Page 7 of Tucker

He’d been hurt protecting her.

The knowledge humbled her, and she sighed. “Don’t be silly.” With the shirt up his injured arm, he easily slid in the other and then, together, they got it over his head.

Behind them the door opened. She expected the nurse, but it was Deputy Moody Egan, a guy she’d gone through school with, hat in hand, stammering an apology at finding them so close together.

On the way to the hospital, Tucker had calmly called in the accident and told his men to watch for a fast car racing into town. Kady hoped they got the jerk.

After all, it was because of him that Tucker had a very bruised shoulder and upper arm.

“What is it?” Tucker asked, as he smoothed down the shirt.Hedidn’t seem embarrassed, but then, it took a lot to get a reaction out of Sheriff Tucker Turley.

“We got him. He blew through town too fast for anyone to grab him, but plenty of locals spotted him and got his license number. Then a trooper from the state police attempted to pull him over. The idiot didn’t stop, but crashed again after about a ten-mile chase.”

Tucker paused, his head coming up, his brows drawn in a frown. “Another crash?”

“Ran into a guardrail and got himself stuck.” Moody grinned. “No one was hurt, but they found drugs on the bozo, in his car and probably in his system, from the way he was acting.”

“You don’t say.” Favoring his injured arm, Tucker leaned against the metal bed. “Given the crazy way he was driving in the storm, that doesn’t surprise me.”

“It gets better,” Moody promised. “The passenger side of his car showed evidence of his brush with the weather van. Plus he has an outstanding warrant for parole violation. They arrested him, and it doesn’t sound like he’ll be going anywhere anytime soon.”

A slow, devastating smile—at least in Kady’s opinion—spread over Tucker’s face. “Perfect. Someone else grabbing him is the next best thing to me dealing with him myself.” He started for the door.

Kady shook her head. “You’re in no shape to—”

He interrupted her, saying to the deputy, “You can drive me back out to get the SUV?”

“Uh...” Moody looked between them, then cleared his throat. “She already took care of that.”

Tucker went absurdly still. “She?”

Kady felt guilty heat scorch her cheeks, but she faked a bold confidence. “While you were being x-rayed, I arranged for someone to get your ride.” Smile as bright as she could make it, she stated, “I’ll drive you home.”

He turned to stare at her as if she’d spoken in a foreign language, then he gave his attention back to the deputy. “Where did the SUV go?”

“Your house,” she answered. “Even though you shouldn’t attempt driving—”

Again he ignored her. “Keys are with it?”

Moody’s gaze continued to bounce back and forth in a panicked ping-pong. “Yes, sir.”

Uh-oh, Kady thought. Bringing out the “sir” in an otherwise casual department meant Tucker was likely more annoyed than he showed.

But then, he always hid his emotions well.

Except for when he’d kissed her. Remembering gave her new purpose, and she launched into action. “Go on,” she said to Moody, shooing him away. “I’ll see that Tucker gets home safely.”

Eyes widening, the deputy looked at the sheriff.

Tucker’s jaw clenched before he visibly relaxed and nodded. “Thanks, Moody.”

With that polite dismissal plain, Kady watched the deputy retreat with alacrity. Pleased that she’d gotten her way, she hooked her arm through Tucker’s on his uninjured side and smiled up at him. “You must be hungry and tired. And your shoulder has to be hurting.” She led him through the door. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything.”

When he smiled down at her, a really serene, sort of knowing smile, she started to worry.

Kady frowned. “What?”

Now he was leading her. “You can drive me home, but you’re not feeding me.”

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