“I heard something and got spooked.” She should have stepped away, but she stayed a few seconds more, comforted by the solid feel of his body, his steady grip on her arms.
“You? Spooked?”
“This big white owl almost took my head off.”
“I’ve spotted one around here, but they usually avoid people. Let’s hurry; it’s going to rain.” His hand dropped to her back, but after all the running, all she could manage was something between a drag and a hop. He turned the flashlight toward her feet. “Damn it, Shay. You’re still as hardheaded as a bloody ram. Why didn’t you tell me it hurt that much?”
“It wasn’t that bad then.” Before her mad sprint through the woods. For the second time in one night, Cody scooped her up in his arms.
“Put me down.” She hoped the request didn’t sound as halfhearted to his ears as it did to hers.
“No,” he said, stepping over a fallen tree. “I do believe my lady lies about her ankle.”
He was one to be accusing her of lies. She wanted to be irritated, but he was so darned warm, and she was cold and tired. “
“What? You thought I’d forgotten Lady Shay?” The lights from the airstrip behind Cody’s house came into view. Nina’s wasn’t much farther. “I didn’t forget. You made us play knights at least once a week.”
“I got sick of always playing soldiers and spies. At least knights dressed fancy.”
“You were never a proper damsel, anyway. You were too good at fighting and throwing knives.”
It hadn’t helped her handle a real-life threat.
Cody kept the conversation flowing as they continued toward the gate leading to Nina’s house. He carried Shay across the yard and inside the house, closing the door with one foot before mounting the stairs.
“Thanks for checking on me. I’m just going to take a bath and snuggle up in bed.”
He pushed her bedroom door open with his shoulder. “You got a man hiding in the closet?”
“What?” She gave him a startled glance.
“Last time I checked, it takes two to snuggle,” he said, gently depositing her in the adjoining bathroom.
When had he last checked, she wondered, feeling a stabbing sensation in her chest. “A pillow works just as well.”
“Hungry?”
“A little.”
“We have plenty of food at the house, unless Lach’s gone on a feeding frenzy.”
“He still does that?”
“Unfortunately.”
“Thank you, but I’m sure there’s soup in the pantry.”
He touched his shirt, damp from carrying her. “Don’t you have anything dry to wear?”
“Just Nina’s sweater. I’ll throw my stuff in the dryer after I take a bath.”
“I’ve probably got some old sweats at the house. And you’ll need something orange. Don’t want you getting shot. Bow season’s in.”
Shay doubted she would be here long enough to get shot by a poacher. A poacher. Was that what she’d heard? Had she surprised someone looking for a place to hunt? Or had she just disturbed the owl?
“Sit down. Let me see your foot.” Cody guided her to the toilet, took her swollen ankle in his hands, and eased her shoe off. For the first time, she noticed his boots, square-toed. A ribbon of fear curled around her spine.
“You should have told me how badly you were hurt,” Cody said, breaking the spell. “I would’ve carried you back.”
Precisely the reason why she hadn’t mentioned her ankle.
“I should take you and get it X-rayed.”
“It’ll be fine in the morning.” She had always healed quickly, physically. Emotionally was a different story.
“Take a bath, then I’ll wrap it. You’ll need to stay off it for a day, at least.” He crossed to the large bathtub and turned on the water. “Want a bubble bath? You used to love that stuff.”
Shay sighed. He wasn’t going to leave until she was settled. “Check under the sink. Nina may have left some.” Shay sat quietly, watching as he dug in the cabinet, muttering to himself.
“Here we go.” He sniffed a bottle and then poured in half.
He stood, watching the bubbles rise faster than the water. “Think I put in too much?”
“A tad. Are you going to leave?” The bathroom wasn’t small, but it felt like a closet with Cody standing so close to the tub large enough for two.
“Do you need help?” He cleared his throat. “Getting in, I mean.”
“I think I’ll manage.”
