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“Sit, and I’ll get you a cup. How do you like it?”

“With just a little bit of sugar.” Gingerly she sank down in the chair opposite his.

It took him only a moment to place the cup of coffee in front of her and then return to his seat. “Thanks,” she said as she wrapped her fingers around the warmth of the cup.

“How are you feeling?”

“A little rough,” she admitted.

His green eyes held her gaze for a long moment. “I’m sure that’s the understatement of the day.”

She offered him a small smile. “Okay, I’m feeling a lot rough. I hurt where I didn’t even know I had body parts.”

“Have you taken a pain pill?” he asked.

“Not yet.”

“Why don’t I make us some breakfast and afterward you can take a pill and stretch out either on the sofa or go back to bed?” He stood. “I was just about to make me some bacon, eggs and toast. All you need to do is tell me how you like your eggs.”

“You shouldn’t be cooking for me. What I really need to do is gather my things and go back to my home.” She took a sip of coffee as he stared at her.

“Monique, are you completely out of your mind? Somebody tried to kill you last night. There’s no way you should be alone in your shanty right now. Dear God, woman, aren’t you ever frightened?”

As she thought of the beating she’d taken the night before, hot tears suddenly burned at her eyes. “Yes, I’m frightened, and I don’t want to be alone in my shanty, but I also don’t want to be a burden to you. You shouldn’t be taking care of me.”

“Somebody needs to, and you aren’t a burden. So how do you like your eggs?”

She swiped at her eyes. “Any way is fine.”

He nodded, then turned around and pulled a two-burner cook stove from a cabinet. He plugged it in, grabbed an iron skillet and placed it atop the bigger burner. Within minutes he had bacon cooking.

The smell of it made her stomach rumble, and she realized despite all her pain, she was hungry. She watched him work in silence. Although he was a relatively big man, he moved with an efficiency and grace that was surprising. He didn’t speak as he worked, and neither did she. She was content just to sit and watch him.

He was wearing a pair of jeans and a gray T-shirt that stretched taut across his broad shoulders and showed off his large biceps. He also had his shoulder holster strapped on with his gun. He was so damned attractive. If he would just smile more often.

She remembered how wonderful his big, strong arms had felt around her the night before. She had felt so safe, so incredibly protected in the tender shelter of his arms.

The beating must have addled her brains. Here she sat, hurting with every move she made, and yet she yearned to be back in Jacque’s arms once again.

“How did you sleep?” she asked, breaking the silence that had prevailed until now.

“I slept okay,” he replied.

He took the crispy bacon strips out of the skillet, drained the oil and then got an egg carton out of his cooler. He broke five eggs into a bowl, added a little milk and some shredded cheese and then poured the mixture into the awaiting skillet. As the scrambled eggs cooked, from the cabinet he got out a four-slice toaster and filled it with bread. It was only minutes later when he placed a plate before her and then sat at the table with his own.

“This all looks delicious,” she said. “I hope you didn’t go to all this trouble just because I’m here.”

“I cook myself a good breakfast every morning,” he replied. “What about you? Do you eat breakfast?”

“It depends on my work schedule. Oh, the store,” she exclaimed with dismay. “I need to get in touch with Debbie and let her know I won’t be in for a couple of days. Oh my gosh, I was supposed to open the shop this morning.”

“Whatever you need to do, it can wait until after you eat. You should probably get in touch with your sisters and let them know you’re okay and you’ll be staying here.”

She gazed at him for a long moment. “What exactly do I tell them? For how long will I be staying here?”

He held her gaze. “Until.”

“Until when?”