Love Inspired Suspense April 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 by Laura Scott (free e reader .TXT) 📕

ached. The prior events registered. Brake lines and power steering fluid released...they’d crashed.

Georgia!

Colt bolted upright, instantly regretting it but unable to care. “Where’s Georgia?” he hollered, panic gripping him by the throat.

“I’m here. Right here.” Georgia stood and took his hand.

Rhett, Poppy and Mae were leaning against the wall by the door to the hospital room. Rhett edged to the end of his bed. “Miss Armchair Detective here saved your bacon today.”

Poppy snickered.

Georgia smiled, but the right side of her face was bruised and her wrist was wrapped. The light in her eyes didn’t shine quite so brightly.

“What happened?”

“You hit your head pretty hard and were knocked unconscious. Minor concussion,” Georgia said. She brushed hair from his forehead. “Got a few stitches from hitting your head on the steering wheel. The airbag didn’t deploy.”

“Forensics took the truck. Brake lines were cut and the powering steering fluid holder had been punctured. Probably already figured that when you couldn’t stop or turn.” Poppy huffed. “We’re gonna get this guy.”

“He almost got you,” Mae said and nodded her chin toward Georgia. “But she managed to drag and carry your big self out of the vehicle and to a little nook in the hill. When the attacker started down the slope, she fired your gun, and I guess he didn’t want to risk a shoot-out with a trained agent. Must have thought it was you shooting. He took off, but she says the truck was a big engine. Big roar.”

Colt stared at Georgia. “You...you carried me?”

“I had a pretty big shot of adrenaline running through me. I couldn’t leave you there. He would have seen you and...” Her eyes filled with moisture.

“Can we have a few moments?”

The team gave him knowing grins and left the room. “Georgia, I can’t begin to thank you enough and I’m...I’m shocked. You carried me.”

She perched on the hospital bed next to him, her hand on his. “He definitely followed us. I can’t say for sure if he knew we had the SD card or not.”

“I don’t know how he could. Unless it was Chance, Alice or Scott.”

“Or Reggie Leeway. He’s connected to everyone. Coaches. His son. Scott. I’ve had some time to think while you were in here.”

This woman was amazing. Riddled with anxiety or not, she had singlehandedly saved him. She was strong and brave. He laced his hand with hers and drew her toward him. All he could think about was the kiss they hadn’t talked about. He’d chalked it up to a mistake. But it wasn’t. In fact, it was all he wanted to do in this moment.

This wild woman had rescued him, used her brain and shot a round off to save them.

He wasn’t sure what the future held, but right now he wanted it to hold him and Georgia. “I—I know we haven’t talked about that kiss, Georgia. But I want to. And to be honest, I want to kiss you again.” They could figure out the logistics, couldn’t they? “You told me you weren’t sure if you loved me back then, but that was a lie. What about relationships? Was that a lie, too? Why did we really end?” There had to be a good reason, one they could work through.

Georgia sighed and lifted herself off the hospital bed. “I can’t.” She hesitated as if fighting the words about to come from her lips.

Rejection.

He’d put himself out there, and he was going to get it again. Even with all the effort he’d put into protecting her, showing he was a worthy man—he’d failed. What was it about him that was so easy to throw away?

Georgia closed her eyes and sniffed, then opened her eyes but refused to look at him. “You’re right. You deserve to know the truth. I’ve always wanted to get married.”

“You lied about that, too. Why?”

Georgia blinked, and tears washed down her cheeks. “I was sick all the time. Nagging you. I was tired of feeling the fear, and the only way I knew to get any peace was to end things. Because if I ended it then I’d stop loving you, and if I stopped loving you I wouldn’t worry myself into a daily frenzy over you.”

Colt didn’t understand. That made no sense. She’d loved him. He’d loved her.

“Colt... I didn’t know what was going on with me then. I do now. I avoid my triggers.”

“But I told you I’d never do anything to trigger your anxiety, Georgia Jane. All you have to do is tell me what they are and I’ll avoid them, too.” Please don’t reject me again. He wasn’t sure he’d recover from another one. Not from her. Not when he’d let his heart get out of check. Let his guard down.

Grief robbed the light in her eyes and sagged her mouth. “Oh, Colt. I wish it were that simple.”

“Why isn’t it?”

“Because you are the trigger. People I love die, and because of that, I worry about them incessantly until I’m physically too sick to function. I have acquaintances and colleagues. I don’t date. Amber and Susan are probably the closest things to a friend, but we don’t hang out or go to dinner. I can’t afford to love somebody. I can’t compromise my mental and physical health to love you. Even if I want to.”

“Do you? Want to?” He wasn’t sure which answer would kill him the most. If she did want to and wouldn’t or if she didn’t want to at all.

“I think that kiss tells the tale, don’t you?”

He clenched his jaw to hold in the emotion. “I think you owe me the words from your own lips.” If he forced her to admit she wanted to be with him, then maybe she would change her mind. There had to be a way. More medicines. Something. Anything.

Georgia touched his cheek. “You’re right. Yes, I want to. I kissed you because I feel something for you and I entertained the idea, and then you were shot and burned and now this. And it’s