Chapter 4
When Tara stirred restlessly on the couch moaning, Myles moved quickly from his chair to check on her. He vaguely noticed that Annie was standing behind him, but his attention was focused instead on the petite woman bundled under the thick blanket. Smiling, he tried to mask the worry and fear that he felt as her eyes slowly blinked open and she met his gaze.
"I guess I fell asleep," Tara sighed with a slight smile.
"Yeah," Myles replied simply as he studied her face. Her normally bright eyes were clouded with obvious pain. "How are you?" he asked her, concerned.
"I'm fine," she declared as she looked away.
"Don't give me that, Tara," Myles snapped as he stared at her intently. "I'm too tired to play games right now."
She met his gaze defiantly but as he continued to gaze at her, his eyes probing, she looked away again. Myles took her hand gently in his, the action causing her to look at him again.
As he caressed the back of her hand with his thumb, Tara noticed something different about Myles. Expecting sarcasm and cynicism, she wasn't prepared for the caring and compassion she found in his eyes. Compassion? Caring? Not Myles, she thought to herself. Must be pity, and I'm not going to sit here and have him pity me!
"I'm fine, Myles. I can take care of myself," she insisted as she tried to sit up as if to prove her point. Before Myles could help her, the pain in her shoulder and ribs stopped her and she cried out softly.
"Easy, Tara," he asserted as he helped her to settle back down. Alarmed that she had turned a shade whiter than before and her breathing sounded very uneven, Myles glanced over his shoulder at Annie and asked if she could bring Tara some more pain medication.
Tara closed her eyes, taking slow careful breaths. A single tear slid down her cheek as she struggled to control the pain in her chest and shoulder. She felt Myles reach out and tenderly brush the tear away.
"I know you can take care of yourself, Tara," Myles comforted her, brushing her hair back as he spoke. Lightning flashed, followed closely by another crash of thunder as he waited for her to open her hazel eyes and look at him again.
"The accident wasn't that bad, Myles," she moaned, gazing back up at him. "Why am I so banged up?" Her frustration was clear in her eyes as she blinked back tears.
"I've been thinking about that while you were sleeping," Myles explained softly. "I think the seatbelt locked up when we impacted with the tree, but we actually bounced twice and I don't think it held the second time," he sighed. "I'm sorry, Tara."
"It's not your fault, Myles," she reassured him. "I probably shouldn't have tried to brace myself either," Tara stated.
"Still…" Myles stared down at her, feeling helpless and irritated himself.
"Here you go, Myles," Annie said returning with some medication and a glass of water. "You okay?" she asked Tara concern lining her face. Seeing her nod briefly, she continued, "If you think you want some, I've got soup. Maybe after you eat and let the pain meds work a bit, we can see about putting you in a sling or something for that shoulder, okay?"
"Thanks, Annie," Myles replied, slipping his arm gently under Tara to help prop her up as she swallowed the tablets, anxious for the throbbing pain in her chest to lessen.
With each breath, Tara felt a burning fire shoot through her lungs. She actually welcomed the thought of anything that would immobilize her broken collarbone and reduce the miserable pain.
More importantly, she was thankful for Myles comforting arm around her. Bracing her against him, careful not to jostle her, Myles took the soup from Annie and began to feed her slowly.
Tilting her head to look up at him behind her, Tara smiled slightly. She didn't know what had changed him from the gruff arrogant agent she normally sees into this gentle caring man. Whatever it was, I could sure get used to it, she thought as she eagerly accepted his assistance.