Raising Kane (Rough Riders #9)(7)

Dammit.


The man lifted her out and wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her tightly to his side.


“I can manage.”


“No, you can’t,” he argued with entirely too much cheer.


Glaring at him didn’t cause his sexy smile to slip.


“You’re gonna have to learn to lean on me.” They took three steps. “There you go. See? That ain’t so hard.”


“Yes, it is.” But Ginger wouldn’t admit the hardest part was being pressed against Kane’s muscular body and feeling the need to surrender to his raw magnetism.


Definitely loopy from the drugs.


Kane stopped on the top step. “You okay?”


“Sleepy. Sore. Starving. And crabby about being all three to be real honest.”


“That’s totally understandable. Let’s get you inside.”


In the kitchen, she sagged into a kitchen chair. “Give me a minute.”


“No rush.”


Ginger heard the soft squeak of her dad’s wheels on the wood floor and looked up.


This aged version of her father caught her by surprise. During her childhood, this soft-spoken man had loomed larger than life. Tall, slender, with a shock of red hair. Now that red hair had turned white. His frame had shrunk, leaving his shoulders hunched, his arms and legs slightly shriveled. The arthritis confined him to a wheelchair, destroyed his body, but not his will, and his mind was as sharp as ever.


Ginger had always adored him. Even when her mother used lies and manipulation to keep them apart.


He’d given up his position as a federal prosecutor in California and retreated to Wyoming after the demise of his marriage to Ginger’s mother. Although they both regretted the years they’d lost, she was grateful they’d worked to build a new relationship.


She attempted a smile. “Hey, Dad.”


“Dearest daughter.” His shrewd eyes took in every injury and assessed it before moving on to the next. “You all right?”


“I’ve been better.”


“We’ll talk about what happened after you’ve rested.” He tapped his fingers on the arms of his chair.


“Maybe it’s none of my business, but who’s going to help you get undressed?”


Ginger hadn’t thought about that. She’d left the hospital wearing the camisole top she’d worn under her suit jacket and a borrowed pair of baggy scrubs-type pants. She’d only needed one shoe, so the nurse outfitted her with a pair of shower shoes, covering both her feet with socks and surgical booties to protect her from the cold.


“That young McKay has been quite a help, but I’m not comfortable with him…helping you get your clothes off, even though rumor around town is he’s helped plenty of women out of their clothes. Plenty of women,” he reiterated.


“Dad. That’s not fair.”


“I suppose you’re right. But I’d feel better if you had a female around to help you do those types of things.” He pinned her with a paternal look. “It’s what you insisted on for me, remember? The male nurse who comes every other day to help me?”


“Fine. I’ll call Libby. Or maybe Joely can swing by.”


“Good.” He rolled toward the living room.


“Your dad have that opinion of all McKays? Or just me?” Kane asked tersely from the hallway.


Ginger glanced up and saw a hard glint in Kane’s eyes. “Since your family has been my dad’s clients for thirty years, I’m betting it’s just you.”


“At least you didn’t sugarcoat it,” he drawled. “Come on, let’s get you to bed.”


“I thought you’d never ask.”


“Careful, a man could take that the wrong way.”


She stood too quickly and swayed, but Kane was right there to catch her. He snarled and practically carried her to her bedroom, leaving her no time to protest.


You don’t want to protest. You like his take-charge nature and all that big, strong, blustering manly goodness.


Ginger didn’t dissect her reaction. She sighed when her back hit the mattress. How sweet was it that Kane set an extra folded fleece blanket next to her? Knowing she was always cold?


Hayden ducked around Kane and curled up beside her. “I could stay and keep you company.”


Her heart swelled with love at her son’s sweetness and concern.


But Kane shook his head. “Sorry. Maybe later. Your mama needs to rest.” When Hayden’s face fell, Kane amended, “Tell you what. I am gonna force her to eat so she can take her pain pills. You wanna make her a couple of slices of toast?”


“Sure.” He raced off.


She sank into her pillows, too tired to argue with Kane about his use of the word force, too tired to keep her eyes open. “I don’t need the pain meds right now.”


“You will in about an hour. I’d hate for the pain to wake you up.”


“True.” The bed shifted as Kane sat next to her. Ginger didn’t open her eyes.