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I smiled. I liked her calling me a nickname. “Yeah Red?”
“This is the secret. Don’t tell anyone.” She was so tired she was slurring her words, and I knew she was seconds from being asleep. “If I want to stay in medicine, I’m going to have to leave HEAT.”
* * *
I parkedoutside the cabin that Bennet had found for us to use as a safehouse. When I turned off the engine, Red shifted and opened her eyes. She blinked a few times and stretched. It was the most awake she’d looked all day.
“The safehouse?” she asked.
“Yes.” I held up the white paper bags I’d procured from a small restaurant ten miles back. “And dinner. It’s way past time for you to eat.”
I climbed out of the van, opened the side door, and slung our bags over my shoulders. “Stay right there.”
Bennet had contacts in the area who had made the arrangements and checked out the place ahead of us, but I wanted to inspect the cabin for myself. Trust but verify. I set our backpacks and Red’s medical bag inside the front door, dropped our dinner bags on the counter, and made quick work of checking out the small building. The main room consisted of the kitchen on the left, a dining table and chairs in the middle, and a sitting area along the right wall. There were two rooms in the back, with an alcove connected to the main room and lined with windows between them. I checked the bathroom, the bedroom, and every closet and cupboard before I felt it was safe enough to bring Red inside.
When I returned to the van, she looked even more chipper. A good sign. She watched me approach. I could see she was focused on my bandaged arm.
“Stitches,” she said through the closed window when I reached her side of the van.
I pulled open her door. “No need. I checked your handiwork in the restaurant bathroom while I waited for our order. It looks good.”
She scowled as she ran her fingers along the edge of the bandage. “More like you ruined my handiwork. This is way too loose. You could start bleeding again.”
I reached into the van to scoop her up and carry her. She leaned toward me, then pulled back.
“You are not carrying me,” she said. “Not with that arm. I’m in better shape than you are right now.”
I doubted that, but I held up my hands in a gesture of surrender and stepped back to let her climb out of the van. I stayed close enough to catch her if she faltered. “You certainly look better, and sound even bossier. I’ll take those as good signs.”
“I’m not that bossy.” She walked beside me toward the cabin. “Now, what are we having for dinner? I’m starving.”
“I’m a little afraid to feed you,” I stage whispered. “It might make you feel so much better, you’ll get even bossier.”
She gave me the side-eye, then stepped past me into the cabin. She stopped to take in the floor-to-ceiling logs and wide windows.
I pointed to the back, left-side door. “Bathroom.” I pointed to the right. “Bedroom.” Then to the table. “Dinner. Please, sit. I’ll find the plates and utensils.”
“Actually, bathroom first.”
I heated our entrées in the microwave while I pulled plates, bowls, and silverware from the cupboards. Red returned a few minutes later and made a beeline for the table.
“What are we having?” she asked again.
A good appetite. I liked that. And I tried not to apply it to anything other than her stomach, lest my mind wander off in the direction of my cock. “Grilled salmon and asparagus, baked potatoes, and green salads.”
“All good choices for helping heal a concussion.”
“I know.” I placed our full plates and salad bowls on the table. “I Googled.”
“Oh, so that’s where you get your medical expertise.” She arched an eyebrow. “Was it Dr. WebMD who told you that you don’t need stitches?”
“No, but she did tell me that after too many hours, stitches are contraindicated.” Actually, Taylor had told me that during one of my check-in calls that afternoon, but he’d gotten the information from WebMD.
She glanced at the dark windows and frowned. “How far are we from Chicago?”
“About three hours. We did a lot of doubling back and driving in circles, just to make sure we weren’t followed. And besides, you were sound asleep and I wanted you to rest.”
“I wasn’t out cold that whole time, was I?” She shoved a forkful of salmon into her mouth as she waited for my answer.
