“I’m not joking. After what happened tonight, I’m sticking close. At least until we can figure out what the hell is going on. I think we’d be a lot more comfortable at my house, and you might even find it less intimate. Plus we both know it can withstand a military bombardment. But if you insist on going back to your condo, I’ll be there with you.”
“My spare room is filled with boxes and junk. There’s no place for you to sleep.”
He tilted his head. “Oh, we can work something out.”
“Really?” she said sarcastically.
“I was referring to your living-room sofa. It’s a stronger line of defense than anyplace else in your condo.”
“I really don’t think—”
“I’m an excellent house guest. Magnificent, I’ve been told.” He started back toward his car. “I’ll follow you.”
“We need to discuss this.”
“We already have. You’re just too tired and beat-up to realize it. I’ll order Chinese on the way.”
She was clearly going to lose this one. “Don’t you even want to pack a bag?”
He pointed at his car. “I keep a suitcase packed in the trunk. I can never tell when I’ll be called to Lisbon or Shanghai on a moment’s notice.”
“You think you’re impressing me again.”
“Not really. Traveling sounds glamorous, but it almost never is. I do have an unbelievable number of frequent flyer miles, though. Want to go to Dubai tonight?”
“No.”
“Chinese food it is. See you at your place.”
He climbed into his Ferrari and started the engine.
*
“YOU DIDN’T STOP FOR CHINESE,” Kendra said as she watched Lynch set his leather suitcase down in the corner of her living room.
“They’re going to deliver.” He checked his watch. “In about fifty minutes. Which should give us just enough time.”
“Enough time for what?” she asked warily.
“For me to get you taken care of.” He slipped off his jacket. “Take off your shirt.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“You heard me.” He was heading for the kitchen. “That son of a bitch hurt you. You jumped when I touched your back at the parking lot. Then, when you got in your car, you flinched again. I’m going to take a look at it and see what I can do.”
“It’s a bruise. It will go away.”
“I’ll take a look at it,” he repeated as he opened the freezer. “I’ve had my share of wounds and bruises. I know how to get by with as little pain and discomfort as possible. Take off your shirt.”
She hesitated, then unbuttoned her shirt and took it off. The painful motion caused her to flinch again.
“See?” He was coming toward her with a large bag of frozen green beans in his hand. “He hurt you. Sit down on the couch and let me take a look at it.” He sat down beside her and gently turned her so that he was facing her back. “Shit,” he muttered. “You’ve got a bruise back here that’s almost a foot long. Nasty.” He undid her bra fastening and pushed it off so that it fell on her lap. “It’s going to hurt.”
He gently pressed the frozen bag to her back and held it there.
She inhaled sharply.
Ice-cold plastic on top of that bruised flesh.
“It will get better in a minute. Hang in there.”
It did get better. The ice was causing a numbness to spread over the inflamed bruise.
“Why ice and not heat?” she asked.
“Ice is better for the first twenty-four hours. Heat tomorrow.” He was carefully moving the ice bag around the bruised area. “Do you have any Arnica?”
“Don’t think so. Should I?”
“It might help. I’ll call a drugstore and have them send a bottle.”
“You do know about bruises.”
He chuckled. “Did you doubt me? Hell, yes. I remember one time I was beaten so badly by a tribal leader in Nairobi that I could barely walk. But the next day I knew I had to escape, or it wasn’t going happen. So I learned very fast how to lessen the pain and make it bearable.”
“How long do you have to do this ice therapy?”
“Another five minutes or so. Then I’ll massage it for another fifteen.”
“Massage it?” The idea of rubbing that painful area made her shudder. “I don’t think so.”
“Trust me. I’ll make it work for you.”
She was silent, letting the numbness grip and take the pain away. “Why was that tribal leader beating you?”
“His daughter decided she couldn’t do without me, and he didn’t like the idea of me as a son-in-law.”
“Lynch.”
“I thought that sounded pretty good. Much better than his wanting to know where I’d hidden a cache of diamonds he’d stolen that we were planning to use to ransom hostages being held by pirates from his village. Boring.”
“It depends on how you look at it.”
“True.” The ice was gone, and she heard him move away from her. “Lie down flat on your stomach now, and I’ll get to the massage.”
She stiffened.
“Do it, Kendra. I won’t say I’ll never hurt you. But I won’t do it if it’s not necessary. And it’s not what you’re thinking it’s going to be.”
She hesitated, then slowly stretched out on her stomach. “It just seems weird and definitely not medically approved.”