opened the rubbing alcohol. “Don’t worry. That’s the last thing on my mind. This will sting.” He poured it on her arm.
She clenched her teeth. “Guess I’m not looking my best at the moment.”
“You always look good.” He took another towel and dabbed at her arm. “I don’t think you’re bleeding right now. Is that a good thing?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never been shot before.”
“Never been shot? What kind of private investigator are you?”
“The good kind that doesn’t get shot.”
He wrapped gauze around her arm and then used the surgical tape to keep it in place. “I’m so sorr—”
“It’s not your fault. Stop apologizing.” Their gazes met. “I mean it, Lucas. No matter what happens, you need to remember that. I made my own choices. Let’s focus on getting out of this mess. You can be sorry later. Help me put on this T-shirt.” She pulled the shirt down over her hips. “Sooner or later, they’ll come in here to finish the job.”
“I wonder why they haven’t come in yet.”
“Because they aren’t sure if we have any weapons or not.” She gave him a hopeful glance. “I don’t suppose there are any guns here.”
He shook his head.
“How can you not have guns at a cabin in the woods? A bear could pay a visit at any time.”
“After my father died, Mama moved them into town. Guns make her feel safe.”
“I can understand that. One would make me feel a lot safer right about now.”
“Don’t you have one?”
“I do, but it’s in the car.”
“Why?”
She gave him a sheepish look. “I had no need for it in here. I thought. Obviously, I was wrong. “
“Aren’t you the funny one?”
Their gazes met.
He saw the same sadness he felt when he thought about what might have been. He reached out and caressed her cheek. “I really am sorry.”
“We need to be long gone before they decide to storm the house.”
“I have an idea, but I’m not sure if it will work.”
14
Nikki was glad Lucas had an idea, because she sure didn’t. Between the pain and the blood loss, it was hard to think. But her mind was beginning to focus. She didn’t think she’d die from the bullet wound. “So, what’s your idea?”
“Come on, I’ll show you.” Lucas helped her to her feet.
Nikki stood up. “Good, no dizziness.”
“Why don’t I believe you?” Apparently, he didn’t.
She took hold of his arm. “Well, not as much as before.”
Lucas opened a door to a bedroom with two twin beds. “This room has windows facing the side. Hopefully, they aren’t watching here. Maybe we could climb out and head into the woods that way.”
Could she do that? She would have to. “At least it’s large enough to climb through.” Nikki looked out the window. “That’s quite a drop.”
“That’s because the cabin is built into the side of a mountain. I’ll jump first and then I can catch you.”
“I have a better idea. You go for help and I’ll stay here.”
“That’s not happening.” He shook his head. “I’m not leaving you.”
“Oh yes, you are.”
“I am not leaving you here with at least two shooters and no weapons to defend yourself. What kind of man do you think I am?”
She had to make him see reason. “I’ll find a really good hiding place. When they come in and see the open window, they’ll assume we both left through it. They’ll either go after you or leave. Either way, I’ll be fine. Chances are they won’t even bother to look for me in the house.”
“Not happening.” His expression was adamant.
“If I go with you, I’ll slow you down, Lucas. Please, listen to reason. You go get help—for me. It’s the only thing to do.”
“That’s very noble, Nikki, but it won’t happen. We’re leaving together or we’re not leaving. We can both hide. If your theory’s right, it will work for both of us. They’ll leave and we both live happily ever after.”
“I suppose that could work.”
“Your choice. We both leave or we both
She clenched her teeth. “Guess I’m not looking my best at the moment.”
“You always look good.” He took another towel and dabbed at her arm. “I don’t think you’re bleeding right now. Is that a good thing?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never been shot before.”
“Never been shot? What kind of private investigator are you?”
“The good kind that doesn’t get shot.”
He wrapped gauze around her arm and then used the surgical tape to keep it in place. “I’m so sorr—”
“It’s not your fault. Stop apologizing.” Their gazes met. “I mean it, Lucas. No matter what happens, you need to remember that. I made my own choices. Let’s focus on getting out of this mess. You can be sorry later. Help me put on this T-shirt.” She pulled the shirt down over her hips. “Sooner or later, they’ll come in here to finish the job.”
“I wonder why they haven’t come in yet.”
“Because they aren’t sure if we have any weapons or not.” She gave him a hopeful glance. “I don’t suppose there are any guns here.”
He shook his head.
“How can you not have guns at a cabin in the woods? A bear could pay a visit at any time.”
“After my father died, Mama moved them into town. Guns make her feel safe.”
“I can understand that. One would make me feel a lot safer right about now.”
“Don’t you have one?”
“I do, but it’s in the car.”
“Why?”
She gave him a sheepish look. “I had no need for it in here. I thought. Obviously, I was wrong. “
“Aren’t you the funny one?”
Their gazes met.
He saw the same sadness he felt when he thought about what might have been. He reached out and caressed her cheek. “I really am sorry.”
“We need to be long gone before they decide to storm the house.”
“I have an idea, but I’m not sure if it will work.”
14
Nikki was glad Lucas had an idea, because she sure didn’t. Between the pain and the blood loss, it was hard to think. But her mind was beginning to focus. She didn’t think she’d die from the bullet wound. “So, what’s your idea?”
“Come on, I’ll show you.” Lucas helped her to her feet.
Nikki stood up. “Good, no dizziness.”
“Why don’t I believe you?” Apparently, he didn’t.
She took hold of his arm. “Well, not as much as before.”
Lucas opened a door to a bedroom with two twin beds. “This room has windows facing the side. Hopefully, they aren’t watching here. Maybe we could climb out and head into the woods that way.”
Could she do that? She would have to. “At least it’s large enough to climb through.” Nikki looked out the window. “That’s quite a drop.”
“That’s because the cabin is built into the side of a mountain. I’ll jump first and then I can catch you.”
“I have a better idea. You go for help and I’ll stay here.”
“That’s not happening.” He shook his head. “I’m not leaving you.”
“Oh yes, you are.”
“I am not leaving you here with at least two shooters and no weapons to defend yourself. What kind of man do you think I am?”
She had to make him see reason. “I’ll find a really good hiding place. When they come in and see the open window, they’ll assume we both left through it. They’ll either go after you or leave. Either way, I’ll be fine. Chances are they won’t even bother to look for me in the house.”
“Not happening.” His expression was adamant.
“If I go with you, I’ll slow you down, Lucas. Please, listen to reason. You go get help—for me. It’s the only thing to do.”
“That’s very noble, Nikki, but it won’t happen. We’re leaving together or we’re not leaving. We can both hide. If your theory’s right, it will work for both of us. They’ll leave and we both live happily ever after.”
“I suppose that could work.”
“Your choice. We both leave or we both
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