Page 31 of Jenna's Threatened Sanctuary

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Calvin reclined against the hospital bed, moving his gaze along with every stride Jenna made across the curtained-in cubical of the room. “If you don’t sit down, I’ll have a nurse come in with a tranquilizer. You’re making me dizzy.”

Jenna scowled then lowered herself into a chair beside the bed. “This is ridiculous. You shouldn’t have to wait this long to be seen.”

“Not being seen right away is a good thing. It means I’m not in the worst shape here. If other people need more desperate medical attention, they should get it.” Hearing the concern in her voice was almost worth having a bullet tear into his flesh.

She shifted in the chair. “I’m so tired and the chair’s so hard.” The end of the sentence came in a huff. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hands like a child trying to keep her tears from falling.

He bit into his cheeks to stop a smile from forming. Jenna had never handled lack of sleep well. “Come here.” He extended a palm toward her, unsure if she’d take it.

She clasped his hand in hers and squeezed. “Where do you want me to go? I’m as close as I can get.”

The feel of her soft skin against his gave him the courage he needed to press on. “There’s room on the bed for two. Who knows how long we’ll be here? You can close your eyes for a little bit.”

She nibbled on her bottom lip. “I…don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

He bit back a grin. He still knew her so damn well. Tonight, he needed comfort and support as much as she did. “Please? I’d like to rest, but I can’t when I’m too worried about who you’re harassing. Hell, if I don’t keep a close watch on you, you might grab a needle and try to stitch me up yourself.”

“You know I could.” Jenna hiccupped out a laugh that morphed into a sob. “Fine. I guess I’m not in any shape to perform sutures.”

Victory hummed a triumphant tune in his ear, but he kept all signs of his success from his face. He curved his body, allowing enough room for Jenna to fit beside him, then hooked his arm over her head. The motion stretched his side, which screamed in pain, but he didn’t care. He’d endure torture to lay this close to her.

She placed one hand on her flat stomach and lifted the other to the neck of his shirt. Shifting the fabric between her fingers, the way she always used to when her mind wouldn’t rest, but she didn’t want to voice her thoughts.

His heart raced and desire dipped deep into his gut. Her messy hair skimmed against his face. He squeezed his eyes shut, sealing the way her body felt against him in his mind. He may never get another chance, another moment, to savor her beside him. The idea crushed his soul, clogging his throat with tears he didn’t want to shed. Not now. Not when she was so close that thesmell of her shampoo invaded his senses, and he could forget for one damn second she was no longer his.

“I can’t believe you took a bullet to protect me and Oliver,” Jenna whispered.

“I’d do it again in a heartbeat. I should have pulled the trigger sooner and this mess would be over.” Guilt sliced into him. If he hadn’t been distracted by Boo, the bastard would either be dead or wounded enough that he wouldn’t have escaped.

Jenna stopped the motion of her fingers, twisting to face him, and laid her palm on his chest. A hard glint shone from her eyes. “I heard your statement. You did everything you could. If you had died…” Tears spilled over her long lashes and coated her cheeks.

Unable to resist, Calvin lowered his arm around her shoulders and pressed her against him. He moved his hand up and down her arm as the moisture from her eyes leaked through his shirt. “If I can’t beat myself up, neither can you. None of this is your fault.”

Lifting her head, she faced him with her red-rimmed eyes, wide and with a world of confusion shining through, as if she couldn’t trust what was happening between them. “Thank you.”

Calvin furrowed his brows. “For what?”

Jenna lifted the corner of her mouth. “For keeping me safe even after I stopped fighting for us.”

His heart stalled, and he held his breath. What did her apology mean? Was she ready to pick up the proverbial sword and find a way to bring them back together? Fear stole his words, afraid of what her answer might be. “I will always protect you, Jenna. No matter where things stand between us.”

Holding his gaze. Jenna swiped her tongue over her lips.

Calvin held back, even though his lips tingled with a need to brush against hers. She had to make that choice.

She pressed closer, her warm breath caressing his face. He closed his eyes, waiting for the invitation, praying it was more than comfort and lingering fear that urged her on.

“Sorry about the wait, I’m Dr. Pryor. It’s been?—”

Calvin’s eyes flew open.

“Good evening, Dr. Simon. I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’d say I’ll come back, but I need to get you stitched up and out of here before anyone else comes in.” Dr. Pryor averted his gaze, but he couldn’t quite hide the smile above his square jaw and dimpled chin.

Jenna scrambled off the bed, landing on the chair she’d complained about being too hard.

Calvin sighed and straightened, but a burst of hope lightened his mood. He just needed to be patient, to show Jenna that he wasn’t going anywhere, then the rest of her walls might crash to the ground.

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