Pain dogged Lexi, and finally pulled her out of her strange, shadowy dreams. She started to turn her head—and gasped when pain spiked her head.

Memory followed the pain. A hooded figure, a threat, a swinging fist.

I have to get out of…

Her panicked thought faded when she opened her eyes, and saw that she was safe. Then she saw Nick.

He was stretched out in the armchair on the left side of her bed, sound asleep.

She vaguely remembered being lifted off the cold, wet ground, and the throbbing, hot pain in her cheek. Somehow, it didn’t surprise her that Nick had been the one to find her.

He opened his eyes, and straightened when he saw that she was awake.

“How are you?” His voice sounded even deeper, and gravely. Clearing his throat didn’t help. “If you have a headache—”

“Sit down, Nick.” She had a throbbing headache, but relief could wait for a minute. “How did you know?”

“I was taking a walk.” He ran one hand through his hair. “I couldn’t sleep, and I thought the fresh air might help. I heard your cry, and—” He swallowed, staring at the wall behind her. “I’m sorry I didn’t get to you before you were injured.”

“Hey.” She knew better than to sit, but she did slide her hand across the mattress. “Look at me, Nick.” She waited until he did, and the anguish in his exhausted blue eyes tore at her. “I know something life-changing happened to you, and my guess is that you blame yourself for what happened. But you’re not to going to blame yourself for this. It’s all on me. I scared whoever’s behind these thefts, and they wanted me gone.”

That got his attention.

“They threatened you?”

She started to nod, and pressed one hand to her head. “Right before they punched me.”

“Stay put. I’m getting you something for your headache.”

He strode out of the room before she could say anything else. She wasn’t about to argue; her head was pounding now, and she felt a little nauseated as well.

“Fantastic,” she muttered. “I can end this disastrous experience by throwing up on him.”

Nick walked back in, followed by an older woman, who smiled at her. Her nametag claimed that she was the camp nurse, Judy.

“Welcome back, Ms. Granger.”

“Lexi.”

Judy helped her sit, and held out a small paper cup. “These will help drug the little man pounding away in your head.”

Lexi took the pills, and swallowed them with the glass of water Nick handed her. Every move left her head pounding, and her left cheek felt inflamed. She was afraid to touch it, and more afraid to see the damage.

Both Nick and Judy lowered her to the bed. She felt lightheaded, but she had a feeling most of that was from hunger. Nick seemed to read her mind.

“Judy—do you have any breakfast planned? I know I’m starving, and Lexi is probably close to it, since she I have a feeling she didn’t eat much last night.”

“How does scrambled eggs and sausage sound?”

“Heavenly,” Lexi whispered.

Judy laughed, and headed for the door. “I’ll put in an order for all three of us. Keep her company while I’m gone, Nick.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” To Lexi’s surprise, he sat on the edge of the bed and took her hand. “Can you tell me what happened last night?”

“Like you, I was taking a walk. I needed to clear my head, and having an almost clear night was irresistible. Word got around that I’d been talking to the victims, and that I’d talked to you. I think I scared the thief.”

Nick growled, and she recognized the deep rumble. He’d made the same sound when they—

Don’t go there.

“Nick.” She asked the question before she could chicken out. “What happened to you?”

He kept his gaze on their joined hands, quiet for so long that Lexi figured he was going to ignore her question. Finally, he started talking, his voice quiet.

“It was a normal night, at first. My partner, Joe, was driving, and we had just left the station after arresting a drunk who had decided to beat on his pregnant girlfriend.”

Lexi tightened her grip on his hand, to let him know he wasn’t alone. He sounded so—distant.

“We got a call about shots fired in a warehouse near the docks. Joe led the way in, and I was right behind him when the perps—the suspects—opened fire.” He swallowed. “Joe caught the brunt of it. The shooters—a local dealer and his pair of goons—knew we were wearing vests. They aimed above the neck and below the waist.”

“Oh, God,” Lexi whispered. “The scars on your shoulder.”

“Stray bullets.” He lifted his free hand and touched the scar on his throat. She had kissed that scar during their night together, not knowing what it meant, or how he’d gotten it. “This is the one that dropped me. I couldn’t help Joe, couldn’t speak to call for backup.” He finally looked at Lexi, and the shadows in his green eyes had her sitting up to cradle his cheek. “I couldn’t save him, Lex,” he whispered. “He died next to me, bleeding out on the floor of a deserted warehouse. I survived because the night guard from another building heard the shots and called it in.”

“Nick.” She wanted to hold him, tell him it would be okay. But he had lost too much for empty words. Instead, she leaned in and gently kissed him.

He hesitated, and she started to pull away.

“No, Lex,” he whispered. “Don’t leave me.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her with a tenderness that left her trembling.

She was falling hard for this strong, wounded man. The thought should have terrified her; after Lance, she had decided to go on a man-free diet. Instead, she had found Nick, and he forced her to face what she had spent so many years hiding from.

Her own heart.

Between one breath and the next, Nick lowered her to the bed and stretched out beside her, never taking his talented lips off hers. She twisted her hands into the front of his shirt—and let out a gasp when her head throbbed in protest.

He freed her immediately, his hand cradling the back of her head. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I wasn’t thinking.”

“Neither was I.” She managed to smile before another wave of pain had her closing her eyes. “Damn it,” she whispered.

Nick eased her to the bed and stood. “I’m going to get Judy.”

“She’s here.” Judy stepped into the room and set the tray she carried on the counter next to the sink. “Are you hurting, Lexi?”

