Free OBSESSION (The Bening Files (Novella) Book 4) by Rachel Trautmiller

Goosebumps raced upward.
    “Gotta watch that blacktop.” The words were humorless. In fact, he’d said very little since arriving at the hospital. He hadn’t mentioned anything more about her harsh words inside his office. Nor was he pressing her to talk about Paige or her mom.
    Which suited her fine, because she couldn’t trust herself not to fall apart. What was she going to do if her mom had actually committed these or any crimes? The woman had no access to the kind of knife used to end Nora’s life, yet she’d had it in her possession.
    He dropped his hands. “Want to speculate how a woman who’s been in and out of hospitals her entire life made it through the academy?”
    No. She wanted to trust her gut for once. And prove to him and everyone else that she wasn’t a danger-seeking magnet, but a woman interested in the truth. In saving lives. “It’s impressive, if you think about it.”
    He shook his head as if she should know better. “Or someone pushed her through.”
    “I get what you’re doing. If the positions were reversed, I might do the same.” She locked eyes with him. The sea-green of his irises captured her attention and lured her into a world where only the two of them existed. There she could breathe without fear of the next bout of trouble she couldn’t resist walking into.
    Who would suffer if she didn’t?
    He stepped closer, reached behind her and gripped the door handle, but didn’t enter. In her space like always. A fact that had never really bothered her. Not even in the days before they’d been in any sort of romantic relationship. It should have been her first clue as to what he might mean to her one day.
    Anger and anxiety warred with respect and love. As usual.
    You are one messed up chick.
    “So, why do you look like someone just punched your kid?” His voice was soft, as if he hadn’t asked a question that might have a negative answer.
    It had her wanting to forget their entire day. Move a little closer. Of its own volition, her gaze strayed to his lips. One taste and they would be right there. And when they came up for air, the day would be lying in wait.
    Like a hungry wolf.
    “Because, it’s not like you to grasp onto an idea like this. You’re more of an innocent-until-I-find-the-evidence-to-prove-you-guilty type of guy.”
    He pressed his lips together. His free hand went to her bandaged elbow, a feather-light touch that said more than words. “Nothing different about this, right? Another day on the job?”
    Except it wasn’t. That van had gunned in her direction. And based on what Davis had relayed, done the same to her. Why?
    Sure, they had a description any sketch artist could whip up. Dark hair, dark eyes. Baseball cap that didn’t cover much of either. And plates that didn’t show up in any DMV database.
    She sighed and spun toward the double doors, opened the one he wasn’t holding and walked through. “Wrong place. Wrong time.”
    “Exactly.” His voice was right behind her as they maneuvered through the halls of the ER, toward where Davis resided, for the moment.
    “Want me to point out all your little close calls, Robbie?” She stopped, then turned to face him. Didn’t know where the compulsion to defend a woman she hardly knew came from. Especially to the man who only had her best interests at heart.
    But it felt a lot like defending herself. “This is what I do. What I’ve always done. What’s with the sudden worry over my safety?”
    Something dark glittered across his face before he straightened. He tapped the folder against his free palm. “I get that she saved your life. I’m beyond grateful.” His voice took on a husky quality. “You’re grateful. Don’t let it skew your grip on reality, A.J.”
    That wasn’t right. One month ago Davis had been in that so-called right place at the right time and delivered a well-deserved bullet on Amanda’s behalf. Those events weren’t hampering the truth.
    She wouldn’t let it.
    Robinson