His Every Move by Kelly Favor Page A

appreciatively.
    “Any questions?” the older man asked.
    “When will her follow-up appointment be scheduled for?” Hunter asked.
    The doctor turned to him. “I’d say a week or ten days from now, we’ll want to have a look at that head wound to see how it’s progressing. She’s got fifteen stitches in her scalp but they’ll dissolve on their own. Also, we should have a gander at her ankle, too. Sound good?”
    Hunter stood up and shook the doctor’s hand firmly. “Thanks so much for everything you’ve done for Kallie,” he said.
    Dr. Scofield seemed almost embarrassed. He laughed. “It’s my job.”
    “It means a lot to me,” Hunter said. “So thanks again.”
    “Okay. Well, good luck and be sure to let me know if anything comes up,” he said.
    After the doctor left the room, Hunter walked over to the window and looked outside. “It’s gray and rainy,” he said. “It’ll be nice to get you home and start a fire, get some soup cooking on the stove. Do you like chicken noodle?”
    Kallie looked at him, confused. “I guess.”
    He nodded, still looking outside. “Good.” He checked the time on his phone.
    “I’m guessing we’ll have you out of here in about three or four hours, knowing how this stuff usually works.”
    Kallie just accepted what he was saying. “You don’t have to stay here with me all day,” she said. “Nicole texted me and said she’ll be here with Red in about fifteen or twenty minutes. I’ll be safe and taken care of.”
    He spun around and his eyes were intense again. “The only way I can know that you’re safe for sure, is if I’m with you.”
    Kallie felt a warm glow in her stomach, and it spread through her whole body.
    The way Hunter looked at her now was beyond anything she’d ever felt before. It seemed as though the trauma she’d undergone had awakened some protective instinct he had, and now he didn’t want to leave her side.
    The truth of the matter was, she loved that he was being this way. Even if he was taking it to extremes, she enjoyed having him near her, knowing he would be protecting her at all costs.
    And why should I feel bad for that? She thought. I’ve been assaulted. Anyone would want to feel safe after going through what I’ve been through.
    Hunter sat down in his chair and pulled out his laptop again, while the nurse brought in a tray of bland eggs, dry toast, coffee and orange juice for breakfast. Despite the fact that the food tasted like someone had found a way to suck all the taste out of it, Kallie was hungry enough to eat most of it.
    Hunter had her coffee, since she wasn’t particularly interested in it.
    As she finished her breakfast, Nicole and Red came into the room. When they saw Hunter sitting next to her, both of them stopped smiling and grew quiet.
    “How are you feeling?” Nicole asked, walking over and sitting lightly on the edge of the bed.
    “Good. Thanks.”
    Red folded his arms and stood at the end of the bed, his mouth a straight line.
    “They got rid of your mummy wraps,” Nicole laughed, pointing to the significantly smaller dressing on Kallie’s head.
    “Yeah, the doctor said everything looks really good. They’re going to release me sometime today.”
    Red nodded. “Good. We’ve got your room made up for you at home and—“
    “She’s coming home with me,” Hunter said from his chair.
    Red wouldn’t even look at Hunter, but he responded to him anyway. “Kallie lives in our home and she works for us. We’ve got a perfectly good room for her and she’ll be very comfortable there.”
    “I don’t think that’s the best place for her,” Hunter said.
    “Well, what do you know about what’s best for her?”
    “Honey,” Nicole muttered, lightly touching Red’s arm.
    Red moved away from her attempt at calming him. “I’ll deal with this,” he told her softly. Then he looked directly at Hunter. “What do you think you’re doing right now?”
    Hunter was still seated, and he looked completely