Kissed Blind (Hot Pursuit #2)(30)
I stepped out from under the covers and threw my pillow at the foot of my bed. “You’re hardly throwing me to the wolves. I can function without you.” I lifted my bedding and smoothed the wrinkles before putting my pillow back in place. Vance hadn’t answered me, so I turned around and found him watching me again, wearing a playful grin. “What?”
“I think we both know you can’t function without me.”
I gagged. “I’m going to go start some coffee before you make me throw up.”
“Seriously, Oliver is shooting in Over-the-Rhine today.”
I stopped and leaned against the entryway into the bedroom. “So?”
“So, it’s Over-the-Rhine. There are drug dealers, gang members, and God only knows what else on every corner down there. After what happened in the park the other night, I’m not risking leaving you out in the open like that with a rookie watching your back.”
“First of all, there are plenty of other very capable and very skilled bodyguards at B&B.”
“But none like me.” He twitched his brows.
I pretended to stick my finger down my throat. “Vance that was the Over-the-Rhine we knew in high school. It’s all built up now. Hollywood loves the look of the renovated areas. It’s like old New York City. We’re not going to be in the slums.”
“Don’t care. I’m not calling in and that’s the end of the conversation.”
He walked out of sight, and I went into the kitchen to start my coffee silently cursing his bullheadedness. Vance had put the cushions back on the couch and had folded the quilt. Everything was stacked in a neat pile sitting in the middle of the coffee table.
I was filling up the coffee pot when Vance came into the room. He set his hand on the small of my back. “Okay, I’m going to take off. I’ll be back for you a little later.”
“All right.” I glanced over my shoulder. “Let me know how your dad’s doing.”
He reached over me and shut the water off at the sink. I turned around and studied his lean, olive skin, entranced by the silent sadness in his eyes. A spark of something else flickered, a look that could so easily carry me away. I would be a ship lost at sea if I wasn’t careful. Damn him.
Ten
Despite fears and uncertainties, I couldn’t move. My eyes darted over Vance’s shoulder to a spot on the wall behind him and back to the black hairs covering his chin.
“Thanks a lot for listening last night. Sorry if I invited myself over by falling asleep.” His soft voice rippled through my body.
I swallowed and met his eyes. “Oh stop. You know I’ll always be here when you need me.”
“I know.” He grinned and smoothed my hair down with both of his hands. “Even when your hair looks like this, wild woman.”
I tittered. “Thanks, I spent hours perfecting this look, just short of eight to be exact.”
“Hours well spent.” He pulled me into a hug and drew a fresh breath against my scalp before kissing the top of my head. “Thanks again. See you in a bit.”
I followed him to the door, and after it clicked, I leaned against it and put my hand to my heart; it hammered against my ribs. I took a deep breath, blew it out quickly, and returned to my awaiting pot of coffee.
I downed a few cups and geared up to go for a run. After, I was doing a set of push-ups when my phone rang. I snatched it off the coffee table.
“Hey, it’s me,” Vance said.
“Hey, me, I know. How’s your dad.” I rolled over on my back and tried to catch my breath.
“He’s doing pretty well actually. They moved him down to his own room this morning out of the ICU. He’s in a lot better condition than he was.”
“See, I knew he’d fight through it.” I sat up and hugged my knees.
“His color is a lot better too. Last night gave me the scare of my life. I thought I was going to lose him.”
“No way. He’s sticking around for a long time. He needs to meet the grandchildren you’re going to give him someday.” I grabbed a fresh bottle of water and chugged it.
“We’ll see about that.” He snorted. “He’s supposed to be moved to an outpatient facility some time tomorrow and then he can start therapy.”
“Therapy?”
“They said it’ll be hard for him to walk. Someone will be getting him on his feet everyday so he won’t be stuck in a wheelchair.”
“I bet he’ll love that.”
“Yeah, like a rock in his shoe.”
“He’s going to be back to himself sooner than you think. Just watch.” I screwed the cap back on my water bottle and set it next to the empty beers.
“Hope so.” He paused for a beat. “Anyway, I should be over in about a half an hour. You cool with that? We’ll be a little early, but I can’t stand sitting around idle right now. I’ll go crazy if I do.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be ready.”
“You better be.” He laughed and disconnected the call.
The stress that had weighed his voice down the day before was lifted, and that was reason to smile. I walked through my bedroom and tossed my phone on the nightstand, grinning. I took a shower and properly primped for my day with Oliver Pierce, taking time to pick the perfect pants to go with the perfect top. I met Vance down at the curb, and we headed off to meet up with Oliver.