Aslin’s gaze slid to Rowan. “Not anymore.”
The cop raised an eyebrow at Aslin. “No?”
“About to embark on a career change.” Aslin returned his gaze to the officer. “Thinking personal trainer for a world-champion martial artist.”
Rowan’s heart, already pounding far too fast, thumped faster. Her breath caught in her throat.
“She’s clean,” the other officer said, tugging on Tilly’s now-cuffed wrists. “Time to go.” He looked up at Aslin. “We’ll be in touch, sir. Based on both your current states—” he gave Rowan a pointed glance “—there are quite a few questions to be answered.”
“In other words—” Aslin’s deep voice stroked over Rowan’s fraying senses, “—don’t leave town.”
The cop chuckled. “Not for a while, at least.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?” his partner asked, frowning at the blood still seeping through Aslin’s shirt. “You’re a big bugger, but a bullet wound isn’t something to brush off.”
Aslin lowered his attention to his side, raising his stained shirt with steady hands. “I’ll…” He stumbled back a step, his legs buckling beneath him.
Rowan was at his side before he could fall, sliding her arm around his waist. Supporting him. Holding him even as pain tore at her ribs. “I’ve got you.”
He looked down at her, his lips curling into a slow smile. “Hope so.”
She smiled back. “Know so.”
Somewhere in the distance—or maybe it was right beside her, she’d lost track of anyone else—someone cleared their throat.
“Get a room you two,” Chris said.
“You were right.” Rowan gazed up at Aslin’s face, unable to look away. “Someone was trying to hurt me.”
He brushed his thumb over her split lip, a deep rage simmering in the back of his eyes. “She did hurt you. She’s lucky I didn’t kill her.”
“You got shot,” Rowan murmured, touching her fingers to the sticky red stain on Aslin’s side. It was a ridiculous thing to say, but she couldn’t think of anything else.
Aslin’s answering grin was crooked. “I’ve had worse.”
Rowan’s eyebrows shot up. “Worse?”
He nodded. “This is just a flesh wound. A bloody stubborn American put me on my arse a week ago and I still haven’t recovered.”
Warm joy flooded through Rowan. “A bloody stubborn American, eh?”
His dark eyes twinkled, his hands smoothing over her backside to hold her closer to his hips. “Thank God I love her, or I’d be forced to point out the fact she didn’t listen to me when I was trying to—”
“Yeah, yeah, soldier boy,” Rowan muttered, rising up onto tiptoe as she tangled one hand in his hair and tugged his head down to hers. “We’ve got a whole life ahead of us for you to tell me you were right and I was wrong. Now just shut up and kiss me, will ya.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he whispered with a smile.
And he did.
Carefully.