Sunkissed by Janelle Daniels

more.”
    “I’m in love with her.”
    “Impossible,” he scoffed. “You don’t even know her.”
    “I know enough.” Grant shrugged. “It just happened.”
    Noah looked bewildered. “It doesn’t just happen. A cold just happens. You have to work at love and sometimes that doesn’t even help.”
    Grant knew his brother would never understand unless he’d personally experienced it. “In any case. She’s staying here.”
    “How long are you looking after her?”
    “She’ll need constant help for a few days until she gets a hard brace on. Then she can use crutches.” He hesitated, taking another sip. “But she’ll be staying longer.”
    “You mean she’s moving in?” Noah’s mouth dropped open.
    “Yes. But she doesn’t know it yet. It’s not safe for her to leave.”
    Noah shook his head, sucking in a deep breath before sitting down at the table. “Maybe you should start from the beginning.”
    Grant did, telling him everything that happened up to her attack.
    Noah took a contemplative gulp before placing his empty bottle on the counter. “I guess there really isn’t much of a choice. If she’s already been attacked once, it’s likely to happen again. I hope they catch him soon.”
    “Me too.”
    “And as for the other thing? The love thing. Don’t make any decisions until this is over and your head is clear.”
    “I won’t. But it won’t matter.”
    “All the same. I should head out. You have enough to deal with.”
    Grant walked his brother out. “Is everything all right?”
    Noah waved him off. “Nothing to worry about. I’ve got it handled.” With a salute, he was in his car and gone.
    Grant sighed. Once this sabotage business was taken care of and Natalie was safe, he’d have to see what he could do to help his brother.
    If life had taught him anything, it was that there was always something to worry about.

It was light out when Natalie woke. Stretching, she felt disoriented, but brushed it off as a likely side effect of her pain meds.
    Her leg ached, but it felt better than it had before her nap.
    “Ah, finally. You’re awake.” Grant lounged in her doorway.
    She smiled sheepishly. “Yeah, sorry. I must have passed out again. I hope you haven’t been waiting too long.”
    His grin widened. “Natalie, you’ve been asleep for almost twenty-four hours.”
    “What?” Her mouth dropped open. “You’re kidding, right?”
    He shook his head while walking into the room. “You must have needed it.”
    No wonder she felt groggy. She had never slept so much in her life.
    “The doctor told me that this might happen the first day or two. You were in shock from the accident. It’s normal.”
    That was a relief.
    He sat on her bed next to her, giving her a feeling of déjà vu of yesterday’s events. “You feel like coming down today?”
    “I’d like that. Not that I’m sick of this room since all I’ve done is sleep in it. But it would be nice to be somewhere else.”
    He nodded in understanding. “No problem. How about we get you dressed, and then you can have breakfast on the couch.”
    “How about at the table?”
    His eyes crinkled in amusement. “If you like. Are you always this difficult?”
    “Yes,” she said immediately.
    He laughed. “I guess I’ve been warned then. Come on.”
    He took her into the bathroom and helped her get ready with a minimum of fuss. The tension she had felt between them yesterday had eased as he helped her with a clinical air.
    “Omelet?” he asked when he sat her at the table.
    “Sounds great. You make fantastic breakfast food.”
    “Thanks. I’ve always thought a good meal started the day off right. I’m making a roast tonight, though. Meat. Potatoes. Carrots.”
    “Very manly.”
    “Absolutely. I think you’ll enjoy it.”
    She rested her arm on the table, leaning her face on her hand. “I think I will too. You do manly very well.”
    “I’m a man.”
    She shook her head. “Being a man doesn’t necessarily make you