Page 69 of The SEAL and the Sheriff

Sarah pressed her head into the pillow and stared at the ceiling.

Her pulse tapped hard in her throat.

This was fine. It was so not fine.

The chair creaked.

Sarah closed her eyes, gathering herself. When she opened them again, Hudson was awake.

His eyes were on her, alert and clear, his body already moving before the last traces of sleep had left his face. He stood too fast, the stiffness catching in his shoulders and back for a second before he smoothed it away. He’d slept upright beside her bed all night and still looked like he was assessing her for damage.

“You stayed,” she said.

His gaze moved over her face, not lingering anywhere too long. “Yeah.” As if there’d never been another option.

She pushed up to sitting and immediately regretted it as the room pulsed in and out of focus. She took a breath. Her clothes were folded neatly on the spare chair next to her bed. Her jacket was missing. They’d cut it off her last night. She remembered that.

“I need to get home.” She tugged the sheets off her legs.

“I can drive you.”

“Thanks.” She met his eyes. “I can drive myself.”

“No.”

Something hot and immediate moved through her, irritation finding all the places pain had left exposed. “You realize I’m the sheriff.”

“I remember.”

“And you’re not in charge of me.”

“No.”

The answer was so even it took her a second to realize it was agreement, not surrender.

“I’m calling my mom,” she said.

He handed her phone over before she had to ask.

Sarah took it and tried not to notice the brief brush of his fingers against hers, or how heat moved up her arm from that tiny, stupid contact. Her nervous system had no loyalty whatsoever. She swiped the screen and called her mom.

Her mom answered on the first ring. “Sarah?”

“Hey, Mom.”

“How are you?”

“Fine. I’m heading home. I’ll rest.”

“You’ll actually rest?”

“Yes.”

“Is Hudson taking you?”

Sarah opened her mouth to speak, then thought better of it. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Hudson watching her. Then he left the room.

“Sure. Hudson’s taking me.”