Theirs to Keep Read Online Free PDF Page A

with a takeout bag and a white pharmacy bag. He strode toward the coffee table and set down his purchases.
    “What do you think you’d like to drink?” Cade asked. “I have water, tea and juices. I picked up orange and grape from the pharmacy.”
    “Water is fine,” she murmured.
    He pulled everything from the packaging and then opened a steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup. He opened a bottle of water and set it down beside the bowl and then motioned her forward.
    “Can you sit up enough to eat, or should I feed you?”
    Merrick saw the discomfort that crossed her face. She shook her head and then tried to push her way from Merrick’s arms. He helped by holding her upright and not letting her move too fast.
    When she was perched on the edge of the couch, Merrick draped the blanket over her shoulders, and Cade took her hands between his in a gesture that obviously surprised her.
    He rubbed back and forth, infusing warmth into her fingers, and then he looked at her with tenderness in his eyes that Merrick understood all too well.
    “As soon as you eat, I’ll give you an antibiotic pill and something for pain as well. You’ll sleep well after that.”
    She nodded her acceptance and reached for the spoon, fumbling clumsily as she tried to grip it with the bandages on her hand.
    Finally Cade took the spoon and gently put her hands back into her lap.
    “Let me,” he said quietly.

C H A P T E R     F I V E
     
    CADE STARED INTO HER EYES and then lifted the bowl and the spoon before sliding onto the couch beside her. She was flanked by him and Merrick, and he wasn’t sure how well she’d take that. More than one woman would feel threatened by having two hulking Neanderthals basically trapping her.
    Cade wasn’t as big as Merrick. He didn’t sport the tattoos or the long hair. But he worked out with Merrick. He was his longtime training partner, and he adhered to the same strict regimen that Merrick did.
    “I’m going to hold the bowl like a cup so you can sip from it,” he said. “It might get messy if I try to feed it to you by spoon, not to mention, it’ll take forever.”
    She offered a trembling half smile and allowed him to tip the bowl toward her mouth. Her bandaged hands came up to lay over his, and then she took an experimental sip.
    She drew away, closed her eyes and sighed in seeming contentment.
    “Good?” Cade asked.
    She nodded.
    He put the bowl back to her mouth, and she took a larger sip this time. She was slow, taking measured tastes as if waiting to see if her stomach rebelled.
    Cade waited patiently until she finally sat back with a sigh and waved off any more.
    “That was wonderful,” she said.
    He reached for a bottle of water and then fished out the medicine he’d gotten for her. After dumping an antibiotic pill and a pain pill into his palm, he put one to her lips and held the bottle up so she could swallow. After she downed the second pill, Cade stood to clean up the mess, but Merrick waved him off.
    “I’ll do it. You stay here with her.”
    Cade raised an eyebrow, but Merrick made a slight dip with his head, motioning toward the woman, and then looked pointedly at Cade. He wanted Cade to stay with her awhile so she’d grow more comfortable with him. It was obvious that Merrick had already done so judging by the fact she’d been solidly in his arms when Cade had returned with the food.
    Cade had just returned his attention to the woman when her eyes went wide and she blurted out, “Elle!”
    Cade frowned but leaned back so he was closer to her. “Who’s Elle?”
    The woman turned to him in wonder. “Me. I think. It’s my name. Not all of it, but it’s what I was called. I’m sure of it.”
    “That’s good,” Cade soothed. “See? That’s a start. It’ll all come back to you as soon as you feel safe. Elle is a pretty name. It suits you.”
    “Thank you,” she said earnestly. “For being so kind. For understanding. And for helping me. I still don’t know why