Her Surprise Family. Patricia Thayer

resisted. “Hey, you can’t go it alone, no matter how stubborn you are,” he said. He grabbed the flashlight off the floor and handed it to her. Then to her shock, he scooped her up in his arms.

      “Put me down,” she said, but his grip tightened and her struggles were useless.

      “Hush, green eyes,” he murmured. “I only want to take you downstairs and check your injury.” His dark eyes brimmed with tenderness and compassion.

      She felt herself relax, and she nodded. The lightning flashed again. “But...but I’m too heavy.”

      “You feel fine to me.” He smiled. “Now train the flashlight on the stairs, so I can see where I’m going.”

      Shelby did as he asked and he managed to get her down the narrow steps without further problem. He took her into the master suite and deposited her on the window seat, where light from outside, such as it was, came in. The afternoon sky was still dark gray and the storm showed no sign of letting up.

      “Looks like we’re in for a wicked night.” He knelt down in front of her and started to untie her tennis shoe. “Let’s have a look at that ankle.”

      “I can do it.”

      He raised his gaze to hers. “Is it me, or do you have trouble letting anyone help you?”