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“It’s a scratch,” Ash said. “Everyone is making an issue out of this. I can heal this on my own.”

“Always the hero.” Angel settled beside him. “Let’s see the damage.”

“We’ll take this big guy back to his pen,” Blaze said. “We don’t want him waking up and biting anyone else.”

Eden and Blaze heaved away the unconscious animal between them.

“And I need to get you to my medical room,” Angel said. “That wound needs attention.” She injected Ash with pain relief and then looked up at Georgia. “Don’t worry. I’ll have your guy back fighting fit before you know it.”

Georgia gave a quick nod. She reached out a hand as Ash staggered to his feet and grunted in obvious pain but stopped herself from touching him. Why did he have to be such an idiot and get hurt?

Ash caught her eye, and his expression softened. “Don’t worry about the mission. I’ll be ready to go when you are. We won’t miss out on any fun.”

She opened her mouth to protest and say that wasn’t what worried her but then snapped it shut. “Don’t think I won’t leave you behind if you’re not fit to work.”

A low chuckle rumbled through him, making her toes curl. “I know. It’s always mission first with you.”

“Let’s get you out of here.” Angel caught hold of Ash’s elbow. She glanced at Georgia. “Are you coming with us?”

She shook her head. “I’ve got work to do.”

Georgia ignored the flicker of hurt that crossed Ash’s face. She wasn’t stepping into a role of nursemaid. And she did only care because the mission was at risk.

That was all.

***

Humiliation burnedthrough Ash as he tried to get off the examination table in the medical room.

Angel hurried over and pushed him back. “You’re not going anywhere. I’ll sedate you if you don’t rest.”

“I’m feeling much better, and I’m just taking up space hanging out here.”

“The puncture marks on your arm are still closing, and I’m not discharging you until the bleeding stops.”

“That’s not necessary.” He had lost a lot of blood, but Apexians healed at a rapid rate. It was what made them so useful in battle. They barely noticed minor injuries and could rebound from just about any assault given a few days’ rest.

“Your Superman skills don’t work that fast. I want to monitor you for at least another hour to see if you need a blood transfusion.”

“I don’t—”

“Enough arguing!” Angel raised her eyebrows. “You caught the dangerous animal and are everyone’s hero. Enjoy the rest.”

“I’m no hero,” he muttered as she walked away.

The escaped skink was his fault. He’d gotten distracted thinking about Georgia and whether he should keep trying to break through her rock hard barriers. He hadn’t secured the cage properly, and the skink took advantage. He’d turned his back for ten seconds, and it had burst out.

Now, he felt like a huge jerk, with a throbbing arm to go along with it.

Georgia was a distraction he didn’t need if it meant he kept making mistakes, but he couldn’t stop thinking about her.

Angel returned a few moments later. “Are you up to having a visitor?”

“Sure. Anything to ease the boredom,” he said.

“I think this visitor will do more than that.” Angel stepped back to reveal Georgia in the doorway, her hands clasped together.

“Hey. I came to see how you are doing,” she said. Her tone was a hundred times softer than when she’d snapped at him in the corridor.