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day I have to stanch a massive blood flow from what looks like a blade wound. Now, I think you might need stitches on that cut, but something tells me you wouldn’t want to tell an E.R. doctor how you came by it.”
    His head came up slowly this time, his eyes assessing her as if seeing her for the very first time. She struggled against closing herself back into her mousy, comfortable self, but he brought out something in her she couldn’t cage quite so easily.
    “You have some kind of experience with this sort of thing?”
    “I’m not telling my secrets until you tell yours. Since I figure that will be about the time hell freezes over, we’ll both have to wait.” She took a breath and calmed her racing heart. Took her eyes off those lips that had kissed her in a way she hadn’t been kissed. Ever. “Now, I got the cut to stop bleeding with the help of your kitchen towels, and used some pretty good vintage whiskey to disinfect it. I have my first-aid kit here.” She lifted it up inanely as if he couldn’t see it sitting on her lap. “I’d like you to let me at least use a butterfly bandage to pull the edges together.”
    He continued to stare at her as if trying to unnerve her, but dammit, it was not going to work.
    “All right, Nurse Nightingale, you can bandage me up, but no questions,” he said. “But make it quick. I have things to do, and they need to happen soon.”
    “Well, that was awfully cryptic, thanks for the noninformation.”
    He growled again, but this time it sent new tingles down her back. She did her best to ignore that and her tightening nipples. She set out the few things she was going to need, including some antibacterial cream, since who knew where the knife had come from or what had been on it when it went into his chest.
    “This should heal up okay,” she said as she worked. “It looks like a pretty clean slice. Sure you don’t want to tell me how you got it?”
    He grunted, which was never an attractive thing, but she continued on as if she hadn’t heard him.
    “You might still want to have it checked out, but I don’t think anything would survive that alcohol dousing. I know you said no questions, but how are you feeling? Does your head hurt? It doesn’t look like the knife went in more than an inch, so I don’t think you cut any muscle or anything important that a little rest shouldn’t be able to heal.” She was babbling again, but the tingles from their kiss were fading, and the horror of all that blood was rising to blot out everything else.
    “I’m sure it will be fine.”
    “I could make you some more stew or heat up the leftovers from yesterday? You’re going to need your strength if you plan on going anywhere today, especially if you’re thinking of working.” Those words made her glance at the clock. It was almost seven in the morning, she realized. She should be getting ready for her own workday at the accounting firm.
    He seemed to read her mind before she had time to complete the thought. “You don’t have time for this. I can finish this myself.” He shook his head for a moment. “You shouldn’t be here at all. Go get dressed, then I’ll walk you to work.”
    “You are not going to walk me anywhere in your condition. I can take care of myself. I’ll come check on you when I get home later.” With that, she walked out the door, deftly maneuvering herself around his outstretched hand.
    Closing the door behind her, her bravado failed and she took in great gasping gulps of air. She barely made it into her apartment before she threw up.

Chapter Three
    That damned little brat, Garrett thought, before it dawned on him that his head was clear and none of the familiar dark urges were surfacing. Had he already gone upstairs for the purging when she caught him falling? No memory surfaced of the sizzle of the electricity. He only remembered standing at his front door and falling forward into bright blue eyes. So no purging. Then where had all the darkness