Page 141 of Capturing You
The house was just as Forbes had left it, no signs of intruders, inside or out.
He sliced cheese and apples, then grabbed grapes from the refrigerator. He put those on a tray, adding a sleeve of crackers and a couple bottles of water.
He carried the food upstairs to the family room, where he closed the blinds and curtains before jogging back down to check on Brooklynn.
He’d still been turning off the car and closing the garage when she hurried inside to the bathroom.
She was still in there when he returned from upstairs.
He didn’t want to leave her alone, not with that limp. Should he linger out here, or wait, or…what?
After a few minutes, he knocked. “You all right?”
“Yeah.”
Despite the wobbly answer, just hearing her voice calmed him. She was here. She was safe, and he’d keep her safe, no matter what.
The water ran, then shut off. Finally, she opened the door.
She’d taken off the wig cap and washed off the makeup that made her look old. Her skin was freshly scrubbed, though paler than usual. Her hair was a mass of frizz and curls. Messy and somehow…
Far too touchable.
He wished they could get back to where they’d been the night before, so close. Almost-kissing close.
He wanted to bury his face in those curls and get lost in them.
He took a step back. “You’re…” Beautiful, but he shifted to, “Hungry?”
She shook her head. “Not even a little.”
“Have you eaten?”
She shrugged.
“I got us a snack.”
“I’m not… It’s just that I might need…” She lifted her left leg, and he saw the issue.
Her ankle was swollen to twice its size.
“I think I sprained it.”
“Hmm. Or worse.”
“No, it’s just… I can walk, if you’ll help.”
He offered his forearm. Leaning on it, she took a step forward, grimacing.
The pain on her face sent acid to his stomach.
He wrapped his arm around her waist, and she took another painful step.
He couldn’t stand it.
He swept her into his arms.
She squealed, sounding somehow both frightened and whimsical, grabbing him around the neck as if she didn’t trust him not to drop her. Her bright yellow bag dangled from her elbow. “I can walk.”
