Page 23 of Storm Warning

Christopher nodded.

“Fine. That’s what we’ll do. Mr. Marsh.” Sorenson didn’t say another word, just stared pointedly at Andre.

Yeah, he could take a hint. He held up both hands in a gesture of surrender and walked across the hall to one of the recovery rooms. Riley followed him. “My home away fromhome.” Andre sat on the edge of the bed, staring at his tactical boots and dreading having to bend over to untie them and slip them off his feet.

Riley crouched in front of him. “Want help?”

He stared. “You don’t have to do this. I can handle it myself.” Not comfortably, but he hated asking Riley to do this task.

“I don’t mind, Andre.” She untied his boots, tugged them off, and set them to the side of the bed where Andre could step into them in a hurry, then stood. “Sit back. Want help lifting your legs onto the bed?”

He shook his head. No way would he allow his woman to do something he could handle himself, though it was painful. “I’ve got it. Thanks for helping with the boots.”

She shook a blanket out and draped it across him. “How do you feel?”

“Like a truck ran over me a few times before it took off.”

“Do you need anything?”

“A proper kiss from you.”

Riley froze.

“Too fast?”

“A surprise.”

“Good or bad?”

“Good.”

He wrapped his hand around her wrist in a gentle hold and tugged her to sit beside him on the bed. “Come here.”

She leaned toward him slowly.

He waited for Riley to come to him until finally her lips brushed against his, the touch feather-light. When she would have drawn back, Andre slid a hand around her nape and held her in place. Again, his hold was gentle enough that she could break it and escape easily.

Instead of tensing and jerking away from him, Riley moved closer until her arms were around his neck and her mouthsought his each time he broke their kiss. As the minutes passed, the heat between them rose until Andre had to stop before he crossed a line. “Baby, we have to stop.”

“No, please. Just a few more minutes.”

He hugged her. “My control is whisper-thin. If we don’t stop right now, I won’t be able to stop. You’re not ready for that yet.” Soon, though, from her response to him in the past few minutes.

Andre eased back and cupped her cheeks. “You don’t know how much I hate asking this favor of you. Although I’m known for my control, around you that control is like mist.”

“Is that bad?”

“Under the right circumstances, it’ll be great. The timing is wrong.”

A knock on the door interrupted them.

Andre chuckled. “Told you.” He called out, “Door’s open.”

Seth stepped inside. “What did the doc say?”

“I’m enjoying his hospitality until tomorrow. He’s concerned about infection setting in.”

“I’ll tell the others, and we’ll set up a watch rotation. Your job is to rest.” He glanced at Riley. “Same goes for you, Riley. We’ll have two people on the door, one for Andre and one for you.”