chapter131

Suzanne kept her eyes fixed on Nathan’s bandaged shoulder, hesitant to look anywhere else. A subtle warmth radiated through her as she worked, her fingers trembling slightly. The silence in the room was so absolute she could almost hear the frantic rhythm of her own heart.

There was a palpable shift in Nathan’s demeanor as well. He sat perfectly still, his breathing heavy and measured, his gaze locked onto her with a scorching intensity. To Suzanne, he seemed like a pillar of stone, perhaps bracing himself against the pain of his injury.

“I’m going to remove the gauze now,” she whispered, her voice thick with unbidden concern. “Please let me know if I’m hurting you.”

Nathan offered a low, noncommittal hum in response, his eyes never leaving her.

As Suzanne carefully peeled away the dressing, she noticed how tightly it adhered to his skin. Worried about causing him further distress, she leaned in closer, instinctively blowing a soft breath over the exposed wound to soothe the sting. She was unaware that while the physical pain was negligible to a man of Nathan’s experience, her proximity was causing an entirely different kind of turmoil.

The faint, delicate fragrance that followed her—and the occasional brush of her hair against his skin—sent Nathan’s thoughts into a chaotic spiral. He tightened his fists in his lap, fighting for the stoicism that usually came so easily to him.

When the last of the gauze came away, Suzanne’s breath hitched. Even stitched, the wound was a harrowing sight. Tears blurred her vision as she realized how close the bullet had come to his heart. She worked quickly then, disinfecting the injury with iodine and applying fresh medication with a tenderness that spoke volumes.

As she finished, she sensed Nathan turning toward her. Suzanne quickly lowered her head, letting her hair fall like a curtain to hide her tear-streaked face. She took several deep breaths, trying to regain her composure.

Nathan, however, remained absorbed in her. He felt no pain from the wound; he only felt the phantom sensation of her fingertips against his skin. His heart raced, a visceral reaction to the woman who had recently asked him for a divorce.

For the past few weeks, Nathan had tried to bury his thoughts of Suzanne under the weight of national security and military duty. During the day, he succeeded. But in the quiet hours of the night, her image would return to haunt him—not just because she reminded him of a past memory, but because of her intellect, her grace, and her quiet strength. He found himself questioning the very nature of his attraction. Was it a lingering tie to the past, or something entirely new and far more dangerous?

Suzanne cleared the medical supplies from the bed, her movements hurried. When she finally turned back to hand him his shirt, she was met with a gaze so intense it felt like a physical weight.

“You should put this on,” she urged, her voice shaking. “The air conditioning... you might catch a cold.”

As Nathan reached out, he didn't take the shirt. Instead, his hand clamped firmly around Suzanne’s wrist. With a sudden, decisive tug, he pulled her toward him. Caught off balance, Suzanne gasped as she was drawn into his space, the world spinning until the distance between them vanished entirely.