Page 16 of My Favorite Hero

“The window was heavy.”

I felt an odd rush of tenderness flow through me as I checked out the area. “No more breaking and entering.”

“Okay,” she whispered, her voice breathless.

“And no more building heavy cupboards. You’re aggravating the injury. Mark will help with the counter.”

“All right.”

I ran my fingers over the marks, feeling my own breathing pick up as I touched her silky skin. “I have cream that would help this.”

“Um…”

“I’ll get it. Stay there.”

I headed to my place, grabbing the cream and already shaking my head.

Why did it bother me that she was hurt? She was the one who had climbed through the window. Built the cupboards. I shouldn’t care, really.

Yet, a small part of me did.

Back at her place, I carefully rubbed the topical pain cream into the skin, wincing as she gasped a little. I hated hurting her. My fingers lingered on her back, softly massaging. “This should take away the pain,” I murmured.

“Thank you.” She stepped away and pulled down her shirt, reaching over her shoulder for her overall straps. I handed them to her, and she snapped them into place as she turned, meeting my eyes. Something passed between us. Something intimate. Warm. Real.

Then Mark walked in, carrying coffee and a bag. “Hey, look at the progress!” He stopped. “Sorry, am I interrupting?”

I stepped away. “Nope.” I held out my hand for the tray. “I hope there are sandwiches in that bag.”

“You know it.”

Casey walked into the living room, and I heard the front door open and her SUV start.

Oddly, I felt the loss of her presence the entire afternoon.

My phone rang just as I got out of the shower, and I answered quickly.

“Chief.”

“Thorne, sorry to bother you, but we have a situation on our hands.”

“Oh?”

“Sanders cooked last night.”

I grimaced even though he couldn’t see me. “Oh shit.”

“Shit is right. Half the guys are crapping their drawers every five minutes. The other half didn’t eat.”

“How can I help?”

“I need you back from days off tonight. I’ll add extra time to next week.”

I scrubbed my face, somehow not shocked the last of my plans for my downtime got kiboshed. First Casey, now Sanders.

“I’ll be there in an hour.”

“One other problem.”