Page 60 of Protecting What's Mine
He helped her to her feet and didn’t miss it when she winced.
The lightning strike of pain in her ankle caught her by surprise. The fact that it was her bad ankle only pissed her off more. “Fuck,” she hissed.
“Leg? Ankle?” He slipped an arm around her waist.
“It’s fine. Just a tweak. If you pick me up right now, I swear to God I will murder you.”
“Got it. Stoic support only,” he said, taking her waist.
“Need a hand?” someone called out.
A paramedic, another firefighter, and the sheriff himself helped haul them both back up to the road. Skinny was cuffed and slumped against the wheel of the police cruiser. Mack could make out the team loading the patient aboard.
“I gotta go,” she insisted. But she gave Linc’s arm a hard squeeze.
“You better call me, Dreamy!”
She threw a wave of acknowledgement over her shoulder and jog-limped toward the waiting bird.
She didn’t realize it until she was climbing aboard in considerable pain. Skinny was missing a front tooth now, too.
She slammed the headset over her ears. “Let’s rock and roll, RS.”
With her focus on the patient, she didn’t notice Linc watching the chopper until it disappeared.
Linc: Status update?
Linc: Hotshot paging Dr. Dreamy.
Linc: At least tell me if you made it back to the hospital or if you crash landed in a pasture full of goats.
Mack: Made it back. TBI for the patient.
Linc: Fuck.
Mack: My sentiments.
Linc: How are you? You were limping pretty good.
Mack: Fine.
Linc: Stop talking my ear off, doc.
Mack: It’s nothing serious. Just getting checked out in the ED.
Linc: Text me when you get home.
Mack: I won’t be up for company.
Linc: Understood. Just want to make sure you’re home safe.
Mack: Home now.
Linc: Sweet dreams, Dreamy. Text if you need anything.
20
Linc rapped lightly on the bright blue cottage door. Sunshine’s tail swished expectantly against his leg. It was early. Before seven a.m. But he knew she was up.
