Read Online Blind Fury by Gwen Hernandez - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Gwen Hernandez
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had probably welcomed more women than a gynecologist’s office.
Pushing away the unwelcome thought, she ducked into the bathroom to get cleaned up.
Five minutes later, she sat at the granite breakfast bar, fork in hand. She had to admit that Mick made a mean omelet. Who knew he could cook? Somehow she’d slept through all of his banging around in the kitchen.
“That was delicious,” she said. “Thanks.”
He grinned and she ignored the extra thump of her heart. If only she could ignore him. That would have made life a lot easier. And she could use some easy for a change.
Her chest still hurt at the thought of everything she’d lost, so she decided not to think about it, to focus on making lists instead. A master list of everything she needed got her started, followed by smaller sublists for things like potential apartment complexes, clothing basics to replace, and personal essentials she needed to pick up.
The only short list would be the one with ideas for who was after her and Mick.
She scooted back from the bar and cleared her dishes. “Do you have anything on your schedule for today?” Probably a hot date with some on-again off-again local girl, in which case, she didn’t want to know. “I need to do some shopping, but I could rent a car. Now that my house is toast—” She stilled. “Oh, my God, I can’t believe I said that.”
Hysteria forced up little bubbles of laughter and she swiveled away from him, stricken that she could laugh about it. She didn’t feel like laughing. What the hell was wrong with her? She covered her mouth with both hands, trying to hold back the unwanted sounds.
“It’s okay, Jay. Happens all the time when our brain can’t process something.” He rested a warm hand on her shoulder. “When I was seventeen, my mom and I got rear-ended at a stoplight. I laughed until the paramedics came. I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t stop. She was pissed as hell, and I’m not sure she ever forgave me for it, even though the medic said it was pretty common.”
She closed her eyes and focused on his smooth voice and reassuring touch. “Thank you,” she said, dropping her hands as the manic giggles finally subsided.
“No worries. And my calendar is clear for the foreseeable future, so I’m all yours.”
Until he left again. And he’d never be all hers. “When are you going back?” she asked.
“Eager to be rid of me already, huh?” When she didn’t return his smile, he cleared his throat. “I promised Rob I wouldn’t go back, but I haven’t figured out what I’m going to do next.” Pain crossed his face for a fraction of a second, but he quickly masked it with a smug grin. “I’m sure I’ll find something that’s in my wheelhouse. Apparently, Dan knows a guy who’s a flight medic. Or I might look into firefighter jobs.”
Of course. He didn’t talk much about his childhood, but she knew it had been rough. Was that why he always pushed his limits? Was he trying to prove something, or just running away? She held in a sigh. “Well, I should be able to find a furnished apartment in the next few days, and then I can get out of your hair,” she said. Rebuilding her life would be a lot easier without him around as a distraction.
“Skip the apartment search for now. I want you here until we get this figured out. This place is already set up with security. Plus, I know the emergency exits, where my weapons are, and how someone would approach.” The warrior came out as his spine stiffened and his jaw hardened. “I can protect you here.”
He’d already lined up his strongest arguments without waiting for her to protest. Helplessness crept over her, heavy and thick as a wool blanket, her sense of control slipping out of her grasp. “And how long do I have to sleep on your lumpy futon before you declare that I’m safe to reenter the world?”
His gaze flicked to hers and he hesitated. Was he remembering how entangled they’d been earlier that morning?
Pushing away the unwelcome thought, she ducked into the bathroom to get cleaned up.
Five minutes later, she sat at the granite breakfast bar, fork in hand. She had to admit that Mick made a mean omelet. Who knew he could cook? Somehow she’d slept through all of his banging around in the kitchen.
“That was delicious,” she said. “Thanks.”
He grinned and she ignored the extra thump of her heart. If only she could ignore him. That would have made life a lot easier. And she could use some easy for a change.
Her chest still hurt at the thought of everything she’d lost, so she decided not to think about it, to focus on making lists instead. A master list of everything she needed got her started, followed by smaller sublists for things like potential apartment complexes, clothing basics to replace, and personal essentials she needed to pick up.
The only short list would be the one with ideas for who was after her and Mick.
She scooted back from the bar and cleared her dishes. “Do you have anything on your schedule for today?” Probably a hot date with some on-again off-again local girl, in which case, she didn’t want to know. “I need to do some shopping, but I could rent a car. Now that my house is toast—” She stilled. “Oh, my God, I can’t believe I said that.”
Hysteria forced up little bubbles of laughter and she swiveled away from him, stricken that she could laugh about it. She didn’t feel like laughing. What the hell was wrong with her? She covered her mouth with both hands, trying to hold back the unwanted sounds.
“It’s okay, Jay. Happens all the time when our brain can’t process something.” He rested a warm hand on her shoulder. “When I was seventeen, my mom and I got rear-ended at a stoplight. I laughed until the paramedics came. I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t stop. She was pissed as hell, and I’m not sure she ever forgave me for it, even though the medic said it was pretty common.”
She closed her eyes and focused on his smooth voice and reassuring touch. “Thank you,” she said, dropping her hands as the manic giggles finally subsided.
“No worries. And my calendar is clear for the foreseeable future, so I’m all yours.”
Until he left again. And he’d never be all hers. “When are you going back?” she asked.
“Eager to be rid of me already, huh?” When she didn’t return his smile, he cleared his throat. “I promised Rob I wouldn’t go back, but I haven’t figured out what I’m going to do next.” Pain crossed his face for a fraction of a second, but he quickly masked it with a smug grin. “I’m sure I’ll find something that’s in my wheelhouse. Apparently, Dan knows a guy who’s a flight medic. Or I might look into firefighter jobs.”
Of course. He didn’t talk much about his childhood, but she knew it had been rough. Was that why he always pushed his limits? Was he trying to prove something, or just running away? She held in a sigh. “Well, I should be able to find a furnished apartment in the next few days, and then I can get out of your hair,” she said. Rebuilding her life would be a lot easier without him around as a distraction.
“Skip the apartment search for now. I want you here until we get this figured out. This place is already set up with security. Plus, I know the emergency exits, where my weapons are, and how someone would approach.” The warrior came out as his spine stiffened and his jaw hardened. “I can protect you here.”
He’d already lined up his strongest arguments without waiting for her to protest. Helplessness crept over her, heavy and thick as a wool blanket, her sense of control slipping out of her grasp. “And how long do I have to sleep on your lumpy futon before you declare that I’m safe to reenter the world?”
His gaze flicked to hers and he hesitated. Was he remembering how entangled they’d been earlier that morning?
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