Dee, Lavada - Nothing to Lose [Blackhawk Brothers] (BookStrand Publishing Romance) by Lavada Dee

wink and that half grin she loved so much. “Sorry. Did I miss anything good?”
    “Nope, and this program that you love so much is almost over.” She was being facetious. Coop didn’t have the same taste in TV programs and teased her about the murder and mayhem shows like the CSI and detective ones she watched. The new one where the main guy was a genius and worked with the FBI was one of her favorites.
    He glanced at his watch. “Hmmm, about ten minutes, it looks like. Why don’t you finish it up, and I’ll go put out the stuff for your back.”
    They’d fallen into a routine in the last week. Galynn wasn’t wearing a bra because the wound would have been directly under it. With only a shirt, it made it easy to pull it over her head and hold it in front of her while Cooper dressed the wound. They’d found it was easier to do in his bathroom where they had better light. In the beginning, he looked for pieces of glass working its way out of the wound, but as it healed, he didn’t do that anymore. They could have done it in the kitchen now, but neither one of them had brought up the option.
    While Galynn got ready, Cooper, like he always did, turned to give her more privacy. He’d already laid out the antibiotic cream and the bandages. His hands were cool on her back as he gently worked the bandage off. He was always so careful, sometimes to the point that his touch actually felt like more of a tickle. Tonight she felt a tremor in his hands that hadn’t been there since the first night he’d dressed the wound.
    She tried to keep the worry out of her voice. “How’s it looking?”
    She hadn’t asked him this since the first night, and she felt him hesitate. His reaction worried her. Could he help her hold a hand mirror so she could see for herself? She didn’t want to go back to the clinic. She sucked in her breath, bracing herself for hearing the worst.
    She glanced up at the big mirror over the sink. He had his hands braced against the counter, and it looked like his eyes were closed. She could see him take a big breath and slowly let it out.
    “You’re scaring me. Does it look that bad?”
    He caught her gaze in the mirror and held it. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “It’s looking good. In fact, really good. The redness is gone, and it looks like all the infection is out of it. A few more days and we’ll probably be able to leave the bandage off and you can take a shower. You might be able to now, but I think we need to play it safe.”
    Galynn nodded. “Are you okay?”
    He mumbled. “Yeah.” He sounded embarrassed.
    “You don’t sound okay.”
    “It’s hard seeing what this guy did. It’s a wonder he didn’t kill you. How long were you married?”
    Galynn wasn’t sure what to say. The truth? Could she lie to him? No. She knew this was a turning point. The minute the words left her mouth, things would change. “I’m not married.”
    Silence filled the bathroom, making it shrink. She felt him secure the bandage. His hands were surprisingly steady now. All that kept her from being naked from the waist up was the sweatshirt she held in front of her. If she turned, it wouldn’t be much of a barrier.
    His voice was thick with emotion. He again faced the counter, giving her some privacy to put her shirt on. “What made you stay with him? You couldn’t have loved him.”
    Funny he would question that she’d loved Mick. She’d never loved anyone except her mother. Until now, how could she have let herself fall in love this man? The timing couldn’t be worse.
    Cooper finished putting the stuff away and turned to face her. Again, their gazes locked. She felt herself swaying toward him. He opened his arms, and she walked into his embrace. His voice was muffled against her hair. “Talk to me.”
    “It’s a long story, and, looking at it from how you’ll hear it, not a pretty one.”
    He leaned back against the bathroom counter and