo…” She made a rolling motion with her hand.
Immediately, a teasing gleam entered his eyes.
Uh oh.She knew that look.
“If it’s distraction you’re after.” He reached for the hem of his T-shirt. “I’ve been known to do a pretty good striptease.”
She wouldn’t have thought it was possible to laugh on a night like this, but that did it. Or, at the very least it brought a wobbly smile to her face.
“I need you getting naked in the middle of my hospital room about as much as I need a third nipple.” The instant she said the word “nipple,” his gaze dropped to her breasts.
“Nope.” She lifted the blue blanket higher and held up her hand when he opened his mouth. “Not a word. I knew it was a mistake as soon as it left my lips.”
A deep chuckle rumbled up from the depths of his chest. It was a sound so sweet and sexy, it made a gal want to slap her momma.
Her momma…
Something Josephine had said came to Chrissy’s mind.
“That man is a downed power line. Helooksharmless. But get too close and he’s capable of causing you pain like you wouldn’t believe. The kind of pain that cracks you wide open. You can heal from it, but you’ll always carry the scar.”
Her mother had been talking about her third husband. But the truth in those words applied to Wolf too.
Chrissy would do well to remember that.
