Page 112 of Shadow Undercover

“Sam and Jake think you’ll be fine.”

“They should know.”

She brushed her lips over his. “I’ll be right back. I need to tell Sam you’re awake.”

“’Kay.”

Bridget hurried to the threshold. “Sam.”

The medic jumped to her feet and ran into the bedroom. A big smile curved her mouth. “Enjoy your nap?”

“What do you think?”

“That you’d rather be chasing bad guys for real than in your dreams.” She checked him over, asking him a series of questions. When she finished, she said, “You’ll be fine. Might have surgery and physical therapy ahead, but you’ll recover and be back on mission rotation soon.”

His gaze shifted to Bridget. “Time off is good. Gives me a chance to romance my favorite researcher.”

“I’m telling Zane,” Sam teased. “He’ll be heartbroken that you threw him over for a former librarian.” She squeezed his hand. “Rest. I’ll check on you in a few minutes and change out your IV bag.”

The medic strode to the door and announced to the jet’s occupants, “He’s awake.”

Cheers and applause broke out in the cabin.

Trace slid his hand over and gripped Bridget’s. “You injured?”

“Aggravated the ribs when Hugo’s man tackled me. A couple of new scratches. Compared to you, though, I’m in great shape.” Her smile faded at the remembered long minutes of terror that she would lose Trace.

“What is it?”

“You scared me.”

“I know, baby. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t do it again.”

A ghost of a smile settled on his mouth. “I’ll try.” His words began to slur as sleep claimed him again.

“I should go. You’ll rest better.”

His grip tightened. “Stay. Need you.”

Bridget’s heart turned over in her chest. What did he mean by that?

Trace sighed. “Love you,” he murmured and fell silent.

She stared at his beloved face. Bridget must have heard wrong. She wanted to hear those words so badly from him that she’d conjured the declaration of love from her tired imagination. Right?

He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t tell her something like that and fall asleep. What if he didn’t mean it? Bridget sighed. She needed to get a grip on her emotions and let Trace rest. She loved him. Nothing would change that. If he didn’t mean what he’d said, she would have to win his heart.

While Trace slept on, Bridget occupied her time by planning dates and ways to romance the tough operative with the heart of gold. Trace may not know it, but his days as a confirmed bachelor were numbered. She couldn’t live without him in her life.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

The next time Trace surfaced from the darkness, the jet’s tires bumped along the tarmac, jarring his body and sharpening his pain. Aware of a warmth against his left side, he glanced over to see Bridget sound asleep, curled up next to him. Her hand rested on his chest as though unconsciously reassuring herself that Trace was still breathing.

Tenderness along with a tendril of uneasiness filled him as he watched her sleep. After the traumatic events of the past few days and seeing his job up close and personal, would Bridget decide he wasn’t the right man for her? His job was dangerous. The shoulder wound that throbbed like a bad toothache despite the pain meds in his IV was unmistakable proof of that fact. What woman in her right mind would want to be with him?

No doubt in his mind that he loved the courageous librarian turned researcher. The question was did he love her enough to give up his chosen profession?

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