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Inside, Quinn and the others had set up a makeshift command center, ready with hot drinks and dry clothes. Levi fussed over his husband, convincing Quinn to head to the hospital. Meanwhile, Connor, ever the protector, was adding pressure.
“You need to go, Quinn,” Connor insisted, his voice firm. “It’s not worth the risk.”
Quinn tapped his forehead. “It’s not me who hit my head, throwing myself into the way of rocks to drag me out of the hole.”
I swear Connor growled—he’d have to have broken all his limbs to believe he was hurt.
“It’s my job to look out for you,” he said.
Quinn patted his face. “No, it’s not anymore. But thank you.” He pulled Connor in for a hug, and I saw Connor stiffen but then give in to the enthusiastic manwho was a head shorter than him.
Levi offered a hand, his other across Quinn’s shoulder. “Thank you,” he said from the heart.
“Doing. My. Job,” Connor muttered, clearly embarrassed. Connor took his role as Quinn’s protector seriously, almost obsessively. Even now, with Quinn settling quietly in Whisper Ridge with Levi, far from the dangers that once shadowed his life or the media wanting its pound of flesh, Connor hovered like a sentinel. His sense of duty never wavered, and I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to have that kind of fierce protectiveness aimed at me. The thought of all that attention and focus sent an involuntary shiver down my spine, mingling unease with a flicker of longing.
I didn’t want Connor’s attention, nor did I need it.
Right?
“I still think you should go to the hospital,” Connor added in a last-ditch effort.
His face flushed with pain and irritation, Quinn snapped, “It’s just a sprain.”
“What if it isn’t?” Connor added, and I almost stepped in when Quinn began to turn scarlet and looked toward me as if he needed help.
“Maybe you should let Daniel take a look,” Levi interjected, worry etched into his features as he refocused back on his other half.
“Stop! Both of you!” Quinn pointed at Connor and then Levi. “Daniel already checked me out.”
Daniel raised a hand cautiously as if he didn’t want to get in the middle of the Connor/Levi worrying-over-Quinn show. “As his doctor, I did, and he needs rest, not a hospital trip.”
I watched the exchange, noting the tension between Quinn, his husband, and Connor. It wasn’t just about Quinn’s injury; it was the undercurrent of Connor’s protectiveness and Quinn’s fierce independence.
Connor sighed, and Levi hugged Quinn closer, both torn between their concern for Quinn and the logic of Daniel’s assessment.
“Fine,” Connor muttered. “But if anything changes, we’re heading to the hospital.”
Quinn rolled his eyes but managed a small smile. The tension eased slightly, but I could still feel Connor’s frustration. As everyone settled down, I caught Connor’s eye and gave him a reassuring nod. It was hard not to respect his genuine concern for Quinn, even if his bullish need to control things drove me crazy.
As I stripped off my muddy coat and accepted a cup of coffee from Rachel, I couldn’t help but look for Connor across the room, as if I were drawn to watch him despite the chaos and the fact the idiot had been standing too close to that damn hole.
Did I admire him?
Did I have a thing for the hero with mud covering an injury who insisted he’d be guarding a mountain from Mother Nature in the middle of the goddamned night?
Who was I kidding?
Of course, I did.
Chapter Five
CONNOR
The first lightof dawn filtered into the Lennox kitchen, casting a soft glow over the room. I leaned back in the kitchen chair and sipped my coffee, savoring the warmth and the rich aroma. My volunteer shift on-site had finished, but I wasn’t ready to leave the ranch yet.
Just in case.
Nothing to do with the fact Quinn was still here.
