In Safe Hands (Search and Rescue #4)(9)
Waiting impatiently for him to reappear, she wished she could just walk out of the house and join him. Merely catching a glimpse of the front door was enough to make her dizzy, though, so she doubted she’d be visiting the great outdoors anytime soon.
“Coward,” she muttered, letting her head tilt against the chilled glass. “No wonder he won’t even let you give him a hug. You’re a scaredy-freak.”
The glass reflected her unhappy expression. In high school—when she’d gone to high school—she’d been considered pretty enough. She’d been shy, though, and the attention her early developing body had attracted had made her more nervous than flattered. Her caramel-colored hair used to get blonde streaks from the sun, and her skin had tanned easily. Her mouth was full and wide, her teeth straight enough to never need braces, and dimples dented her cheeks when she smiled. She liked her eyes—greenish-gold with thick lashes.
Surely not all of that could have changed?
It was hard to look in a mirror and judge her own appearance, though. Daisy knew she was pale, and her hair was darker without help from the sun, but she didn’t think she was ugly. The fitness room kept her toned and muscular. However, without outside feedback—flirty, interested looks from guys or the honest critique of a female friend—she didn’t know if she’d be considered attractive. As much as she wanted him to, Chris never seemed to notice what she looked like at all.
Shaking herself out of her introspective funk, she saw Chris crossing the yard. Next door, Corbin was walking on the path that ran in front of his house. He’d almost reached the driveway where his Jeep was parked when he spotted the deputy. Although Chris wasn’t in uniform, Corbin must have recognized him, because the teen lowered his head and hurried back toward the front door.
“Ooh, you’ve done something bad, baby creeper,” Daisy said. “Get him, Chris!”
Chris was already striding toward Corbin, his long legs moving quickly through the snow. Before the boy could step onto the porch, the deputy was next to him. Daisy wished for binoculars once again, plus the ability to read lips, as Chris talked for several minutes. Corbin kept his head down, except for an occasional nod or head shake.
When Chris finally headed back to Daisy’s front door, she scrambled off the window seat and rushed down the stairs to let him inside. Slapping the button to unlock the exterior door, she unfastened the dead bolts and chains. In her excitement to hear what he’d discovered about the mystery deputy’s early morning visit—plus the smack-down he’d hopefully given Corbin—she jerked open the door without pausing to listen for the usual click of the latch.
As it swung wide, exposing the still-open exterior door, she felt as if all the blood drained from her body. A wide rectangle of sunlight outlined a startled-looking Chris. Her eyes fixed on that too-bright expanse over his shoulder, that yawning hole that allowed in all the dangers and horrors of the outside world. Her heart thudded in her ears, the beats so fast they started blending together. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t do anything except stare at that terrible brightness.
Her vision blurred and tilted…right before the world went black.
Chapter 3
There was no fuzziness to soften her humiliation. As soon as Daisy opened her eyes and saw Chris’s concerned face framed by her entryway ceiling, she knew what had happened. His hand was at her throat, and his cell phone was pressed to his ear.
“She’s regaining consciousness. Pulse is seventy-two.” His voice was clipped as he relayed the information to whoever was on the other end of the call, but it softened when he spoke to her. “Hey, Dais. You back with me?”
“No,” she said. “I mean, yes. I’m fine. But you better not be calling for an ambulance, Chris Jennings, or I’m going to be super pissed.”
He frowned at her. “Yes, she’s conscious and alert now.”
“I am. Conscious, alert, and in no need of medical assistance.” She tried to sit, but he moved his hand from her throat to her upper chest to keep her lying flat. He was squatting next to her, still in his boots, coat, and hat. “Chris. I’m serious. Cancel the ambulance.”
“You hit your head.” Once he said it, a corresponding throb lit up the back of her skull. “I tried to catch you, but I wasn’t quick enough.”
She probed the lump on the back of her head, restraining a wince. “It’s just a minor bump.” Despite her best efforts at trying to stay calm, she could hear a hint of panic in her voice. “Please, Chris. I’ll have to explain why I fainted in the first place, and what if they want to take me to the hospital?” Tears threatened to compound her humiliation as she grabbed for him, catching a handful of the BDUs covering his calf.
His silence squashed her hope, and a tear escaped. Gritting her teeth, she turned her head, burying her face against his leg in an attempt to hide.
Chris swore. “Sorry, Libby. That wasn’t directed at you. Go ahead and have Med stand down.”
Stupidly, relief made Daisy cry harder. Chris’s hand moved from her chest to cup the back of her head. Freed, she rolled to her side, tucking her face even farther under his knee until her forehead bumped his boot.
“Appreciate it, Libby. Uh-huh.” His hand stroked Daisy’s hair as he spoke absently into his phone. “Okay. Thanks again.” He must have ended the call, because suddenly both of his hands were free. Rocking back to sit on the tiles, Chris hauled her into his lap.