LITMIR.BIZ

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      “Tomorrow,” Zack said, still keeping his eyes averted, “as long as you agree to take it easy. They’ll send you home with antibiotics and painkillers, but knowing you—”

      A noise in the hall alerted them to more visitors. Mick released his hold on Del and bunched the blankets over his lap to hide his partial erection just seconds before a man and woman pushed through the door. They entered in a rush, heading straight for Mick.

      Not being much of a people person, Del faded aside, inching into the corner opposite Zack and Josh. Mick frowned in displeasure at her retreat, and Josh said, “No worries. I’ve got it covered.” When he moved to stand between Del and the door, Del realized he meant that he’d continue to keep her around.

      As if she’d leave now!

      Del’s attention snagged on the pretty blond woman now hovering over the bed, kissing the top of Mick’s head, his high cheekbone, his chin. “Thank God you’re all right!”

      The woman’s lips were all over Mick, and Del didn’t like it at all. But she knew she had no right to complain.

      “I made Dane drive like a demon to get us here.”

      “Angel,” Mick protested, all the while grinning widely so that Del knew he didn’t really mind her attention at all, “you didn’t need to rush. I’m fine.”

      Del wondered if Angel was her name or an endearment.

      The woman pressed her cheek to Mick’s. “But you were shot!”

      Zack laughed. “I told you on the phone he’d be all right.”

      “I had to see for myself.”

      Josh crossed his arms over his chest and smiled. It was apparent to Del that they all knew each other, that these were more of Mick’s friends. These people Josh trusted; she could see that.

      Feeling like an outsider, or worse, an interloper, Del frowned.

      “According to the doctor,” Josh said, addressing Angel, “he’ll need some baby-sitting.”

      Zack nodded. “Luckily the bullet hit at a tangential entry. It was expended enough that the force didn’t carry it into the chest cavity, which could have injured his lung, or in a through-and-through injury that could have caused more damage to his arm.”

      “Yeah,” Mick mumbled, tongue in cheek, “I’m real lucky.”

      Del’s heart ached for him. This was the most she’d heard, and it hadn’t been revealed for her benefit. Rather, the information was for the new arrivals, especially the woman with the lips.

      The female who was trusted.

      It all sounded so horrendous, worse than Del had imagined. If the shooter had stepped just a little bit closer, if his aim had been a little higher… She closed her eyes, fighting back a wave of renewed fear and impossible guilt. Mick could so easily have been killed.

      Her eyes snapped opened when she heard Angel say, “You’ll come home with me, of course.”

      Del had no real rights to jealousy or possessiveness, but she felt them just the same. Who was this beautiful woman who felt free to kiss and touch Mick?

      And then the thought intruded: was he married?

      Del’s stomach knotted. She tried to see Mick’s hand, but couldn’t with both people crowded near his bed.

      The man with Angel said, “The kids would love a chance to fetch and carry for you. They adore you, you know that.”

      With incredible relief, Del realized that if they had kids, they must be a couple. Which meant Mick was safe from any romantic entanglement with Angel.

      Del was just beginning to relax again, feeling on safer ground, when yet another couple pushed through the door. This woman was lovely, too, but the man with her held her close to his side, leaving no doubt that they were together. He was large and dark and so intense he looked like Satan himself. Del stared, but no one else seemed alarmed.

      Mick even rolled his eyes. “Angel, did you drag Alec and Celia down here, too?”

      Angel touched his face. “They were visiting when we got the news. Of course they insisted on coming.”

      The room was all but bursting with large men. Josh and Zack were big enough, but their physical presence was nothing compared to Dane’s and Alec’s, both of whom were in their prime and exuding power.

      And Mick, even flat on his back and wounded, was a masculine presence impossible to ignore. He had an edge of iron control, of leadership, that couldn’t be quelled by an injury. All in all, the men made an impressive group. Del expected the walls to start dripping testosterone any moment.

      She watched them all, memorizing names and studying faces as they shared familiar greetings. The women were all-smiles, and even Dane looked somewhat jovial. Alec, however, looked capable of any number of nefarious deeds.

      Just as Del thought it, she saw his piercing gaze sweep over Mick from head to toe, and he grinned a surprisingly beautiful grin, making his black eyes glitter and causing Del to do an awed double take.

      “I knew you wouldn’t go much longer,” Alec drawled, and even his deep voice sounded scary to Del, “without getting yourself shot again. It’s a nasty habit.”

      “I’ll try real hard to keep that in mind,” Mick said.

      “Zack tells me you got shot on purpose this time.” Alec crossed his massive arms. “At least I try to avoid it when possible, and when Celia isn’t around.”

      Celia, slim and elegant, leaned over Mick’s bed and kissed his forehead. To Del’s way of thinking, there was far too much kissing going on, and far too many visitors. At this rate, she’d never get him alone.

      But that concern was secondary to another. Judging by what Alec had said, this wasn’t the first time Mick had been shot. Del looked at Josh and Zack, to judge their reactions to that news. Their expressions were impassive, leading her to believe they already knew Mick had been shot before this.

      “Don’t let Alec tease you, sweetie,” Celia said. “He’s glad I got him shot. Otherwise we’d never have ended up together.”

      Alec looked very dubious at her statement, whereas Del was completely floored. What in the world did these men do that they took turns catching bullets?

      Celia continued, saying, “If you stay with Angel, then we can visit you.”

      Del knew that any second now Mick would agree to Angel’s offer, and then she’d lose her chance. She took a deep breath, unglued her feet and tongue, and declared, “I’m taking him home with me.”

      The room fell silent, and as one, all eyes shifted her way. The women and two men stared, as if seeing her for the first time.

      Mick smiled.

      Under so much scrutiny, Del squirmed. Thanks to the rain and her long jog and the events at the jewelry store, she looked like something out of a circus sideshow. But determination filled her. She wasn’t a coward and she wouldn’t start acting like one now.

      Moving out of the corner, she edged in around Angel, who kept kissing Mick’s forehead. Del got as close to him as she could, then stated again, “I’ll take care of him.” She made her voice strong, resolute.

      Angel blinked, looked at the other people, then back at Del. “You will?”

      “Yes. After all,” Del explained, “it’s my fault he’s hurt.”

      Everyone’s gaze shifted from her to Mick. Expressions varied from male amusement, astonishment and fascination, to female speculation.

      Del wanted to wince, to close her ears so she wouldn’t have to hear what Mick might reply to her appalling assumption. They were strangers in every sense of the word, but he’d claimed to want to see

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