“I’m not a complete wuss. I can crawl back to the bed,” Maryn said, tilting her chin up.
Tucker crossed the bathroom in three long strides and looked down at her. “I never tell Mama no,” he said, liking how small she was next to him. The desire to protect a woman, other than Mama Porter, had never been this strong.
Maryn arched her delicate eyebrows. “I wouldn’t want to strain any of those muscles.”
Tucker chuckled out loud. “Because you probably weigh all of a hundred pounds.”
“A hundred and fifteen thank you very much. I work hard for this body.” She lifted her left arm like she was going to flex it, but cried out, her smooth face contorted in pain. The movement must’ve tugged at the stitches. “Remind me to use my right side next time.”
Tucker felt her pain like it was his own. How could he have done this to her? He came around to her right side and placed one arm under her shoulders, thankful the gashes were down low. Tucking the other arm underneath her thighs, he easily swung her off the ground and close to his body. She rested her head against his chest. He knew it was probably because she was exhausted, but the sweetness of her movement had all kinds of protective urges firing through him.
The walk back to the bed was much too short. He gently laid her on her right side and then bent down close. Her eyes were fastened on his face. They’d been so blue earlier but now in the green tank top they looked almost an aqua green.
“I’m so sorry,” he whispered.
She shook her head. “It wasn’t your fault.”
“If I wouldn’t have scared you… or if I’d gotten there sooner.”
She touched his cheek with her soft fingers. The warmth of her hand shot through him. He covered her hand with his own.
“You’re a hero, Tucker Shaffer, and don’t you dare think any differently.”
Tucker turned her hand over and kissed her palm then set it down. Her cheeks flushed and he was certain he’d never seen anything more beautiful.
“Now,” Mama Porter said behind them. “Does any food sound good to you, my dear?”
Tucker’s stomach grumbled and Maryn laughed, a delightful sound that lightened Tucker’s very existence. “I think Tucker should scarf down a pig or maybe a cow, but I’m happy to just have some more water.”
“What about some broth and juice?”
“I could try that.”
“I’ll bring up food for both of you.” Mama hurried out of the room and they were left staring at each other.
“So what do we do now?”
“Um, let you rest and heal?”
“No. I’m talking about all the questions I have that you are going to answer.”
Tuck’s chest tightened. She was beautiful and innocent and… still a reporter. “Barely awake from a traumatic accident and already wanting to get my dirt?”
Maryn studied him with those bluish-green eyes. “I want to know about you. Not for an article. I would never exploit you because you’re my personal hero and because… I’ve never been more intrigued by a man.”
Tucker leaned toward her, barely resisting touching the smooth skin of her cheek. “I’m no hero, Maryn. I’m…” He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry I reacted the way I did and scared you.”
“Thank you. I can trust that you won’t do it again and you can trust me enough to talk to me.”
He leaned back in his chair, not sure what to think. He liked that she’d moved on so quickly from his terrifying behavior yesterday, but could he share personal things with this woman? Would she sell his secrets for her own success or was she truly intrigued by him? Maryn seemed very genuine, but it could be an act to get him to spill.
“Trust is hard for me,” he whispered.
“I can see that. You’ve surrounded yourself with the three people you trust and you shut everyone else out. Why Tucker? Why shut out the world?”
He shrugged and clasped his hands together, studying a scar on his right thumb. One of the few scars that wasn’t from Afghanistan but from childhood—one of his foster brothers had dared him to climb a barbed wire fence and it hadn’t turned out well. “The world’s a scary place, Maryn Howe.”
She laughed, that tinkling sound that he wanted to hear the rest of his life. “I can’t imagine a tough Army veteran being afraid of anything. You just stood in front of a grizzly bear and protected me.” She shivered as she said the words grizzly bear.