best of the best. There’s nobody more honest or trustworthy. He’s too smart and too experienced to let anyone pull the wool over his eyes. And he would never condone someone shooting one of his deputies!”
Nick agreed. Her dad was as sharp as they came. Walt Merritt knew everything that happened in his county. So he either had to be quietly collecting evidence or actively participating in illegal activities. When it came to militia movements, you couldn’t always tell the good guys from the fanatics. For all he knew, his lovely nurse-captive might be an anti-government militant at heart.
Instead of arguing, he lowered his gaze to where her hand still pressed against him. He puffed out his chest and gave her a come-hither look. She snatched it back and snarled at him.
“Don’t try changing the subject with your playboy tactics. If you aren’t responsible for the attack on Don, then why did you run?”
“An innate sense of self-preservation?” he suggested. “My gut told me to retreat until I had more answers than questions.”
“And if you didn’t shoot Don that means someone shot both of you. Why would anyone want to shoot you? What were the two of you doing anyway? Did you bring enemies from Miami?”
When Nick didn’t attempt to answer, her scowl deepened and she continued to lecture him. “You should have gone to my dad. If you’re an innocent victim, we should head straight back to town, talk to my dad and check you into the hospital.”
“So someone can take another shot at me?” he asked tersely.
Keri propped her hands on her hips. “Now you’re suggesting I can’t be trusted? After I went to the trouble of patching you up last night?”
A thud on the front porch cut off her tirade. Nick glanced out to see an overturned chair and blamed it on the storm. He let out a sigh and raked a hand through his hair. “I’m suggesting we call a truce while we get some food and batten down the hatches.”
Keri sighed. “We don’t batten down too many hatches in the mountains,” she said in a calmer tone. “I guess if we’re gonna be stuck here awhile, I could use some coffee. How’s the shoulder?”
“Throbbing like a sonofabitch, but not so feverish or bleeding.”
“You need food and then more meds. I’ll take a look after breakfast. I hope you’re not planning to use the gun or handcuffs anymore. I won’t be so easy to intimidate now that I’ve had some sleep.”
He cocked a brow at her. “You were easy last night?”
The little joke didn’t sway her. She nodded without losing eye contact or cracking a smile.
“Hmm, I guess I can trust you if you swear you won’t—”
“Do anything stupid?” she finished for him.
“Go anywhere, contact anyone or try to use them on me,” he finished. “Do we have a deal?”
Chapter Five
Keri agreed to his terms because it suited her for the moment. She didn’t welcome the glitch in her vacation plans, but neither did she want the hassle of taking him back to town. She could tolerate him for a couple days if he didn’t try changing the rules again. He hadn’t shot Don and a punch to his shoulder could quash any funny business. She had no desire to hurt him, but neither did she feel threatened.
“Put the gun and handcuffs back in the first-aid kit while I make coffee,” she said.
“Are you always so bossy?” he asked, doing as she suggested and then following her to the kitchen.
“It’s how things get done,” she replied absently while filling the coffeepot and switching it to brew.
Lamanto leaned against the doorjamb. She gave him a cursory glance. He had a bed head and his skin looked pasty. Dark shadows ringed his eyes, a result of too much blood loss.
“Sit down before you collapse. I need to go to the bathroom and then I’ll fix some breakfast.”
“I can cook.”
“Sit,” she commanded, brooking no argument. Her gaze didn’t waver until he’d taken a seat at the table.
She grabbed a fresh sweatsuit, went
Nick agreed. Her dad was as sharp as they came. Walt Merritt knew everything that happened in his county. So he either had to be quietly collecting evidence or actively participating in illegal activities. When it came to militia movements, you couldn’t always tell the good guys from the fanatics. For all he knew, his lovely nurse-captive might be an anti-government militant at heart.
Instead of arguing, he lowered his gaze to where her hand still pressed against him. He puffed out his chest and gave her a come-hither look. She snatched it back and snarled at him.
“Don’t try changing the subject with your playboy tactics. If you aren’t responsible for the attack on Don, then why did you run?”
“An innate sense of self-preservation?” he suggested. “My gut told me to retreat until I had more answers than questions.”
“And if you didn’t shoot Don that means someone shot both of you. Why would anyone want to shoot you? What were the two of you doing anyway? Did you bring enemies from Miami?”
When Nick didn’t attempt to answer, her scowl deepened and she continued to lecture him. “You should have gone to my dad. If you’re an innocent victim, we should head straight back to town, talk to my dad and check you into the hospital.”
“So someone can take another shot at me?” he asked tersely.
Keri propped her hands on her hips. “Now you’re suggesting I can’t be trusted? After I went to the trouble of patching you up last night?”
A thud on the front porch cut off her tirade. Nick glanced out to see an overturned chair and blamed it on the storm. He let out a sigh and raked a hand through his hair. “I’m suggesting we call a truce while we get some food and batten down the hatches.”
Keri sighed. “We don’t batten down too many hatches in the mountains,” she said in a calmer tone. “I guess if we’re gonna be stuck here awhile, I could use some coffee. How’s the shoulder?”
“Throbbing like a sonofabitch, but not so feverish or bleeding.”
“You need food and then more meds. I’ll take a look after breakfast. I hope you’re not planning to use the gun or handcuffs anymore. I won’t be so easy to intimidate now that I’ve had some sleep.”
He cocked a brow at her. “You were easy last night?”
The little joke didn’t sway her. She nodded without losing eye contact or cracking a smile.
“Hmm, I guess I can trust you if you swear you won’t—”
“Do anything stupid?” she finished for him.
“Go anywhere, contact anyone or try to use them on me,” he finished. “Do we have a deal?”
Chapter Five
Keri agreed to his terms because it suited her for the moment. She didn’t welcome the glitch in her vacation plans, but neither did she want the hassle of taking him back to town. She could tolerate him for a couple days if he didn’t try changing the rules again. He hadn’t shot Don and a punch to his shoulder could quash any funny business. She had no desire to hurt him, but neither did she feel threatened.
“Put the gun and handcuffs back in the first-aid kit while I make coffee,” she said.
“Are you always so bossy?” he asked, doing as she suggested and then following her to the kitchen.
“It’s how things get done,” she replied absently while filling the coffeepot and switching it to brew.
Lamanto leaned against the doorjamb. She gave him a cursory glance. He had a bed head and his skin looked pasty. Dark shadows ringed his eyes, a result of too much blood loss.
“Sit down before you collapse. I need to go to the bathroom and then I’ll fix some breakfast.”
“I can cook.”
“Sit,” she commanded, brooking no argument. Her gaze didn’t waver until he’d taken a seat at the table.
She grabbed a fresh sweatsuit, went
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