“That can be scary. And a truckload of scary things have happened to you lately.” He rose to his feet and took her cup. “If it makes you feel better, you have my promise I won't jump ship on you.”
It did make her feel better. It was totally unreasonable that his words brought this sudden surge of warmth and reassurance.
The same warmth she had felt when he touched her wrist that day in the stairwell.
But that was different, that was deception and deliberate manipulation. And since she knew he was fully capable of both, why did she put stock in his word?
“You're fretting about why you're trusting me,” he said over his shoulder as he headed for the kitchen. “It's pretty amazing to me too.”
Evidently he had no trouble reading her, she thought in frustration. It wasn't fair.
“But it feels kind of good.” He didn't look at her as he put the cups in the dishwasher. “Sort of like feather beds and mashed potatoes.”
“Are you making fun of me?”
“I wouldn't think of it.” He raised his gaze to meet hers. “Unless I thought I could get away with it.”
“Well, you can't, and I wish—”
My God.
She quickly glanced away from him. Where had that come from? One minute she had been irritated and the next . . . aware. It was like that moment when he'd touched her when he changed her bandage. “How long do you think Logan will take to find out anything about this mess?”
He didn't answer for a second. “It depends. I'm sure he's on it now. Your friend Sarah must be very persuasive. Have you known each other long?”
“Yes.” Sarah was a safe topic. Skid away from that weird, intimate moment. “Years. I ran into her during the first earthquake I covered near Istanbul. I was very green, and she saved me from being shot by one of the soldiers protecting the site. And then she saved me from breaking down any number of times when they started recovering the bodies.” She shook her head. “It broke my heart. It still does.”
“Then why do you go back?”
“Because I can help. It's not right to pass responsibility on to someone else because it hurts.”
Confidences. Intimacy again. She had to break the spiral. She stood up and moved toward the bedroom. “Maybe I will rest for a while. Call me when Galen gets here.”
Morgan nodded. “I'll be in to check your bandage in a little while.”
“No, it's fine,” she said quickly.
He met her gaze and then slowly nodded. “Whatever you say.”
She moistened her lips. “Arapahoe Junction. That wasn't an explosion. I know it wasn't.”
“I believe you.” He turned away. “Rest well.”
“She said it wasn't an explosion,” Morgan told Galen as he watched him prepare supper. “She's positive.”
“Then what brought the hill down? Earthquake?”
“That was one of the possible explanations brought up by the FBI.” He shook his head. “But who the hell could trigger an earthquake? No, I'm not sure what it was.”
Galen looked up from the chicken he was basting. “But you have an idea.”
“I didn't say that.”
“You don't say a tenth of what you're thinking, you secretive bastard.” He picked up the pan and headed for the oven. “It's a wonder I don't give up on you.”
“Yes, it is. You should. Why don't you?”
“I'm a masochist.” He closed the oven door. “But not enough to stay away from Elena for much longer. Now that I've finished playing superhero, I'm going to cut you loose and go home.” He grinned. “I'm enjoying the hell out of being a henpecked husband.”
“Elena is no hen. Is there such a thing as tiger-pecked?”
“I'll find out, if she has to go through much more of this pregnancy without me. That's not going to happen. I'm not going to miss it.” He went to the stovetop and started to stir the vegetables. “But you're going to miss me. Even though I bought plenty of frozen dinners for you.”
“We'll survive. You're opting out entirely?”
“Anything I can do on the phone or through contacts, I'm your man. I'll start out by getting an ID on those two sketches. But the only thing that would get me to leave Elena again is if you or Alex were about to be drawn and quartered. And then only with Elena's permission.”
Morgan made a face. “Not likely.”
“I don't know. Maybe she's mellowing with pregnancy.” He chuckled and shook his head. “Nah.”
“I didn't think so.”
“I'll get you transport. I'll get you experienced men for on-site help. I'll use my brilliant mind and persuasive talents to clear your path. As long as it doesn't take me more than thirty feet from Elena.”