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“Seeing you get well again is payment enough,” I said gruffly.
She sighed. “You know I’ll cooperate with anything I need to do to help Last Hope. Will you need to find me an advisor to guide me through this?”
“Nope. You already have one,” I informed her.
“Torie?” she queried.
“She’s too new in the organization to handle that duty,” I said hoarsely. “The best person for that job would be…me.”
Savannah
Inearly choked on my tongue when he told me that he was going to act as my advisor. “You’ve already done enough for me, Chase. You’ve spent the last two weeks rescuing and taking care of me already. Between Durand Industries and Last Hope, you must be insanely busy.”
After all that had happened, all I wanted to do was stay close to the man who had saved my life.
Even if Ididhate being dependent on anyone else except myself, I had been scared, I had needed someone to lean on, and I had nearly died.
Chase had been there every time I’d woken in the hospital terrified and vulnerable, but clinging to him like a lifeline now that I knew I was going to recover wasn’t exactly fair to him.
He had a life.
Yes, he was my best friend’s brother and I’d known him for most of my life, but we weren’t exactly…friends.
“I’m not turning your well-being over to someone else, Vanna,” he said huskily. “It’s too important. You’re stuck with me, whether you like it or not. I’m taking some time off from Durand with Wyatt’s blessing. I can work from home while you recover. Torie will be close by, too. She and Cooper are within walking distance of my place.”
Wait! He couldn’t possibly think I’d put him out by staying at his home, could he?
“I can’t stay with you, Chase,” I said adamantly.
“Why not?” he asked, his expression perplexed. “You haven’t found a place of your own yet in San Diego. Where else are you going to stay? Someone needs to be available if you need help, and Torie’s at her job with the university during the day.”
“I’ll find something,” I said, trying to put my foot down with this stubborn man.
I wasn’t the type of woman who ever counted on someone else. Ever. And Chase had already done so much for me.
“Not right now,” he insisted. “Jesus Christ, Savannah! You’re in no condition to be looking for a new home. Be reasonable.”
My immediate plan had been to get a decent hotel room until I could find something a little more permanent. It would be small and easy to get around. Okay, so that probably wasn’t a possibility he wanted to hear about right now.
“I—I’ll think of a solution,” I sputtered. “I’ll get something temporary until—”
“Not happening,” he interrupted. “You’re a friend and I’ve got a big place.”
“How are you going to explain my presence to whoever you’re dating?” I questioned, feeling desperate for a good excuse, but dreading his answer just the same.
“I don’t have to since I’m not seeinganyone,” he said stubbornly. “You did mention that you didn’t want to intrude on the newlyweds. I know Torie would take a leave of absence from her job at the university, but that’s not necessary since I’m willing and available.”
I didn’t even want to acknowledge the ridiculous amount of relief I felt after his answer.
Shit!Now what could I say?
He was right. Really, I had nowhere else to go at the moment. Before the kidnapping, I’d been planning to get back to San Diego perfectly healthy and finally find a new place as soon as possible.
Getting kidnapped, injured, and sick had screwed up those plans completely.
I was so weak right now I could barely get out of bed to pee, much less go traipsing around San Diego trying to find a new home.
I was sensible. I did need time to recover. I just didn’t want to be a burden to Chase after all he’d done for me.
