Page 59 of Stirring Attraction (Second Shot 2)
“I’ll be fine.”
She nodded, clinging to his certainty even though the blood beneath her hands told a different story. The sirens stopped in front of her house and she glanced at the door.
“Look at me, Lily.”
She tore her attention away from the rush of footsteps on her front steps and focused on his pale, oh-so-familiar face, his deep green eyes.
“I’m not leaving you, Lily. Not this time. Not ever again if I can help it.” His eyes closed. “But I might . . . I might need a little . . . nap.”
The paramedics burst in as the love of her life passed out on her kitchen floor.
“Help him,” she begged, tears rushing freely down her face now. “Please, help him!”
Hands wrapped around her bare shoulders and drew her away from Dominic. “You can ride with him, ma’am,” a deep voice promised. “But let us take care of him now.”
She wrapped her arms around her waist and watched. More bodies filled the room. Men and women in uniforms. Forever’s chief of police rushed in and the sea of people parted for him.
“Lily, you’re all right,” Dominic’s father said, his expression transitioning to relief. Then he looked down at his son. “Oh God. Oh no. Dominic.”
“He was hit in the shoulder,” one of the paramedics called as they prepared to carry him out to the waiting ambulance.
The chief of police nodded, his jaw tight. “Exit wound?”
“Yes, sir. Close range. We’ll know more when we get to the hospital.”
And they carried Dominic out. She stepped forward and a woman, also in uniform, handed her a shirt. “For the ride to the hospital.”
Lily nodded and pulled it over her hea
d. Behind her, she heard Chief Fairmore ask: “And the suspect?”
“He’s dead, sir.”
Lily walked out of the kitchen. It was over. The man who’d hurt her, who’d left her living in fear, he was dead. She walked faster, stepping over the paint and stickers still covering her front porch. She needed to get to Dominic. She had to be there when he woke up. She had to tell him the words she should have said when he’d first come home, or later when he’d stood in her kitchen and told her that he loved her.
She climbed into the ambulance and moved to the side, allowing the paramedics to do their work. But once they pulled away, sirens blaring, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his ear. And she whispered, “I love you, Dominic Fairmore.”
DOMINIC WOKE UP to a chorus of beeping machines. He felt like he’d been dragged back in time. He blinked, studying the hospital ceiling, trying to orient himself. He’d been shot again. Only this time, he was in Oregon. And this wasn’t a military hospital.
“You’re awake?”
He turned his head and saw the woman he’d rushed to save. Lily. His Lily. Unharmed. She’d pulled her blond hair back into a ponytail. Her familiar blue eyes were red and puffy as if she’d been crying. And she was wearing an oversized navy T-shirt that read “Forever, Oregon, EMS Squad” with bright pink bloodstained pants. But still, she looked so damn beautiful.
“Hey.” His voice felt rusty and unused. He tried to reach for the water pitcher and paper cups on the bedside table, but Lily moved faster. She poured a cup and held it to his lips as he drank.
“Was I out long?” he rasped.
She smiled. “You slept for ten straight hours.”
“Huh. It must be the painkillers.” He could see the IV. Plus, he knew his shoulder should be hurting a lot more than it did. He looked at her over the rim of water cup.
“The nurses and I have been taking bets—painkillers or caffeine withdrawal. I had the advantage. I know your coffee habit. But the overnight nurse was on my side too.”
“Don’t tell me you spent the entire time sitting is that chair and watching me sleep.”
She shrugged. “It was my turn. Everyone was here earlier, when you came out of surgery. Your dad. Josie and Noah. Even Caroline. They saw you muttering and asking the nurse for coffee. She said you needed sleep. So I sent everyone home.”
“You could have gone home too,” he said.
