Page 36 of Rogue Survivor
“That’s not why I asked.” Heat crawls up my cheeks, and I take a sip of coffee so I have a moment to figure out how to tell Connor I care about him. “I want toknowyou,” I say, finally. “Last night…”
He leans down, cups the back of my neck, and kisses me. Before he draws back, he whispers against my lips, “Last night, I shared a part of me no one ever sees. Wouldn’t have done that for anyone but you.”
“That might be the most romantic thing a man has ever said to me.” Connor’s surprised laugh has me reaching for his hand. “I mean it.”
“Wasn’t meant to be romantic. Just the truth.” He tries to get up, but his knee cracks, and he stumbles until his shoulder hits the wall. “Fuck.”
“Connor!” I’m on my feet in an instant, coffee sloshing over the rim of my cup. With my free hand tight on his hip, I try to steady him. “How bad is it?”
“No worse than any other day, darlin’. Tripped on the edge of the rug.” His voice takes on a rough edge that’s so damn sexy, it sends goosebumps racing down my arms. “I’m not a good bet, Isabel. You deserve a man who’s not broken. Who isn’t permanentlydisabled,who can still do his job, still provide.”
“Horseshit.” I set the mug on the nightstand and tug on Connor’s arm until he turns to face me. “I don’t need someone toprovidefor me. I need someone to love me.”
He flinches at the word love, and I think he’s about to rush off when the rhythmicclickingof Veronica’s crutch draws closer.
“Mom? Is there breakfast?”
Connor heads for the door, leaving me with my nipples hard and aching under my tank top. “We’ve got eggs and bacon, plus all the ingredients for pancakes and french toast too. Any of that sound good?”
“Pancakes,” she replies, and the walls I built around my heart so many years ago start to crumble. He talks to her—cares for her—like it’s second nature, and she’s accepted his presence like she knows I don’t ever want him to leave.
“Well, come with me, then,” he says. “Let’s see if we can have breakfast ready to go by the time your mom gets dressed.”
When I turn around, Connor’s following Veronica down the hall, his hand hovering just under her elbow, making sure she doesn’t fall.
Broken, my ass. He’s not broken. He’s perfect.
By the timethe dishes are done and both Veronica and I have bathed and dressed, Connor has his duffel packed and slung over his shoulder as he emerges from the bedroom.
“You’re leaving?” I don’t know what I’m supposed to do here all day—or what Veronica is going to do other than rest. Connor—along with Sergeant Billings and Sergeant McGrath—warned us we can’t check our email, call any friends or family, or leave the safe house for any reason. Hell, my laptop is still at the office and I left Veronica’s tablet at home. There aren’t any books on the shelves here, but the TV has Netflix. Movie marathon?
“I’m gonna meet AJ. See about the investigation.” He shoves his right hand into the back pocket of his Wranglers, small lines tightening around his eyes. “But I’ll come back with dinner. What sounds good, lil’ bit? Whataburger® or BBQ?”
On the couch, Veronica scrolls through an endless list of movies. She’s propped her arm up with a pillow, and rests her braced leg on the coffee table. “BBQ would be awesome. Mom? Can you call Mrs. Chandler?” she asks, tipping her head back to meet my gaze. “Or the principal? I need to find out what I’m missing at school. And maybe…get Mitzi’s assignments too? I could do them for her.”
She’s so desperate to help her best friend, and I’d give her anything she wanted if I thought it would ease some of the guilt she’s carrying. But I can’t give her this.
“We can’t, baby girl. No phone calls, remember? I need to let my boss know I won’t be in for a while too.”
Connor limps back over to the couch and drops to his good knee in front of my daughter. “Listen, lil’ bit. You’re less than a year away from bein’ an adult, and once that happens, no one’s gonna let you lie on the couch all day watchin’ Netflix. Take advantage of it for a few hours, and when I come back, I’ll bring a couple of burner phones. Your mom can call her work and your school and figure out what we need to do so you don’t fall behind. Deal?”
She nods, though I think she’d be a heck of a lot happier if he’d offered to drive her to school and leave her there all day.
I’m fixated on one word.
We.
“…figure out what we need to do…”
That implies he’s accepted thereisa we. I follow him to the door, and he wraps his arms around me and buries his face against my neck. “No going outside, remember? Do everything Billings and McGrath tell you. And rest. You hear me?”
“We’ll rest. As long as I know you’re coming back. And notjustfor dinner.”
Connor straightens, and when our gazes collide, the uncertainty in his eyes? Shit.
He’s not ready to “play house,” Isabel. And you shouldn’t be either.
But I am. Maybe it’s our situation. Maybe I’m clinging to him because he’s been the only constant in my life since he showed up at the hospital Wednesday night. Or maybe it’s more.