“Yeah.” She didn’t want to whine, or make a big deal of it. And once she was still, the pain eased considerably. “Too much blood rushing to my head.”

“Falling in love will do that to you.” Both Lexi and Nick stared at her. “I just call them as I see them. Make sure she eats something, Nick, and I’ll check on her in another hour.” She winked at Lexi before she closed the door.

Silence surrounded them, and Lexi stared at her feet, not sure where to look. She jumped when a tray appeared in front of her.

“Hungry?” Nick’s deep voice sounded surprisingly normal.

She nodded, and risked a glance at him. He missed it, too busy moving the wheeled bed tray over to her. On it was a huge plate, loaded with fluffy, still steaming scrambled eggs, and a pile of sausage links.

A tall glass of orange juice accompanied the meal, and Lexi sat, slowly, reaching for the orange juice. Her head cooperated, with only a small twinge reminding her that she had been punched. The painkiller must have kicked in.

“Thank you,” she said, and drank half the glass at once.

“Impressive.”

She smiled at him. “Thirsty.”

He set a glass of water on her tray. “Drink all of this, as well. You’ll be dehydrated.”

She did, drinking until her throat stopped feeling like she’d swallowed a desert. Then she attacked the food.

Nick joined her, both of them quiet as they devoured the eggs and sausage. Finally, Lexi leaned back, her stomach full and happy. She watched Nick finish off his breakfast, enjoying the comfortable silence. Lance had never enjoyed silence of any kind. He had talked constantly, afraid of even a second without sound.

It had driven Lexi to rent her own office, away from their apartment. Away from Lance’s constant chatter, or the drone of the television, or his incredibly bad taste in music.

But Nick sank into the silence, let it settle around him. Lexi realized that she had never been nervous, or uncomfortable with this man. He made her furious, exasperated, and left her aching, needing, wanting, but her normal awkward behavior had been conspicuously absent.

“Your mind looks mighty busy, Miss Writer.”

“I had a breakthrough.”

He leaned forward. “You did? Tell me about your story.”

Lexi stared at him, shocked and flattered at the same time. No man she’d dated had ever been the least bit interested in her writing, unless they were her plus one at a fancy event.

“I—okay. It’s about an ex-cop—” She cut herself off, horrified. “I—Nick—he’s been the hero of my series for a few years now. I didn’t—”

“Model him after me? Good thing; he’d be boring as hell. Keep going, Lex.”

She smiled, and started talking. By the time she finished, she had a complete story swirling around in her mind.

“I can’t believe it.” She looked at Nick. “You decimated my writer’s block.”

He leaned forward, until his warm breath caressed her lips. “You did that, sweetheart. I just let you work it out.”

She kissed him, tasting the mint he had popped after eating. Heat swept through her, and she deepened the kiss, wanting more. Nick moaned against her lips, sat next to her on the bed, and pulled her into his lap.

His hard length pressed into her hip, and she held on to his right shoulder, moving until she straddled him.

He eased back, meeting her eyes. “Lex—”

“I just want to feel you, Nick.”

He swallowed, and spread his hand over her lower back. “You drive me crazy, Lexi Granger. It doesn’t go beyond this.”

“Yes, sir.”

He smiled, and captured her lips in a kiss that left her head spinning.

 

***

 

Nick reluctantly left Lexi to rest, and headed back to his cabin. He was exhausted, and his body ached from sleeping in the chair. He wasn’t as young as he used to be.

Cooper sat in the chair on his porch, a wide grin on his face. “How’s Lexi?”

Nick stomped past him. “Shut up, Cooper.”

Laughing, Cooper followed him inside, and helped himself to the coffee that had brewed itself, thanks to the timer. “She’s the best thing that’s happened to you in months. I haven’t heard you growl at anyone since you laid eyes on her.”

With a sigh, Nick sat at the small kitchen table. Memories of Lexi were everywhere in the cabin. He wouldn’t be able to step in here again without thinking of her, smelling her, wanting her.

“Have you been able to get out of camp?”

Cooper set down his coffee and shook his head. “The road was under half a foot of water this morning. You might be able to get out using the trail, but it’ll be slow going. Is Lexi okay?”

“She was attacked by the thief.” He summarized for Cooper, who was frowning when he finished. “I want to try and get to town. With no service, I feel vulnerable out here.”

“Shoot for Boone’s. There’s bound to be a working phone there. I’d like to know if we could actually get out if there’s an emergency.”

“Sounds like you just volunteered me.”

Smiling, Cooper stood and patted his shoulder. “The joys of seniority. You better get going while the weather’s still clear. The latest report said anther storm’s coming in this afternoon.”

“Right.” Nick ran one hand through his hair, ignoring the sharper twinge in his left shoulder. He could ice it later. “I’ll take the four-wheel drive, try the main road first.”

Cooper stopped in front of him, arms crossed. “Don’t try to play hero, Nick. See if you can make it as far as Boone’s. If you can’t, turn around.”

“Yes, sir.” He gave Cooper a salute. “I get the message, so stop glaring at me.” He moved into the kitchen, and poured most of the coffee into a tall, thermal cup. “I’ll take one of the radios, keep it on channel 3.”

“Got it. I want to hear from you every half hour.”

“Yes, Dad.” Nick ducked Cooper’s fist and headed for the door. “Check on Lexi for me. Don’t let her leave the infirmary.”

“You got it. She’ll be safe, Nick. I promise.”

“Thanks.”

He walked outside, the cold wind slapping him. One simple fact had become clear to him the second he saw Lexi on the ground, unconscious.

He was falling for her.