KIDNAPPED COWBOY by Lindsey Brookes Page A

on the floor just under the bed and then turned his attention to the other foot and her wrapped ankle.  His fingers slid beneath the leg of her jeans to caress her calve.  “Just lie back and relax.”
    “W...what are you doing?”
    “Relaxing the muscle.  It might help ease some of the pain in your ankle.”
    It was working.  Funny how the pain seemed to ease up whenever he was touching her.  Maybe the FDA should consider bottling Dalton’s hands.
    “Better?” he asked, looking up at her.
    He had no idea.  “Yes.”
    “Good.”  He pulled his hand away much to her disappointment.  “Now where do you keep your Tylenol?  I’ll go get you some.”
    The leg rub works just as well , she was tempted to tell him, but somehow managed to keep that suggestion to herself.  “It’s in the medicine cabinet in the hall bathroom.”
    He left the room, returning a few minutes later with a glass of water and two capsules.  “Here you go.”
    “Thanks.”  She popped them into her mouth and then took several long swallows of the cold water.
    “I’ll go grab your crutches from the car,” he said, taking the half-empty glass from her hand and placing it on the nightstand beside the bed.  “You sure you don’t wanna fill that prescription the doc wrote you?  I could pick it up while I’m in town.”
    “I’ll just use what I have here.”  She was already suffering from a Dalton Barnes-induced brain freeze.  She didn’t need a prescription pain killer to zap what little sense she had remaining.
    He nodded.  “Suit yourself.  I won’t be long.” 
    The second he’d gone, Caitlin sank back into the pillows with a groan.  She had to make Dalton leave before she did something else to make of fool of herself, like invite him into her bed.
    She shifted on the bed, trying to get comfortable.  Nothing seemed to help.  Grabbing the remote for the television, she flicked it on and began searching through the channels for something to watch.
    Dalton returned a short while later, carrying the crutches in one hand and a bag of chocolate kisses in the other.  “Thought you might like some of these,” he said, dropping the package onto the bed beside her.
    She looked up at him.  “Kisses?”
    “No meaning behind it, I swear,” he said, holding up his hands.  “I just know females like chocolate.  Thought it might make you feel better.”
    She opened the bag and unwrapped one of the chocolate morsels, popping it into her mouth.  “Mmm...  Feeling better already.”  She shifted to set the package of chocolate on the nightstand by her water and winced.
    “You might wanna have another one of those,” he teased, but his expression was laced with concern.  His gaze slid down the length of her to the foot of the bed where her injured ankle rested.  “We’d best get that leg elevated.”  Reaching for one of the spare bed pillows beside her, Dalton lifted her injured foot and slid it carefully beneath.  “How’s that?”
    “Better.”  She looked up at him.  “Dalton...”
    “Yeah?”
    “I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m a little tired.”  What she really wanted to say was I’m unbelievably attracted to you. Please, join me in bed.   Thankfully, she managed to keep that request to herself.   
    He nodded.  “I’m sure you are.  We didn’t get much sleep at the cabin.  But I want your promise to stay off that ankle before I leave you here to fend for yourself.”
    “I can take care of myself.”
    He arched a challenging brow.
    “Well, I can,” she repeated stubbornly.
    He bent until his lips hovered a few scant inches above hers.
    She closed her eyes, heart racing.  Dalton Barnes was going to kiss her. 
    Instead of the kiss she’d expected, warm breath caressed her neck.  “I mean it, Caitlin,” he whispered against her ear.  “Be a good girl and stay off that ankle.  Or I’m gonna appoint myself your babysitter.”
    Her eyes snapped open.  How dare he think