In Safe Hands (Search and Rescue #4)(60)

“I can wait.”

“Okay.” Turning to face him, Daisy walked backward and grinned. “You just can’t wait to watch Brutal Fists, can you?”

As soon as she reversed direction, Chris’s gaze shot up to meet hers. “Uh…right.”

A little confused by the guilt in his expression, she continued to walk backward, frowning at him. “What’d you do?”

His answer came too fast. “Nothing.”

“Your lying skills could use some work. Don’t they teach you that in cop school?”

“No. Watch where you’re going, or you’re going to run into something.”

Cocking her head to the side, she stopped so she could study him. The obvious answer was too ludicrous to consider, but it popped out of her mouth anyway. “Were you looking at my butt?”

“No.” That time, the quick denial was paired with a dark red flush across his cheekbones.

“Liar.” She turned away from him to hide her pleased smile. “Do you want something to drink? Besides coffee, I have…well, water. Or milk.”

“I need to actually sleep tonight, so I’ll have some water.” He sounded like he’d regained his equilibrium. “I’ll get it though. Want some?”

“Sure. Thanks.” As she set up the DVD, she couldn’t stop grinning. Deputy Chris Jennings had been checking out her butt. Once she had everything ready to go for the movie, she pulled off her hoodie. Although she told herself it was only because she’d get too warm otherwise, Daisy knew she was lying to herself as she smoothed the soft material of her newly revealed fitted shirt. When Chris returned bearing two water glasses, she quickly dropped her hand and took a seat on the couch.

“Guess what?”

“What?” he responded absently, placing the water on the coffee table in front of them.

“I have a new therapist.”

His head jerked up, and he stared at her for a moment before a grin stretched across his face. “Hey, that’s great, Dais!”

“Yeah.” Her face was flushed with excitement and embarrassment. “We had our first session over the phone this afternoon, and we’re going to do a video conference on Monday. Dr. Fagin is in Denver, so he’s going to come here eventually, but I told him I’d feel more comfortable doing the phone and video thing first.”

“He?” Chris seemed to lose a little of his enthusiasm.

“Yes.” Making a face, Daisy explained, “I figured that might keep Dad from sleeping with this one.” Chris laughed. “And this guy was really highly recommended.”

“Do you like him?” he asked, sitting on the other side of the couch and angling his body so he could look at her.

“I do.” Daisy tucked her bare feet underneath her. “We didn’t talk about anything too intense today, since it was kind of a get-to-know-you session, but he seemed really relaxed and laid-back. He didn’t have that condescending psychiatrist thing going, either.”

“That’s great.” His grin was open, without even a hint of the weirdness that had been popping up lately. “I’m proud of you, Dais.”

“Thanks.” She bounced a little. “Ready for Fists?”

With a mock-groan, Chris turned toward the flat-screen mounted on the wall. “Am I ready for horrible fighting technique and cheesy dialog? Sure. Hit me. I mean it. Hit me hard enough that I pass out and miss this movie.”

With an amused snort, Daisy ignored his moaning and started the DVD. “Whatever. I know you’re dying to see it.”

Although he gave a huff of denial, she noticed that Chris’s eyes were already fixed on the screen. Grinning, she settled back to watch the movie.

*

“I’m feeling a violent need to punch her.” Daisy jammed a spoonful of brownie sundae into her mouth. “Why is she just standing there while her boyfriend is pummeled?”

Chris smirked at her. “Pummeled?”

“Yes, pummeled. Thrashed, beaten, ganged-up on, smacked-down, trampled.” With a groan, she closed her eyes. “And now she’s screaming. Great. That’s really helpful.”

“Why are you acting like you’ve never seen this movie before?” He bit into his brownie. Unlike Daisy, he preferred to have his dessert straight, without ice cream and hot fudge. “We must’ve watched this fifty times.”

She shrugged. “I always forget how useless Taylor is until her stupid screams remind me. I mean, look.” Daisy pointed at the screen. “Those three guys have their backs to her. No one’s paying attention to her. She could take those guys out easily.”

“Easy for you, maybe,” Chris said mildly. “But you have skills.”

“Mad skills,” she agreed, making him laugh. “Even if she’s clueless, though, she should at least try something. Call for help, even. I know she has that stupid bejeweled cell phone in her pocket, since she was just texting her friend in the last scene.”

“Don’t judge until you’ve been there,” he said, focusing on the still-screaming woman on the screen. “You never know how you’ll react until you’re in the middle of a life-threatening situation. Your brain and body do some crazy stuff in crisis mode—most of it not helpful.”

“I know.” Putting her bowl on the coffee table, she tucked herself into the corner of the couch and hugged her knees. Although she was sure Chris hadn’t meant them to hurt, his words gutted her with their accuracy. When it had mattered, when she could’ve acted and saved her mom, she’d been just like Taylor—useless. Maybe that was why she hated the character so much.