Page 63 of No Good Deed

He’d breathed in her scent, held her close, and reminded himself that she was whole and would recover.

And she loved him back.

A definite miracle.

When Piper shifted in his arms, his eyes flew open. He moved his hands gently over her to help her feel safe when she woke.

Her lashes fluttered, and she snuggled into him. He kissed her hair and she sighed. It was a warm and happy sound.

Relieved she wasn’t waking from a nightmare, he kissed her hair again. “Morning.”

Piper shifted so she could see him. “Good morning.”

Her eyes were clear, and he hoped the effects of the concussion wouldn’t be hard for her. “How are you feeling this morning?”

Her smile was soft but immediate. “I’m warm and safe and snuggled up with this sexy guy I’ve fallen in love with. I’m feeling pretty good. How about you?”

Troy grinned. “Feeling good myself. This sexy woman I’ve had my eye on tells me she loves me back. That’s a pretty good deal.”

Piper laughed and leaned up to kiss him. He caught the wince as she moved. He kissed her lightly, then rolled her onto her back and leaned up on his elbow to look down at her. “How are the injuries feeling?”

She grimaced. “I’m stiff everywhere. My head doesn’t hurt as much as last night. Same with my ribs.”

Troy tapped her nose. “How about I run you a bath? I think my mom left some of that foamy stuff in the hallway bathroom. Let me check.”

“That sounds amazing, but I can do it myself.”

He gently touched her stomach to stop her from getting up. “Let me. Please.”

Tears glistened for a second, but she blinked them away. “Okay. Thank you.”

Troy found what he was looking for and started the bath in the master bathroom. He wasn’t sure he’d ever used the tub since he’d renovated. It had been too weird to use his parents’ space as it was. The reno had made it his own. Having Piper be the first one to use the bath was completely right.

When he returned to the bedroom, Piper was sitting on the edge of the bed, head down and hands gripping the mattress. He squatted in front of her and squeezed her hands. “What hurts?”

She grimaced. “I’m okay. Just got a little woozy. I sat up too quickly. I’m fine.”

He took her hands and brought them to his lips. “You’re definitely fine.”

She rolled her eyes with a laugh. “You know what I mean. I’m fine. It’s already passing.”

“How about I help you?”

She grinned. “You can help me by spending some time in that tub with me.”

He laughed. “I think that can be arranged.” He carried her into the bathroom and set her on her feet. Then he ran his hands into her hair and cupped her face. “I love you, Piper. Let me take care of you.”

“Well, when you say it like that. I love you, too. So much.”

He lifted Piper in his arms and stepped into the tub. He lowered them so that she was sitting in front of him. She settled against his chest. “This is perfect.”

For a while, they sat and let the warmth soak into their bones. He hoped it would ease her aches. He ran his hands over her skin, hoping to soothe her. A large bruise ran from her side to her back where the asshole had kicked her. Another bloomed on her cheek where he’d slapped her. Troy kissed her there. “I’m so sorry you got hurt. So sorry I didn’t figure it out quickly enough.”

She shook her head softly. “Not your fault, Troy. If it wasn’t for you, who knows what he would have done to me next time? He threatened to shoot me in the stomach so I’d bleed out slowly. You saved me.”

“I’d do anything for you, Piper. I just wish I hadn’t been so easy on him when I found him.” He took a deep breath to settle himself down and changed the topic to distract her. “Plus it only seems fair, seeing as your ideas are going to save our town.”

As he’d hoped, his words made her laugh. Then, her body tightened. “You okay?”

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