stared at her, and she did the only thing she could. She nodded. If she opened her mouth her tongue would unroll and drag on the floor. Drool would flood the cabin. God, was it his soap or cologne? Whatever it was, the scent was intoxicating. His long fingers carefully removed the bandage the nurse had wrapped her little toe in this morning. Man, had it only been this morning? Since Luke had come back into her life, time had sped up. Moments which used to drag raced past her, leaving her playing catch up. He removed the non-stick pad and examined the bruising on her toe. Vibrant reds, purples and blacks filtered down the side of her foot from the bottom joint of her toe to the heel. "Pretty, huh?"
His eyes connected with her gaze. "Beautiful." He kept the connection for several seconds before he dropped his attention to her foot again.
Oh... wow... those gold-flecked green eyes could suck the air from her lungs.
She leaned forward and watched as he deftly taped her toe as efficiently as the nurse had this morning. "You're good at being a nurse."
He chuckled as he put the tape back in the case and snagged up the wrapping from the pad he used to cushion her toe. "I've had quite a lot of practice and several training courses on self-aid and care for others. Battlefield type operations." He carefully moved her foot off his thigh.
Wow. "Battlefield? You were in the military?"
He spoke as he moved around the cabin, throwing away the trash and stowing the kit. "Something like that, yes."
"How old are you? Or is that rude?" She chuckled. "I know it isn't polite to ask a woman her age."
He smiled and offered her his hand. "I'm forty-three."
She stood and stared up at him. "How tall are you?"
He chuckled. "Six-four. I wear a size thirteen shoe, and I don't have any allergies."
She snatched her hand away and spun toward the door on her good foot. "I'm sorry."
"Hey, no, really. I didn't mean to make you feel self-conscious." His hands landed lightly on her shoulders, and she froze. He stepped up behind her as his hands slid down her arms and gripped her biceps gently. "I want you to know me. I want to know everything about you, too."
She snapped her eyes closed and whispered, "Why?"
He gently turned her and waited until she looked up at him. "Because you saved my life. My very breath, my thoughts, my survival, are real because you cared. You are a God given blessing I don't deserve, but one I must acknowledge I want." He lifted a hand and cupped her cheek. "The connection we shared three years ago refuses to be dislodged from my thoughts. You have been with me every day. How can I not want to know you better?"
She stared up into those intense eyes. He towered over her. Men of his stature had always intimidated her, like the one who’d carried her down the pier today, but Luke had never intimidated her. This close to him, she felt shielded from the external forces of the world.
"You've always stayed with me. Here." She touched the skin above her planner which she still clutched to her chest. "I worried about you for so long."
"I couldn't risk contacting you until I was ready to come back for you." He folded her into a hug and dropped his chin on her head. She heard his heart beating under her ear. Strong, steady, warm. She sighed and leaned further into him. The planner dug into her chest, but she didn't give a damn.
"I'm so glad you came back. I'm glad you didn't leave after I gave you that note." She chuckled. "I wanted to do what was best for you."
"You're what's best for me." He moved away so she could look up at him.
"I think maybe you're what's best for me, too." Her eyes slipped from his gorgeous green gaze to his lips. She licked her own, wanting to taste his.
His thumb brushed across her cheek. "Before this attraction goes any further, there's something you need to know. Because of information I've given them, Guardian believes your mother may be involved with a very well-organized criminal organization."
She leaned into his touch. "I know."
His finger stopped moving. "How?"
"I'm a pretty smart cookie. Top of my class, Harvard Law. You asked what I would do if my mother was connected to other crimes. Guardian is going after her, and I understand the