Page 25 of Target Me
“Avery. You’re right. It has been a morning. Thank you for coming.”
Bear tapped his fingers to his forehead in a facsimile of a salute and offered a hand. “I have wonderful, heated seats and brakes in working order.”
I laughed, allowing him to pull me to my feet. Despite his size, Bear was the most non-threatening man I’d ever met. The fact he was Army meant he definitely had that darker side, but I was thankful for a buffer between Logan and me after our last conversation, and Bear was astute enough to provide that service.
Once we were settled in Bear’s truck, with me in front despite Logan’s protest, we waited for the tow truck to arrive and load up my poor car.
“We’ll check it out and deliver it back to the house,” the mechanic advised, tapping the side of Bear’s truck in farewell before heading off.
“We need to go to the hospital,” Logan announced from the back seat as Bear started the ignition.
“What for?” Bear asked, glancing in the rearview mirror, his brows furrowing.
“Avery’s just been in an accident. We need to have her checked out.”
“I’m fine.”
Bear looked between me and the back seat.
“She doesn’t look like she’s hurt.”
“I’m fine.”
Logan was being unreasonable. It had been well over an hour since the accident, and although I’d felt loopy for the first half hour, the feeling had passed, and I’d been chatting with Bear easily while we waited for the tow.
I explained this to Logan with as much patience as I could muster. Bear reluctantly backed me up, suggesting we get some food.
We went to the hospital.
10
LOGAN
It wasn’t until the doc gave Avery the all-clear that I could take a full breath again.
Bear gave me a knowing smirk when the announcement came but blessedly left shit well enough alone.
This girl was getting under my skin in a way that terrified me. No one had ever affected me the way she did. Not even…
“Logan?”
“What?”
Avery huffed, her face slightly flushed as she tried and failed to suppress her irritation.
“He said I’m fine. Just like I told you I was. Can we go home now?”
The word hit me like a physical blow, and the farmhouse took up space front and center in my mind. Maybe when this was all over, when the renovations were done, and the threat detained, I could move her in with me. I’d already had vague plans of turning the second bedroom into a playroom…
Coughing the sudden tightness from my throat, I nodded toward the door.
No plans until the job is done, Tanner.
Avery grinned, sliding from the bed and sashaying her sassy ass out of the room.
Bear slapped me on the shoulder; a silentyou’re a goner, manwritten all over his face.
“Shut up,” I grumbled, hurrying to get eyes back on Avery before she could get into any more trouble. The rumbling laugh that followed me out the door was not appreciated.
