Page 59 of Nicole's Shelter

“You’re welcome. Come back to the kitchen and have a good breakfast before you two head out.”

“Sounds good. We’ll be right behind you,” Rick said.

“It’s your bacon going cold,” the doctor replied as he left the room.

“How are you feeling?”

“Much better. I slept well.”

“Good to know. Are you really able to see?” And if the answer was yes, could she tell how much he wanted to kiss her? More importantly, had she discovered anything telling in the pictures of her charred apartment building?

“The close up details are still a challenge, but I can sort out most big things.”

Like clothing, obviously. “I did the wash, but Kyle’s clothes are pretty much toast. Do you want me to pick up clothes or do you want to travel in those scrubs?”

“You did the wash?”

“Someone had to,” he said with a wink, wondering if she caught it. “And I figured your sorting skills weren’t up to par.”

“Did you sleep at all? Because I don’t think my driving skills are up to par either and I don’t want you falling asleep at the wheel.”

“I’m good.” Sleep was over-rated. The rest he’d had with her in his arms? That had been ten times more restorative. “Let’s go eat.”

“A doctor who serves bacon. Does that seem right to you?” she whispered as they walked down the hall.

He smiled, resisting the urge to tug her close to his side. She seemed determined to keep her distance this morning, only touching his arm lightly for guidance. “He’s my kind of doc.”

It was almost a relief when she retaliated with a friendly elbow to his ribs. He worried something was seriously off balance, but she seemed steadier, chatting with him and the doctor over bacon and eggs and two cups of coffee.

When they were on the road, he caught her squinting and shading her eyes against the morning sun streaming through the windshield. “Are you sure you’re okay? We could have waited.”

“You wanted to get on the road.”

“True. But not at the risk to your health.”

She snorted. “Do you really believe my health won’t be at more risk with whatever you have planned?”

He swallowed. “What do you think I have planned?”

“You’ve always got something percolating in your head.” She flicked a hand in the general direction. “Don’t sugarcoat it, just tell me. It’s my life after all.”

A cold dread settled in the pit of his stomach. This wasn’t at all how he saw things going and he couldn’t peg where it had changed. It was her life. Naturally he respected her independence, but he was determined to protect her from the dangers of the past and he’d already started envisioning how he wanted to fit into her future. If she’d have him.

Rubbing the heel of his hand against the dull ache in his chest, he shot her a look. He was being stupid. He’d been dealing with her troubles for a few days, she’d been dealing with them for nearly half her life. She’d survived a fire, been chased across town, shot at, blown into a tree, and temporarily blinded. He didn’t need to add to her stress with his emotions and insecurities. When they got through this, when Clifton was answering for his crimes, there would be plenty of time to share his personal intentions.

“Okay. Without sugarcoating it, my plan is something along the lines of you show me the evidence and we call the marshals to hand the evidence over.” Clifton had to have some access within that office, though he couldn’t imagine how or why. Yet.

“And hand me over to them too?”

He gritted his teeth. “If that’s what you want.”

She went silent, but he could feel the temper simmering. “There’s more you’re not saying.”

A lot more. “You’ve known me for a couple of days, how can you say that?”

“Please. You have the hero face on.”

“The what?”

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