Page 32 of Flashback

Dandy? Where had that come from? She sounded like her elderly neighbor Norman.

Her eye caught the gash on his side. “That isnota little scratch. You might need stitches.”

Allie dragged over a chair and sat facing his shoulder. She held his arm away from his body, ignoring the warmth of his skin, and studied the angry, welted skin smeared with black ash.As long as she focused on his wound, not his massive presence that heated the room to tropical temperatures, she’d be great.

Deep purple bruising around the jagged cut said this was no scratch. As it was across the side of his ribcage, he would have difficulty cleaning it out alone. She donned gloves and grabbed the bottle of water he had on the counter next to a stack of paper towels.

“What are you doing?” He lowered his arm and shifted away on the chair, his cheeks pink.

“I’m helping.”

“I don’t need help, Allie. I’m?—”

She nudged his arm back up. “Shush.” She held the towels under the cut and proceeded to pour water on the wound.

“Ow!” He flinched, but after that he stayed still while she washed the grime away.

She tried to ignore the heat radiating from his body as she cleaned his side and the way the unique scent of smoke, hard work, and a distinctly male deodorant filled the room. With the most gentle touch she could, she wiped away the dried blood and dirt.

“It’s not bleeding anymore.” Allie avoided his eyes at all costs.

He cleared his throat. “Like I told you. No stitches necessary.” He pulled away. “I can take it from here. I’m sure you’ve got better things?—”

“Dakota.”

He faced away from her and put his shirt back on. Apparently she wasn’t the only one avoiding eye contact, because he was suddenly very interested in his boots. Or maybe it was the pattern on the floor.

The stubborn man needed treatment.

“It still needs some antibiotic ointment and a bandage. I’m no expert, but I could at least glue it closed.” She held up themedicine, but he turned to face her, closing the space between them, and she caught the look on his face.

Time stopped.

“Allie.” He cupped her cheek, so lightly she almost wondered if she was caught up in a dream. His touch set off a tingling sensation starting from her head and running down her spine. Her breath caught.

“I know I’m…wounded.” His blue eyes softened. “But it’s not your job to fix it.”

“Maybe not. But I can help the healing process along.”

He swallowed hard, his eyes reflecting some internal struggle going on inside him. Maybe it was his abusive father. Or his mother who’d lost herself in her own addictions. Either way, she got the sense Dakota wasn’t used to someone taking care of him. He tried so hard to prove himself. The man who’d gone out of his way to keep her safe and rescue two little boys—that was the kind of man she should’ve waited for.

But she’d been so drunk with independence, so starved for someone to notice her, that she’d fallen for Christian instead. Christian, who’d convinced her to go against everything her family had instilled in her.

She’d given him so much. And she’d known better. She’d gotten exactly what she deserved. But Dakota had saved her life when he didn’t have to. He’d walked beside her when he could’ve left her behind. He didn’t deserve this kind of injury.

“Let me finish treating that cut, Dakota. I kind of owe you.”

The corner of his lips quirked up in a half smile. “Owe me for what?”

“Did you forget already? You’re my own personal hero today. You helped me find those boys. And survive a forest fire.”

“Oh. That.” His smirk brought back a playful vibe but didn’t completely dispel the electricity in the room. If anything, it made her like him even more.

“So maybe you let me help you this time, hmm?” She had a hard time keeping her thoughts straight as he looked at her that way, a smoldering desire mixed with vulnerability in his gaze. He finally nodded and pulled away so she could get back to treating him.

But goodness the man was pulsing with energy and appeal. She fought to concentrate on disinfecting and bandaging the cut while the magnetism of the last moments buzzed through her. She was holding the last strip of medical tape in her fingers when the smoke alarm went off.

The cookies!

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