Page 37 of Sensual Nights

"You'll have to drive me. They gave me pain meds."

She chuckled. "No problem. I can drive you."

Jace grinned while saying "I'll bring his truck by later. Margo can follow and get me home."

"Thank you."

She stood back as Mason stood. He halted and waited to get his equilibrium. Then she stepped up to him and he put his arm around her shoulders. He was only slightly wobbly, and moved slowly, favoring his injured leg. She liked helping him. She liked that he wanted her to help him too.

She leaned forward and opened the door to the outside before stepping back to help him walk through. They limped along at a steady pace to her SUV, where she opened the passenger door and stood nearby, in case he needed assistance getting inside. She closed the door and hustled around the vehicle to get him home.

After climbing inside, she backed from her spot and turned her vehicle toward the Barracks. Mason rested his head on the headrest as she drove. Luckily, he lived close.

"We'll get you inside, then I'll make you something to eat."

"He rolled his head so he could see her. "Oh." He took a deep breath. "I haven't gone grocery shopping yet."

She grinned. "I can take you to my place. I have groceries."

"Okay."

She chuckled. He was being very agreeable. Not that he wasn't usually, but he'd normally say he didn't want to put her out or some other nonsense.

She passed Main Street and headed out of town to her place with a grin on her face.

20

Mason took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He hated this feeling of being a bit out of it. He was also hungry, as he'd missed lunch today.

Carley pulled into her garage and closed the door with the controller on her visor. She glanced at him briefly then smiled. "Hang tight."

He chuckled and watched her hurry around the front of her vehicle and open his door. He heaved himself forward from the passenger seat and set his good leg on the ground. Easing his left leg from the vehicle, he was pleased it didn't hurt that bad. He was fortunate. That bullet could have hit him in the head or the eye or other soft tissue. His leg wasn't that big of a deal.

After standing a moment to gather his stability, he put his arm around Carley's shoulders, and she led him to the door. This was the best part of being injured. Walking with his arm around her shoulders, smelling the fragrance of her hair. The feel of her body pressed tightly to his was nice, too.

She leaned forward and pushed open the door. "Okay, only two steps."

He nodded. Using his non-injured leg first, he stepped up. Then he rested his left leg on the step. He repeated that one more time, and they were inside.

She had a beautiful home. He was surprised at how elegant it was. She walked him to a stool at the counter and helped him ease onto it.

"Would you like something to drink while I make something to eat?"

"Sure. Water is good. My mouth is kind of dry."

She chuckled. "It's the pain killer."

"Yeah."

"So why didn't you go to the hospital?"

"I didn't need to go."

She turned and looked into his eyes. She stared at him for a minute then nodded. She didn't say anything. That would likely come later. He could tell she wanted to say something.

Truth be told, and only to himself, the thought of going into the hospital made his head spin. He hadn't been inside a hospital since he left his job. He wasn't ready to enter a hospital. He still had nightmares about the smell and the sounds of the machines. He just couldn't go in. He knew enough to keep his wound clean and make sure he did what it took to heal.

He watched Carley pull food from the refrigerator and set it on the counter. She pulled a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water from the door in the refrigerator.

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