She hesitated. “Do you really think someone else is out there looking for David?”
“We’re talking illegal drugs. That means production, sellers, dealers, all with a shitload of money on the table. Then there’s you.” He gave her a slow smile. “Anyone else you pissed off lately?”
She smiled back. “Besides you?”
He grinned. “We’re good.”
Kye reached up to feel his nose, a ploy to keep her from reading the truth in his gaze. They were more than good. He was bleeding for her and would keep bleeding until he had fought through whatever was required to get her to safety.
She must have seen something because she reached out and touched his cheek. And then she leaned in and kissed him just behind the ear. “Poor nose,” she whispered against his ear. “Let me get some gauze and tape. I’ll be right back.”
Kye watched her go. He was an adult. He could handle just about anything that came his way. He knew a person didn’t get what he wanted simply because he wanted it. Or even deserved it. Relationships took two. But if he didn’t win Yard, he wasn’t sure what survival was going to look like.
Right now he needed her strong and ready to fight back. Any other conflicting emotion would only weaken her. That meant protecting her, even from himself.
She was back in a flash. “Take a seat.” She pointed to the sofa. He perched on the arm. “This might hurt a bit but it will stop the bleeding.” She began cleaning his nose with antibacterial wash.
He should have been planning a strategy to get them to safety. Instead, he teased himself with the sight of her, how she smelled, how she felt each time she brushed against him. If this were twelve hours earlier, he’d have busied himself peeling the layers of her clothing off her as she tended to him. He’d have taken handfuls of her breasts and held them up so that he could lick at her nipples until she groaned with pleasure. Only now, he was about to groan, and it wasn’t from pain.
He made himself focus. She was a little pale, eyes revealing the fear she tried to tap down, her left leg wiggling like an ad for restless leg syndrome. She was vulnerable. A protective arm, a little squeeze, a kiss on the forehead. Maybe just a little more body contact—
He spread his legs so that she could get closer, only to suck in a breath as she unknowingly pressed her hip against his arousal. He shifted, giving her more access as she worked on his face. He was nowhere near do-gooder status. Nope. Not even a little.
Within a few minutes, she’d dried the blood and added antibiotic, then gently pushed rolled gauze pads up each nostril. He swore under his breath more than once but didn’t stop her until he was taped up to hold them in place. Only then did he move.
“Thank you.” He sounded like he had a bad cold but he didn’t care. His hands came up with the intention of framing her waist. It was stupid. She wouldn’t like it. But he just really needed to touch.
“What are we doing?” David was back in the doorway, looking more and more like a zombified version of a handsome man.
Yardley spun around, startled by the sight of him. “You shouldn’t be up.”
“We’re getting you medical help.” Kye’s gaze switched to Yardley, his hands rising to touch his bandaged face. “Thanks. Now find Gunnar a coat, get some blankets, and dress for warmth yourself.”
He was up and moving toward the door, his SAR coat snagged up on the way. “The roads aren’t plowed in this area, I’m guessing. There’s the possibility we could get stuck but we need to get out of here.”
“I’ll drive.” Yard was moving toward a closet. “My Jeep’s four-wheel drive.”
Kye came up beside her. “Are you sure?”
She turned to him. Her gaze was absolutely clear, direct and solid with confidence. “I know the roads and I’ve driven in conditions worse than today’s.”
Kye smiled for the first time since he’d first spied Gunnar. “Yes, ma’am. Get us ready to roll. I’ll be right back.”
He thrust his arms in his SAR jacket then reached for a pair of leashes, called both dogs to his side, and tethered them. A moment later man and dogs were out the door.
*
Kye checked the availability of the compact Smith & Wesson in his pocket before stepping off the porch into the soft snow. The night was eerily bright with the salting of small flakes sifting out of the sky. The clouds, some lit by urban centers hours away, reflected light down onto the white world below, making everything unusually bright. With the ground sparkling before him, Kye could see farther than he might have on a night with a full moon.