Everything faded to black.
Chapter 2
Shed considered taking the subway back to her hotel, but had dismissed the idea when she thought about Colin negotiating all those station steps. He seemed delirious, and she wasnt positive he knew what was going on. He could barely walk. His wound wasnt bleeding anymore, but if he was in shock, there was nothing she could do for him until they returned to her room. A taxi would be simple, of course, but they were scarce here and she didnt want to deal with a curious driver.
Hailing the bus driver to wait, she climbed the bus steps, pulled Colin along with her and found two empty seats. During the fifteen-minute ride neither of them spoke a word. Colin closed his eyes and rested.
She felt his body heat without even touching him. Colins nearness did crazy things to her, in both body and mind, but she couldnt get past the dangerous position hed put them in. Who on earth was this guy really, and who wanted to kill him?
At long last she spotted the side street that led to her hotels entrance and hurried them off the bus. The hotel that shed checked into earlier couldnt be called a palace, but it was sure a heck of a lot better than Colins flophouse room.
Small by Texas standards, the room was at least clean and warm. And temporarily safe. She snuck Colin past the reception desk and into the elevator. When Maggie finally keyed open her door and tumbled Colin and herself inside, she was so danged relieved that she nearly cried.
Her witchcraft would help heal Colin. The sooner he was pain free, the sooner they could talk, and then shed be that much closer to leaving New York City and Colins trouble far behind her.
Plopping him down on the single bed, she shoved pillows behind his back and helped him kick off his shoes. You rest while I check your leg.
She turned, but his hand snaked out and grabbed her arm. Youre not leaving.
No, of course not. Thats not what I said. Swinging back to reassure him, she caught the look hed been giving her behind her back. Wary. Stark. Lonely. The stricken look on his face struck a deep note of sympathy in her heart.
Youll not be calling your friends, love?
What friends? She pulled her arm from his grasp then placed her palm against his forehead, checking for fever.
The ones who must have come with you. The chaps with the fire bombs and guns.
He thought she was the one whod brought that disaster down upon them? I might ask you the same question, she said, realizing he had a small fever but nothing her medicine couldnt cure. All I did was come to bring you news of your brother and niece, and I got shot at and nearly burned to death for my trouble. I was hoping you would have the answers as to why.
Colin groaned and grabbed his thigh. Dont leave, Maggie. He closed his eyes, slumped back against the pillows and was fast asleep in an instant.
Swell. Now she was faced with checking his wounds without his assistance. Determined to do the best she could for the man who had caused her even more inner turmoil than whoeverd been doing the shooting, she went to the closet to retrieve her medicine pack.
Maggie Ryan was tough. She could do anything. Isnt that what everybody always said?
Being tough was one of the traits that had turned her only boyfriendher college fiancéagainst her. In a fit of anger over losing what hed thought would be his meal ticket for life, he pushed it even further, accusing her of being frigid and asking for his ring back.
That was the last time shed let a man get close to her. But she was feeling things for Colin that shed never felt for her ex-fiancé.
Too close. She was too close to caring for this complete stranger. She needed to remind herself why shed sought him out on this dark and icy night in the first place.
When Colin opened his eyes, it took him a moment to orient himself. He felt beneath
his body and discovered he was lying on some sort of bed or mattress. But with the jumbled thoughts in his head, nothing else seemed clear.
The pain in his thigh was most definite, though, and sharp enough to make him more alert. The memory of the wall exploding behind him kept repeating, and the sound of Maggie Ryans voice begging him to get down echoed clear and true in his ears.
Was he still in danger? Probably not. Because wherever he was, everything seemed absurdly quiet after all the commotion. Colins survival instincts lay still. Nothing screamed in his gut to either run or fight.
Turning his head, he pried open his eyes and glanced around. He found himself in some sort of bland and inexpensive hotel room. Hed seen many of these same small rooms around the world.
Youre awake again. Good. Do you think you can sit up?
It was her voice. Maggies. That same smoky pitch he remembered from when shed appeared at his doorway.
Colin tried to rise, but he had little strength in his arms and one hell of a pain in his leg. Where am I?
Her soft, feminine arms slid under his back, and with a surprising show of strength, Maggie lifted him to a sitting position. There you go. Youre in my hotel room. Does it hurt very much?