Oh.â
In those expressive eyes he could see mortification and something deeper. Almost shame.
She cleared her throat and shifted her gaze to the ground. âIâm so sorry.â Her voice was small, tight. âDid I hurt you?â
âNope.â He tried to smile reassuringly, for all the good it did him, since she wouldnât look at him. âIâve run into much tougher customers than you.â
âI donât doubt that,â she murmured, a deep, old bitterness in her voice.
Her hands still shook and he had to fight the urge to reach out and cover those slender, trembling fingers with his.
She wouldnât welcome the comfort right now. He knew she wouldnât. And sheâd probably jump right through the porch roof if he obeyed his other sudden, completely irrational impulseâto reach forward and press his mouth to that wildly fluttering pulse he could see beating quickly through an artery at the base of her throat.
âYou want to tell me what that was all about?â he asked instead.
She still refused to meet his gaze. âYou just startled me, thatâs all. I donât like being startled.â
Yeah, like a wild mustang doesnât like rowels dug into his sides. Eyes narrowed, he watched her for several more seconds, then realized she wasnât going to tell him anything more about the reason for her panic.
âHowâs the leg?â
âTheâ¦the leg?â
âThatâs what started this whole thing, remember? You turned to walk away from me and it must have given out. I tried to keep you from falling and you suddenly went off like a firecracker on the Fourth of July.â
The blush spread even farther. âIâm sorry,â she whispered again. âThank you for trying to help.â
She reached out and used a chair for leverage to stand, then tested her weight gingerly. âItâs my knee, not my leg. It gives me trouble sometimes if I move too quickly.â
Was that the reason for that slight, mysterious limp of hers? What had caused it? he wondered. An accident of some kind? The same accident that made her spirit seem so wounded, that put that wild panic in her green eyes when somebody touched her unexpectedly?
He had a thousand questions, but he knew shewouldnât answer any of them. âSit down. Need me to call Doc Wallace and have him come take a look at it?â
âNo. Iâm fine. It should be all right in a few moments.â
âCan I bring you something, then? A glass of water or juice or something? A pillow, maybe, to put that leg on?â
She sat down and gave him an odd look, as if she didnât know quite what to make of the Salt River police chief trying to play nurse. âNo, I told you, Iâm fine. Itâs happened before. Usually, if I can just sit still for a few moments it will be all right.â
After a moment he shrugged and sprawled into the wicker chair across from her. âIn that case, youâre in no condition to kick me out, so Iâll just sit here with you until youâre back on your feet. Just to make sure you donât need a doctor or anything.â
âThatâs not necessary. I told you, Iâll be perfectly fine.â
âHumor me. Itâs my civic duty. Canât leave a citizen of the good town of Salt River in her hour of need. Now, where were we?â Jesse scratched his cheek. âOh, thatâs right. I was telling you what happened at the mayorâs.â
âYou mean you were telling me what didnât happen,â she muttered. Her fiery color began to fade, he saw with satisfaction, until it just about matched those soft pink early climbing roses around her back porch that sent their heady aroma through the cool evening air.
âWe covered that. What I didnât have a chance to tell you is that I think youâre right. Somethingâs definitely going on with that kid.â
Her green eyes widened.