“Damn it, Denver,” Malloy snapped. “I thought you guys were leaving town. You know, for good this time?”
Denver put their packs near the door. “We were. We still are, I think.” Trusting the cop was one of the most dangerous things he’d ever done, but Malloy had come through more than once, and Denver had no choice. He hung Noni’s coat on a hook. “Can we stoke the fire?” He turned to pull her toward more warmth, and his gaze caught on the bright red covering her right arm. “Noni,” he breathed.
“What?” Her head lifted, her pupils seriously dilated.
“Baby, you’ve been shot.” His entire world screeched to a halt, and he turned her to pull up her sleeve. The bullet had passed completely through her forearm, but it was still bleeding.
Her breath hitched, and she slowly turned her head to see the wound. “Shot? I’ve been shot?” She wavered, her voice shaking. “It doesn’t hurt yet.”
That was because she was in shock. “You’ll be okay.” He’d need to stitch her up, and fuck, that was going to hurt.
Malloy was instantly at her side, peering at the wound. “Ouch.”
She wavered in place, and her eyelids fluttered closed. Denver caught her before she came close to hitting the floor.
Malloy swore beneath his breath. “Tina?” he called out. “We’re gonna need bandages and your steady hand.” Clapping Denver on the back, he turned. “My lady is a veterinarian. You have the time it takes her to sew this girl up to convince me not to arrest you. Or shoot you,” he added as an afterthought.
Denver’s entire chest compressed. He’d let Noni get shot? When? It had to have been in the kitchen. So far he was doing a piss poor job of protecting her, and now he’d landed her with a cop. If Malloy went party line with them, Denver would be in deep trouble. If Richie was the father, Noni might not get to keep Talia.
If he kidnapped the baby then, they’d be on the run forever.
He carried Noni through the happy living room into a newly renovated kitchen complete with a wide wooden table. Setting her down on the table, he brushed hair away from her too-pale face. He nodded at Tina. “I’m Denver, and this is Noni. She’s everything important in the world to me.”
Tina had already taken out a large first-aid kit and, spotting the blood, quickly grasped scissors to cut Noni’s shirt. “I’m Tina.” She looked toward Malloy. “Looks like you’re making the coffee, babe.”
Malloy kept his gaze on Denver. “We might not need it. Start talking. Now.”
Noni came to as she was being lifted from a hard wooden surface. She jolted.
“You’re okay,” Denver said, his breath brushing her temple. “I need to get you into a warm shower, baby.”
Warmth and shower sounded fantastic. She sighed and closed her eyes, resting her head against his hard chest. Heat surrounded her. Her shoulder ached and her head hurt, but the feeling had returned to her extremities, so she’d avoided frostbite. “I feel better.”
“Tina gave you a local and sewed you up,” he rumbled, walking somewhere.
Tina must’ve been the pretty woman in the cute pajama set. “She’s a doctor?”
“Close enough.”
Lights flickered and they leaned in somewhere, but Noni didn’t open her eyes. Water turned on, and she was put onto her feet. She swayed and let Denver tug her wet clothes free. Chilled air brushed her, and then she was under the steam. Moments later, Denver joined her.
Her eyelids flipped open, and her body went on full alert.
She faced the spray, and he gently nudged her beneath it. Good lord. Denver was naked behind her. Even though the steam was warm, he was hotter. A presence with power. Okay. She had to clear her head. Ducking it, she let the soothing water wash over her hair and slide down her back. Her groan filled the small space.
He gently tugged her back toward him, and then his magical fingers rubbed coconut-scented shampoo through her hair. He helped her to rinse off.
Fully awake now, she glanced down at the wet bandage on her arm.
“We’ll change it before going to bed,” Denver said, his breath against her hair.
She was fully awake now and turned around to see him. Did his body look the same as it had a year ago? Did he have any more scars than before? The edge of the tattoo on his shoulder caught her eye. A dangerous looking bird rose out of the fire, its wings spread. Two intricateBs combined in the center. She’d traced it with her fingers so many times. “Your tattoo.” She touched the only portion visible from the front.
“Yeah. My brothers have the same tat.”
So it wasn’t a reminder of an odd case he’d once solved. That’s what he’d told her. Now it made so much more sense. She wanted to keep touching him, but she was such a chicken. And she definitely didn’t look below his chest. “We’re staying here?” she asked, her voice echoing off the tiles.
“Just for the night. I don’t want to cause problems for Malloy.” Denver placed a soft kiss on the top of her forehead.
