Jill Shalvis - Animal Magnetism

“What is it?” Dell asked, moving toward them.

“Blood. Hers, I think.” He never took his eyes off her. “Hold on, Lilah,” he said, climbing the ladder with agility and speed. “You hear me?”

She didn’t answer because she was busy shivering. Odd to be so cold and hot at the same time, and as a bonus, someone was sticking her arm with a hot poker with every heartbeat.

“Lilah. Open your eyes right now.”

Oh. Oh yeah, that was the problem. Still clinging to the beam, lying along it like she was on a balance beam, she tried to concentrate.

“Lilah, you hold on. Don’t you dare let go,” Brady told her.

That’s when she realized that she was weaving. And the rafter was shaking, trembling beneath her. And look at that, her hands kept slipping…

Suddenly Brady was right there, wrapping an arm around her waist, drawing her up against his body, his free hand running over her as he balanced for the both of them. When he got to her arm, she cried out and his face went grim.

“What is it?” Dell called up.

“She’s been shot and is going into shock.”

“What the fuck?”

Oh, look at that, Lilah thought, eyeing her arm. There was blood dripping-everywhere. “Mr. Newberry thought he was shooting at the raccoons. It was an accident.”

Brady cupped her face and forced it up so she could no longer see her arm. “Are you hit anywhere else?” Without waiting for an answer, he ran his hand over every inch of her, searching for more holes.

“Ouch,” she said weakly.

“I’ll kiss it later,” he promised. “Let’s go.”

She relaxed her death grip on the rafters and wrapped her good arm around his shoulder, burying her face in his neck. Her world tilted as he descended with one hand on the ladder, the other wrapped tightly around her. As soon as their feet were on solid ground, he slid his other arm beneath her knees and carried her out of the barn to Dell’s truck.

“Thought you weren’t a hero,” she murmured.

She thought she heard a rough, low laugh as he tore her shirt from her arm. “Christ.” He ripped off his shirt and used it to staunch the bleeding.

“How bad?” Dell asked him, stroking Lilah’s hair.

“Bullet’s still in there.”

“Fuck.”

Lilah used Brady’s now bare chest as a painkiller. As far as narcotics went, it was good. She smiled at the definition of muscles, the light smattering of hair that tapered to a line, vanishing into the loose waistband of his cargoes. She wanted to run a finger along it to find the hidden treasure, but then he pressed down on her arm and she cried out.

“I know.” Brady gathered her back into his arms, then sat in her spot, cradling her in his lap, pulling her in so tight she couldn’t breathe. “You’re my hero,” he murmured against her temple.

“I want to go home now.”

“You’re going to the hospital, sweetheart,” Dell said, getting into the driver’s seat.

“No,” she murmured. She hated hospitals. They reminded her of losing her grandma, but as she looked down, she saw that she was bleeding right through Brady’s shirt, and her world spun.

“It’s okay,” Brady said, holding her close. “I’ve got you now.”

That was a good thing, because that last little pinpoint of light faded, and Lilah fell into the darkness.

B rady entered Lilah’s bedroom balancing a tray. Nurse Nightingale, that was him. He set the tea and toast on her nightstand and eyed the white bandage on her arm, covering the spot where the bullet had penetrated her biceps.

“Lucky lady,” the doctor had said, and the words rang in Brady’s ears now as he sat at her side.

She was white, pasty, and out cold.

The eighteen stitches, she’d managed. Dealing with the police and their questions as she’d assured everyone that one, she hadn’t been trespassing, and two, that Mr. Newberry had not in fact been trying to kill her, she’d handled as well. Sitting in a hospital room waiting to be released, though-that had been torture given how she’d hounded the hospital staff for her release papers.

The doctor had finally released her with a whispered “Good luck” to Brady beneath his breath as he left.

It had taken all three of them, Adam, Dell, and himself, to bring her home. And a silent battle of wills to see who would get to stay to take care of her. But then Adam had been called out on an S &R call.

“I’m not leaving,” Dell said.

“Yes,” Lilah said groggily from her bed where Brady had set her. “You are.”

“Lil-”

“Don’t, Dell. I’m too tired to fight with you, but if you want tears, I’ll work some up.”

Dell grimaced. “But-”

“I’ll cry all over you,” Lilah promised weakly as Brady pulled off her boots and covered her with a quilt. “Besides, you heard the doctor. I’m going to be fine. I just want to sleep off the drugs he gave me.”

“Actually,” Dell said, “he didn’t say you were fine. He said you were a pain in his-”

“Go,” Lilah said.

“You were shot because of me,” he said tightly. “I sent you out there.”

“I was shot because I didn’t realize I looked like a raccoon from fifty yards. I want to be alone, Dell. That’s all.”

Dell looked pointedly at Brady.

Brady stared back at him evenly. He wasn’t going anywhere. Not with the fury still churning within him.

She’d been shot.

She was the best thing to ever happen to him, even though he’d tried like hell to push her away. In fact, he’d very nearly succeeded at that, and she could have died today.

“Oh, for God’s sake,” Lilah burst out. “If you both don’t get the hell out of here ”-she looked at Dell-“I’ll sic Lorraine on you.”

Dell paled. “That’s just mean. If he’s staying, I’m staying.”

“He’s not.” She held her ground. “Lorraine,” she said again, softly, with a steel undertone.

Brady was impressed. Especially when Dell caved like a cheap suitcase, giving in with gracious defeat as he kissed her cheek and made her promise to call him if she needed anything.

He passed Jade coming in at the doorway. Jade had the latest issue of Cosmo. “It’s what I brought my sisters when they had babies,” she said to Lilah. “Wasn’t sure what to bring for a gunshot wound. Which, by the way? Pretty damn cool.” She eyed Brady. “Do you think if I get myself shot, I can get a bodyguard that looks like him?”

Brady decided to ignore that. “See if you can get her to agree to rest. She’s not real good at that.”

“No kidding. She thinks she’s the Energizer Bunny.” Jade looked Lilah over, still speaking to Brady. “You could try bribing her. Your woman has a love affair with crap food. You try that yet?”

“Excuse me,” Lilah said. “His woman?”

Jade grinned and dropped the Cosmo on the nightstand. “I can see you’re well taken care of here. I’ll see you tomorrow, Lil.”

“I’m my own woman!” Lilah yelled after Jade, who merely laughed and shut the cabin door.

Alone now, Lilah turned her glassy eyes on an admittedly smug Brady.

“You heard me,” she said. “Out with the others.”

“No.”

She arched a brow. Or she tried. But she was doped up pretty damn good. Finally she gave up with a sigh and rubbed her forehead as if it hurt. “I don’t want to hear no. I want to hear the sound of the door hitting you on your very fine ass as you follow everyone out.”

“Yeah, that was pretty impressive how you managed to kick them out.” He sat in the chair in the corner of the room and crossed his arms.

She attempted a glare but she was drooping. “Dammit. My eyes keep closing.”