Breaking News (Prime Time #2)- Ella Frank Page 0,9

ask.”

“I promise,” Xander said, then grabbed himself a donut.

Bailey sat back down at my feet and took one of my hands in his. “This plan work for you?”

I took another swallow of my Ensure and nodded. It was the only plan that worked for me.

“Okay. Well, that settles that. There was no one I trusted more to look after Xander when he was in trouble, and that goes both ways. I know he’ll take good care of you.”

Of that I had no doubt, and selfishly, I couldn’t wait to have some alone time with him again.

About to make some vague response, I was saved when Dr. Marx walked through the door.

“Well, good morning, everyone. I see we have a full house. That must mean we’re sending someone home today.”

5

Xander

“YOU NEED A ride, detective?” With a smile plastered on my face, I stared out the open window of Sean’s SUV to where he sat in a wheelchair at the front entrance to the hospital.

In a pair of grey sweatpants, navy-blue t-shirt, and a Chicago Bulls cap that Bailey had brought in for him, Sean almost looked like his usual self. If you didn’t count the paleness of his skin or the slight tightening of his lips as Win helped him to his feet.

After putting the SUV in park, I climbed out to go and help, and with Win holding the door wide and my arm around his waist, Sean managed to get into the vehicle with no issue. Once he was inside, Win handed me the bag with his belongings and a smaller one with his meds.

“Thank you,” I said, and made a mental note to send her some flowers to let her know how much I appreciated everything she’d done for us.

“You’re welcome. I’m really going to miss you two.”

“I think we’re going to miss you more.” And that was the truth. Win had been a lifesaver.

“You’re going to be fine.” She gently squeezed my arm. “But make sure to look after yourself too, okay? You’ve been through a lot this past week and haven’t had much time to process.”

“I’m fine.”

“You are right now because you have other things to focus on. But just be sure to give yourself time to adjust.”

“I will,” I said, and mustered up my brightest smile. “Thank you again.”

“Anytime. I’ll see you on the news, Mr. Thorne.”

She waved to Sean as I headed around to the driver’s side and climbed in behind the wheel. Once I was inside, I looked at Sean and said, “Time to buckle up.”

He looked over his shoulder to the seatbelt and then turned back to me. “Uh, it hurts a little to twist and grab it. Do you mind?”

Of course it did. God, I was an idiot.

Careful not to lean on him, I reached across him and went to pull the belt across his chest. Sean’s hand on my arm halted me, and I realized just how close we were to one another.

“Hi,” he said, his eyes roaming all over my face.

“Hi.”

Sean took in a deep inhale and closed his eyes, and I tightened my fingers around the nylon strap.

“You smell fucking amazing,” he said.

“Sean…” It felt like forever since I’d been this close to him, forever since I’d touched him. I reached up and ran my fingers down his cheek. “I can’t believe that you’re already going home today. When just last week—”

“Shh.” Sean placed a hand over mine and turned his face into my palm, and the feel of his lips made my heart thump a little harder. “Thanks for volunteering to be my keeper.”

He didn’t need to thank me. It’d been the best way I could think of to get him alone. But before I could say that, a horn blasted from behind us.

I startled and let go of the belt. Sean twisted to grab hold of it, and I straightened up and narrowed my eyes. “You didn’t really need help with that, did you?”

As I fastened my own seatbelt, Sean chuckled.

“Guilty.”

I couldn’t help the twitch to my lips because that was totally a Sean move. “Glad to see you’re feeling better.”

“That’s why I’m in the car and not the hospital, right?”

“Right.”

“Speaking of, how did you get my SUV to the hospital? I never saw you leave.”

“I didn’t,” I said as I pulled out onto the main road. “We had your keys, and Henri picked it up from the hotel the next day.”

“Wait, you’re saying Boudreaux drove my car?”

I knew all about the contentious relationship between Sean