Page 26 of Dusty and Dented
Andy shook her head, her gaze still on Dagger, as if she needed to see him to make sure he hadn’t left her alone with another stranger.
Freud turned to Dagger, one brow lifted as if waiting for any questions he might have.
“I’m good, doc.If anything comes up, I know how to reach you.”He patted the pocket where his phone rested.
Freud nodded once, then turned back to Andy.“Remember what I said.Rest, plenty of fluids, and if the headache gets worse, call me.”
“I’ll remember,” she said, her voice so soft that if Dagger hadn’t been watching, he would have wondered if it had been her speaking.
Freud turned to Dagger, who nodded.He’d been listening and if there were any issues, even if Andy didn’t want to admit them, then he’d be calling Freud.He wasn’t willing to take a risk with Andy.And he wasn’t going to look too closely at that determination, at least not right now.
Dagger walked Freud to the door, thanked him, and closed the door.When he turned around, he found Andy had scooted over to the other side of the bed.Now she lay curled on her right side, both hands folded under her cheek as she watched him with wide eyes.
“Why didn’t you tell me about your back?”Dagger asked as he moved to the recliner where he sat and began unlacing his boots.
“I didn’t know it was there,” she said, tilting her head to keep her eyes on him.It wasn’t like she felt like she needed to watch him, to make sure he wasn’t going to hurt her, but more like she watched him because she wanted to, because she couldn’t stand to let him out of her sight.He just wished he knew why she wanted to keep him so close.
He looked at her without turning his head, hoping she would see that he didn’t entirely believe her.
“I mean I knew it hurt but not why or how it happened.”
“All the more reason to say something.It could have been broken and you could have ended up hurting yourself worse.”She stared at him for a long moment, then glanced away as if she wasn’t going to give in but also knew that neither would he.
Chapter Nineteen
Andy lay on her sideon the bed, watching Dagger as he unlaced his boots and took them off.Once that was done, he stood, stretched, and looked down at where she lay, still watching him.
“Still hungry or you just want to start the movie?”
“Bring it over.”she pushed herself upright and made room for him to sit on the bed next to her.
“This first.”He handed her a TV remote that looked a lot like hers, though some of the bottom buttons were a little different.“I don’t know how to look for the right movie.Pull it up and I’ll get the snacks.”He turned away, grabbed a large bowl and a grocery sack from on top of the dresser then came back to the bed.He folded one leg beneath him as he took a seat, then straightened it so he could rest the bowl on his lap.“I grabbed anything that looked like you might want it.Don’t feel like you need to eat it all ...or do if you’re hungry.”He lifted one shoulder and let it fall, as if he was a little uncertain.
Andy smiled.Somehow, the thought that this big, tough biker guy could be uncertain was more than a little endearing.It made her want to cup his cheek and tell him he was doing just fine, but she didn’t.She stayed where she was, and pulled up the movie.
As the intro music played, she took a deep breath and let the familiarity of the tune and the way these movies were her comfort watch wash through her, letting some of the tension she’d been holding for the last several hours—since she’d been snatched from her own front door—drain away.She let the anxiety of wondering why and if it would happen go with it.Well, that part she had to mentally shove out but still.With Dagger here beside her, no one was going to come in and hurt her.She didn’t know why she was so certain of that, but she was.
