Page 342 of A Matter of Time

“He got shot.” I was incredulous. “I didn’t even⁠—”

“He was grazed by a bullet, that’s it. You, on the other hand…” He took a settling breath. “You were choked and hit and kicked and⁠—”

“I don’t remember any of that.”

“Maybe they hurt you when you were passed out, I have no idea, but the evidence is right there on your body. You can’t argue that it happened. Maybe you⁠—”

“Well, I’m fine now.” I cut him off before he got worked up. “You can see I’m fine.”

“Well, so is Caleb,” he snapped at me. “He’s in better shape than you.”

I was going to mention again that Caleb Reid had been shot, but Sam didn’t seem all that receptive to the reminder.

“Caleb was way luckier than you,” Sam said, letting himself in with the key to the security door. I told him I could get up the stairs myself, I didn’t need to be carried, but he didn’t even slow down. “Just let me take care of you…please.”

“Why don’t you just put me down?”

“I don’t feel like it. I like holding you,” he said as he effortlessly took the stairs, even with my added weight.

I squeezed him tight and felt the deep breath he took when he reached my front door.

My apartment was just as I’d left it two days earlier. It was so good to be home.

“It’s cold in here,” he commented as he locked the door behind him.

“The radiator just hasn’t kicked on yet.” I yawned. “But it will.”

“Yeah, and you’ll be frozen by then.”

I couldn’t stop yawning. My eyes were watering, I was so tired. “I need a shower so bad.”

He carried me to the bathroom, and after I promised not to pass out and hit my head on the tile or the faucet, he went to get a fire started while I stripped out of the fresh clothes he’d brought me and washed away my captivity.

When I was towel-drying my hair, he came in with sweats and socks and a long-sleeved T-shirt for me. He watched me as I changed.

“What?”

“Nothing.” He shook his head. “I’m just glad to see you.”

“Where are you going with my clothes?” I asked as he picked up my jeans, sweater, and boots.

“To put them in the laundry. They should be washed, even though you only had them on for about an hour, don’t you think?”

I did, and nodded. “Okay,” I said weakly, “I’m gonna go lie down.”

“You should try and eat something.”

But just the thought of food was nauseating. “Maybe later,” I said, walking away from him.

My bed felt amazing, and I sank down onto it. I was almost asleep by the time he came back, but I felt the bed dip as he lay down.

“Come here.”

I lifted up, and he pulled me into his arms so I was lying beside him with my head on his chest. The steady beat of his heart was very comforting, as was his warmth.

“Did you miss me?”

“I more than missed you,” he said, his hands in my hair, on my back, petting me.